Baseball Press Release

Varsity+junior+Mike+Pirrotta+throws+a+pitch+during+a+game+in+the+2015+season.

Varsity junior Mike Pirrotta throws a pitch during a game in the 2015 season.

Austin Ramos, Writer

Sport: Baseball

Coach: Todd Smith

Experience: 6th Season

Last Year’s Record: 17-7 (10-4, 2nd in A North)

Key Returners:

* Joe Silvestrone Sr. C .353/.423/.500, 8 2B, 2 HR, 14 R, 12 RBI

* Rob Erikson Sr. 2B

* Kyle Fenton Sr. UTIL

2015 Team Outlook:

The Patriots made a strong run at a division title last year with a senior-heavy team and came up just short of both Class A North and Monmouth County Tournament titles. The team will now have to deal with the fallout of graduating seven position players and an entire pitching staff from that squad, and doing so in a division with so many capable teams will only make the task even taller for the Pats. Senior catcher Joe Silvestrone is the lone returning starter, albeit a very good lone returnee. Silvestrone put up an on-base percentage better than .400 to go with a .500 slugging percentage and will have to anchor the batting order after hitting in the middle of a deep lineup last year.

Seniors Rob Eriksen and Kyle Fenton are the lone returnees from the regular roster, but neither logged more than 12 at-bats as juniors. Eriksen will slot in at second base, while Fenton will serve a utility role, playing multiple positions throughout the season. The Patriots have some quality pitchers and could eventually put together a strong staff. Two of those pitchers are sophomores Ralph Gambino and Mike Pirrotta. Gambino will also play shortstop and Pirrotta will man first base as the Patriots look to build their team back up and compete in a deep division. Rounding out the 3-man rotation is junior Pete Nielsen, who logged a few varsity innings last year as a sophomore. He will look to build on those solid innings and provide leadership in a very inexperienced pitching staff.

Although the team lacks experience, there is definitely a ton of talent and potential on the roster. Opposing teams will have to look to take advantage of the Pats’ inexperience early in the season because when the young squad figures some things out, they will be force to reckon with.

The rest of the Patriots’ roster is as follows: Kevin Gordon (Sr., C), Brandon Roth (Sr., OF), Austin Ramos (Sr., OF), Jason Spieler (Sr., OF), Tom Benedict (Sr., P), Jimmy Feingold (Sr., P), Brian Oliver (Jr., INF), Lane Shapiro (Jr., INF/OF), John Carroll (Jr., 1B/P), Matt Gorman (Jr., OF), Andrew Ventura (Jr., P), Jake Russo (Jr., 3B), Rob Nitti (Jr., C), and Pete Gambino (Jr., P).

Key Matchups This Season:

* Rivalry Game: Away vs. CBA – Thursday, April 23, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.

* Rivalry Game: Home vs. Freehold Boro – Monday, April 27, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.

* Last Division Game: Away vs. Marlboro – Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.

* Senior Night: Home vs. Donovan Catholic – Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.