High School Baseball Preview: Monroe County Division IV

BATAVIA BLUE DEVILS (Class B1)

Last season: 13-8, lost in sectional finals to Wayne after taking the Monroe County Division IV Co-Champ title.

Coach: Rick Saunders (212-117-1/21st year).

Top returners: Sam Sallome (Sr. SS – hit .400 last season with 32 runs scored, nine triples, and 13 RBI, solid defensive player, Tompkins Cortland Commity College commit), Griffin DellaPenna (Sr. C/1B – batted .397 with 22 hits and 25 RBI), Andrew Francis (Sr. P/OF – drove in 13 runs at the leadoff spot, second on the team in on-base percentage, worked in 12 games on the mound either in a starting role or in relief as junior, will appear as a starter this season), Jake Humes (Jr. P/1B – finished his sophomore campaign at 4-0 with a 0.32 ERA, allowing only one earned run on the season; hit .326 with 15 hits and 14 RBI), Taiyo Iburi-Bethel (Sr. P/OF/INF – hit .328 last season with 19 hits), Joe Martinucci (Sr. 1B), Trevor Zewan (Sr. OF), Alec Frongetta (Sr. INF/OF).

Top newcomers: Dom Grazioplene (Jr. 1B), Alex Hale (So. 3B), Luke Grammatico (Jr. 2B), Josh Weis (Sr. OF), Nate Ryan (Jr. P/1B), Zack Anderson (Jr. P/OF), Spencer Schmidt (Jr. INF).

First game: Tuesday, April 2nd at Medina.

Outlook: The Blue Devils are returning most of their finalist-caliber team. Batavia reached the sectionals finals a year and the focus of this team is a return to that level. Will the goals be reached for this Batavia squad looking for revenge?

EASTRIDGE LANCERS (Class A2)

Last season: 9-11 and lost to Greece Arcadia  in the Class A1 opening round.

Coach: Mike Screen (33-47)

Top returners: Jayden Fayad (Sr. SS – First Team All-County, hit .385 with a .481 on-base percentage, recorded a .878 fielding percentage at short), Caleb Delly (Jr. OF/P – sidelined for 17 games as a sophomore, was batting .600 with an .800 on-base percentage before then, hit .406 in American Legion in the summer), Jacob Russo (Jr. C – Second Team All-County, hit .262 last season with 2 homers and 10 RBI), Avery Bowens (Sr. P – finished with a 3.20 ERA, giving up 18 earned runs, allowed two hits in a win over eventual Class A2 champion Wayne at Frontier Field)

Top newcomers: Tyler Rogers (Jr. P), Keenan Calenzo (So. INF)

First game:

Outlook: With experienced returners back on the field for Eastridge, can they improve on a 9-11 season?

 

GREECE ODYSSEY LEOPARDS (Class B1)

Last season: 6-12, lost to Wellsville in quarterfinals.

Coach: Roger Klimek (23rd year).

Top returners: Korey Canton (P/SS), Dave Crawford (C/INF), Joe D’Angelo (P/INF), Jonah Holloway (1B/P).

First game: Tuesday, April 2nd vs. Northstar.

Outlook: If the returners play to their capabilities, will Odyssey surprise some people in 2019?

 

GREECE OLYMPIA SPARTANS (Class B1)

Last season: 3-14, lost 4-0 in the first round to eventual champ Midlakes.

Coach: Steve Paternico (3-14/second year).

Top returners: Zach Wright (Sr. P/SS – First Team All-County), Jack Berbert (Sr. OF – Second Team All-County), Joe Alphonse (Jr. P/SS), Mike Matteson (Jr. C), Colin Avery (Sr. OF/P), Cameron Carr (Sr. 3B/P).

Top newcomers: David Gerstner (Jr. 1B), Armani Palma (So. P/2B), Derek Laemlein (So. OF).

First game: Friday, April 5th vs. Pittsford Sutherland

Outlook: The Spartans have a good mix of returning starters and talented underclassmen that put in hard work through the off-season. Will that hard work pay off for Olympia to hold a top spot in the division?

HONEOYE FALLS-LIMA COUGARS (Class A2)

Last season: 11-7, lost to Wayne in semis.

Coach: Dan Hoyt (eighth year).

Top returners: Hayden Smith (Jr. P/3B – First Team All-County, hit .411 with four triples; finished with a 4-2 record and a 2.76 ERA), Brian Reinke (So. P/1B – Second Team All-County, hit .373 as a freshman and led the team in saves), Derek Childs (Sr. P – posted a 4-2 record last year), Ben Sousa (Sr. C/OF – hit .333 and led the team in stolen bases).

Top newcomers: Cary VanNewkirk (Jr. C/OF), Mitch Slymon (Jr. OF), Reece Joint (So. SS).

First game: Friday, April 5th vs. Brockport.

Outlook: An experienced squad has the Cougars looking to make a strong run in the postseason.