Rams tough it out
Dickinson showing HCIAA foes that they’re no longer mediocre
After three seasons where his team hovered right around the .500 mark, Dickinson Head Baseball Coach Mark Everett knew he had the ingredients for a winning team in 2001.
"We had eight seniors coming back, some of them had been with me since I came to Dickinson four years ago," said Everett, who was an all-county catcher at St. Anthony and Marist in the 1980s. "So I kind of thought we had a chance to be pretty good, as long as the pitching came through. We never really had the quality pitching, so that’s probably the reason why we couldn’t get it together. But if we got the pitching, I knew we had a chance."
Everett realized that this was the year that the Rams’ pitching would finally emerge. And with the development of four quality arms, Everett knows he has a top-flight team, capable of beating any Hudson County opponent.
The proof that Dickinson has finally arrived came in the form of a stunning 2-1 victory over St. Peter’s Prep, ranked number six in New Jersey, Wednesday.
Before the win over the Marauders, the Rams had 13 wins, but none of the big-time variety, the kind of victory over a quality program that would send an exclamatory message throughout the Hudson County and state ranks. But Everett has that kind of win now.
Incredibly, the win comes 24 hours after the Rams suffered one of their toughest losses, losing 10-6 to Emerson and star pitcher Jhosandy Morel, in a game that the Rams practically gave away in the final innings.
"We went into the locker room after we lost that game and had a serious sit down," Everett said. "I was a little worried how they would react, but they came out and pulled off the miracle and beat Prep. It was definitely a quality win over a very good team and a very good pitcher (Prep’s Pete Duda). Our guys came out and played."
The win put the Rams’ record at 14-5 before the cutoff date this weekend for qualifying for the NJSIAA North Section 1, Group IV state playoffs. The Rams also hit the home stretch with a strong chance of earning a home game in the first round of the HCIAA playoffs later this month.
Not your run-of-the-mill, mediocre bunch anymore.
Everett credits the team that patiently paid its dues over the years and is finally reaping the benefits.
"Sometimes, it takes a while to get things going in the direction that you want," Everett said. "The kids were the ones putting in the time and they helped to get the system going. In the past, they got a little frustrated, because they just couldn’t get over the hump. It just took some time."
It also took some pitching. Senior Carlos Encarnacion has been a pleasant surprise, winning all four of his decisions, including the win over Prep.
"He’s probably one of our hardest throwers," Everett said. "He’s stronger and has the ability to change speeds. He just needs to find the plate with consistency, which is what he has been doing lately."
Junior lefty Wilmy Vargas (2-3) has been rock steady as well, pitching all the big games for the Rams, including the showdowns against Memorial and Emerson. Junior Noel Severino (3-1) and sophomore Joel Alfonzo (4-0) have also done a brilliant job on the hill for the Rams.
"It’s the first time in a long time where we have some quality guys who can simply concentrate on pitching," Everett said.
The Rams also have a host of talented players in the field, led by senior catcher Steve Ochelli, who had a monstrous 430-foot bomb of a homer against Morel and Emerson last Tuesday.
"He’s definitely our leader," Everett said of Ochelli. "He calls the game behind the plate and I never interfere. He’s a very talented kid who has fine tuned his natural ability."
Ochelli is hitting nearly .350 while playing flawless behind the plate.
Senior Efrain Ortiz has been doing a fine job at first base and senior Kalieem Stone, all 5-foot-3 of him, has been more than holding his own at second base.
Senior Lavese Youmans is hitting better than .400 and has been very solid at shortstop. He’s stolen 22 bases in 23 attempts and drove in the game-winning run against St. Peter’s Prep.
Junior Sidney Izquierdo mans third base. The outfield features Dwayne Dowell in left field. The senior started off the season slowly, but he’s been the Rams’ hottest hitter of late. Senior Yonar Candelario, easily the school’s best all-around athlete, plays centerfield. He has started every single game since his freshman year. Senior Yobany Rodriguez is the right fielder.
Everett knows that the Rams can’t rest on the fact that they’ve finally shaken that mediocre tag and become a legitimate contender. After all, there still are a few weeks left in the season.
"I think as the kids all got a little older, they became more consistent," Everett said. "They were a .500 team at best, but that’s not the case anymore. Things are finally starting to pay off for us a little. I just hope we can keep it up."
It sure looks as if the Rams will be in the mix as the season winds down.