Chris Kachmar made the most of his opportunity to pitch in Fairleigh Dickinson's conference rotation. The freshman from East Greenville earned the victory in his Northeast Conference debut, earning the mound victory in the second game of a doubleheader on March 18.

                Kachmar struck out seven while allowing four runs on five hits over 4-2/3 innings in a 9-4 win over Mount St. Mary's. He finished the season as one of the Knights' top pitchers. In 12 starts, the 2015 Upper Perkiomen graduate posted a 6-3 record with two complete games.

                That performance helped earn Kachmar a spot in the starting rotation for the Quakertown Blazers, who open their 2016 season at 7 p.m. Thursday against Lehigh Valley at Memorial Park Stadium.

                Kachmar, who registered 63 strikeouts in 68 innings during the spring, may be limited this summer, according to Manager Dewey Oriente.

                "My goal is to allow the guys to go back to their college teams better than they were when they got here," Oriente said.

                The Blazers, a member of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League, will feature two additional local players. One finished with a .328 average as a freshman in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The other is a slick fielding catcher with ties to Perkiomen School.

                Jimmy Herron, a Lower Salford resident, delivered 22 doubles and stole 24 bases for Duke University. Herron, who attended LaSalle College High School, was the first player signed by the Blazers.

                "Anytime you get a player of his caliber, it's exciting," said Oriente, Quakertown's first-year manager who serves as the recruiting coordinator at DeSales University.  According to the manager Herron, who led off for the Blue Devils and played left and center field, will continue in a similar role for the Blazers.

                Angel Lopez, who entered Northampton Community College with the reputation as a standout receiver behind the plate, excelled at the plate. In 38 games, he hit .387 with 12 doubles, three triples and two home runs for the Spartans, who advanced to the semifinal round of the Region XIX playoffs.

                "I was impressed with his abilities," said Oriente, who watched Lopez last month in the regional playoffs. "From what I saw, he has great defensive abilities. And his offensive numbers aren't too shabby."

                According to the manager, the Blazers will rely on a roster full of athletic players who can run and hitters with gap power.

                "Speed may be a big factor," Oriente said. "Having that type of players could be a benefit in terms of defense. The pitchers we added late could be catalysts moving forward. It's going to be an exciting season."