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04/07/2017 12:00 AMLast spring, the Hand baseball team finished on the cusp of a Class L State Tournament bid. This season, the Tigers are not only aiming to make states, but go even further toward the top on the strength of a deep pool of talented ballplayers who are committed to working hard and improving every day.
Head Coach Travis LaPointe’s squad won the Hammonasset Division for the fourth time in five years in 2016, but missed states by one win, while finishing the regular season with a record of 7-13. Consequently, the Tigers are on a quest to get back to the state bracket, and they’re off to a pretty solid start after posting a 3-0 shutout of Foran on April 3 and a 19-7 rout of SCC Hammonasset Division foe Law two days later.
“We are just trying to better people and players from one day to the next and learn from our mistakes. Fall forward is our team motto. Know that at some point you will fail, learn from it, and allow it to make you better the next time around,” said Coach LaPointe. “We have as much talent and depth as we have ever had before. We have not learned how to win on a consistent basis yet, but I believe this team is ready to do it. The culture of this program has changed significantly over the past five years, and we have all the pieces to win a championship. Learning how to win close games is the final piece of the puzzle, [and] that is really a question of the team’s mental toughness and the ability to be able to execute in high pressure situations.”
Hand’s senior captains this spring are second baseman/shortstop EJ Mastronardi and left fielder Rob Bordiere. Mastronardi returns for his third year as a starter and Bordiere is another three-year varsity veteran for the Tigers.
“Both guys are high-character leaders on and off the field. They lead by example and play with a fire and intensity that is contagious. EJ is a highly-skilled middle infielder and this will be his third year as a starter. He is a speedy, athletic player and he is hard to keep off the bases. He will be featured towards the top of our lineup, and we expect him to get on base, score lots of runs, and save many runs on the defensive side of the ball,” LaPointe said. “Robert is a powerful outfielder with a tremendous throwing arm and a great glove. Robert has been a three-year varsity player and will hit in the middle of the lineup this season. He can hit for average, power, and has great discipline at the plate. He will be on base often and drive in plenty of runs.”
Juniors Eddie Sweeney and Julian Banerji are slated to man the other outfield positions for Hand. On the infield, junior James DeGrasse will play most of the innings at first base, while junior Cam Fitzgerald will play third base, do some catching, and be a designated hitter for Coach LaPointe’s club.
“Eddie and Julian both have center field type speed and defensive ability. You can expect to see them splitting time between center and right field. We expect both of those guys to hit towards the top of our lineup. They have game-changing speed and athleticism and are fun to watch. If they have great years, our offense will be dangerous,” said LaPointe. “James is as good as a first basemen as I have been around and he is a great hitter. Cam Fitzgerald will see time at third base, as our DH, and will also see time behind the plate. He will also be featured in the middle of our lineup this year. He has incredible power and discipline at the plate.”
Hand will also deploy senior Mike Elias, juniors Bryce Leckey and Tom Hobin, and freshman Phoenix Billings around the infield. Junior Will Reiner will be behind the dish as Hand’s catcher, with senior Matt Sampson also in the mix.
“Mike, Bryce, and Tom are all well-rounded, talented ballplayers. They all have great hands in the field and at the plate and will see time all over the infield this season. Phoenix Billings will compete for some varsity time in the infield this season. He is a gifted player that has impressed the coaches and earned the respect of his peers this spring.” LaPointe said. “Will Reiner will receive much of the time as our starting catcher and will be featured towards the top [and] middle of our lineup. Will was an All-SCC selection last year because of his stellar defensive year behind the dish and for a strong offensive year, as well. He is a talented all-around player. Matt Sampson is a high-character senior with incredible character who will also lead us behind the plate this year. He has all the makings of a captain and will be an invaluable piece of the puzzle this season.”
Junior Kyle Schaefer is back on the bump as Hand’s ace this season. Joining Schaefer on the starting staff are senior Aaron D’Annolfo, a transfer from Stanford High School; along with senior Ryan McAneany and sophomore Jake Crawford. Juniors Spencer Oliver, Graeme McGivern, Sweeney, Chris Hartmann, and senior Aaron Rubin will be big pieces in the bullpen.
“Kyle Schaefer returns as the ace of our staff this season. By the end of his freshmen year, he emerged as the ace and continued his success in that role as a sophomore. He is a two-time All-SCC selection and will be a leader on our staff this year. Aaron D’Annolfo will fit in nicely into our rotation. He has blended right in with his teammates and brings some swagger with him, as well. Jake Crawford is a lefty sophomore pitcher who will also compete to be in our starting rotation. Jake came into spring training and has impressed everyone with his composure and mound presence. Ryan McAneany is a senior who has entered the spring looking better than ever. He will compete for many innings as a starter and/or relief pitcher. Ryan also possesses all the makings of a captain and will be a leader of the staff,” said LaPointe. “Our bullpen guys all have great stuff, and we will be able to get really creative with how we use them. Spencer features a fastball in the upper 80s with great off-speed stuff, as well. Seniors CJ Licari, Kyle Kuhn, Aaron Rubin, and James Kim will also be huge assets to our team this season. They are tremendous people with a great skill set that will be able to help us off the bench.”
In last week’s win versus Foran, Schaefer and Oliver combined for a complete game shutout with 11 strikeouts. With two outs and a man on in the top of the first inning, Fitzgerald blasted a two-run shot over the left field fence for a 2-0 lead. Sweeney added a solo home run in the top of the third to make it 3-0. Schaefer got the win and Oliver recorded a three-inning save for the Tigers, who were further aided by base hits from Elias and Reiner.
“This was a great way to start our season. The pitching and the defense were nearly perfect all day,” said LaPointe. “Cam Fitzgerald and Eddie Sweeney delivered clutch home run swings on a day where it was difficult for our offense to generate any momentum. Foran’s pitcher and defense also did a great job all day and deserve plenty of credit for keeping our offense off-balance for most of the game.”
For the Law victory, Hand scored in every inning and led 19-0 before allowing seven runs in the final frame. D’Annolfo pitched four scoreless innings in which he allowed just one hit and struck out eight. Crawford and McAneany also pitched one scoreless inning apiece. Sweeney had three hits and two RBI; Bordiere had a triple, a double, and two RBI; Fitzgerald had two doubles and two RBI; Mastronardi had two hits and two RBI; Reiner had two hits, a triple, and two RBI; Leckey added two hits; and Billings got the first hit of his high school career.
“This was just a great game for our team. The athleticism of our entire roster is off the charts. It is a fun group of players to watch play the game because they have great baseball ability, instincts, and play the game the right way,” said LaPointe. “We jumped right on the field, took control of the game right away, and never let it go. Aaron D’Annolfo proved that he has electric stuff and is a big-time pitcher who loves the spotlight. I was really impressed with Aaron’s stuff. He is going to be a major piece of our pitching staff this year.”
The Tigers haven’t marked down any marquee matchups on their schedule because they know the key to success is to bring heart and focus to the field every game. As this team embarks on another season, LaPointe expresses great gratitude to be part of something that’s become even bigger than a dugout full of kids ready to play ball.
“Our biggest matchup is with ourselves. Can we practice the right way every single day? Can we show up for games with the right mentality every day? Can we become a family and pull for each other as one unit and not allow playing time concerns or a selfish attitude to takeover? If we do not beat ourselves with negative habits or negative energy, then it really shouldn’t matter who we play,” LaPointe said. “I feel blessed to be the head coach of this baseball program. Mr. Craig Semple does a tremendous job as our athletic director and we get incredible support from our community and the parents of the program. My players have turned into family and I am thankful for each one of them.”
From the Sidelines
Travis LaPointe returns for his sixth season as Hand’s head coach.
The Tigers’ assistant coaches this spring are Bill Daunais (who’s in his 12th season), Nick Merullo (3rd season), Kyle Heins (2nd season), and Marty Magzag (1st season).
The divisions for the SCC have been realigned for the 2017 campaign and so Hand will play in a new-look Hammonasset Division with Amity, Sheehan, Law, and Career.