‘Rock star’ Bernadina leading the way for New Castle
At New Castle High School, Rocco Bernadina is a larger-than-life figure.
He’s like Elvis or Paul McCartney, only in a 6-foot5, 235-pound athletic body.
“Everyone wants to see him. Little kids shout his name,” New Castle baseball coach Billy Cook said. “I teach elementary school. The kids will ask me what it’s like being around him.
“He has the nickname ‘Rock star,’ and around here he is.”
Rocco is indeed a rock star at New Castle, and his senior season has been a smash hit. Armed with a fastball that has touched 95 mph, Bernadina is one of the premier pitchers in the WPIAL and one of the top hitters for a New Castle team that is among the best in Class 4A. Bernadina has signed with Kent State and could be selected in July’s
MLB draft. Cook said he talks to scouts about Bernadina three or four days a week.
New Castle has won the most basketball championships in WPIAL history and has the second-most wins in WPIAL football history, but has never won a WPIAL baseball title. Two years after leading the Red Hurricanes to their first PIAA playoff appearance and first PIAA playoff win, Bernadina hopes to help them win their first WPIAL title later this month. The Red Hurricanes are 8-7 overall and 6-4 in Section 2.
In four starts against WPIAL teams, Bernadina is 2-1 with a 0.77 ERA. The right-hander has struck out 38 and walked five in 21 innings. Overall (his first two starts came against teams from Florida), Bernadina is 2-3 with a 2.83 ERA. Cook said that Bernadina’s fastball was consistently around 93 mph during that Florida trip, and Bernadina said he has been clocked as high as 95.2.
“His velocity is insane,” Cook said. “Looking at him on the mound is very intimidating. At 6-5, when he’s standing on the mound, he’s a giant. By the time he’s releasing the ball, it seems like his arm is over the plate.”
At the plate, Bernadina, the cleanup hitter, is hitting a team-best .463 to go along with 3 home runs, 18 RBIs and 15 runs scored. He boasts an on-base percentage of .607.
Considering his size, it might come as a surprise that he doesn’t play basketball or football. He is a former basketball player, though, having played his freshman and sophomore seasons before giving up the sport to concentrate on his baseball career.
“I learned so much not only about being a competitor, but being a true winner and how to be a good person playing for coach [Ralph] Blundo,” Bernadina said.
Bernadina was still a fixture at New Castle basketball games this past season as the unofficial leader of the school’s student section. The Red Hurricanes won a record 14th WPIAL title.
“If I’m not considered [the leader], I’d be a little offended,” Bernadina said laughing.
Added Cook, “Listen, he is one of the most outgoing kids that you will find. And it’s not just going to sporting events. Just walking down the hall in school, he talks to everybody. It’s not a show. With him, what you see is what you get.”
Cook said Bernadina even sometimes signs autographs after games.
“From adults, too,” he said.
Bernadina teams with sophomore right-hander Anthony Miller to give New Castle a terrific 1-2 punch on the mound. Miller is a Notre
Dame recruit who is 4-1 with a 1.17 ERA and has fanned 37 in 24 innings. He threw a nohitter in a six-inning win against Quaker Valley on April 20. Miller is also hitting .449 with 15 RBIs and 21 runs scored.
“This is definitely the best 1-2 punch we’ve had as far as pitching,” said Cook. “As a coach, it’s amazing. I’m comfortable throwing either one. And they’re just good kids.”
Mars
A player who rushed for more than 4,000 yards in his football career has been showing why he was recruited to play Division I baseball.
Senior Teddy Ruffner is the starting catcher for Mars (8-5 overall, 5-3 in Class 5A Section 2). He ranks among the team’s best hitters, batting .375 with 13 RBIs and 16 runs scored. Ruffner has seven extra-base hits (3 doubles, 2 triples and 2 home runs) and entered this week with three consecutive multihit games.
Ruffner is a UNC Wilmington baseball recruit. He was no slouch in football, though, finishing his career with 4,468 yards rushing and 59 touchdowns.
Blackhawk
Twins have been fueling the success of the No. 1ranked team in Class 4A.
Two of Blackhawk’s top players have been the Malagise twins, sophomores Anthony and Jarrod. Coming into the week, Anthony was hitting .452 with team highs of four home runs (he hit two April 9 at Beaver) and 15 runs scored. He also had 11 RBIs. Jarrod was batting .406 with a team-best 13 RBIs to go along with a home run and 11 runs scored.
Blackhawk is 11-2 overall and 6-2 in Section 2.