2011 Preview: Sachem East Baseball

When it comes to League I, the Sachem East baseball team is aware that no squad’s going to roll over. No game or series will be a cinch. The Arrows take a game-by-game attitude into the 2011 campaign. It’s been four long years since Sachem last qualified for the postseason, and with a solid group on the mound, in the field and at the plate, they’re determined to end that drought.

Coach: Kevin Schnupp (7th year)

Last year’s record: 7-13, 7-11 League I

2010 Playoffs: None

Key Losses:

• Chris Carroll, All-League SS, playing at SUNY-New Paltz
• Mike Shada, All-League 2B, playing at Queens College
• Ryan Murphy, LF
• Taylor Genoino, CF

Pitching: Senior Dean Papakonstatis begins the year as the team’s ace. He went 3-2 a year ago, posting a 3.33 earned run average. Papakonstatis will be the Arrows’ Tuesday starter, setting the tone in each series with great command of his fastball and off-speed material. Schnupp also likes the right-hander’s grittiness on the mound.

Junior Brian Castles excelled after his call-up from JV midway through last year. As a sophomore, he registered a 1-1 record with a 2.90 ERA in the final two series. Senior Mike Amato started for East until suffering an injury in the spring’s third series. Slowly working him back, Schnupp is confident that Amato will “be at full speed and ready to go by the first series.”

Senior Vincent Bona is another arm in which Sachem will confide.

Catching: Senior Brandon Jones returns to his post behind the plate. He batted .400 as a junior and “calls a solid game,” according to Schnupp. Jones worked on his mechanics over the winter to improve on an already strong defensive game. He also was named Academic All-League last spring.

Infield: The Arrows will turn to a pair of juniors to replace Carroll and Shada up the middle. Castles, who will start at short, came up halfway through the 2010 season and started in a half-dozen games. He’ll likely bat at or near the top of the Sachem order. At second, Chris Kennedy is one of the team’s premier hitters, having cut his teeth last year at the varsity level. Schnupp expects he’ll bat in the third spot.

Papakonstatis and fellow senior Bryan Vaccaro will hold down the corners. Papakonstatis mans the third base spot, returning there after batting .405 with 19 RBI. He’ll slide over to shortstop when Castles is on the mound. Vaccaro, who’s committed to play at Division III Western Connecticut next spring, comes off a season in which he hit .357 between the varsity and junior varsity levels. Schnupp says he’s especially strong defensively and exhibits good leadership qualities.

Outfield: Sophomore Dan Hetzel will not only start in right field but serve as one of East’s run producers at the plate. With a strong approach at the plate, Hetzel is pegged to bat cleanup despite being the squad’s youngest starter.

Senior C.J. Hafner, as well as juniors Mike Amato and Mark Ortiz, will vie for time in left field. In center, senior Tom Trifaro comes up from the JV. He covers ground well and complements that with a strong throwing arm.

Designated Hitter: Schnupp will turn to either of the Ryan brothers – Tom and Joe – or George Stenby to handle the DH duties.

Expectations: “We’re very happy with the work these guys are putting in,” Schnupp said. “We feel like we’re young, even some of the seniors. We only have three starters in our lineup returning. We’re going to go game by game, work hard and try to make it back to the playoffs.”

Schedule:

• April 4-7: Ward Melville
• April 11-14: Commack
• April 18-23: Patchogue-Medford
• April 26: at Connetquot (non-league)
• May 2-5: Brentwood
• May 7: Sachem North (Tim Crowley Memorial Tournament; non-league, at Baseball Heaven)
• May 9-12: Longwood
• May 16-18: William Floyd

The Tim Crowley Memorial Tournament has taken place every year since 2005. The daylong event, which pits the local varsity, JV and middle school teams against each other, raises money for a scholarship given annually to a senior baseball player. Last year’s recipient was Chris Carroll. The Sachem community rallies around the event that honors Crowley, a former Sachem player who was tragically killed. North won last year’s contest, 5-3, behind two-hit, two-RBI nights from Steve Kowalski and Alec Sole.