Sousa, Swift Form Solid 1-2 Punch To Lead Benjamin

Pitcher Chad Swift, who hit .313 last season, practices bunting during a recent practice.

Bennett Sousa is a left-handed power pitcher. Right-hander Chad Swift is more deceptive.

Together, the Benjamin seniors form one of the better top-of-the-rotation duos in the county.

Benjamin manager Brian Kaplan believes his top two pitchers are similar in their approach to the game. They also have similar personalities. But they are also slightly different.

“They’re quiet guys, lead-by-action guys,” Kaplan said. “They both battle, they both get after it, both work pretty hard. On the mound, they’re a little different. Bennett is kind of a max effort guy. He’ll show you his fastball and will go right after you. Chad will work with his off-speed pitches a little bit and try to deceive a couple of hitters.”

Sousa, a 6-foot-3, 185-pounder, went 5-3 in eight starts last season, striking out 34 in 30.1 innings. He also batted .364 and drove in 30 runs, second on the team.

“We’re very good with our team chemistry,” Sousa said. “This team knows how to win, knows how to prepare themselves. We know that we’re not the best, and we know we have to prepare ourselves each and every day at practice as hard as we can in order to go to where we were last year and beyond.”

The 6-2, 175-pound Swift was 4-3, striking out 26 and walking just eight in 38.2 innings as a junior. He will play third base when not pitching and batted .313 last season.

“I expect nothing but the best,” said Swift, who added about 10 pounds of muscle for his final year. “I think this team is better than last year’s team. I think this team is going to compete for a district title, a possible regional title, possible state title. I don’t care about my personal stats. I just want to win the game.”

Off the field, both Sousa and Swift are laid back but with minor differences.

“My laid back is more joking,” Sousa said. “His laid back is more actual laid back. But I think we have the switch where we can turn it on when we have to turn it on. That’s what made us so successful last year.”

Shane Searson, one of four seniors on the roster, works on his bunting skills.

“I’m a little bit more laid back, I usually take things easier,” said Swift, who has been on varsity since he was a freshman and has committed to Saint Louis University. “On the field, he’s a lot more intense, more focused than I am sometimes. Off the field, we’re different. He’s a little more outgoing. He’s doing things, he’s out there just being who he is. I’m in my own personal little bubble.”

Sousa said he is more noticeably intense than Swift on the mound.

“I get in a zone that’s very intense,” said Sousa, who has been on the varsity since eighth grade and has committed to the University of Virginia. “Chad’s calming me down sometimes. He has more of the brains. He can think about the situation where I just do it. I’m harder on myself than others are. If I make a bad pitch, I get angry. If Chad makes a bad pitch, he’s like, ‘alright, I have to do this, this and this.’ “

They also bond over music. Their musical tastes skews toward country, with Jason Aldean as their favorite artist. Sousa is in charge of the tunes for practice and pre-game and takes his role seriously.

“Most guys are pumping up to rap before the game and we’re jamming to country music,” Sousa said. “But he’s a heavy metal guy, too. He knows every artist there is (in every genre). Pick an old-time song and he’ll know the singer and what song it is. Ask him his favorite artist, he says what year.”

The Bucas favorite song this year will be whatever one is playing should they be celebrating a district title.

Benjamin finished with a 21-7 record last season and was eliminated by rival King’s Academy in the regional semifinals. The Bucs have moved to a new district, 13-3A, which features defending state champion Melbourne Central Catholic and perennial powerhouses John Carroll and Florida Air.

No. 1 pitcher Bennett Sousa gets in some work at first base, where he will play when not on the mound.

The Bucs lost several core players and are young, with only four seniors on the roster. But Kaplan is looking forward to the challenge.

“I’m excited about it, with the competition and a larger district,” Kaplan said. “We’re a scrappier team. Our freshmen and sophomores are asked to have roles with the program right away. From one to nine, we don’t have an easy out. We’re feistier.”

In addition to Sousa and Swift, the Bucs will also depend on sophomores Matt Ellmyer, a middle infielder and right-hander (2-0, two saves in 31 innings), and Logan Taplett (.345), who has taken over as starting catcher.

Returnees who are expected to provide depth include senior left fielder Kyle Ruedisili (.262 average) and junior center fielder Baylen Sparks (.377). Junior Parker Quinn, a first baseman who has verbally committed to Hofstra, and eighth-grader Kris Armstrong are also expected to make big contributions. Armstrong is the first eighth-grader to play varsity since Sousa’s ascent five years ago.

Despite their differences, the Bucs are depending on their top two pitchers to be the same — finding ways to lead them to wins.

Leave a comment using your facebook account!