by Tony Genualdo
Uncommitted junior Phil Menist (Great Neck South) pitching against Oyster Bay yesterday pic.twitter.com/bmR6RmWjY9
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 30, 2019
Great Neck South’s season last year was a very positive one. They came into the season with a young group of players moving into Class A from county wide, but they stayed competitive in the games that they played. Coach Ciro Ambrosio reflects on last season.
“We competed against the much stronger teams in our league, losing some close games because we were not as deep as them,” Ambrosio said. “In our league, it’s always an uphill battle.”
They hope to battle again this season with their returning players. Among those are seniors Phil Menist (Babson College), Eric Madenberg (Binghamton), and Adrian Balkcom. Menist and Balkcom won All-Conference awards during their sophomore and junior year respectively. Madenberg won All-League honors last year as a junior.
The projected starting rotation includes Menist, along with Yianni Vlantis and Stephen Farishian. During the 2018 season, Menist compiled an absurd 6-0 record and allowed only two ER all season.
After the departure of Brett Figelman and Brandon Alwadish from last year, Great Neck South is looking for new players to be big offensive contributors. Madenberg and Balkcom are projected to be those contributors, as well as Paul DePaulis (North Greenville-commit).
Ambrosio is not lying when he says that the American League is an uphill battle. Teams like Macarthur, Calhoun, and Garden City are always competitive. But Great Neck South hopes that their offense can maintain the levels of success they’ve had in years past and that their pitching can stay consistent throughout the year.
