John Heller, Post-Gazette Serra Catholic's Cam Olsen is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two-run home run last week in the fifth inning against Leechburg. Click photo for larger image.

Peter, Paul & Mary were in vogue 40 years ago, but Brian Dzurenda can relate to them.

"If I Had a Hammer" was that trio's signature song. If Dzurenda, the Serra Catholic baseball coach, had a hammer, his team would be downright daunting.

"The only thing we lack is a power pitcher who can dominate, like [Mike] Devine at Springdale," Dzurenda said. "But we have the hitting, fielding and chemistry to do some damage."

Actually, the Eagles have done a fair share of damage this season. They did fall to Springdale, 14-7, Monday in a showdown for the Section 4-A lead --their second loss to the Dynamos.

Still, heading into a 4-A matchup at Elderton yesterday, they were a laudable 10-2, 6-2, trailing only the Dynamos (8-1, 5-0).

Serra is a talented and experienced juggernaut whose success was not unexpected. Dzurenda started mostly underclassmen last year, when the Eagles went 10-10 and lost in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

Dzurenda may not have a Roger Clemens-caliber hammer, but he has starting pitchers who can pound the opposition. Junior Mike Tedesco is 3-0 with a 1.60 ERA and senior Blaine McClendon is 4-0.

Senior Mike Kochman lost Monday, but until then had been primarily a closer who had allowed one earned run in 10 innings.

Two transfers have enhanced the pitching staff and team, junior Cameron Olsen and sophomore Ben Druskin.

Olsen was a designated hitter and a backup catcher last season at Norwin, the WPIAL Class AAAA runner-up. He is 1-1, but is better behind the plate than throwing toward it.

Dzurenda, in fact, said Olsen "has to be one of the best catchers in the WPIAL. No one runs on him. I think he will be a Division I prospect next year."

Olsen had 14 RBIs and 16 runs scored through Sunday.

Druskin played with the McKeesport Area varsity last spring. For the most part, he has pitched and played third base, but is versatile enough to be used elsewhere.

Junior Adam Cristallini is the only left-handed pitcher, but takes the mound only occasionally. He is a top-notch center fielder who has sparked the offense with 15 RBIs and 14 runs scored through Sunday.

Then there's the prodigy: Brian Henze. a 6-foot-2, 200-pound freshman.

	John Heller, Post-Gazette Shortstop Mike Blick, a senior, leads Serra Catholic in batting with a .471 average. Click photo for larger image.

"He's a flame-thrower," Dzurenda said. "He's the best ninth-grader I've seen ... ever. If he continues to develop, he'll be quite a prospect."

The baseball axiom that strong teams are strong up the middle certainly applies to Serra. Senior infielders Michael Blick and Dave Klocek complete the spine of this squad's defense.

Blick, the shortstop, came into this week with a team-high .471 batting average plus 14 RBIs and 12 runs. He will play football at Waynesburg College.

Klocek, a four-year starter, had three home runs, 15 RBIs and 16 runs through Sunday. He smashed an early-season shot in Alabama that Dzurenda said soared 400 feet. Klocek will play baseball at Mercyhurst Northeast, a junior college outside Erie.

McClendon, Druskin and Henze share time at third base and junior Curtis Nickel is a two-year starter at first.

Seniors Tyler Hellwig and Mario Poston flank Cristallini in left and right field, respectively. Poston, who ripped his first varsity homer recently, entered the week with 16 runs scored. Hellwig had 15.

"I think we have an outfield that would rival a Quad-A outfield," Dzurenda said.

Junior Willie Henze, Brian's brother and a crackerjack swimmer, has made a splash as a courtesy runner and a part-time right fielder.

Kochman and McClendon have been designated hitters.

This is a power-laden team that was averaging 11.7 runs per game through Tuesday and had launched 10 homers, just three shy of the school season record. Seven players had stroked at least one long ball.

It is a balanced squad as well. And a deep one.

"This is the biggest team I've had," said Dzurenda, whose Eagles are to play host to 4-A compatriot St. Joseph tomorrow. "We had 30 kids come out, 15 of them freshmen. I think that freshman class bodes well for the future."