Chiefs, Knights Baseball Play Twice One More Time

The Caldwell and West Essex high school baseball teams will face each other for at least two more times this season as part of the Super Essex Conference Liberty division, April 4 in West Caldwell and April 27 in North Caldwell.

But next season West Essex will be moving up to the American division, the top division, with a bunch of Group 4 schools and Seton Hall Prep. As it turns out, the Knights – who won the Greater Newark Tournament and the Group 2 title – are the victim of their own success.

West Essex head coach Scott Illiano is not happy about it and has a backer in Caldwell head coach Tom Lamont. "None of the other 88 Group 2 schools in the state have to face five Group 4 schools and a tough non-public school," said Illiano. West Essex will be the smallest school in the American division, which includes the likes of Columbia, West Orange and Livingston.

The move could keep the Knights out of the state playoffs since the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) does not have a power rating and strictly goes by records. Big schools will make up the majority of the schedule which may prevent the team from seeing postseason play.

Lamont said that the conference should base the realignment on school size instead of recent success, especially with a Group 2 school like his that knows success can be fleeting.

For this season, both Caldwell and West Essex could very much have big seasons and go far in both the Greater Newark Tournament and the state playoffs.

Caldwell

One of the teams that almost derailed West Essex's trip to a Group 2 title was Caldwell, who lost a 5-4 nail bitter to the Knights in the Group 2 North 2 playoffs.

For 2011, the Chiefs lost some players, including Dave Pepe, Rowland Goodman and Tim Lohmann to name a few, from that team that finished 15-13 on the season.

This season the Caldwell strengths will be its pitching, speed and defense. So far during the preseason Caldwell head coach Tom Lamont has seen improvement.

"I think we will be able to play some pretty good defense," said Lamont. "I've been pleased with how we have played and hoping to get better."

The Caldwell head coach believes his team will be more of a singles and doubles team this year with plenty of speed on the base paths.

Lamont does have two of their top pitchers back from last season in senior righty Connor Smith who was 3-4 with a 3.43 ERA.

"We're expecting good things from him," said Lamont about Smith who will pitch at Wagner University next spring. "He's gotten better with all of his pitches."

The other starter back is senior righty Mike Jeffrey who was 3-2 with a 3.09 ERA.

Overall, Lamont said that he has 10 players that could take the ball on the mound and it could become beneficial for Caldwell if they are hit with several postponements and games start piling up.

Offensively, the top hitter back is junior Tyler Condit, the team's top batting average producer at .400 with 15 RBI, a home run and seven doubles. He moves from designated hitter to first base this season and will bat cleanup.

There is also senior centerfielder Anthony Mautone who hit .328 with 11 RBI, pair of doubles and 16 singles. Mautone could hit at leadoff with his speed.

In terms of defense, Lamont believes they  are solid up the middle in the infield with junior second baseman Eric Barsani and sophomore Sonny Puzzo.

Moving up full time from junior varsity are a couple of outfielders this season – juniors T.J. Reuter and Mike LaTorraca. Both could also get some innings on the mound and both are righty pitchers.

LaTorraca could be one of the more complete players on the team where Lamont could slate him either at leadoff or the third spot in the lineup. Reuter also has speed on the team.

Another righty pitcher who moves up from JV is senior Jeremy Jemas. He also went 1-1 last season on the varsity side for a couple of outings.

Taking over at third base this season is senior Damen Soriente, while both junior Mike Aliota and sophomore John Gallagher will get at bats at designated hitter.

The Chiefs are scheduled (barring the weather) to travel to Cedar Grove on Friday with the home opener slated for Monday against rival West Essex. Lamont believes West Essex is again the favorite in the SEC Liberty division.

Caldwell is definitely looking for a good run in the Greater Newark Tournament and also the state tournament with another possible battle with West Essex a very good possibility.

West Essex

The 2011 edition of West Essex baseball pretty much cannot top last season’s edition.

The Knights baseball team had one of those dream years as they went 28-3 winning the Greater Newark Tournament title, the Super Essex County Liberty division championship and the Group 2 championship that culminated the incredible season for its Triple Crown.

West Essex did lose the likes of catcher Lee Holtzman, outfielder Andy Santomauro and shortstop Mike Rafanello to graduation.

But when you talk West Essex, you just have to look at the pitching; Dave Jesch, Dan Gautieri and P.J. Lawless are all seniors now.

"I think our pitching is very proven and better than last year,” said Illiano. “They are a year more mature and throwing with more velocity. I think they have more confidence."

Gautieri registered a 7-0 record, 1.36 ERA in 46 1/3 innings pitched with 47 strikeouts to 13 walks ratio. Gautieri beat Caldwell twice along with defeating Livingston in the GNT semi-finals, Columbia in the GNT final and Audubon in the Group 2 final.

In Lawless, he matched Gautieri with a 7-0 record, a 2.14 ERA in 52 1/3 innings, while striking out 58 and walking 25. Lawless defeated both Ramsey and Mountain Lakes in the state tournament. The game against Mountain Lakes had Lawless one out from a no hitter. Lawless also defeated Bloomfield in the GNT.

Jesch also went undefeated this season with an 8-0 record, a tiny 0.89 ERA in 39 1/3 innings while striking out 48 and walking only a dozen. He defeated both Glen Ridge and Newark Academy twice during the season, including a win in the GNT.

Jesch also opened the state tournament run with a victory over Lincoln.
Illiano points out that both Gautieri and Jesch had only one win between them before the 2010 season and collected 15 last season. Gautieri will be heading to the University of Penn this fall and Jesch to Hofstra University.

"Pitching deep in the tournament last year can only help them against the pressure this season," Illiano said.

While the team has now a historic run in their rear view mirror, West Essex head coach Scott Illiano stresses that they do not point to goals, but work on the "process" of improving game by game. “We like to focus on executing on the process of playing one pitch at a time," said Illiano.

And he knows the team’s success will follow it for this season, and the 2011 team is ready for it. “I think the kids are excited about the challenges that are ahead of them,” said Illiano.

Along with the trio of top pitchers, West Essex has two outfielders back who received All SEC honors in sophomore right fielder Jimmy Kenny who garnered second team All SEC while the other outfielder Jimmy Philips received honorable mention All SEC.

Other players back this season that bolstered the Knights championship aspirations are junior first baseman Vin Cosenzo. Cosenzo compiled numbers of .314, one home run, 13 RBI and 15 stolen bases last season.

The other seniors who will push for a title run are catcher Jesse Feldman, shortstop/second baseman Jake Handler, third baseman/shortstop Chris Carragher, outfielder Francesco Damiano.

The juniors on the roster are outfielder Ralph Velardi, outfielder Eddie George, pitcher/outfielder Nick Petrocca, catcher Garret Rees, outfielder Mike Jones, pitcher Anthony Romito and pitcher/catcher Ryan Rinsky. There is also a lone sophomore on the roster in second baseman Mike Marotti at second base. 

The Knights start hopefully another title run (barring weather) on Friday at Newark Academy. They have the home opener on Saturday against Johnson (11 a.m.) in an independent game.

West Essex 2011 Baseball Schedule 

April 1        at Newark Academy
April 2       Johnson, 11 a.m.
April 4       at Caldwell
April 6       Verona
April 8       at East Side
April 9       Hanover Park
April 11      at Belleville
April 1        at Glen Ridge
April 15     Montclair Kimberley
April 18     at Cedar Grove
April 20    Barringer
April 23    Delbarton, 11 a.m.
April 25     Newark Academy
April 27     Caldwell
May 2         at Verona
May 4        Seton Hall Prep
May 6        Belleville
May 9        Glen Ridge
May 11       at Montclair Kimberley
May 13      Cedar Grove
May 16      Bloomfield Tech

Caldwell 2011 Baseball Schedule

April 1         at Cedar Grove
April 2        at West Orange, 11 a.m.
April 4        West Essex
April 6        at Newark Academy
April 8        Montclair
April 9        Krug Tournament at Millburn, 10 a.m.
April 11       at Verona
April 12      at Montclair Kimberley
April 13      Belleville
April 14      at Golda Och Academy
April 16      at Union City
April 19      St. Benedict's
April 20     Glen Ridge
April 21      Montclair Kimberley, 7 p.m.
April 23     Bergen Tech, 11 a.m.
April 25     Cedar Grove
April 27     at West Essex
April 28     West Orange
May 2         Newark Academy
May 4         Columbia
May 6         Verona
May 9         at Belleville, 7 p.m.
May 10       Hopatcong
May 11        at Glen Ridge