Stampede 19U celebrates championship season
Chemistry was key
SARATOGA SPRINGS — In order to boast a good baseball team, each player must have a fair amount of talent — whether it be hitting, pitching or fielding.
What typically separates good teams from championship teams, though, is chemistry.
One could argue that chemistry was an ingredient vital to the 19U Saratoga Stampede state champion squad this past summer.
The team, which finished 38- 9, comprised a close-knit group of individuals that represented a whole greater than the sum of its parts.
“This year’s team, while very talented, lacked pitching and hitting depth, but the one thing this team never lacked was heart and camaraderie,” Stampede director Paul Mound said.
“Every game someone different stepped up,” he said. “If this team didn’t have the kind of chemistry and heart to ‘ never say die,’ then I don’t think it comes close to winning the state championship.”
The 19U team had nine different batters hit more than .300 and had seven pitchers record an ERA of
less than 1.70.
Mound said that despite the vast amount of talent, he didn’t expect the team to reach the state title entering this summer.
“I was very concerned about the lack of pitching depth… I thought we’d have a good team but not in a million years did I think we’d win the state title,” he said.
“We sustained a lot of injuries… when the going got tough, though, Saratoga got tougher. Such an amazing team.”
The 19U Stampede competes in the American Legion Baseball League and fields seniors in high school as well as freshmen in college.
Numerous players have come through the ranks of the Stampede program and went on to be stars of their respective college teams.
When they leave the Stampede, players have benefited from extra instruction and experience playing against a high level of competition.
What most players agree upon is the significance of friendships they establish with teammates.
Stampede pitcher of the year Bryan Carr, for example, is a relief pitcher at the College of Saint Rose. This was his last year with the Stampede after spending three summers there. While partici- pating with Saratoga provided a launching pad for his collegiate career, Carr said the memories established with his teammates will be unforgettable.
“It’s meant the world to me,” Carr said. “Being able to play for coach (Dale) Long, winning two state titles, establishing so many friendships… it was the greatest three summers of my life by far. Unbelievable experience.”
Second basemen Justin Brock just got done with first semester at Franklin Pierce. He only played one year of Stampede ball, but insists that his experience was better than it was with previous summer leagues.
“It definitely meant a lot to get extra games. I played on a couple summer teams in my life but nothing compares to the Stampede. These guys are just so close… the camaraderie was great, everybody fit together,” he said.
Saratoga Springs graduate Zach Forbes will play for St. John Fisher College this upcoming spring. He acknowledged the friendships he developed.
“I’ve been with the Stampede for four or five years… it was about baseball yes, but more about hanging out with these guys, playing the game and having fun. The chemistry was awesome, too.”
Carr’s parents, Jim and Laurie, discussed how the Stampede program wel- comed Bryan with open arms.
“It’s been great. The team included us in everything… we were like part of a family. It was a wonderful experience…coach Long and coach Mound were unbelievable,” Laurie Carr said.
“We appreciate coach Mound letting us join. (Bryan) was probably one of the first ones from the Albany area to play for the Stampede… it’s not like that anywhere else. After a couple of months he was like family to them,” Jim Carr said.
Coach Long agreed with Mound’s sentiment that the squad possessed a togetherness that was special.
“When we won the state title in 2010, that team had a little more talent than this year’s team,” he said. “But this team had more chemistry than the other team and that’s really why we won the championship.”
Parting ways with the Stampede program are other talented players such as Tyler Gereau, Mike Chiseri, Dale Long Jr. and Dylan Anderson.
Gereau attends the College of Saint Rose and Chiseri attends Union College.
Long Jr., who won the team’s sportsmanship award, plays for Quinnipiac while Dylan Anderson plays for Salisbury University in Maryland.