By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Section V Baseball inducted its 2024 Hall of Fame class during a pre-game ceremony at Innovative Field. Jason Bunting (Greece Athena), David Dasch (Cardinal Mooney/Ithaca College), Andrew Parrino (Brockport/LeMoyne College), Andy Steinorth (Webster/St. Bonaventure), Carm Urzetta (East Rochester/Bishop Kearney/St. Bonaventure) and Tom Wight (Bolivar-Richburg/Caledonia-Mumford) were honored prior to the Rochester Red Wings game with Indianapolis.
A First-Team All-County selection in 1988, Bunting helped Greece Athena to what was then the program’s second sectional championship. He returned to his alma mater and guided the Trojans to four more sectional titles and three regional championships clinching three appearances in the state semifinals over a 25-year head coaching career. Bunting’s Athena squads won 357 games and advanced to sectional finals on 10 different occasions. He was named Coach of the Year six times. Bunting served as a Section V class coordinator for five years and is currently the Section V Baseball Coordinator.
A three-time All-City-Catholic performer at shortstop, Dasch led Cardinal Mooney to Class AAA sectional championships in 1980 and 1982. Named the Cardinal Mooney Athlete of the Year in 1982, Dasch continued his academic and athletic careers at Ithaca College where he helped the Bombers to four NCAA Division III postseason appearances including two trips to Division III World Series. Ithaca finished third in 1985 and was the national finalist in 1986. Dasch set Ithaca program records for runs scored and hits. His .407 career batting average ranks fifth all-time in the Ithaca record books. A three-time First Team All-Conference performer, he was named conference Rookie of the Year his freshman year and Player of the Year the next season. Dasch was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 1985 MLB draft and the Minnesota Twins in 1986 draft. He went on to play in the Twins farm system. In 2011, Ithaca College inducted Dasch into its Athletic Hall of Fame.
Parrino garnered Tournament MVP honors in 2004 when he led Brockport to its second straight sectional title. A two-time Monroe County Player of the Year, Parrino earned All-County honors in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and nine varsity letters (baseball-5, volleyball-3 and basketball-1) during his scholastic career. He went on to play at Le Moyne College where he was a three-year starter at shortstop. San Diego selected Parrino in the 26th round of the 2007 draft, and he made his major-league debut with the Padres in 2007. He became the first position player from Section V to start an MLB game in more than 80 years. Parrino went on to play with the Oakland Athletics. He also spent time in the farm systems of the Texas Rangers as well as the Chicago White Sox and also represented Team USA in 2015.
VIEW THE SECTION V BASEBALL HALL OF FAME HERE.
Steinorth logged a 31-5 career record over three seasons at Webster including 13-0 mark in 1992. Twice he was named Monroe Country Division 1 Player of the Year (1992, 1993). His 8-1 record in the postseason helped Webster to three straight appearances in the sectional finals and back-to-back sectional championships in ’92 and ’93. He continued his career at St. Bonaventure and helped the Bonnies to their first postseason berth in 1994 when he was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Tournament Team. Steinorth garnered Most Outstanding Pitcher of the 1995 Atlantic 10 tournament. He is tied for the Bonaventure program record for career wins and complete games. He is top five in career strikeouts.
Urzetta played at East Rochester High School from 1959 to 1961 and earned First Team All-County honors before continuing his career at St. Bonaventure University where he was he was a three-time First Team All-ECAC performer. After college, he returned to Rochester. He compiled a record of 288-118 as head coach of Bishop Kearney High School from 1972-1987. His teams won seven City-Catholic championships and the 1974 Section V Class AAA title – the first private school to to win a championship in Section V history. He was named City-Catholic Coach of the Year in 1974, ’76, ’79 and ’87. He also served as the Kearney’s varsity basketball coach from 1967-1975 and is a member of the Section V Basketball Hall of Fame. Urzetta worked as a high school and college basketball official from 1966-2009. He was named to the Frontier Walk of Fame in 2018.
Wight taught at three school districts over a 38-year career. As head coach at Caledonia-Mumford from 1981 to 1989, he guided the Raiders to sectional finals appearances in 1981 and 1989. Later he served in the same role at at Bolivar-Richburg from 1996-2002. He compiled a 114-37 record with the Allegany County school and three straight sectional championship game appearances including titles in 2000 and 2002. Wight’s 2002 Bolivar-Richburg squad won the Class C Far Regional championship to clinch a spot in the NYS semifinals. He was named Section V Baseball Class C Coach of the Year in 2000 and Allegany County Athletic Association Paul Viena Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2002. He served on the Section V Baseball Executive Committee as web manager for 12 years and developed the Section V Baseball website. He served as Section V Class C coordinator and Section V Baseball assistant coordinator. Wight was the Director of Athletics at Bolivar-Richburg for 17 years during which time he was named Section V Class C Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year in 1987 and the Great 8 Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year in 2008. He also served as the assistant coach for Bolivar-Richburg softball and helped those team to state championship game appearances in 2004, 2006 and 2008 including the 2006 state championship team. Wight also taught at Churchville-Chili from 1989-1995 where he was head coach of the varsity Boys’ Basketball and varsity Girls’ Tennis programs as well as an assistant with the football program. Wight was named to the Allegany County Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2024.
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