by Mike Anderson
Final: Rocky Point 4, Hills West 2
WP: Dominick Carbone
S: Cody MillerCarbone: 3-for-4, 2 RBI
Rocky Point improves to 12-1 pic.twitter.com/dwyolLkHjx
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 2, 2021
It’s hard to improve on a 16-2 record, but that’s what Rocky Point Varsity Baseball will look to do this year. And when you have a team as talented and as deep as Rocky Point, that is very possible.
Though they were upset in the playoffs and eliminated by Harborfields, the Eagles had themselves a great year. Rocky Point was the top seed in League IV last year, and their 16 wins tied them for the most in Section XI along with Mt. Sinai, who was the top seed in League V. What made their season all the more impressive was the competition that they faced: six of their nine opponents were at least .500 or better. Head coach Anthony Anzalone attributed his team’s success to their pitching.
“Last year, what made us so successful was that our pitching staff was dynamite. We had Dom Carbone who’s a junior and won League MVP, and we had Sean Hamilton and Nic Benhardt. In addition to that, we had Cody Miller who came in and saved us a bunch of times when we needed it,” said Anzalone.
Luckily for Anzalone, all of those guys are coming back this year. As he mentioned, Carbone won the League IV MVP last year. He won it as a sophomore, which is a rarity. He is a dominant lefty pitcher who tops out at 91. He also plays the outfield and adds an excellent left-handed bat to the lineup. Like a high school league MVP would, he had several standout moments, such as a no-hitter against East Hampton, and a two HR game against Harborfields.
Uncommitted 5’11 LHP Dominick Carbone (Rocky Point 2023) is the reigning conference MVP. Live arm, Division-I prospect pic.twitter.com/cN3eqjaUkW
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) February 4, 2022
Hamilton, a senior pitcher and infielder, is a flame-thrower himself, touching 90+ miles per hour on his fastball. He too provides excellent offensive production for Rocky Point, as Anzalone uses him as his three-hole hitter. There’s a reason why he’s committed to play for Div-I Hofstra.
Speaking of lethal two-ways for Rocky Point, Miller is not only a reliable bullpen arm for Anzalone, but he’s also one of the best hitters on Long Island (and perhaps in the state as well). Miller, also in his senior year, is committed to play Div-I baseball at East Tennessee, and he will be playing shortstop again this year for Rocky Point.
Cody Miller’s grand slam https://t.co/TnQYIP612V pic.twitter.com/q3DjxXNx00
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 31, 2021
As Anzalone mentioned, one should not discount Benhardt either. The Central Connecticut State University commit (also Div-I) pitched to a .80 ERA last year. Anzalone called him his “go to guy on the hill.”
But no, the list doesn’t stop there. There are plenty of other Rocky Point Eagles to look out for this year as the season gets closer. They have three other seniors committed to playing in college as well: outfielder Christian Dantuono (DIII Norwich University), infielder Christian Ark (DIII SUNY Maritime), and catcher Niko Sorice (DII Mercy College). Sorice, of course, is the backstop for one of the most dominant pitching staffs on Long Island.
They have some young players to watch out for, too. In place of second baseman James Maggio, who graduated last year and now plays at St. Joseph’s College, there will be a platoon of two sophomore second baseman: Jeremy Graham, and AJ Aschettino. Aschettino is the son of former Rocky Point Varsity Baseball head coach Andrew Aschettino.
As mentioned earlier, the 2021 season ended sourly for Rocky Point, and they are entering this year with a sense of unfinished business.
“I think there’s a little bit of a chip on our guys’ shoulders, especially the seniors… They understood and felt the pain that myself and the coaching staff felt after having such a great year. They always work hard. We’re getting after it at 6 o’clock in the morning on Sundays; we’re lifting twice a week. I think we have a culture that traditionally does not accept mediocrity… But there is definitely a chip on our shoulder considering the result last year,” said Anzalone.
Anzalone mentioned that the top of the order is set; we can expect to see Miller in the leadoff spot, Carbone in the two-hole, and Hamilton in the third slot. However, four through nine are yet to be determined.
“From there, we’re going to have to see where everything falls and how guys are progressing throughout the offseason,” said Anzalone.
Rocky Point has everything that you look for in a contender: a balanced lineup, a dominant pitching staff, an experienced roster, and a winning culture. With almost all of their core still intact, along with all of the other things they boast, Rocky Point is in a great position to have another great year.
