NEWS
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...
Insider Notes: HS Seniors That Are Making a Strong Case to Get Drafted
Every year around this time we think we have a good idea who will get drafted in June. The reality is that there’s no way to predict the future; players performances are wildly unpredictable and that’s not even factoring things out of their control. For example, I thought a player like Angelo Navetta would have gotten drafted had he performed exceptionally well in 2018. All he did was slug .616 with 49 RBI, showing that his 2016 season was no fluke and he is every bit as talented offensively as he is defensively. Still, he wasn’t drafted. Don’t tell me his size is a deterrent, because there were position players under 6’0″ drafted across the nation. Then there’s Matt Hogan, who I thought just needed to prove he was healthy to be considered a pro pl...
The Process of An At Bat
By Anthony Iapoce (Chicago Cubs Hitting Coach) (Editor’s Note: Anthony was previously the hitting coach for the Texas Rangers, and was recently hired by the Chicago Cubs for the same role. This article was originally published in October 2017. The following words are his own.) There are three phases that take place for the hitter to prepare themselves before they are able to lay out their ‘A’ swing on the pitch they are hunting. From the time players walk into the stadium, they are ready for their daily routine to be ready for the game that day. Three Phases of At Bat: Pregame and Accountability In-Game and Attitude In Box and Confidence Pregame and Accountability is the foundation of any hitter’s success. The best hitters are the most accountable. They are the best at preparing for ...
Finalists for Axcess Most Valuable Player Announced
In a year filled with outstanding performers at the college level, four individuals stood above the rest. Below are the three finalists for the 2018 Axcess Most Valuable Player. Previous winners include Rob Andreoli (LIU Post) in 2017, Angelo Navetta (Molloy) in 2016 and Jack Parenty (Stony Brook) in 2015. We will announce the winners for all awards during the last week of December. SS Nick Grande (Stony Brook): Key Stats: .377 AVG, 59 R, 6 HR, 28 RBI, .468 OBP, .560 SLG, 32-for-38 SB 1B Angelo Navetta (Molloy) Key Stats: .384 AVG, 3 HR, 49 RBI, .478 OBP, .616 SLG, 4-for-5 SB 1B Paul Britt (St. Joseph’s) Key Stats: .404 AVG, 8 HR, 37 RBI, .491 OBP, .752 SLG, 43 R, 12-for-12 SB C Jeff Towle (Suffolk CC) Key Stats: .463 AVG, 46 R, 10 HR, 46 RBI, .543 OBP, .862 SLG
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...
Touching All the Bases-Making Sleep Part of Your Game Plan
by Brendan Duffy, Sr. Certified Sleep Educator –RPSGT When the Tampa Bay Rays began Spring Training this season, they arrived to the ball field later in the day. Based on their collaboration with sleep specialists, the move to a later start time was meant to help the players increase their sleep time and improve their practices. Instead of 9:30 AM, the players reported at 10:30 AM. This is not something new as the New York Yankees and other professional teams also have done this in the past few seasons and the Yankees start even later –at 11:30 AM! So why the changes? The MLB teams and other teams in the NBA and NHL have finally realized that sleep quality and quantity is an important part of their training. It is the foundation of their training on top of which they add the additional n...
Kyle McGowin Hosts Clinic at All Pro Sports
Sag Harbor native Kyle McGowin (Pierson 2010) hosted a clinic for little leaguers last night at All Pro Sports Academy in Bellport. It featured dozens of players ages 7-13 learning the fundamentals to pitching from the Washington Nationals RHP, who has overcome some improbable odds to transition from one of the smallest towns on Long Island to the Major Leagues. He was drafted out of Savannah State in 2013 by the Los Angeles Angels in the 5th round following an outstanding season in which he compiled an ERA of 1.49 with a record of 12-1 spanning 96.1 IP. He also led the league in strikeouts with 111. He pitched in the Angels minor league system in 2013-’16 before getting traded to the Washington Nationals for Danny Espinosa. Following that season, I spoke with him for an interview, a...
St. Anthony’s In Search of New Head Coach
St. Anthony’s is in search of a new Head Coach, following the departure of John Phelan–who was at the helm since 2011. The Friars are coming off a 13-win season in which they were defeated, 3-2, by St. Dominic at St. Joseph’s College. They graduated some impact players including top starting pitcher, Jared Restmeyer, outfielder Jordan Rose and SS Robbie Affenita. They are looking for a Head Coach with previous coaching experience, according to Athletic Director Joe Minucci. Interested candidates should contact the St. Anthony’s Athletic Department.
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...
PODCAST: Connetquot Head Coach Matt Budderman
Vinny: Hello and welcome to the Axcess Baseball podcast. I’m your host Vinny Messana. We’re joined here with a special guest Matt Budderman, Head Coach over at Connetquot High School. Just finished up his first year with the Thunderbirds leading them to a post season appearance, another great year for them. Didn’t finish the job, but they had a very young team and they’re looking at a very promising season coming in 2019. Coach, thanks for coming on the podcast. Thank you for your time. I appreciate it. Coach: My pleasure. Thanks for coming here. Vinny: So, before we talk about last year, let’s talk a little bit about yourself for our audience that might not be familiar. I’ll. What’s your background with the game of baseball? Coach: Besides being ...
