News Gleaner Online - Sports/Crusaders, Eagles off to flying start

Frankford pitcher cranks it up in pre-season action

Catholic and Public League Baseball Previews
Crusaders, Eagles off to flying start

BY MICHAEL SWEENEY
Sports Writer

Nine local high school baseball teams began league play hoping to make 1998 a championship season.

Archbishop Ryan
The Raiders graduated many key players from last year's team, including most of their pitchers, that lost in the second round of the Catholic League playoffs. But Mike Lake's inexperienced team has already shown that they plan to fight for one of the four playoff spots in the North Division.

The Raiders (1-2) opened the season with a 12-6 win over Roman Catholic and then lost two close ball games, 3-2 to McDevitt and 8-7 to Father Judge. Joe Corsanico and Gene Peszek tripled and Tom Dienno added a double as the Raiders out-hit the Crusaders, but could not hold a 4-0 lead.

Sophomore John Price has emerged as the Raiders best pitcher and catcher Kevin Corcoran provides the sound defense needed behind the plate. Lake hopes seniors Corsanico, Corcoran, first baseman Mike Kuhner and Peszek (in the outfield) will show the team how to win.

"It's still early, we're still finding ourselves," said Lake. "I told the team, 'if you execute well you can put yourselves in the playoffs'. "Then, with the one game elimination, anything can happen," said the coach hopefully.

North Catholic
Even though the Falcons are off to a 0-3 start, coach Pete Maddaloni's spirits are up coming off a season like last when he had to dismiss eight players from the team. The Falcons are young, especially on the mound, but Maddaloni says "I like how our young pitchers are developing".

Four sophomores (Ed Slavin, Tim Maddaloni, Dave Gable and Steve Szychulski) have been the Falcons steadiest pitchers in the early going. Maddaloni hopes seniors Ray Zawisza and Keith Rockey along with junior Fred Firmani can provide equality innings and some offense.

The Falcons start three seniors in the outfield-Asa Alexander (left), Pat McDonald (center) and Jason Fogg (right). Zawisza (1st) and Slavin (3rd) play the infield corners when their not pitching. Senior Mike Stango (2nd) and junior Vinnie Greer (ss) hope to give the Falcons steady infield defense.

After getting pounded 9-2 and 15-6 to St. Joseph's and La Salle, respectively, the Falcons came up just short in a late inning rally and lost to Archbishop Wood 6-5. "We showed a lot of character (in the comeback attempt verse Wood)," said Maddaloni. With that type of effort, Maddaloni added that "I'm sure we can get a couple of wins."

Cardinal Dougherty
North division MVP Jason Streeper is gone as is ace left hander Jim Deny. The pair led the Cardinals to the North division championship last year. With those two and several other key players gone, Jim McCaffrey's team is struggling to find them in the early going. The Cards are off to a 0-3 start.

The pitching staff allowed 23 runs in the first two games (losses to St. John Neumann and ARchbishop Wood, respectively). Errors and lack of timely hitting cost the Cards a 5-3 loss to La Salle. McCaffrey hopes senior left-hander Ryan Hamilton and right-hander Tim Sexton can stabilize the pitching staff after the shaky start.

Replacing Streeper's heavy bat is no easy task. Infielders Mark Czyhewski, (1st base), Jason O'Hare (2nd), Mike Prince (shortstop), Joe Browne (3rd) and Raphael Rodriguez (catcher) look to take on the task as a unit.

In the outfield, first year players Phil Rothwell, John McNally, Joe Ward and Mike Mahoney are expected to step-up. Defensively, the Cards must play better in order to get back in the playoff race.

Father Judge
The Crusaders are off to a 3-0 start in league play despite graduating the league's most dominating pitcher, Kevin McGerry, in years. Coach Joe McDermott returns plenty of experienced players starting with senior Kris Dufner at shortstop, Dufner, an excellent athlete, anchors an infield that has Anthony Nelson at first base, Brian Donovan at second and Mike Gies at third.

Donovan has a very hot bat in the early going. Against Conwell-Egan, he went 4-5 with a home run and five RBIs. Pete Gabriele and Brian Kearney are also off to excellent starts with the bat. Gabriele had four RBIs, including a game winning two run homer in a come from behind win over Ryan.

Left-hander Josh Riordan and right-hander Bob Rogers will do most of the pitching. Both bring experience to the mound having pitched some last season.

Vince Cione (left), Tony Scollon (center) and Tom Walsh (right) give the Crusaders plenty of depth. The Crusaders are sound defensively and have been explosive offensively in the early going. If the pitching stays consistent, the Crusaders will make a strong bid for a championship.

Public League

Northeast
The two-time defending champions look to several pitchers to replace are Phil Goodhead. Goodhead pitched the Vikings to victory in every playoff game over the last two seasons giving Northeast back-to back Public League championships.

Senior right-handers Mark Wrzos and Shane Best and junior lefty Tim Rood, hope to collectively do what Goodhead did himself for two plus seasons. The senior dominated infield squad is lead by catcher R.J. Farma, a returning All-Public and key player in last season's title run.

Josh Brinkley (1st), John McCullough (2nd), Josh Gutnaker (ss) and Best (3rd) are all seniors. Steve Godfrey, plays leftfield and has a knack for inspiring players around him. Miguel Santa is the Vikings designated hitter. Junior Pat Franz is a returning outfielder giving the Vikings plenty of varsity experience. Baseball's Back.

Confidence is not lacking. "They think they will," said coach John Litzke when asked about his his chances of winning a third straight Public League championship. The Vikings finished the regular season 7-7 last year so Litzke is looking at the early part of the schedule "to get time on the field to get better."

"I think the kids will hit, but I'm most concerned about our defense." That'll (defense) come with playing more," he concluded as the Vikings wait for the week long Easter break to end for the Public League.

Samuel Fels H.S.
Jerry Kleger's team is deep in pitching "which always helps," said the coach. The Panthers are coming off a good season in which they finished third in "B" division and beat Dobbins in playoffs before losing to division "A" Lincoln.

The Panthers start eight seniors lead by pitching ace Tony Deleon. Deleon is a three year starter coming off an All-Public season. He is the catcher when he's not pitching and is the key number three hitter in the Panthers line-up. He also has excellent speed.

Senior Joe Sharkey, an excellent holding third baseman, can come in 'and throw strikes' in the late innings. He also provides power at the plate. Clinton Hackett, the only non-senior starter, is turning out to be "one of my best hitters," said Kleger on the leftfielder. Hackett, a lefty, is also the number two pitcher. "He has a sinking, tailing, fastball which is very effective," said Kleger.

Senior outfielders Scott Bloomer, Juan Paek and Chris Gallagher and senior infielders Roy Allmond, Karl Listner and Kris Keegan round out an experienced and talented line-up. Gallagher catches when Deleon is on the hill.

"Our defense is better," said Kleger. And with Deleon pitching "we could finally go deeper," said Kleger of his team's chances in the post season. The Panthers are off to a 4-0 start in division 'B' play.

George Washington
The Eagles are off to an impressive 4-0 start. Back is pitcher Karl Safran, who may have been the team's best pitcher last season, but was academically unable to finish the season. The Eagles finished 7-7 in division 'A' and lost to Olney in the playoff quarterfinal round.

Safran is a junior left-hander and is the first baseman when he's not pitching. Sophomores Brett Mebers (at first with Safran pitching) and Harry Ley (ss) join returning starters Jesse Gauer (2nd) and Jason Gucik (3rd) in the infield. Ley, the Eagles number two starter, is a hard throwing righthander.

Coach Joe O'Hara moved senior Mike Murphy to right field. Murphy's bat will help key the Eagles' offense. Three juniors Rob Robertson, Mike McBride and Mike Pike are the other outfielers. McBride also pitches. Senior Jesse Miller is an experienced catcher with good defensive skills.

"We should (have a shot at the title) if we get good pitching and don't beat ourselves (with errors) at crucial times," O'Hara said.

Frankford
The Pioneers are off to a 2-2 start in a division 'A' and are patiently waiting for senior Denny Boyles to return to the pitching mound. The lefty went 8-1 last season, but has been relegated to first base duty with shoulder tendinitis. Coach Bob Peffle plans to rest Boyles for at least another week or two in hopes of having him healthy for the playoff run.

"Even without (Boyles) I still feel we have enough pitching," said Peffle. Senior Jack Redfern and juniors Phil Wilson and Rhomer Delarosa all pitched for the Pioneers last season. "Other guys need to step-up," Peffle said of his pitching staff.

The Pioneers start a senior outfield of Redfern in right, Hector Martunez (leftfield) and Tim Neal (center). The infield is different. All-Public shortstop, junior Ryan McGovern is joined by new starters Eric Kite (3rd) and Miguel Ducos (2nd), Ryan must hold the infield together with the inexperience on both sides," said Peffle who will also rely on McGovern's bat to lead the Pioneers' offense.

"At this point our first goal is to win enough games to get a first round at the first four teams in division 'A'). "It's an advantage (because) all the pitchers are ready (with the extra days rest)," said Peffle. "It's there to be had (after that)," the coach said of his team's post season chances.

Abraham Lincoln
The Railsplitters return several key players from last year's team that lost to eventual champion Northeast in the quarterfinal playoff round. Returning senior Brian Gavaghan (3rd), Brian Morris (ss) and Tom Holzerman (1st) give second year coach Tony Rantuccio an excellent defensive infield. Second baseman, Miguel Morris, a sophomore, completes the starting infield.

The outfielders, Robert Hunt (left), Steve Zinkminder (center) and Eric Houser (right) are also sound defensively giving Lincoln pitchers Ricky De Vallo and Joe Bottoms plenty of support. De Vallo and Bottoms also share the catching duties.

While defense might not be a problem area, scoring runs has been in the early going for Rantuccio's team. Rantuccio hopes his team can score enough runs to keep his team among the top in the 'A' division.

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