FEATURES
Johnny Castagnozzi: What I’m Thankful For
(Editor’s Note: Johnny Castagnozzi is a 2020 graduate of Massapequa HS. He was the first player in Tom Sheedy’s tenure to start as a 9th grader. All he’s done is lead them to back-to-back Class AA Long Island Championships including a NYS Class AA Championship this past June. He committed to the University of North Carolina as a sophomore. The following words are his own…) Thanksgiving is a time of year to look back on the many things that we have in our lives that we appreciate. For me there are so many things that come to mind. First, I have been blessed with an incredible family. They support me in every aspect of my life. My Mom and Dad who do everything possible to help me to develop as an athlete and as a person. They’ve given me strength even when things are ...
Sean Lane Commits to Notre Dame
Sean Lane (St. Dominic) has shown some legitimate pop. And he’s only a freshman pic.twitter.com/ymE7EuKHEU — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) November 5, 2017 There’s only a handful of degrees in this country that really stand out upon graduation. With most students now getting four-year degrees, the value of a degree has begun to decrease. That is unless you go to a prestigious university such as Notre Dame. For the third time in the last four years, a Long Island baseball player has committed to Notre Dame. St. Dominic 2021 third baseman Sean Lane announced his verbal commitment earlier this week. The powerful sophomore has a chance to join Brian Morrell and Brock Murtha as local players to attend the world-renowned university. I had a chance to speak with Lane and here’s...
Andrew Veit: Why I Chose Saint Peter’s
Great arm action from Bellport Andrew Veit pic.twitter.com/TE3GNqFtvJ — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 20, 2017 (Editor’s Note: Andrew is a 2019 graduate of Bellport HS. He is the younger brother of Michael, who is an outfielder at Farleigh-Dickinson University. He is a middle infielder that helped Bellport make a postseason appearance in 2018. He announced his commitment to Division-I Saint Peter’s in New Jersey. The following words are his own.) The recruiting process is not an easy process, it takes a lot of time and effort to attend as many tournaments and showcases as possible. Making sure you’re working to your full potential while at the tournaments is necessary because you never know which college coaches are there watching. It’s important to pick the ...
Veterans Day: Brandon Stahl On Deciding to Join the Army After Baseball
(Editor’s Note: Brandon Stahl is a 2010 graduate of St. Dominic HS, where he was an Under Armour All-American and three-time All-League selection. He attended Div-I Old Dominion in Virginia before transferring to Adelphi, where he enjoyed a breakout season in 2013 with a .309 AVG and .356 OBP. The following words are his own. This was originally published November 11, 2017) By Brandon Stahl Deciding to join the military was definitely one of the harder decisions I have ever had to make in my life to this point. Many people talk of a “calling” when it comes to this line of work and one day that calling hit me and I never looked back. In my personal opinion, serving and defending this country is one of the most honorable endeavors a person can immerse themselves in and my passion for this ha...
Dante Interlandi: Why I Chose Queens College
(Editor’s Note: Dante is a 2019 graduate of Farmingdale High School, where he helped guide the Dalers to a postseason appearance. He recently announced his commitment to Queens College. The following words are his own.) In my whole life as a baseball player, getting to this stage of playing was only a small dream I never thought I could reach. This past Sunday, November 4th, I decided to make the next decision to better my future and commit to Queens College. I couldn’t have been able to make this decision and get to this point in my life without my family, all of my coaches and my teammates. Before I even learned about the entire recruitment process, I would occasionally flip to college baseball games, football games and basketball games and see kids starting to live out their child...
Brady Doran: Why I Chose St. Anselm
(Editor’s Note: Brady Doran is the younger brother of George Washington University SS Logan Doran. Together, they formed an outstanding double play combination and top-of-the-order duo. He recently committed to St. Anselm College and he took the time to describe his decision. The following words are his own…) The recruiting process was a tough process in many ways; traveling all summer to showcases and tournaments. This process also helped me grow as a player and a person. Ultimately in the end, Saint Anselm College is the perfect place for me. The moment I stepped foot on the Saint Anselm campus, I fell in love with it and really wanted to go there. Shortly after arriving, I met Coach Cenatiempo and Coach Sumner and then got ready for the workout. After the workout, one of the...
Matt Yip: Why I Chose UNC-Wilmington
(Editor’s Note: Matt Yip is a 2019 graduate of Herricks HS. He has an outstanding junior season in which he was among the Long Island leaders in home runs. He participated in our Home Run Derby in August at Baseball Heaven and recently committed to UNC-Wilmington. The following words are his own…) The thought and desire of wanting to attend UNC-Wilmington had stayed with me since the beginning of my junior year. Coach Hood had watched me first play at the 16U Perfect Game WWBA tournament down in Georgia. Our first game was at the PG complex vs the East Cobb Astros 2020 team. Mid game, a dear friend and teammate that had been flown in from Arizona to play with for most of the summer, Bryan McKinsey had came into the game as relief. Bryan became the star of the game as soon as he...
Mike Draskin: Why I Chose NYIT
(Editor’s Note: Mike is a 2019 graduate of Half Hollow Hills West HS in Dix Hills. He is a very talented C/3B that recently committed to NYIT following a strong season for the co-League 4 Champs. The following words are his own…) From the first time I had stepped foot on campus, met the coaching staff and heard the opportunities within the program, I knew it was a dream to play for the Bears at New York Institute of Technology. Over the summer, I had reached out to my high school coach for Half Hollow Hills West, Coach Tom Migliozzi, saying that I needed more connections with colleges that he was close to. I told him NYIT was somewhere I would love to play, especially because they has just hired Long Island baseball legend Frank Catalanotto. I met him when I was only ten years ...
Cameron Mayer: Why I Chose Tufts
(Editor’s Note: Cameron Mayer is a 6’4 RHP that is a 2019 graduate of Syosset HS. He is one of the top power pitchers on Long Island. He recently committed to Tufts University in Massachusetts. The following words are his own…) The college baseball recruiting process is more than just going to showcases and tournaments. It is an emotional, frustrating process that brought together all aspects of my life in a way that nothing else had. Honestly, the process took a lot out of me and my family and I’m glad it’s over, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. In order to have success during this process, the support system you place around yourself is crucial. Having family and friends who encourage you and want nothing but the best for you is key. I was lucky to have...
Q & A With Oceanside-Native Nicholas DiLorenzo
Queensborough Community College defeated No. 1 seed Bronx to capture the 2018 CUNAC/Community College championship at MCU Park. One of the major reasons they were able to take the leap and become a championship-caliber team was the production of freshman infielder Nicholas DiLorenzo. The Oceanside native led the team with 35 games played, compiling a robust batting AVG of .357, with an incredible .464 OBP and .705 SLG. I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say. How did you decide to attend Queensborough? Queensborough wasn’t my first choice. I originally went to Nassau, but things didn’t work out as I planned. I tried out but ended up not making the team. The next summer I played for a team called NorthEast Empire and my coach Paul Carufe introduced me to Coach P...
Louis Stallone: Why I Chose the University of Arkansas
(Editor’s Note: Louis Stallone is a 2020 graduate of St. Anthony’s HS. He is a 6’8″ RHP, and he announced his commitment to the University of Arkansas on Sunday evening. The following words are his own…) With my verbal commitment to the University of Arkansas I am working my way to a lifelong dream of playing in the SEC. All of this wouldn’t be possible without the support and coaching I received from Brooke Richards and Marc Nellist from the Team Elite organization, Joe Francisco, Chris McCoy and Bobby DeMichael. My last two summers were spent entirely in Georgia and Florida playing for Team Elite, one of the top ranked teams in the nation. Playing in the south, surrounded by so much great talent, was the best thing for me. It pushed me to work harder and har...
David Aufiero: Why I Chose Sacred Heart
(Editor’s Note: David Aufiero is one of the top pitchers on the island. The hard-throwing RHP just finished up an outstanding season for the North Shore Vikings in which he went 7-1 with a 1.14 ERA over 49 IP. He allowed only 30 hits and 14 BB while fanning 67 batters which is good for a 0.90 WHIP. He fired 7 CGs and faced 5 All-County pitchers along the way. Among his victories were two complete game shutouts (one one-hitter and a two-hitter). In the postseason, he fired two complete games; against Mepham and Seaford. He did yield more than two runs in any start and he allowed just two successful stolen base attempts in four tries while also picking off two runners from first base. He recently committed to Sacred Heart, where his brother Matt (Chaminade 2017) plays. The following wo...
