Nick D'Amico can't point to one moment that sent Freedom into a second-half swoon last season.

An injury to shortstop Brian Uliana hurt the Patriots. The back end of their schedule featured more games against the Lehigh Valley Conference's top baseball teams than the front end did. Their confidence may have wavered when the losses started to accumulate.

No matter what caused the Patriots to fade last season they went 2-9 in the second half and lost their last seven games D'Amico wants to steer his players away from a similar fate this season. Freedom's seventh-year coach should have that chance with his team off to one of the best starts in the area again.

With Tuesday's 8-3 win over Bethlehem Catholic, Freedom (5-0 heading into Thursday's nonleague game with Parkland) became the first team in the area to reach five wins. The Patriots are on pace to at least match their first-half play from 2012, when they opened 8-2.

Seniors Uliana, Gary Moritz and Dylan Frankenfield have led the way for a Freedom lineup that went into Thursday averaging nine runs per game. Uliana has shifted from shortstop to center field this season in a move designed to give the Patriots their best defensive alignment. He scored eight runs in their first five games and was 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts.

Moritz, a first-year starter at catcher, has ripped the ball. He began Thursday hitting .444 with one triple, two home runs and 13 RBIs. Frankenfield was also hitting .444 and had a .667 on-base percentage through Wednesday.

Freedom also has received solid work from its top three starters Frankenfield, Nick Mazzella and Chris Maurer. Mazzella and Frankenfield both have started 2-0 with sub-two ERAs as the Patriots have allowed four or fewer runs in four of their first five games.

"We have very good leadership with our seniors right now," D'Amico said earlier this week. "It's coming out onto the field. Even in games that we're behind in, we're coming back, which is the sign of a good team. Our hitting's been very clutch for us so far, and the pitching has been doing a pretty decent job of getting people out."

Now Freedom has to show it can finish as well as it starts. D'Amico sees plenty of parity across the LVC, especially in terms of pitching.

Being pegged for last place in the East Division by The Morning Call has provided some extra motivation for the Patriots early this season. D'Amico has reminded his players that winning will lead to recognition.

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