Baseball – 2014 Preview: CBA

Christian Brothers Academy Colts

Head Coach: Marty Kenney, 40th season
Record Last Year: 19-6 (12-2, first place in A North)

Key Losses: Joe Dudek (1B/P), Anthony Critelli (SS), Mike Caputo (2B), Chris Cordova (CF), Matt Pidich (P), John McCarren (P), Chase Stopyra (P)

Key Newcomers: Tyler Montoya (Sr., P), Kyle Clark (Sr., P), Andrew Buccellato (Jr., P/3B), Shane Turk (Jr., P/OF), James Miller (Jr., 2B), Mike Garvey (Jr., P), Matt D'Angelo (Jr., SS), Brendan Shaw (Jr., 2B), Trey Nelson (Jr., 2B), A.J. Falconite (So., C), Nick Zuppe (So., P), Brendan Galvin (So., C)

Team Outlook

The 2013 season was a successful one for the Colts, who won the Class A North division for the first time since 2009 and got coach Marty Kenney his 700th career win in the process. Despite that, there has to be a sense that 2013 could have been so much more if not for a fluke injury to No. 1 pitcher John McCarren, who was lights-out in 26 innings before spraining his ankle while legging out a ground ball. CBA’s pitching was still among the best in the conference, but the loss of a top pitcher can put a strain on the next three players in the rotation and the Colts could not quite survive the loss.

Three of CBA’s top four pitchers have graduated, two of whom are pitching in the ACC (McCarren at Wake Forest and Matt Pidich at Pittsburgh), and the first order of business for the Colts is to put a rotation together around returning sophomore right-hander Luca Dalatri. As a freshman last season, Dalatri struck out 40 and allowed only 33 baserunners in 39 innings. The Colts will use some junior varsity promotions to fill out the staff, but one option could be senior Ryan Ramiz, a Seton Hall recruit who threw only four innings last season but managed to strike out seven batters while running a 1.75 ERA.

Ramiz will also help lead a lineup that returns three key contributors in Ramiz, junior Will Morgan, who is committed to Old Dominion, and senior Monmouth University recruit Pete Papcun. Ramiz and Morgan will patrol the outfield while Papcun will play some third base and can also fill and outfield spot as well. Sophomore Brandon Martorano takes over behind the plate after playing his way into the lineup during his freshman season. Martorano has already committed to the University of North Carolina and Dalatri has all the makings of a Division I talent, so the Colts have a scary opening day battery set for each of the next three seasons.

Junior infielders Griffin Arnott and John Moschella will look to fill in openings in the outfield and first base, respectively, while juniors Andrew Buccellato and James Miller look like potential starters at some point. The Colts don’t have quite as much back as Howell or Freehold Township, but they have some serious young talent that should be better this season.

Ryan Ramiz (C) double to deep left in the 7th from All Shore Media on Vimeo.