Brennan Scanlon, a New Hyde Park Gladiator baseball standout, received an academic scholarship to Sacred Heart, and will be playing for their club ball team this coming school year.
Scanlon, who also played football and basketball for the New Hyde Park Gladiators, was an All-League center fielder and starting pitcher this past season. He was a constant in the lineup, hitting third, he batted .305 with 16 RBI and flashed his speed as he swiped 11 bases. However, Scanlon states he did not play for personal stats.
“I always focus on winning, not my personal achievements,” he said.
A fellow Gladiator, Cody Campson, will join Scanlon. Campson served as a starting pitcher, first baseman and cleanup hitter for the Gladiators.
The two will look to have as much success on the club ball team as they did on the Gladiators. Together the duo served as the number one and two starters, as well as the three and four hitters in the lineup.
Gladiators Head Coach Doug Robins described Scanlon as a “versatile player” that “would do anything he was asked” to help the team win. He said Campson is “smart on the mound,” and while he does not
overpower hitters “he is not afraid to challenge them.” As a hitter, Campson served as the power bat relied on to drive in runs.
Scanlon feels that he and Campson will both bring experience and a love for the game to the club ball team. He said they can also provide teammates with some tips that Robins taught them along the way.
Robins certainly agrees, as he relied on Scanlon and Campson to serve as leaders to the younger players both on and off the field. That was exceptionally important this year, he notes, as the Gladiators had to start four sophomores.
Robins believes both of his former athletes could have played on a college team, but likely at the Division-II level.
Scanlon agrees with his coach and stated that he likely could have played for a Division II school, but decided to go the academic route. He is going to major in science and minor in sports marketing.
Scanlon credits Robins and assistant coach Tom Nails for teaching him all about the game and coaching him through these past few years.
Scanlon is going to miss playing with the friends he made during his time at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, but said the memories he created on the team will last a lifetime.
“Being able to play the game I love with my friends was really special. I put everything I had into the game and it sucks that it’s over,” he said with a laugh.
