Spring Sports Preview 2019 Baseball - v2 - FINAL_Layout 1 2 / 11 / 19 2 : 06 PM Page 2 EASTERN’S DYLAN STEZZI CAMDEN CATHOLIC’S CLEARVIEW’S BRIAN BROWN SHAWN DOUGHERTY all - conference second team and will bat in the Decker and Shawn Anthony Fiore took over the starting job midway middle of the lineup . Senior second baseman Dougherty , who all through last season and is looking to build on Isaac Fendrick , senior designated hitter / catcher had big seasons at his strong play behind the plate . Devin Hunt and junior first baseman Sam Port - the plate and made OUTLOOK : The Cougars rebounded from several noy are other experienced returners . The pitch - the all - conference rebuilding seasons to post a 12 - 12 record in ing staff is led by Karpousis , senior Ryne Kremer first team . 2018 , the final campaign for longtime coach Erik and juniors Cole Boyan and Nick Zellner , and Drapeau , a first baseman , led the team with a Radbill . His successor , Jason Speller , will look to Winsett will also see time on the mound . . 420 batting average , five home runs and 29 guide the team to its first winning season since OUTLOOK : Eastern went 25 - 6 with a share of the RBIs and also made the all - South Jersey second 2014 behind a talented crop of veterans . Olympic Conference American Division title and team . He will continue his career at St . Joseph’s . its second Diamond Classic championship in Decker , a third baseman who is committed to C H E R R Y H I L L W E S T three years . The Vikings certainly have some big Columbia , has been a varsity player since his LIONS shoes to fill but they always seem to be in the freshman year and hit . 396 with four home runs mix in one of the best divisions in the area . and 21 RBIs . Dougherty batted . 368 with four PLAYERS TO WATCH : A talented home runs and 24 RBIs and is a plus defender core returns from a team in center field . Other returning starters are sen - that reached the sectional G L O U C E S T E R ior outfielder Aidan Hoffman , junior catcher final last year , so hopes are C A T H O L I C Alex Gioia and sophomore outfielder / first base - high at Cherry Hill West . RAMS man Ian Petrutz . Senior infielder Eric Weiss is Senior outfielder Scott also expected to contribute and senior Evan Shaw , a three - year starter who PLAYERS TO WATCH : Although Campbell is looking to compete for a spot in the hit . 411 and made the all - confer - Gloucester Catholic graduat - lineup . The pitching staff is led by senior Antho - ence first team , leads the way . He is ed South Jersey Player of the ny Pron — who is committed to Stevens Institute primed for a big season before moving on to Year Evan Giordano and ace of Technology — along with Drapeau and senior Rider . The top four starting pitchers from last pitcher Andrew Vail , several Ethan Ziegler . year are back , including senior lefthander Eli important pieces of last sea - OUTLOOK : The 2018 season was an up - and - down Atiya , who went 7 - 1 as a junior and tossed two son’s state championship team one for the Pioneers , who got off to a blazing 11 - shutouts in the playoffs . He also starred during are back in the fold . Senior out - 2 start before struggling in May . They finished the Carpenter Cup , helping Olympic / Colonial fielder Lillo Paxia , a four - year starter , with a 13 - 9 record with appearances in the win the championship at Citizens Bank Park . batted . 612 with 41 hits , 20 walks , three home Group IV playoffs and Diamond Classic . There Other top pitchers are senior Brian Robertson , a runs and 32 RBIs as a junior . He is primed for a is a ton of talent in the lineup and if the pitching Dayton commit ; senior Jake Miller , a four - year monster final season before moving on to Flori - develops , this should be another winning sea - varsity player who has signed with Felician ; and da State . Senior first baseman Luke Lesch , a son with the potential for a division title . senior Ryan Widmeier . The pitching staff also Rider commit , is another big bat in the lineup welcomes in Nick Heubel , a power righthander who had four home runs and drove in 33 runs . who transferred from Camden Catholic and is Senior shortstop Tyler Cannon ( . 433 average , 13 E A S T E R N receiving Division I interest as a junior . Key extra - base hits ) will continue his career at Iona , VIKINGS returners in the lineup are senior first baseman senior outfielder Jake McNellis ( . 409 ) has com - John Gray , senior second baseman Tyler Kubrak , mitted to Frostburg State and junior infielder PLAYERS TO WATCH : Eastern junior shortstop Danny Berckman , junior out - Ryan Nutley ( . 366 ) is a La Salle recruit . Other graduated two all - South Jer - fielder Ryan West and senior third baseman / out - returning starters are senior Andrew Colligan sey first - teamers : outfielder fielder Jared Hernandez , who will continue his and junior Tyler Shinn , who split time behind the Jack Herman , a four - year career at Florida State College at Jacksonville . plate . Sophomore Anthony Solometo is a key starter who is now in the Pitts - OUTLOOK : The Lions went 15 - 10 and made a run to returner to the pitching staff who tossed five burgh Pirates organization , and the South Jersey Group III final before falling to shutout innings and earned the win in the state ace pitcher Jesse Barbera . While Seneca . They expect to be in contention for divi - final . Lesch and juniors Tyler Parks , Adonis Perez those two will be sorely missed , sion and sectional titles this spring . and Mike Racobaldo are other contributors on the Vikings have a strong nucleus to reload the mound . around . Senior catcher Dylan Stezzi , a Rochester commit , and senior shortstop Jack Winsett , who OUTLOOK : The Rams went 20 - 8 and repeated as C L E A R V I E W is headed to Rider , both made the all - conference Non - Public B state champions last spring , cap - PIONEERS first team and will be key players at the plate and turing the 19th title in program history . With on the field . Senior first baseman Matt Kar - Paxia leading the way , hopes are high again PLAYERS TO WATCH : Clearview brings back the heart pousis and senior outfielder AJ Funari made the this year . of its order in seniors Brandon Drapeau , Mike SUBURBANFAMILYMAG.COM volume 9 issue 11 SUBURBAN FAMILY 9