Making the playoffs with three starting freshman is no small task for any team. That doesn’t mean it can’t have a painful ending, though.
Just ask Harborfields Head Coach Casey Sturm, who watched his young team reach the postseason with a .500 record.
They led 3-2 in the 7th inning with ace Jack Greco on the hill to slam the door. Robert Iadanza, however, had other plans. He hit a walk-off, two-strike grand slam to cap the 6-3 comeback victory for East Islip to end Harborfields’ season.
“It was a painful way to go out,” said Sturm. “But I think that’s what’s motivating this group, it’s hard to replace 11 seniors, but their contribution to the program will help guide the up-and-coming crop of players,” he added.
Leading the pack is the aforementioned Jack Greco. The hard-throwing junior has been an impact player since his freshman year, batting close to .400 both seasons. Sturm noted that he is one of their top arms with a fastball in the mid-to-upper 80s.
“The great think about Jack is that he’s a ‘whatever you need me to do guy’ and just wants to win,” he said in regards to his ace.
Sturm added that the strength of their team is that they have a young core that has already gained a lot of experience.
Another player he spoke highly of is catcher Anthony Madigan. He recently recorded a pop time of 1.94 and he called him “as clean as it gets” defensively. He is a two-time All-League player and he added that he will be a “big piece” for them this season.
The three freshmen that started last year were infielders Sean Keys and Matt Torres and CF Ryan Steel. Sturm called them “impact guys at the varsity level as freshmen that will all have major roles this season.”
One of the other aspects about this unit that is intriguing is their upperclassmen.
“Luke Nee is a team-oriented player that has the right attitude, he plays the right way and he’s meant the world for this team. That’s not to say he won’t have an impact, he hit a pinch-hit walk-off single last season,” he added.
They will open up their league schedule against Rocky Point–the reigning Class A champs.
Sturm, who is entering his fifth season with the team, will be assisted by former All-State 2B Andrew Abreu. They are optimistic about the upcoming season.
“We’ve made the playoffs the past two years but haven’t done anything with it yet,” he said. “I think they’re ready to take the next step and make some noise,” he added.
