It was a dream season for the Hudson Catholic baseball team last spring, a 20-7 campaign culminating in the NJSIAA Non-Public B state championship on the very same day that the seniors graduated.
It was a wild ride, with graduation taking place in the morning, then the Hawks changing on the fly, packing up and driving all the way to Toms River in time to take on perennial state power St. Joseph of Hammonton.
The Hawks took care of business last June, defeating St. Joseph, 7-0, to capture the first NJSIAA state baseball title in the school’s 50-year history.
One might think that the miraculous run was a one-and-done, meaning that it could never happen again.
However, the head coach of the Hawks, Alberto Vasquez, doesn’t see it that way at all. Sure, the Hawks lost All-State pitcher Brandon Pilovsky to graduation and NJIT. Pilovsky took the 10 wins he collected last year, including the shutout in the state title game, with him to college. It’s not easy to replace an all-time ace.
“Sure, a lot of us relied on Ski [Pilovsky’s nickname], especially the pitchers,” Vasquez said. “It was extremely tough to get there and our pitchers now had to have seen that. The seniors we lost can’t be replaced. As far as experience and leadership, losing them hurts us real bad. But the kids we have are more talented. It’s up to them to step up to that level of play.”
So Vasquez believes that he has the kind of talented team that can contend for the Ed “Faa” Ford Memorial Hudson County Tournament title and possibly repeat as state champions. That says a lot.
“I think we have a little bit better hitting team,” Vasquez said. “We swing the bat better. The pitchers are focused and concentrating. They all share a passion for the game. Consistency will be the key. We’re going to be very competitive and we can be better than last year.”
Obviously, the Hawks’ pitching staff will hold the key. Junior left-hander Michael Kiel will be counted upon to provide quality innings for the Hawks.
“He has great mound presence,” Vasquez said. “He knows how to carry himself and how to command the strike zone. He’s not overpowering, but he throws all of his pitches for strikes. I absolutely have a lot of faith in him.”
Junior right-hander Joseph Albunia is another quality hurler.
“He knows what to do with the ball,” Vasquez said. “He’s a competitor who has a good arm. The two [Kiel and Albunia] complement each other very well.”
The pitching staff was bolstered by the addition of transfer Jeremy Torres, who comes to Hudson Catholic from Clifton, where he pitched last year. Torres is eligible to play right away without sitting out the 30-day transfer requirement by the NJSIAA because Torres’ family moved.
And the Hawks have senior Chris Garcia to act as the team’s closer, coming in from his shortstop position to throw pure heat.
“It’s a great luxury to have,” Vasquez said. “He can come in and do what he has to do for an inning.”
The Hawks’ catcher is junior Julio Acosta, who is a transfer from Elizabeth and can also play right away.
“He can catch it well and throw it well,” said Vasquez, a standout catcher himself in his playing days at Hudson Catholic and later Rutgers. “He’s also a pretty good hitter and will be our No. 5 hitter.”
Sophomore first baseman Andrew Troya handles the first sacker role nicely.
“He’s a smooth player,” Vasquez said. “He’s a very good fielder.”
The second baseman is junior Mikal Trice, who enjoyed a great summer of baseball and almost made the Team USA 18-and-under national team last year. Trice went to the regional tryouts and fared well, right up until the final cuts.
“He can definitely play,” Vasquez said of Trice. “I think last summer helped him big time. He played in a lot of big situations on the national level. That was great experience for him and a huge confidence builder.”
Garcia, one of the lone seniors on the team, is a fixture at shortstop, where he has remained since he was a freshman. He batted .420 last year.
“I think he’s one of the best all-around players in the state,” Vasquez said of Garcia. “He can run, hit throw, pitch. He has all the tools.”
The third baseman is sophomore Gabriel Tosado, who started last year as a freshman and performed admirably. Tosado is a year older, a year better and a year stronger.
Sophomore Angel Gonzalez is in left field and sophomore Brian Morales is in centerfield, where he played a little last season.
Senior Rob Shivers has earned the spot in right field.
“This is a program kid who stuck with it,” Vasquez said. “A lot of other kids might have quit, but Rob worked his tail off and is now tearing up the baseball. He gets first dibs on being in right field.”
The Hawks also have depth in senior Michael Feinstein, who has some experience and can play all three infield positions. Junior Troy Carrington is an outfielder with excellent speed. Junior Sammy Torres, a transfer from St. Mary’s of Rutherford, will also get in the mix.
So as the season begins this week, Vasquez likes the makeup of his team.
“I think I’m excited to see how the pitching can pan out,” Vasquez said. “But they’re all starting to get it. Once they get it, we should be very good.”
It was hard to decipher what the “it” was that Vasquez was referring to, but the Hawks should be right in the thick of things from the beginning of the season.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.
You can also read Jim’s blog at www.jimhaguesports.blogspot.com.