Berks Sports Report Paul Roberts
Tom Frees is back in a familiar place. On Wednesday, Berks Catholic announced that Frees would be returning as the Saints’ head baseball coach. He was the first baseball coach in Berks Catholic history and led the program to a pair of District 3 championships. Frees went (102-46) over seven years with the Saints. “We are thrilled to welcome Coach Frees back to Berks Catholic. His passion for the game, dedication to our student-athletes, and vision for the program make him the ideal leader to guide Saints’ baseball into its next chapter,” said Athletic Director Bill Hess.
Frees spent a decade as the head coach at Holy Name prior to taking over at Berks Catholic. He won one District 3 title with the Blue Jays. After stepping down as the Saints’ head coach, Frees was hired for the same position at Reading High School. He spent four seasons at his alma mater.
Frees will have an experienced coaching staff with him at Berks Catholic. His assistants include three former head coaches in Scott Hassler (Central Catholic), Greg Hogan (Holy Name), and Dan Skalski (Prep Charter). David Jones will serve as the junior varsity head coach. German Vasquez, who played for Frees at Berks Catholic, is the new hitting coach.
The Saints finished (20-8) this past spring. Brandon Shurr decided to resign as head coach due to family and work commitments. He was (76-53) over six years at Berks Catholic. Shurr led the Saints to their first District 3 championship since 2018. They beat Bermudian Springs 8-0 in the District 3-3A Final. Berks Catholic advanced to the state semifinals before falling to Mount Carmel 4-3.
