by Thomas Cregan
Sophomore Jake Russo’s walk-off double to deliver a 4-3 win for Bellport over Hauppauge pic.twitter.com/rJY31AFnPN
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 11, 2021
In his second year as head coach, Joe Murphy of Bellport has faith in his group of mostly returning players to build off the experience gained from the previous year.
In his first year of being head coach of Bellport following the passing of legendary longtime coach Bill Batewell the team only missed the playoffs by 1 game. Though many could see this as disappointing, Murphy says the experience the young players on his team gained will benefit them going forward. Many of those young players will be returning this year in 2022 and he hopes to see his players continue to grow through that experience.
The team is headlined by several returning players who are now seniors, including all-league shortstop Will Caroli. First baseman/pitcher Evan Virno, Murphy expects to follow up on the good year he had in 2021. Second baseman Mark Promutico and outfielder Jacob Repper. Along with senior pitchers Dan Reilly and Dylan Gronenthal, both of whom Murphy has big expectations for this year.
Also returning is center fielder/pitcher Dan Rubin and outfielder Logan Alberto. Along with the three Russo brothers; catcher Jake Russo, third baseman Jack Russo, and outfielder Luke Russo. Murphy said, “these guys all earned time as sophomores and juniors” and he hopes that the large amount of returning players with experience will bolster their lineup and ensure they are prepared for any opponent. He also hopes to see the seniors step up and provide leadership in big game moments.
Coach Murphy says the team’s biggest strengths are their defense and the depth of their lineup. He further stated, “They’re all good hard-working kids and they come to the field every day to work hard and prepare for games.” The depth gives them good hitters anywhere in the lineup and he is looking for the pitchers to step up and give them good productive innings.
Bellport competes in a highly-competitive league and Coach Murphy mentioned West Islip as their biggest competition. Also mentioning Smithtown West, Hauppauge, Deer Park and both North and West Babylon all being competitive teams. He stated that “There are no weeks off in this league every team is competitive with talented players and my guys always need to come to the field ready to play.”
When asked about the impact coach Bill Batewell had on not only the program but also himself Coach Murphy said “I’ve known Bates since the 1970’s, I played for him, and I have coached alongside him for a long time. He would love this group of kids we have right now, and they would enjoy playing for him. Even though many of the kids we have now might not have known him personally due to his absence because of his battle with cancer, they all know him from their older siblings or friends, and he has left a lasting impact on all of them.” He further stated “No matter how successful the team is you like coming to the field every day. We always have a good group of kids who come from good families. They are all dedicated, and everyone enjoys the experience we have together.”
Bellport will open their season against Hauppauge on March 29th.
