By Paul Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY — Hornell’s Dodgers streaked to a 20-10 mark to start the 2012 New York Collegiate Baseball League season. Late-season injuries derailed Hornell’s chances for a post-season run, and the Dodgers finished with their goal out of reach.
The Monroe Community College Tribunes claimed the school’s 23rd regional title this spring, but the Tribs fell short of its fourth trip to the NJCAA World Series since 2007.
Hungry meet hungry.
Jimmy Gutowski (Rochester, NY), Zack Melino (Rochester, NY), Spencer Scorza (Penfield, NY) and Steve Stoklosa (Victor, NY) will trade Black and Gold for Blue and White this summer looking to bring a championship back to Hornell.
Gutowski logged 46-plus innings for a Monroe team which finished the season ranked top ten nationally with a 33-15 mark. He struck out 27 and walked 16 while compiling a 5-2 record in 10 appearances.
“He’d give up runs,” said sixth-year Monroe head coach Mike Kelly. “But he wouldn’t give up bunches of runs. He always pitched around situations.”
The right-hander throws in the mid 80s and developed a 12 to 6 breaking ball last fall.
“When that 12 to 6 is working, it’s scary,” Kelly stated. “Now he gets guys on his elevated fast ball. When batters see pitches at the same angle drop, they have to respect it. He gets a lot of strike outs that way.”
Gutowski led the Tribunes with three complete games.
“He gets ahead and really pounds the zone. He’ll be out there for as long as you need him because he doesn’t throw a lot of pitches.”
Melino went 4-1 in ten appearances on the mound. The right-hander made seven starts and hurled 44-plus frames for Monroe. He struck out 32, walked 15 and finished with an ERA of 3.05. Melino also throws in the mid 80s with a two-seamer that moves and a slippery fast ball. He’s got a change up that drops, and he can command his breaking ball.
“He doesn’t know how to throw a ball straight,” Kelly quipped. “He won’t spot up. He’s got control, but his ball moves.”
Stoklosa went 3-1 in seven trips to the hill for the Tribs. The right-hander had Tommy John surgery in 2010 and spent most of last season rehabbing the injury before making seven starts for MCC this spring.
Stoklosa was at his best when he allowed one unearned run over six innings in Monroe’s 4-1 triumph over Central Arizona College – the NJCAA Division I school annually rated as the top junior college for preparing players for professional baseball.
“He’s a big, strong kid,” Kelly commented. “He can let it go. He could be a huge surprise for Hornell. He has the stuff to win every time he goes out.”
Scorza played first base and batted clean up for a Monroe team which ranked fifth nationally in batting average (.336), ninth in on-base percentage (.421) and fourth in slugging (.475). The right-hander batter keeps his hands inside the ball as evidenced by his batting average of .361 with 12 extra-base hits – many of which went to the opposite field. At the same time, the 6-5 Scorza can turn on an inside pitch.
“He knows when a team is going to come in on him. That’s where he’s grown up as a hitter. If he can turn on a pitch, he will. He squares the ball better than anyone in our program.”
Scorza sparked Monroe’s 4-2 victory over Rockland County Community College in the East District Tournament with a first inning blast to deep center. It was his fifth home run of the season. His swing should fit nicely at Hornell’s cozy confines where neighbors watch games from front lawns.
“He’ll break some windows,” Kelly said referring to the houses near Maple City Park. “That guy across the street better get a football helmet.”
Hornell last won the NYCBL title in 2005.
The NYCBL is a summer wood-bat league which provides eligible student-athletes the opportunity to develop skills over the course of two months in Upstate New York. Current major league players Tim Hudson, Hunter Pence and Jason Motte all spent a summer playing in the NYCBL. Twenty-one former NYCBL players heard their names called during the 2012 MLB draft.
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