As it returns a great deal of players that saw several solo successes last season while garnering further time on the field, the East Haven baseball team is ready to make major leaps forward in attempting to get back on the path to the postseason, and believe they have the recipe to do just that.

Last spring, the Yellowjackets finished with a final regular-season mark of 4-16. Despite the rough record, East Haven welcomes back a solid core of returning pieces that now have an added year of varsity experience in the spotlight.

East Haven started the season on April 3 with a 6-0 win over Branford.

Easties’ skipper Butch Johnson explained that when it comes to targets for his team while traversing the base paths of the Southern Connecticut Conference, the Yellowjackets want to nearly triple that prior win threshold while reacquainting themselves with playoff action.

“Our goals for this year are that we want to make the [Class L] State Tournament,” said Johnson, whose team last qualified for the SCC Tournament in 2019. “We also want to make the SCC Tournament and win 11 to 12 games in the regular season.”

Leading the charge for the Yellowjackets are a triumvirate of senior captains in pitchers and Albertus Magnus College committees Jack Angelo (also a second baseman and 2022 Team MVP) and Aaron McIntyre (doubling as a first baseman), plus shortstop Ryan Vallie, who was an All-SCC Team selection each of the last two years after hitting .409 in 2022.

“Jack Angelo is an honor student who has a rubber arm, is a fiery competitor, student of the game, and a vocal leader,” said Johnson. “Ryan is a leader by example. Aaron is also an honor student and hard worker. He is a leader on and off the field.”

East Haven has a formidable collection of talent within the junior class ranks as well. P. J. Carrangelo will back the Yellowjackets behind home plate as the squad’s catcher, while Peyton Torre will also figure into the team’s pitching staff and infield as a third baseman. Mason McCarroll will be at the opposite corner as first baseman while also being a designated hitter, and Jose Hernandez will patrol the outfield and also pitch off the rubber.

“P.J. is great defensively as a catcher and has a cannon of an arm,” Johnson said. “Peyton has a strong arm and is a good bat with power. Mason is coming off of Tommy John Surgery and has some good power. Jose also has a strong arm and a fast, solid bat.”

Lastly, there are solid sophomores returning after rousing rookie years. Pitcher and second baseman Janvier Diaz is back after hitting the ball at a .345 clip, while alongside him as a sophomore infielder is Bill Barthel at the hot corner of third. Israel Ramos will also look to bring production in the outfield while in center.

“Janvier has a strong arm as well,” said Johnson. “Israel has great speed, he is a contact hitter, and he is great defensively. Bill has solid defense, he is a solid hitter, and can play numerous positions.”

The Yellowjackets will compete in the Quinnipiac Division of the SCC with opposing schools of Amity, Law, and Lyman Hall, which Johnson points out as very key matchups for 2023, in addition to matchups with local rival Branford plus Shoreline Conference opponent North Branford.

Johnson concluded that the pieces are certainly in place for East Haven to figure prominently in the SCC and state playoff picture, though key components of that hopeful equation will come from the cohesion within the dugout and avoiding the injury bug.

“With four good starters and a solid lineup, this can be a very good year,” said Johnson. “[If we have] strong team chemistry, and if we are healthy, we can surprise a lot of people.”

This is Johnson’s 25th year within the East Haven program and his 22nd campaign at the helm as the head coach. He is assisted in the dugout in 2023 by Dan Gleason as JV Coach (being with the club for 22 years), Freshman Coach Gary Brasile, who has also been with East Haven for 22 years, and volunteer coach Tom Charboneau (now with the team for two years).

The 2023 East Haven baseball team roster is comprised of seniors in Angelo, McIntyre, Vallie, William Hay, Rocco Lombardi, Jon-Paul Garea, and Oliver Kabel; juniors of Torre, Jason Kapinos, Carrangelo, Dom Perillo, Joel Alvarado, Hernandez, McCarroll, and Logan Kline; sophomores with Brendan Sturgess, Nick Johnson, Diaz, Jadier Dominicci-Mercado, Connor Czaplicki, Barthel, Israel Ramos, Cameron Lacroix, and Nick Vocatura; and finally freshmen Adam McIntyre, Griffin McCarroll, Joe Carangelo, Blake Charboneau, Randall Sotaski, and Anthony Lacen.

2023 East Haven Baseball Regular Season Schedule

Monday, April 3: at Branford at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, April 5: vs. North Haven at 3:45 p.m.

Monday, April 10: vs. Amity at 3:45 p.m.

Wednesday, April 12: at Lyman Hall at Pat Wall Field at 3:45 p.m.

Friday, April 14: at Foran at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, April 19: vs. Law at 3:45 p.m.

Friday, April 21: at Cheshire at 4 p.m.

Monday, April 24: vs. Guilford at 3:45 p.m.

Wednesday, April 26: vs. Branford at 3:45 p.m.

Friday, April 28: at North Haven at North Haven Athletic Complex at 7 p.m.

Monday, May 1: at Amity at 3:45 p.m.

Wednesday, May 3: vs. Lyman Hall at 3:45 p.m.

Friday, May 5: vs. Foran at 4:30 p.m.

Monday, May 8: vs. Bassick at 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 10: at Law at 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, May 11: vs. Cheshire at 3:45 p.m.

Monday, May 15: at Guilford at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, May 17: at Coginchaug at 4 p.m.

Friday, May 19: at Bassick at 4 p.m.