The Fox Chapel baseball team has the pieces to be competitive in the WPIAL’s Class 5A classification. What the Foxes will have to figure out is how to replace some of the leadership that led them to the postseason last year.

Fox Chapel coach James Hastings said the group that returns will need to fill in some of the leadership it lost from last season.

“I think like any team that they need to keep focus on staying on top of things,” Hastings said. “We lost some good leaders from last year.”

Fox Chapel, which opened the season with a 10-4 loss to Franklin Regional, will have plenty of experience at the top of its pitching staff. West Virginia commit Blake Krushinski and Tristan Blum, a Kent State recruit, will be the Foxes’ top two options.

Joe Geller (catcher), Nick Seifried (third base) and Tyler Golembiewski (infield) also are returning starters who can pitch as well as play in the field.

Hastings said he thinks Fox Chapel will have other arms who can pick up key innings.

“Blake and Tristan are talented kids,” Hastings said. “They can throw strikes. If you can throw strikes at this level, you can be successful.”

Elias George, who is an infielder and catcher, is the other returning starter. George has played internationally for Sweden’s 18U team.

Fox Chapel will have to contend with Mars, New Castle, Pine-Richland, Shaler and West Allegheny in Section 3 this season. The Titans beat the Rams in the WPIAL final last year before bowing out in the state final.

Fox Chapel finished last season 15-6 and lost to Latrobe in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs, 2-1. The Foxes are hoping to find more timely hitting this season.

“That is something that is hard to practice,” Hastings said. “We try to keep it simple in terms of their approach. We want them to work on using the whole field and not being pull happy.”

Hastings anticipates it will take some time for the team to jell with three first-year starters. During the Foxes’ season-opener against Franklin Regional, Gino Pototo contributed a double and Blum scored twice.

The Foxes were scheduled to open section play March 23 against Shaler. Results from that game were too late for this edition.

“The major goal the kids have is to try and improve every year,” Hastings said. “I think that is a big motivating factor for them.”