Holman Stadium looks more than ready as of Saturday to begin hosting a steady diet of baseball beginning this week with the opening of the Nashua North, South and Bishop Guertin seasons. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

They call themselves Team 34.

This will be the 34th spring of Souhegan High School baseball, and Team 34 has a tough act to follow becaue Team 33 was a state champion with just one loss.

A year ago, the Souhegan High School baseball team was starving for a Division II championship after falling in the 2024 finals. And now? It was a senior heavy team, but there’s still enough talent left over to keep the Sabers hungry for a repeat, according to head coach Chris Metz.

“We did lose a lot but we gained a lot,” Metz said. “A lot of our kids experienced it, got some time last year that are back this year, and they’re ready for their year.”

Meanwhile, local Division I teams will try to rebound from what was for four out of the five a very disappointing 2025. The name of the game was, is, and always will be pitching.

“The state appears to be very deep with pitching,” Bishop Guertin coach Scott Painter said, “and every game will be a grind.”

Here’s a look at how the local teams in all four divisions see themselves as the season begins on Monday for some and this Wednesday for others:

DIVISION I

BG is poised to make some noise this year, with a lot of experienced returnees from a team that made it to the quarterfinals.

Key players include seniors Liam Ireland (of), Ben Geiger (p-1b), Nick Wyner (2b, 3b), and Tyler Parks (2b), plus juniors Gavin Santos (short) and Nate Bowen (P, c, Of). Most of the infield is back and it’s a solid look defensively up the middle, Geiger will anchor the pitching staff, and there’s half dozen, including Santos and Bowen, who will pace the offense.

“We hae a solid group of returning position players and pitchers which should help us compete with the top programs in the state,” Painter said.

Nashua North is hoping to bounce back from a tough 5-14 season with key pitchers Nolan Sullivan (junior) and senior Owen Forcier headlining the staff.

They’ll have seniors infielder Dawson Boulton, p-of Jayden Beaulieu, pitcher/utility Ben Kelly and infielder Jacob Munroe as key returnees, plus promising junior newcomer Brayden Ouellet (p-inf).

North graduated a large senior class so coach Zach Harris will look for new leadership and many to step into bigger roles. North has never had thundersticks, but there’s a way around that. “As in the past, we’ll rely on our pitching and defense to be efficient and make plays to keep us in games,” Harris said.

Across the bridge, Nashua South is also looking to get back to the postseason after a two-year absence, going 7-12 last year. Top returners include senior lefty pitcher Brendon Doughty, pitcher-infielder Max Demers, senior catcher Jack Ninteau, (p-of) and Aidan O’Connor (p-of). Both Doughty and Ninteau are headed to play at Fitchburg State next year. Newbies Anderson Tolentino (3b) and Ryan Caruso (1b) will also help out.

“There are a lot of young, exciting players waiting in the wings that hope to make an impact right away,” longtime Panthers coach James Gaj said. “The division is wide open this year and we’re hoping to surprise a few people.”

Merrimack may have the right idea to get back to the tournament.

“Pitching is our strength,” ‘Hawks coach Mike Dudash said. “We do have a good amount of players who have played or have seen varsity play so hopefully this will help us reach this year’s tournament.”

Atop the rotation ae senior four-year starter Evan Sousa, who also plays short. Then there’s juniors Kyle Brander, Logan Hoag, Jayden Agallino and Ian Gagnon.

Others back from last year’s starting lineup are first baseman-of Daniel Laiaigne and outfielders Zach Retey and Ian Gagnon. Also watch out for catcher Ben Goldstein plus infielders Gavin Graves and Liam Aubut.

Alvirne will try to bounce back from a 4-14 season that was better in the second half, as they look to make the postseason for the first time since 2021. They’ll be led by seniors Brady Mitchell (p-inf), Jameson Krueger (OF), and Logan Orr (inf), as well as key juniors Brody Buja (pitcher) Matty Bebris and sophomore Memphis Breach (C-P-INF). Mitchell and Buja will be the one-two to set the pace for the pitching staff, it seems. “We’ll have a mix of experience and newcomers,” Broncos coach Coulton Houle said.

Catcher Joe Mayo, left, and pitcher Ethan Gaudet, are back to lead Souhegan after celebrating the Sabers’ 2025 Division II title. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

DIVISION II

The Sabers engine will be senior catcher Joe Mayo, one of the school’s best athletes. Others back are seniors Brody Smith (p-of), Blake Powers (p-of), and likely the ace of the pitching staff, Ethan Gaudet. Gaudet started the 2024 title game and closed out last year’s championship in relief. Junior Alex Trudel is back as a pitcher and middle infielder. Sophomore Nate Snider will help out on the mound as well as Jack Parsis. The Sabers have about eight or nine pitchers.

“They know the standard, they now what’s expected,” Metz said. “They want to be playing June 13 (title game day). They brough that up. It was the players. … Our guys don’t plan on skipping a beat.”

Meanwhile, Milford coach Todd Robichaud welcomes a group of familiar names, led by seniors Gabe St. Onge (of-p), Ethan Szopa (2b), junior Marek Luba (1b-p), and sophomores Jacob Hill (inf-p) and Jack Bonafilia (inf-p).

“We have a good mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen on this team,” Robichaud said. “These kids want to compete, play hard, and make the playoffs.”

Hollis Brookline bounced back last year in a big way from a lost 2024, getting double digit wins and a tourney berth, and with a young team no less.

This year’s Cavs will be the same – young, with just two seniors, catcher-outfielder Jackson Adams and catcher Thomas Howie.

Junior Ian Sinclair is the team’s mound ace with a combined 100 varsity strikeouts his freshman and sophomore years. Other key returnees are junior center fielder Matt Bergin, junior shortstop Keenan Meyers and Connor Gryniewicz (1b-p). The Cavs are looking at junior outfielder Quinn Imbrogno to provide a big bat.

“We’ll be a young squad again,” HB coach Alex Pratt said, adding he’s got players who will “look to improve on their impressive season last year.”

DIVISION III

Campbell went 12-6 last year but lost in the quarters, and the Cougars only graduated three. They return top senior hitters Braydon White (inf-p, .404) and Mikey Grace (inf-p, .363, three Hrs), plus junior Jack Curtis (inf-of-p, 15 RBIs) and Brady Marcotte (inf-of-p).

Marcotte (3-0), White (1-1), Curtis (3-1) and Marcotte (1-0, 0.00) will be solid on the mound.

There’s also depth in emerging players Iavan Schafer, Aiden Kepple, Adam Courreau, Jayden Medina, Nate Federico, Tim Currier and Brody Pinciaro.

“We enter the season with experience and a clear standard,” Cougars coach Drew Gora said. “This group is ready to compete with the top teams in Division III.”

DIVISION IV

Where will Wilton-Lyndeborough, 6-11 and a first round casualty last spring, fit in this season among contenders Epping, Newmarket and Mascenic? “We’ll be in the mix as well,” Warriors coach Paul Levesque said, citing Portsmouth Christian and Nute as other tough teams.

The Warriors he admits will be young, but led by the experience of senior J.J. Benson (1b-p, .887 OPS last year plus a .2.73 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 41.1 innings), plus juniors Daxtin Richards (inf-p, .832 OPS) andWarren Sullivan (of, .429, 20 RBIs, 1.072 OPS). Also watch for Jason Caragher to be part of the anchor group. There’s a group freshmen in Paul Lemire, Cam Butt, Ezra Meltzer and Camden Jones to watch as well.