by Chris Sacchi
Miller Place defeats Hauppauge, 4-3, to capture the Class A Town of Brookhaven Varsity Wood Bat tournament
Kai Loftin recorded the victory. Miller Place went 6-0 in the tournament pic.twitter.com/xs3AKAkQyf
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 13, 2020
Miller Place baseball and head coach Ricky Caputo have enjoyed a fascinating past couple of seasons.
Coming off a 16-4 record in 2019, Caputo’s squad earned a promotion from league VII to League VI in 2020, ready to capitalize on the momentum and further vault the program.
“Last year was crazy. We had 18 seniors,” coach said. “We had guys who had multiple years of varsity experience. We were set to have an incredible year.”
“This year is way different.”
Despite the decline in the number of experienced seniors, coach Caputo understands his team isn’t the only one facing this challenge.
“Now we have four or five seniors and it’s a much different type of year. At the same time, that’s what it is for everyone else.”
And although the anticipated league jump got swept away due to special COVID-19 changes, Caputo sees it as a positive.
“As far as the league’s changing, who’s in the league and who we’re playing this year, we’re definitely focusing more on ourselves and way less on who we’re playing against,” coach said.
“We have way less time to get prepared and figure things out. So, it’s almost better that it’s such a weird league, like playing the teams once a week and it’s not three games sets,” Caputo continued. “It’s so different that it actually gives us the opportunity to take a year and just focus on ourselves a little bit, not worry so much about who we’re playing what shape they’re going to be in.”
With all these changes, Caputo says his job has actually gotten a lot more fun.
“This whole year makes my job so much more interesting. Like honestly, I’ve never, as a manager of a high school varsity baseball team, had to manage so many things,” coach said. “It almost allows us to relax, in a sense where we have so much else going on, it doesn’t give us time to focus on too much, again, on what other people are doing.”
“Honestly, we got to worry about ourselves so much on our own, things like even how to get in and out of the locker rooms to the point where, bunt plays for example, I’m still saying, ‘when are we going to get to these things?’ But like I said, everyone else is in the same boat for the most part too.”
Caputo’s job is also made a lot more fun thanks to some special players.
Senior pitcher Kainoa Loftin is a player coach is looking to lead the staff.
“He is an incredible athlete. Such a smart kid,” coach said. “Unfortunately one of those kids that got hurt by missing out on a season last year. So he’s our guy, a guy that’s got a lot on his shoulders. But he wants it, you know? A senior that can be a pitcher, a hitter, and play the field well. He does it all, plus he’s the one with the most experience,” coach said.
“He’s gonna be a great leader. He was a quarterback in football. He’s confident, but not cocky. The guys can get behind them. He’s going to be a great leader for us. He has experience, as he came up as a sophomore, and played with us last year in the Town of Brookhaven tournament.”
While that tournament was a huge plus for all teams involved, giving seniors one last chance to play and getting a look at some future pieces, Caputo’s squad took the grand prize.
“I jokingly, but not so jokingly, remind the kids from time to time that we are defending champs. Whatever we got to play in last year, we won.”
“We were set up to win. We had prepared to win. We had the team to win. Everyone showed up. They ditched other plans and made it happen to show up,” coach said. “It meant a lot to the guys who were there. And, some of the guys who were there helping us, where some of these sophomores that are now juniors and they performed really well to give those seniors a nice championship.”
Nick Chiarelli is another senior pitcher, a southpaw, with coveted varsity experience.
“He’s another senior with immense potential to help us win. He’s so different. A pitcher-only lefty, moves the ball like crazy, the ball runs away from hitters,” coach said.
“He’s going to lead differently, where he’s already asking me to hit fungos and he wants to be a PO. And he’s really embracing that role. Those types of guys are great to have as an extra fungo hitter, always willing to help. So it’s been really fun having him there.”
Along with Loftin, who coach says is a “stud, you’ll know his name by the end of this year,” along with Nick Folo and Jake Schofield, will be tasked with leading a team looking for some veteran presence.
“Nick Folo, Jack’s little brother, is a carbon copy of Jack behind the dish. So solid defensively,” coach said.
Outside of these players, coach is looking forward to seeing who else rises to the challenge.
“Some of these guys are really going be asked to step up quick,” coach Caputo said. “The good news is I think I got a few guys who are definitely ready, definitely used to playing with older boys, whether that was travel or anything else. They are not intimidated by this varsity level. So, I’m not too worried about my junior class.”
A prominent junior this year, in impact, stature, and nickname, is Aidan Pagel, who is a big-hitting first baseman that can also throw important innings on the mound.
“Pagel, we call him ‘Big Hoss,’” coach said. “In baseball, that’s like a big dude. You hear these other guys say ‘Big Hoss’ all the time, Well, he’s our ‘Hoss’ now. He’s a great guy too.”
Also looking to throw big innings is junior hurler Jason Strickland, who played a key role in the Town of Brookhaven tournament.
“He was one of the juniors who stepped up. He threw a complete game and got us a win, and we needed it,” coach said. “If it wasn’t a complete game, it was darn close to it. Either way, it was one of those great performances that I got to see. Now I’m confident, and you can’t take away what Strickland did for us, pitching that game in that tournament, that was special. I’m looking forward to him doing that again this year.”
Tyler Hodella is another player who came up big during the tournament, and made a lasting impact on coach Caputo.
“He got us a big, big hit in that tournament. He also pitched for us. So he got an opportunity last year to showcase himself a little bit. And then this year he’s just coming out on fire,” coach said.
“It’s our first simulated game, our first day we’re out on the field. It’s cold, and it’s tough, and he hits a grand slam. That’s because he’s been putting in a lot of work in the off season.”
Fellow junior Thomas Pranzo, who is the grandson of legendary former Miller Place coach Don Pranzo, is also ready to step up.
“The kid can absolutely rake. He’s a catcher who can really hit,” coach said.
“He’s the grandson of former great Miller Place coach, Don Pranzo, who was here for a long time, the first Miller Place baseball coach,” Caputo said.
“So, family name, Thomas has been around baseball forever. Now it’s his turn. I watched him hit. He’s got a great lefty swing, he’s balanced, just got so much power. He’s going to be a big help for sure.”
Other juniors like Alex Schwartzberg, John Hucke, Giovani Cassino and Walter Michalski, who coach calls “a beast,” will add to the “great depth of two-way players, and really three-way players, who can hit, pitch, play the field, all at a high level.”
With all of the names listed, coach does not want to leave out other guys who may have been playing other sports, or simply guys who will show how much work they put in once the games start.
“I know kids can play for sure, but maybe I just haven’t seen them for the last couple of workouts,” Caputo said. “I feel bad leaving some out, but it’s so early. Even these guys I’m naming in this; who knows who’s going to step up when the time comes?”
Coach Ricky Caputo and his players are ready to rise to the occasion this year.
“These guys are dying to play some baseball for their high school team. Yeah, they love travel, and it can almost be more competitive and more serious baseball in a sense,” coach said.
“But there’s something special about playing for your high school team. You’re with your friends, the kids you grew up with, and your hometown on your chest.”
“When they’re out in the field, things seem a little bit more normal.”
They will open up on May 8 against Harborfields.
