This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
04/11/2023 07:36 AMFollowing being a state champion and state semifinalist the prior two spring seasons, the Hand baseball team welcomes back a young but energetic bunch that has an infectious passion to produce and keep the Tigers’ recent pedigree of prominence prevalent, while also having a collection of young men Madison can take pride in greatly.
A year ago, Hand finished with an overall record of 15-10 for the 2022 campaign after winning the Class L state crown in 2021. The Tigers went 12-8 during the regular season on their way to qualifying for both SCCs and states. Hand then won its first three games in the Class L bracket to advance to the state semifinals.
Following a 4-1 SCC Tournament quarterfinal loss as the No. 5 seed to No. 4 Lyman Hall, the Tigers went on to compete in the Class L State Tournament as the No. 12 seed. Hand captured its first three games by defeating No. 21 Ellis Tech (3-0), No. 28 Pomperaug (7-5), and No. 29 Middletown (7-1) to make it to the semifinal round. The Tigers then took an 8-0 loss against eventual Class L champion Windsor in the semifinal game at Dunkin’ Donuts Park on June 7.
Hand started the 2023 slate with a 7-4 triumph over North Haven on April 3. The Tigers then dropped to 1-1 with a 4-0 loss to Lyman Hall two days later.
While the Tigers have entertained and experienced deep runs to the Final Four of Class L the last two seasons and have seen the summit, Head Coach Travis LaPointe looks at the bigger landscape of crafting a club top to bottom that does all of the right things, which will lead to triumphs in the standings and within the town.
“The energy around our team is so positive and it is infectious. It is just so much fun to be around our guys, and I know that great energy will translate on the field,” said LaPointe. “Our goal is not to win a championship. Our goals center around doing all of the little things the right way, both on the field and off the field, so that when the time comes, we are poised and ready to win on the biggest stage. If the players leave high school sports with great memories and improved habits, then I think we have done our job as coaches, no matter what happens with the wins and losses.”
Hand’s senior captains will be at the opposite corners of the infield in Troy Piascik at first and Cole Daignault at the hot corner of third base. Both leaders have not only spent tireless efforts to better themselves individually since the final out of 2022, but they have also displayed themselves as pillars of the club and Tigers’ community.
“Troy is going to be one of the best hitters in the SCC this year. He has worked as hard as anyone this offseason and has come into the spring as a faster, stronger, leaner version of himself. He is such a smart player that always seems to be a step ahead of his opponent,” said LaPointe. “Cole has put just as much work in as Troy during the offseason. He has come into this spring in the best physical shape of his life. He has added lean muscle and speed to his game. He puts so much work into being the best version of himself on and off the field and it is really paying off throughout our preseason. Both guys are just exceptional people and leaders in our community. They are well beyond our team with their maturity, and we are lucky to have them leading the way for our team this year.”
Junior Ben Kuja returns to the club in center field after a campaign that saw him yield First Team All-SCC numbers of a .421 batting average, 17 runs, 32 hits, 17 RBI, and 18 stolen bases.
“Ben is on every team’s radar this season and was selected as a Top 25 player to watch in the state, “ LaPointe said. “He is an electric, game-changing player that uses his skill, speed, effort, and intellect to perform at a very high level. He is our leadoff hitter and really makes us go like an engine. His instincts for the game are invaluable to the team and impossible to measure statistically.”
Hand’s pitching staff will feature several exciting younger arms in its junior class, with hurlers Brandon SanMarco, Owen Scarice, Johnny Reh, and Payton Powell.
“They come into this season as juniors that have the most experience on the mound,” said LaPointe. “All three of those guys feature some live arms and can get several pitches to move, while keeping hitters off balance. They all exude confidence and toughness. They have each worked so hard to be ready to lead us on the mound. Payton is a big, strong pitcher who has added 30 pounds of height and muscle during the offseason. He has turned himself into a pitcher that we will feature on our varsity staff this year and may turn into a pitcher to watch in the SCC this year.”
Additional key pieces that will look to serve as an impact throughout the Hand field and lineup include junior southpaw pitcher Christian Kells, plus senior Kiran Pathy and sophomore Sam Markovitz will toe the rubber for the Tigers.
Battery mates for all of these throwers behind the backstop at catcher will be sophomore Paul Calandrelli and junior Vinny Benevento, who will figure into the middle of the lineup.
The middle infield will be headed up by juniors Nick Antonetti at shortstop and Tai Nuzzi at second. Other big pieces in the infield will be juniors Braeden Simmons, David Quoka, Derek Piascik, and freshman Nick Maynard.
Moving to the outfield, senior Jacob Rachler and junior Nick Earl will cover ground, along with Markovitz when he is not on the mound, and sophomore Alex Modica.
Lastly, junior Will Patla will miss the entire season after having a hip surgery, and LaPointe pointed out, “Although we will miss his presence in the middle of our lineup, he will have a big impact on us in our dugout.”
Versus North Haven in the opener, SanMarco pitched a complete game, striking out 11 batters. Piascik hit a two-run homer. Antonetti went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI. Benevento went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Kuja had an RBI triple. Calandrelli added a double and an RBI.
Against Lyman Hall, Nuzzi had two hits, including a triple.
As is the case with any member of the SCC, Hand has a healthy slate of formidable foes within its regular-season schedule. While others may tremble at the tall task of teams, the Tigers are acting on the contrary–knowing that competition only helps a squad surge when it comes to being seasoned for the playoffs.
“We have about as tough of a schedule as you’re going to find in the state this year. Although we have a really young varsity roster, we have so much potential and I think we are going to compete at a high level all year,” said LaPointe, whose team will reside in the SCC Oronoque Division with West Haven, Cross, Notre Dame-West Haven, and Guilford. “We have two games against each of these teams: [SCC champion] Fairfield Prep, [league runner-up] Xavier, Notre Dame-West Haven, Amity, and Guilford. All of those teams have the talent to find themselves ranked in the top 10 polls this year in Connecticut. Additionally, we play Fairfield Ludlowe, Fitch, Cheshire, North Haven, [plus two games each against] West Haven, Cross, and Lyman Hall. Whatever happens, we are going to be really well-prepared for the postseason and should be one of the most dangerous teams around when the state tournament comes around. We are all just really trying to be better people and players each day.”
LaPointe, who is in his now 11th season and has been at the helm of Hand’s dugout since 2012, is assisted by assistant varsity coaches Kyle Heins (7th year) and Justin Kaeser (6th year), JV Coach Tyler Michaud (3rd year), and rookie Freshman Coach Mike Spadaro.
The 2023 Hand baseball team roster is comprised of seniors Piascik, Daignault, Pathy, Rachler; juniors Antonetti, Benevento, Earl, Kells, Kuja, Nuzzi, Patla, Derek Piascik, Powell, Quoka, Reh, SanMarco, Scarice, Simmons; sophomores Markovitz, Calandrelli, Modica, Cooper Burke, Griffin Byrne, Rob Marchese, Shailen Pathy, Rocco Zagami; and finally freshmen Maynard, Ayden Brennan, Drew Catala, Clay Cosgriff, Drew Horn, Alex Khacherian, Jonas Markovitz, Colin Menard, Robert Monday, Robert Reh, Brendan Riordan, Gavin Scarice, Finn Strabley, and Jack Tanner.