By Michael Malaszczyk
Here’s the final out of the Bethpage victory to capture their first county championship since 1983 pic.twitter.com/skTtGBufZx
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 19, 2021
Coach Rob Fisher of Bethpage wants to see last year’s success come again.
Bethpage won the County Championship in 2021 – their first since 1983. They played with a vengeance and finished with an 18-3 overall record. Coach Fisher was happy to share his thoughts on the 2021 season in an interview with Axcess Baseball.
“I was extremely happy with how it ended,” he said. “Kids gave everything they had last year. I was so proud of them and so happy for them.”
When it comes to repeating last year’s success, Coach Fisher feels two things will be key: firstly, his returning players, and secondly, team chemistry.
“Conor Burns, Joe Lynn, and Brian Lunetto played tremendously,” he said. “Conor was the winning pitcher in the championship game. The play of these three will go a long way to us having another successful season. We also learned just how important team chemistry is to success. We were truly a family last year.”
Bethpage saw a number of seniors graduate last year, who will be continuing their baseball careers in college. These include Pat Dalton (SUNY Cortland), James Martin (Montclair State University), Phil D’Aguanno (Adelphi University), Brandon Lombardo (SUNY Maritime), Zach Schnabel (St Joseph’s College, Brooklyn).
Coach Fisher feels these players are irreplaceable. With Bethpage’s team being mostly lowerclassmen with limited varsity experience, Fisher hopes Burns, Lynn, and Lunetto bring the experience from last season to help mentor the new players.
“We need big contributions from our three senior returning players,” said Fisher.
Those three players certainly bring a lot to the table. Conor Burns plays as pitcher/centerfielder. His stats include .409 batting average and a 1.67 ERA, and notably 16 stolen bases. Brian Lunetto plays as a third baseman. Lunetto’s stats include a .347 batting average, four doubles, and 9 RBIs. Joe Lynn doubles as a pitcher and first baseman, and his stats include a 3.57 ERA and a noteworthy 34 strikeouts in only 20 innings.
Conor Burns went 2-for-3 with a 2-R HR today and Pat Dalton struck out 14 in a 2-hit shutout as Bethpage improved to 10-1 pic.twitter.com/jK8fYGbZTl
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 29, 2021
Conor Burns is currently committed to Ithaca College, while Joe Lynn is committed to Eckerd College.
Coach Fisher feels that his team will be strong on the mound this year.
“We return two of our three starters,” he said. “Conor Burns had an outstanding year going 4-0 including three saves with a 1.67 ERA, 37 Ks in 37 innings. Joe Lynn also pitched well for us last year. The two of them should really provide us with some stability in the rotation while we worked to find a number three from a group of talented juniors.”
Their pitchers have confidence in their catcher, senior Christopher Downes.
“Offensively he had a rough year, but he was a warrior for us behind the plate. Caught every game. Without him, we would not have won,” said Fisher.
Coach Fisher was eager to name Division and Plainedge as two teams he looks forward to facing. “I would think Division would be our toughest opponent in conference, and they would be who I most look forward to playing,” he said. “We always want to test ourselves against the best out there. That’s why we also scheduled Plainedge for our non-league game this year.”
While Fisher is quick to name three experienced seniors as Bethpage’s keys to success in 2022, Fisher himself brings a ton of knowledge to the table. He has been coaching baseball for twenty years, with the last eighteen of them being as Bethpage’s lead varsity coach.
“I’ve always loved baseball,” he said. “I love the competition. I love the team aspect, built around all these individual battles! There is no greater game out there.”
With a seasoned coach like Rob Fisher, three players who have already had a hand in bringing Bethpage to the top, and a whole team of eager, new players, Bethpage will be strong in 2022. It wouldn’t be surprising if they find themselves repeating last year’s feat.
Bethpage’s opening day is set for March 28th. They will be playing against Valley Stream North.
