Hawks should be a solid team once again
BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer

PAT HICKEY J.P. Stevens will rely on solid defense, as they displayed on this attempted steal during Saturday's scrimmage against South River in South River, to put together another solid season under head coach Dave Marzano.

EDISON - The J.P. Stevens High School baseball team certainly took a hit with the graduation of standout player Adam Kramen after last season.

Kramen finished the 2006 campaign hitting close to .500 and a flawless year on the mound allowing zero earned runs. Also gone from last season's 14-12 team are Mike Chupka and James Zinno. Both Zinno and Chupka gave the team .360 averages at the plate.

"We lost a lot of productivity at the plate," Stevens head coach Dave Marzano said. "I think the guys on this year's team will pick up the slack. We'll need to put the ball in play and try to make the defense make plays against us. We struck out too often last year."

A strong staff of starting pitchers should help offset the offensive losses. Starting first baseman Doug Wislinski will also be the team's' ace on the mound. Wislinski went 2-5 last season.

"It's definitely good to have our top guy back," Marzano said. "Doug has really assumed a leadership role as one of our captains. We're expecting big things from him this year."

Junior Connor Medler amassed 29 innings last season and is expected to be the team's No. 2 starter when he's not playing third base.

"He keeps his pitches at hitters' knees," Marzano said. "He gets a lot of groundball outs and if the umpire calls that pitch at the knees he can be very tough."

Fellow junior Anthony Montalbano will be called upon this season to pitch and hit in the three spot. Montalbano is the team's starting shortstop and is coming off a solid 2006 season in which he batted .492 with a team-leading 35 RBIs and 14 extra-base hits.

"Not only is he a solid hitter, but he's also very patient at the plate," Marzano said. "He walked 18 times last season. We're certainly counting on him quite a bit this season."

Hitting behind Montalbano in the order is junior catcher John Stillitano. Stillitano should provide some nice pop in the lineup as he belted three homers in 2006.

Rounding out the starting infield is second baseman Michael Zinno. Just a sophomore, Zinno is embarking on his first season at the varsity level.

"Michael is a scrappy hitter and usually finds a way to put the ball in play," Marzano said. "He makes the defensive plays that he needs to and he's another guy that could see some mound time."

Senior Dan Belowich and junior Jesse Sattler return to the Hawks' outfield with varsity experience. Belowich is another of the team's captains at center field. With Sattler in left field, Stevens is likely to go with senior Eric Carlson in right field.

"We're very happy to have Eric back after he took last season off," Marzano said. "We're hoping he will contribute in a big way."

Utility player Brad Newman is likely to play wherever Stevens pulls a position player to take the mound. Newman is versatile enough to play anywhere in the outfield in addition to first base.

"We can bring Brad in if Belowich is asked to take the mound," Marzano said. "He gives us some options."

After opening the season earlier in the week against Ocean, Stevens welcomes Edison at 11 a.m. today before closing the week with a road game at St. Joe's at 3:45 p.m. tomorrow.