The defending Southeast Conference champion LeRoy-Ostrander/Grand Meadow baseball team returns six versatile starters in hopes of defending the crown on the diamond this season.

LOGM graduated a pair of All-Conference performers in Ryan King and Grant Lunning, but the team gained valuable experience from its juniors and sophomores. The team brings back three All-Conference selections -- Dustin Thorson, Chad Doocy and Jacob Rowe -- and honorable mention Anthony Stejskal.

"This year we've got some good senior leaders," said second-year coach Dan Dow. "We've got four guys at the top that will give us good leadership and hopefully get more kids out for the future of the program."

Thorson will start in center or on the mound, powering his fastball and slider to complement a knuckleball work-in-progress. Doocy will play left field or first base when he's not pitching, and Rowe will bounce between the mound and first base.

Stejskal earned honorable mention notoriety as a sophomore defending the dish last year. Dow is confident in Stejskal's place as the catcher.

"He's a pretty solid catcher, there isn't one thing that stands out that he needs to work on," Dow said.

Shane Bunne returns to the left side of the infield and will play either position, and Adam Schlee is the starting second baseman to this point.

Underclassmen John Hanks, Neil Bucknell, Nate O'Groske and Travis Lewis look to contribute as well. Zac Benson may also be used off the bench or as a starting infielder. Bucknell did some pitching while coming up through the ranks, and Hanks has power to gain a starting spot in the outfield.

"They've all got pretty good pop in their bat, the potential is there," Dow said of the younger players. "We've got some good bats. I don't know if we're going to hit for average."

Dow suggests that Glenville-Emmons will be tough to tame in the race for the Southeast Conference crown because of returning pitching. Lyle/Pacelli's youth, with some veteran leadership, also concerns him.

"I think the conference is going to be pretty tough and pretty balanced," Dow said. "I see every team to have a chance at it."