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North baseball blends experience, strong pitching Williamsville North coach Jerry Scarcella has a little of everything a baseball team needs for success. Scarcella has varsity experience (Max Zimmerman, Pat Dwyer, John Ticco - four years), Alex Calderon (three years), a strong pitching core (Ben Zwierchowski, Zack Boron, Eric Dahlman, Kevin Hughes), and some great talent up from the JV (Nick Fronczak, Austin Benshadle, Garrett Crage). Calderon, the starting third baseman, and Ticco, the starting shortstop, are returning ECIC Division I first team all-stars and return at third and shortstop, respectively. Ticco led the team in hitting last year and will bat fifth. Zimmerman and Zwierchowski are returning division honorable mentions. Ticco and Zimmerman, the starting catcher, are the team captains. Dwyer will start at second, Gahagen gets the nod at first. "I like what I've seen so far from our lineup," said Scarcella. "Most of our infield were first or second team all-stars so we'll be solid defensively. We won't be like North teams in recent years who have hit the ball over the fence. We'll be more of a small ball hitting team but should be a tough out." Scarcella really likes his pitching core. Zwierchowski, the team's No. 1, is throwing around 86 miles per hour, but Dahlman, who didn't play baseball last year, has also been tough, Scarcella added. Boron and Hughes both saw time last year. JV callups Matt Fleming and Mike Koch provide depth. "We're pretty deep on the mound," Scarcella said. Others key players include Fronczak, a sophomore designated hitter who Scarcella said can hit for power, outfielders Benshadle, Crage, Jared Fabian, and John Piaggione and infielders Brad Stellrecht and Geoff Stallman. Fabian and Benshadle will start in right and center field, respectively. Crage is penciled to start in left field. On paper, the team looks good but because of rainy weather, the Spartans' field has been unplayable and they have had to practice most of the time in the North parking lot or the gym. The weather from the October storm also took away days from spring break which ended North's annual spring break trip to Florida. "It really hurts because on the trip, I get to see how the team looks, especially our players up from JV," said Scarcella. "It's tough to gauge when you're practicing in a gym." The Spartans will be once again competing in the ECIC-Monsignor Martin Association Classic, facing St. Mary's of Lancaster at 7 p.m. Friday, April 27 at Dunn Tire Park. It is an all-wooden bat tournament. North's season ended last year with a 5-4 loss to Niagara-Wheatfield in the Section VI Class AA semifinals. The Spartans opened this season with a convincing 14-4 road win last Friday over Jamestown. North scored seven runs each in the fourth and sixth innings. Benshadle led off the fourth with a single, stole second and was driven by a Calderon single. After a Gahagen walk, Ticco, Zimmeran and Fronczak all singled in runs. With two outs, Dwyer tripled in Zimmerman and Fronczak. In the sixth, Calderon doubled in three runs and Zimmerman smacked a 390-foot home run to bring home another three Spartan runners. Zimmerman finished 2 for 4 with five RBIs. Other Spartans who were standouts at the plate were Calderon (2 for 3, four RBIs), Dwyer (single, triple, four RBIs) and Ticco (1 for 3, RBI). "I know these guys could hit," said Scarcella. "I just didn't think we'd get off to that good of a start." Boron pitched five innings, only allowed three hits and struck out five. Stellrecht threw the last two innings.
The Spartans hosted Niagara Wheatfield on Tuesday but results were available before The Bee went to press. They host Frontier at 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday. |
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