EVERETT — With a roster comprised largely of area high school and community college products, both past and present, the Everett Merchants open their 2013 season on Saturday night with a 7:05 p.m. game against the North Sound Emeralds at Everett Memorial Stadium.
The Merchants, under coach Harold Pyatte, will be bidding for a place in the National Baseball Congress World Series — a tournament the Merchants won in 1988 — in late July and early August, and in the meantime Everett will play close to 40 league and non-league games.
“I feel really good about this club,” said head coach Harold Pyatte, who is beginning his 41st season with the team. “There’s a mix of older players and younger players, and the returnees are all proven players. So I’ve got a really good feeling about it.”
The roster includes seven players from the Everett Community College team that is playing today for the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges championship in Longview. Among them are shortstop Max Whitt of Granite Falls, Everett CC’s top hitter (.384 batting average), and top pitchers Gunnar Swanson of Duval (8-2, 1.71 ERA) and JoJo Howie of Everett (9-1, 2.42).
Seven players on this year’s Merchants roster were with the team a year ago, when Everett finished second in the eight-team Pacific International League.
“I’m really comfortable with the lineup we’re going to put on the field,” Pyatte said. “We’ve got some veteran guys who know how to win, and I’m counting on those guys to be the leaders of this team.
“I think pitching is going to be our strength,” he added. “The pitching is going to keep us in games, and it’s going to give us a chance to play a little defense and swing the bats.”
Everett’s regular season begins Saturday and continues through the end of July. The PIL also includes teams from Seattle and Bellevue, plus B.C. teams from Langley, Kelowna, Burnaby, Kamloops and Trail.
Among the season highlights for the Merchants is the annual Everett Cup game against the Everett AquaSox on June 12 at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Clinic for kids
Prior to Saturday’s opener, the Merchants will host a clinic for boys and girls ages 7-12 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Everett Memorial Stadium. Participants will need a glove, and they are encouraged to bring shoes and a bat.
For information or to register, contact Merchants president of baseball operations Seth Dawson at sethdawson@att.net.
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