Justin Freese-Exeter

Among the current head coaches in the Berks Baseball League, no one has been managing longer than Justin Freese. The Exeter graduate is in his 27th season as the Eagles’ skipper. We talked about why he loves coaching and what brings him back year after year. Freese likes the attitude of this year’s ball club which includes eleven seniors. He said their goal is to score five runs per game. Exeter is exceeding expectations so far. The (3-1) Eagles are averaging nearly nine runs. They put up 14 in their home opener against Pottsgrove. On Tuesday, Exeter erupted for a dozen runs in a 12-2 rout of Garden Spot that lasted five innings. Owen Wisner is back after hitting .353 as a junior. He scored 11 runs and knocked in 11 more. Freese believes that speedy sophomore Alex Kelsey has a ton of potential. In 24 at-bats as a freshman, Kelsey hit .292 with a pair of doubles and a triple. Deven Sheerin and Luke Weller will be counted on heavily at the plate and on the mound. Sheerin had an ERA of 1.35 last season. The 6’5, 230-pound junior was an all-division selection with a .295 batting average and a team-high 5 doubles. Sheerin had three hits including a double and a home run last Tuesday versus Pottsgrove. He drove in four runs and picked up the save. Weller is making the transition from third base to shortstop. The senior was (5-1, 3.08) in 2021 with 29 strikeouts and only three walks in 25 innings. Weller and Wisner were both named honorable mention all-division. Freese knows that playing in Division 1 is a gauntlet. Gov. Mifflin is the defending Berks County champion. The Mustangs are off to a fast (5-0) start. Wilson captured the District 3-6A title last year. The Eagles are looking to improve on an (11-9, 6-6) campaign. They came up short against Oley Valley in the Berks County quarterfinals. Exeter fell to the Lynx 5-4 in 8 innings. The Eagles qualified for the District 3-5A playoffs. They lost at #4 seed Northern York 3-1 in the opening round. Finally, Freese mentioned that he’s a big country music fan. You will find out who are his top two country singers.