The sound of the ball hitting the gloves and the crack of the bat are finally here. While the season has just started, the goals are clear for the Carle Place High School Boys Varsity Baseball team.
“Our goals for this season are to win a county championship and to work harder than any other team out there,” said head coach Brian Krummenacker.
Last season, the Frogs finished with a 9-9 overall record. They were placed third in the Nassau Class B Conference II and lost to Oyster Bay in the semifinals. Their mission this year is to improve on last year’s campaign.
This season, the Frogs’ team strength will come from the pitching staff. The team posted an impressive ERA of 1.52 and they will look to build on that trend. The rotation will be led by John LoCurto, Patrick Shevlin and Mike Delio, who are the ones to keep an eye on this season.The relievers to back them up will be Charlie Zaino, Matthew Morrison, Eric McCloskey and Eric Chiappone. The backbone of this team is their pitching and that will help the Frogs play deep into the playoffs.
Another plus to this squad is the excellent team camaraderie they share. Krummenacker states the team has a “family like attitude.” Many of the boys have been playing together since elementary school.
“So the baseball players have been the baseball players since first grade,” said Krummenacker. “They all play together, they know each other, they played outside of school together and school ball together. It’s really a big benefit of having such a small tight knit community.”
At the plate, Krummenacker believes the top of the lineup will carry the offense this year. LoCurto, Delio and Austin Topel will lead the offensive onslaught for the Frogs.
“Offensively, we are strong and can compete with anybody with our top six-seven guys,” said Krummenacker. “Topel, LoCurto and Delio are the guys that I am really leaning on this year to come through.”
Topel, a senior, is the returning team MVP and is the number three hitter in the lineup. The second baseman is looking to be the leader on this team and guide them to where they want to be: the county championship game. Locurto, a junior, is the shortstop and starting pitcher. Along with Topel, Locurto is one of the team captains.
“He’s a top of the lineup guy,” said Krummenacker. “He’s the guy you look to in the clutch.”
Locurto is excited for the season to start and looks forward to having a chance to compete in the county’s and possibly win a conference title. He is also grateful to be named as a captain this year and is ready to lead the Frogs in a fun competitive season.
“We have great expectations,” said Locurto. “We had a lot of seniors last year. As a junior, it’s a great honor leading this good team and playing hard everyday.”
Delio, a starting pitcher, first baseman and catcher, is a player that Krummenacker describes as ‘the jack of all trades.’
“Whenever I need him, he’ll go,” said Krummenacker.
As far as concerns go, just like other teams, it’s all about staying healthy throughout the year. One big shoe to fill is who will replace Billy Chiappone, who graduated last year, at first base. He was their conference starter last season and stepping in the role this year is Shevlin.
“I have all the confidence in the world that he will come through for us,” said Krummenacker. “He’s a bright and smart young man and a coach’s player.”
The biggest competition for Carle Place will be Wheatley and Oyster Bay. These two perennial powerhouses are always in the mix within the conference. The team will look to knock them off their throne and have a shot at the county title.
“Our team is a very tough and scrappy bunch of young men,” said Krummenacker. “They all will do whatever you ask of them and want to win more than anything.”
The Carle Place High School Boys Varsity Baseball team will play their first league game on April 13 at the high school against Malverne.
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