DIVISION 3-4-5 BASEBALL PREVIEW:
Austin Prep would like nothing better than to go out with a bang. The Cougars will be leaving the MIAA for the NEPSAC following the spring athletic season and have the horses to make a long run in the Div. 3 state baseball tournament. Head coach Jonathan Pollard wants to make sure his team is focus on the right things and if the opening season win over highly-touted Milton is an indicator, Austin Prep is fully capable of playing well into June.
“We’ve developed some great relationships being in the MIAA,” Pollard said. “But our guys are looking forward to completing this final chapter. We want to put our best foot forward and end it in a great manner.”
The ace is Virginia-bound Evan Blanco, who shut out Milton in the opener. All-Scholastic Jack Iannabelli (Stonehill) and future Div. 1 pitcher Jake Zawatsky round out an impressive pitching rotation. The lineup is fueled by first baseman Will Burns, catcher Matt Chatelle and second baseball Ernie Little.
The nonleague schedule is certainly challenging to go along with a traditionally tough Catholic Central League slate. Pollard has seen more than enough of the likes of St. Mary’s, Bishop Fenwick and Archbishop Williams to know his team better be ready every day.
“The Catholic Central League is one of the strongest baseball leagues around,” Pollard said. “St. Mary’s can beat anyone when Aiven Cabral is pitching,
Fenwick won the sectional title and then you have teams like Archbishop Williams, Arlington Catholic and Bishop Stang who are very competitive.”
Former St. John’s Prep great Matt Antonelli takes over at Bishop Fenwick. He will look to catcher Chris Faraca and pitcher Anthony Marino, a pair of mainstays off a sectional championship squad.
A team looking to duplicate its success of a year ago is Medfield. The Div. 3 state finalists in 2021, the Warriors return a deep pitching staff led by Penn-bound Thomas Shurtleff, Brett Nickerson and Matt Donahue along with Pepperdine-bound shortstop Jack Goodman, first baseman Jack Collins, catcher Scott Donahue and outfielder Nate Baacke.
“I don’t know if we will score as many runs as we did last year when we had a lineup that from 1-9 could hit home runs,” said Medfield coach Dave Worthley. “But our pitching is really good and we still have good bats in the lineup.”
Ashland is looking to bounce back as outfielder Connor Kramer, shortstop Connor Cowern and catcher
Luke Herter return, while Dedham always puts a quality team on the field.
Dighton-Rehoboth will be one of the favorites in the South