On Sunday April 24th, the Merrimack Valley Expos will take on the North Shore Giants as they set out to defend their back to back titles. Just like any other season, the expectation is championship or bust, and the players wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Expos hope to hit the field with an improved team, revamping the lineup and adding to the pitching staff, to go along with a key core group of returning players from the 2020 and 2021 championship teams. After winning back to back titles both against the Malden Marlins, now is not the time to take the foot off the gas and be complacent. Returning starting players include Jose Paulino, Ethan Gofstein, Matt Ferro, Cam Plank, Shane Rhuda, Mike Bailey and Michael Oliveira. Shawn Carlson and Zach Kirby will also return to anchor the pitching staff.
New comers to the Expos lineup Include right handed hitter Chris Dowd, and Right handed hitter Thomas Crowley. Chris Dowd adds an impact bat in the middle of the Expos lineup, someone who is very hard to strikeout and always makes solid contact. Thomas Crowley will join the expos after he finishes up his division 1 college season in May. Crowley is another bat who will rarely strikeout and shoot the ball gap to gap.
New additions to the pitching staff, are not actual new Expos but are returning players from the first championship team in 2020. Those pitchers include RHP’s Dan Shaw, and David Kerns. Kerns, some will remember pitched the deciding game 3 back in 2020 to help secure the Expos first league championship by pitching a complete game victory.
The MV Expos are excited about the 2022 season and hope to defend their title come playoff time!
Go Spos’!