NEWS
Q & A With Jake Doyle
Jake Doyle is a 2015 graduate of Seaford HS, where he posted a .375 career AVG and recorded 100 career hits. He was named All-County in his junior season and is now playing at Vassar College. David Moskowitz had a chance to speak with him and here is what he had to say… You attended Seaford High School. What was it like to play there? Playing at Seaford was one of the best experiences of my life. There is something special about putting on a jersey with your hometown written across the front: there is a huge sense of pride in it. Growing up I would always go to the varsity games knowing that one day it would be me on the field. Being able to play with some of my best childhood friends by my side is a privilege I will never experience again, and is a memory I look back at and wish ...
Biggest Storylines Heading Into 2017
With the calendar turning to January, all eyes are on 2017 and baseball players are preparing to get back on the diamond. 7. What does West Islip do for an encore? They are coming off their second Long Island championship in three years. They return Jake Guercio (Fordham-commit), Greg Tsouprakos (Pace-commit), Joe Valentino along with a talented crop of freshman and sophomores such as Anthony Cinquemani. Still, it will be difficult for them to replace the production and consistency that Lou Antos, Ray Weber, Nick Valenti and James Kory provided over the past three seasons. There’s no doubt that they will be a playoff team, but it will be too tall of an order to expect another 20-win season. What Coach Shawn Rush has built has been pretty spectacular, but losing all those high-caliber...
Thanks for a Successful Banquet!
Our second annual Awards Banquet is in the books! On Thursday night we honored the 2016 college All-Long Island team, along with a number of individual awards. We were fortunate to have a number of dignitaries in the audience that have professional experience. Just to name a few: Frank Catalanotto, Rob Grable, Anthony Ambrosini, Tyler Badamo, Shea Spitzbarth, Dillon McNamara, Charles Galiano, Kevin Salmon, Mike Gaffney, Jimmy Goelz and Gregg Sarra of Newsday. Here is the rundown of the award winners: Rookie of the Year: Bret Clarke, Stony Brook Cy Young: Kristopher Killackey, Suffolk Community College Most Valuable Player: Angelo Navetta, Molloy Steven Matz Award: Kyle Young, St. Dominic HS Grind to Shine Award Presented by Infiniti Sports Performance: Brian Weissert, Bay Shore HS Heart &a...
Welcome to Axcess Baseball
Today is a new era. We will now be doing business as Axcess Baseball. We will still be providing the same coverage of the Long Island baseball scene, but our website will feature a newly integrated social network, which will be solely for baseball players, coaches and scouts. It is something that will bring the community closer together and also bring the added bonus of increased exposure to college scouts and scouts. You will now have access to an entire region of baseball players at your finger tips. With the season right around the corner, now is a great opportunity to join the network, bulk up your profile with your own video highlights and photos just in time for the 2017 season!
Anthony Varvaro: More Than Just a Ballplayer
Spring Training is generally filled with mindless fielding practice and a lot of downtime for pitchers when they are not in a game. That’s when players joke around or discuss their innermost thoughts. It was in this setting in February of this year when Anthony Varvaro and Rick Porcello were in the outfield talking about their post-baseball career plans. “It would be pretty cool to sit in front of the Holland Tunnel and collect money from people,” joked the now reigning AL Cy Young Winner. Both players shared a laugh–but little did Porcello know what his buddy was actually planning. Varvaro, who had six years of Major League experience at that point was a criminal justice major at St. John’s University and had aspirations of going into law enforcement. “...
Man Of Steel: How Eric Russo Finds Inspiration To Overcome Life’s Obstacles
Editor’s Note: Eric is a 2017 graduate of Centereach HS. He is uncommitted at the moment, but has put himself on the radar since this past summer when his velocity spiked from the upper 70s to mid 80s. ) By Eric Russo There have been many things that have held me back throughout my life– both on and off of the field. Tryouts will be Jan. 15 at MacArthur HS! The most prominent of which occurred before I could even take the field. My family has had to persevere through some struggles the last few years that no family should ever have to deal with. I was born with two special needs siblings; my sister that has cerebral palsy, and my little brother that has autism. So taking care of them has always been more important and had to come before baseball. This become more prominent w...
Greg Weissert on His Successful 2016 Season
Photo Credit: Fordham University Athletics (Editor’s Note: Greg is a 2013 graduate of Bay Shore HS. He was selected by the New York Yankees in the 18th round of the MLB Draft out of Fordham University.) by Greg Weissert My last season at Fordham was the spring of 2016, and it was one that I will never forget. Although at times it was extremely stressful–with the thought of the draft never far from my mind–I tried not to let that take away from the fun and competiveness that came with playing with my teammates, maybe for the last time. Playing with the draft process in full effect was a new experience for me. I had to focus on my game, working to prepare for every start and keeping my emotions in check. It was fun and exciting, but at the same time, it was absolutely nerve wracking. 2017 tr...
Max Nielsen: Why I Chose UCONN
When Max Nielsen was in sixth grade, something was going on that would wind up shaping his future. It wasn’t anything he could control either, ironically. A southpaw named Anthony Kay was dominating hitters on Long Island to the tune of a 0.00 ERA over 55 IP. That success attracted the attention of virtually every college baseball coach in the northern hemisphere. He ultimately chose to attend the University of Connecticut (UCONN), where he would hopefully anchor the rotation for the Huskies over the next four years. In reality it was only three years, but it was good enough to get drafted in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft by the New York Mets. That three-year tenure was not just beneficial for Kay’s future and UCONN’s success, but it also was good for future south...
Branden Falco Discusses How He Persevered Through Injuries
(Editor’s Note: Branden is a 2017 graduate of Kings Park HS. Today he announced he has committed to LIU Post. His fastball sits in the low-to-mid 80s.) By Branden Falco My baseball career has been a bumpy flight. When I started playing baseball at 8-years-old, pitching was my first love. When I was 13, I started feeling tingling down my arm when I threw. I went to an orthopedic surgeon Dr. Scott Alpert and he sent me for an MRI. It came back showing a swollen rotator cuff and my labrum was very loose. After hearing that, the beginning of my freshman year I began training with Xceleration sports training. When I went there for my evaluation, the manager, Steve Wilk, stated that if I want to pitch in college, I need to shut it down until 11th grade and just play a position. This was to...
Long Island Titans Hold Media Day
The Long Island Titans held their annual media day tonight at Prospect Sports in Farmingdale. From their 2017 graduating class, 41 players signed letters of intent to play college ball. Of that group, 20 will be playing Div-I baseball. That group includes Matthew Aufiero (Sacred Heart), Matthew Boyko (NYIT), Brad Camarda (Hofstra), Chris Cappas (University of Pittsburgh), Nick Cardieri (University of Maine), Harrison Cohen (George Washington), EJ Cumbo (NYIT), Trevor Fagan (Sacred Heart), Ken Gordon (Flagler), Joe Greco (Sacred Heart), Ryan Karp (Stony Brook), Bobby Lewis (Quinnipiac), Brad Malm (University at Albany), Brian Morrell (Notre Dame), Brian Morrissey (Stony Brook), Andrew Nagel (UMASS), Mike Palazzolo (Stony Brook), Chris Stefl (St. John’s), Peter Theodorellis (Farleigh-...
Jake Guercio Ready To The the Torch
Over the past decade, West Islip has proven to be a powerhouse on Long Island. Year after year, they churn out Div-I recruits, League MVPs and, in some cases, MLB pitchers. After coming off their second Long Island Championship in three years, one would think they will be in line for a rebuilding year. Jake Guercio has other plans. He’s ready to take on the role of the team leader after the departure of James Kory, Ray Weber, Nick Valenti and Lou Antos. “The graduating class was filled with leadership,” he said. “Something I took from them was how hard they worked during practice. Guys like James Kory, Lou Antos and Nick Valenti are just a couple of teammates that truly taught me how to work and become a leader. I hope I will be able to fill their shoes as the upcom...
Off Season Preparation for Local Minor Leaguers Begins
When your job description involves competing against the best athletes in the world at your particular sport, there’s very little time to rest. With that comes very little margin for error in your workout regimens. Two local minor league players in particular that have risen up the ranks this past year are already beginning their preparation for the 2017 season. Kyle McGowin, 24, and Joe Palumbo, 22, have both gotten back from their 2016 seasons and have hit the ground running with their training–both mentally and physically. Their 2016 campaigns when a little differently, but they both factor in heavily in their respective organizations plans moving forward. But before you know where they are going, it’s important to know where they have come from… McGowin, a nativ...
