If the adage holds true, it could be a great year for the Fordham Prep baseball team.
“We’re going to get good pitching and we’re going to play good defense,” Rams coach Steve Pettus said. “And then we’re going to scratch across a couple of runs.”
That’s a solid recipe, especially since Pettus has a five-man rotation back from last year’s team that went 10-8 in the CHSAA Class A Bronx-Manhattan division a year ago.
“I think we’ve got more pitching than any team in the league this year,” he said. “I think that’s going to be our strength.”
While pitcher Danny Fiorito, infielder Mickel Santana and centerfielder Peter Lamacchia are gone from last year’s team, back is Sal Lisanti, a Bryant University-bound senior who will be the ace of the Fordham Prep staff.
He is joined by senior southpaw Kenny O’Brien, senior George Perrotta, who will play third base when not on the mound, and fellow senior Ryan Fedak and Liam Josephson, a junior who tossed a perfect game against Cardinal Hayes last season.
“We’ve got more pitching this year than we’ve I’ve ever had since I’ve been coach here,” said Pettus, who is in his 13th year.
It’s not just the pitching staff that has varsity experience.
“We can probably field an entire team of seniors,” Pettus said. “They’ve had some experience, tasted success. We’re expecting to do very well this year.”
Outfielder T.J. Mangan and Jesus Jaile, a catcher who will play at New Jersey Institute of Technology next season, are three-year starters. Shortstop Jack Giannini, who made a dazzling diving play to end a non-league game against Holy Cross on Monday, junior leftfielder Mike Maschi and outfielder Joe Morra all return for the Rams.
“We’ve got six starters and three pitchers coming back so obviously our expectations are pretty high,” Jalile said. “Our pitching staff is probably what’s going to carry us this year. It’s about pitching and defense so having good arms helps.”
