Question marks surround East baseball
Flames still hoping to repeat as ECIC II champion

Williamsville East baseball won the ECIC Division II in 2007 but the team heads into the 2008 season with some question marks.

East, 18-5 a year ago, has already lost the services of No. 1 pitcher and cleanup hitter, senior Mark Guenther, to a shoulder injury. Guenther earned ECIC Division II first-team and All-WNY honorable mention as a junior.

East coach Jerry Gasz said he and his coaching staff of JV coach Dennis Belote, modified coach John Cicero, and volunteer coaches Chad Juenker, Bill Wolf and Tim Morrison will audition no fewer than 15 players and move the group down to a staff of nine or 10.

"We have some arms, but my staff will have to turn them into pitchers," said Gasz.

The team is also the largest and youngest varsity squad in the coaching career of Gasz. The team has 23 players, including six underclassmen.

Pitching

Picking up the slack on the mound will have to be senior right-hander Josh DiMarco, a returning ECIC Division II second team selection.

DiMarco went 2-1 last year and finished in the top two in many East pitching categories.

Senior Jordan Karnath, 3-1 last year, also returns but won't be available until early May, Gasz said. Karnath is a returning ECIC II honorable mention.

Other returning pitchers are lefty Dominic Missana and righty tri-captain Gary Styn, but Styn's availability will be limited because he is the starting catcher.

Senior tri-captain and outfielder Nick Weigel also has a strong arm and will get a look from the coaching staff, said Gasz.

Pitchers up from the JV include juniors Dave Mernan, Mike Langfelder and Tony Tirone and sophomore Justin Birzon. Tirone will exclusively work as a relief pitcher.

Also up from the JV is junior righty Ari Goldberg and freshman southpaw Eric Stolzenburg.

Gasz said he will even look at three modified hurlers from last year, freshmen Nate Joseph and Peter Elliott and sophomore Christian Frankino.

Gasz said the staff lacks varsity experience but that will not lower expectations.

"The arms are there; we just have to mature and come together quickly," said Gasz.

Catching

Styn, a starter in the outfield last year and also a terrific infielder, will inherit the catcher duties.

"The senior tri-captain is our headiest and toughest player on the field," said Gasz. "Styn has some catching experience but will spend a lot of time with coach Juenker and Cicero, two former East All-WNY players, to get ready."

Styn hit a school-record .576 last year and is a returning ECIC II second-team All-Star. Gasz said Styn missed the ECIC II first team by one vote.

Styn also scored 26 runs, had 24 hits, including seven doubles, stole five bases, walked a team-high 16 times and posted a .689 slugging percentage.

Elliott will catch if Styn is needed on the mound, said Gasz.

Elliott led the East modified team offense a year ago with a .476 batting average, five doubles, three triples, nine RBIs and a .476 slugging percentage.

"Like Styn, Elliott is versatile and can play many positions," said Gasz. "It would not be surprising to see both in the lineup at the same time."

Gasz said DiMarco will provide depth and senior Austin Barnett can fill in a pinch.

Infield

Gasz thinks the most interesting battle on his team for a starting spot is first base.

Either Elliott or Eric Stolzenburg (.363 batting average on JV) could fill the spot. Missana could also be in the mix, Gasz said.

At second base, the Flames have senior reserve Mike Toscano and up from JV, Langfelder (.400 batting average, 20 runs, 20 stolen bases). Junior Phil Missana hit .387, scored 11 runs and had 10 RBIs.

The Flames' infield will be anchored by senior shortstop Chris Schiumo, a four-year starter and returning ECIC II honorable mention. Schiumo, a tri-captain, hit .359 with 14 RBIs and scored 15 runs last year. He was also sixth on the team with 23 hits.

"It's time he becomes a first teamer (division All-Star)," said Gasz.

Langfelder or Birzon (.276, 10 RBIs) will back up Schiumo.

The third-base duties could be filled by senior Andrew Steel, Barnett or Mernan. Steel was a reserve last year and is one of the team's hardest workers, said Gasz. Barnett returns after a year's absence. Mernan led the modified and JV in hitting the last two years. Last year, he banged out 31 hits, scored 19 runs, had 21 RBIs and hit .563.

Outfield

The outfield returns holdovers Weigel and seniors Dan Tyx and Carl Lew.

Weigel has the most experience, playing in 19 games, hitting .286 with 10 runs scored and eight RBIs.

Up from the JV is sophomore Sean Ricketts (.357, 14 runs, 20 hits, six RBIs) and junior Mike Collura (.436, 12 RBIs, 19 hits). Ricketts and Collura each hit from the left side.

East also has the option of moving Mernan or looking at sophomore Christian Frankino.

East played at Orchard Park on Tuesday, but the result was unavailable before The Bee went to press. They travel to Lancaster for a 4:30 p.m. start on Wednesday, host Canisius at 4:30 p.m. on Friday and play at Williamsville North at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 7.

Gasz said feels optimistic that his team will be in the hunt to defend their ECIC II title.
Williamsville East 2008 Schedule
4-2 at Lancaster .......................... 4:30 p.m.
4-4 Canisius ................................. 4:30 p.m.
4-7 at North ................................. 4:30 p.m.
4-9 at W.S. East................................ 5 p.m.
4-21 at Sweet Home................... 4:30 p.m.
4-23 at Lake Shore .......................... 5 p.m.
4-25 Hamburg................................... 5 p.m.
4-28 at South ............................... 4:30 p.m.
4-30 Iroquois................................ 4:30 p.m.
5-2 W.S. East ............................... 4:45 p.m.
5-7 Sweet Home ......................... 4:30 p.m.
5-8 Lake Shore............................ 4:30 p.m.
5-10 at Lakewood, Ohio ................ 11 a.m.
5-10 at Lakewood, Ohio ................. 1 p.m.
5-12 at Hamburg .............................. 5 p.m.
5-14 South.................................... 4:30 p.m.
5-16 at Iroquois................................ 5 p.m.
5-19 Orchard Park...................... 4:30 p.m.
5-20 at Canisius .......................... 4:30 p.m.
5-21 Amherst ............................... 4:30 p.m.
5-22 North.................................... 4:30 p.m.
5-27 Lancaster............................. 4:45 p.m.