The Balliet Vikings made quite an impression during their first year in the Lehigh Valley Connie Mack League.

The team went 16-6 and advanced to the state tourney only to lose two, heartbreaking, 1-0 games in the bottom of the seventh inning.

With a nice group of returning players, the team started 3-0 this season as of late last week. However head coach Ed Roman wants to keep things in perspective.

“Because it’s a long season, we’re focusing on the fundamentals game after game,” Roman said. “If we do that well, the rest will fall into place.”

Last year’s all-star selections are all back in A.J. Brosious, Rob Roman and Justin Welch. Brosious (1B) hit .361 with 30 RBIs a year ago while Roman (CF) hit .406 with 26 steals. Welch (SP/SS) picked up six wins and is one of the team’s top-two starters. Four other key players also return in Zach Brodeur, Devon Olsovksy (LF), Derek Buskirk (2B) and Braden Glad (RF). Brodeur hit .357 a year ago and is the team’s other top starting option when not playing third.

As Roman summed up, pitching is going to be the key for the Vikings as well as every other team in the league.

“Because it’s such a packed, long schedule, the key is pitching,” Roman said. “Because of the number of games we need to get pitching help. So far so good.”

Mike Morren and Tim Antiqua are two newcomers who will be counted on to log some innings this season while John Barto and Mike Biondo are two other newcomers to watch. Others to watch are Dom Miller, who is another pitcher expected to see time, Zach Anglestein, Matt Miller and John Larock.

The Vikings are a club team primarily made up of Central Catholic players, many who are from the Northampton, Whitehall and Parkland areas. Roman said the goal of the team is to gain experience.

“Stronger fundamentals makes them more sound over time,” Roman said. “The goal is to keep guys together longer. The longer they play together the more successful their high school years will be.”