For anyone that has attended a Hicksville baseball game in the past four years, they have watched Andrew Purcell step to the plate. Chances are that he got a hit that day.
In a recent game against Bethpage, the senior outfielder smacked two base hits—the second of which was his 100th career hit.
“In the beginning of the season, I knew I had to get about 20 or 25 hits to reach 100,” he said. “It’s not something you can really think of or else you will end up putting too much pressure on yourself.”
The senior has been a constant on the Comets, who are going through a rebuilding year this season but coming off three playoff appearances during his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons.
In his last career victory on May 12 against Oceanside, Purcell had perhaps the best game of his career. He was 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run, double and two singles. One of his other best games happened to be against Oceanside early last season when he compiled three hits in four at bats, including three RBI and he also drove in three runs.
Head coach Frank Ciaranitaro spoke glowingly of his star senior.
“Andrew has been invaluable to us not only on the field but off,” he said. “I’ve noticed tremendous growth in the way he carries himself. You can see it in the way the younger guys gleam towards him. As a coach, that means the world to us. That stuff goes a long way.”
Ciaranitaro noted that the switch hitting Purcell has put in so much work on improving his batting from both sides of the plate that he actually compiled a higher career average as a lefty—even though he is a natural right handed batter. That speaks volumes about his level of commitment.
Purcell will not, unfortunately, have an opportunity to increase his hit total since the Comets were eliminated from postseason contention but he will be able to focus on his studies.
He will be attending Binghamton University in the fall, where he will be looking to join the club baseball team but focusing mainly on his academics.
Despite Purcell’s graduation this season, the Comets will have a strong core of players back next season and will look to return to playoff action, where they have resided in the past three seasons under Coach Ciaranitaro.
