Hewitt expects Raiders to make up for lost stars

HHS BASEBALL PREVIEW

By: John E. Powers
   
   Hillsborough High School baseball coach Norm Hewitt knows how deep and talented the Skyland Conference Delaware Division is. He knows North Hunterdon has won four straight divisional titles and that improvement in record might be hard to come by for his Raiders in 2003 since the rest of the division is just as rugged.
   This is also the division of defending Hunterdon/Warren Tournament champion Hunterdon Central, dangerous Warren Hills, perennial winner Bridgewater-Raritan and upstart programs Watchung Hills and Franklin.
   Nothing is easy here.
   So, what does Hewitt expect after a season in which the Raiders went 14-12, advanced to the Commerce Bank Ballpark and the Somerset County Tournament semifinals where it lost to Ridge, then suffered an excruciating loss in the Central Jersey Group 4 playoffs to Bridgewater-Raritan?
   "We’re young," Hewitt said, "but deep. If something goes wrong, we’re not limited. We have guys who can come in and do the job."
   Hewitt, whose 2000 and 2001 teams each went 8-14, said that 54 candidates came out and he will carry 21 on the varsity.
   "The numbers were down for tryouts, but all of the kids who came out can play," Hewitt said. "We kept a couple of kids down (on the junior varsity) so they could get playing time. You can’t get better if you don’t play."
   Hillsborough has some serious parts to replace. Last year’s ace Ken Betkowski has graduated and is now at Rider along with former Raider shortstop Steve Sciaraffo. First baseman Andrew Wayne is playing at Moravian, center fielder Kris Molloy is playing at the University of Massachusetts, catcher Dan Miller graduated and outfielder Chris Boucher is at LaSalle. During the winter, Hewitt also learned that lefty Jared Willis, expected to be near the front of the Raider rotation, decided not to come out.
   Hewitt thinks that all the losses will be overcome.
   Junior right-hander Eric Eden has gotten bigger and stronger and should be the team’s ace. He had a very good outing in the team’s pre-season trip to Virginia and also hit the ball very well. He’ll play third base when he doesn’t pitch.
   "He’s come a long way, we’re expecting big things from him," Hewitt said. "He’s developed quite a repertoire of pitches."
   Eden will be joined in the infield by sophomore shortstop Joe Marangella – recovered from shoulder surgery after missing all of last season – returning senior second baseman Tony Crivello, who’s being pushed by junior John Newman and senior first baseman Kyle McKenna and junior Chris Sasso. Junior Jason Scala, sophomore Adam Rothblatt and sophomore Drew Campbell will also get some time at third base. Junior Kyle Derkacz will see action at second base and on the mound.
   "We’re loaded in the infield," Hewitt said. "Marangella has recovered from arm surgery. He was in the eighth grade and just overdid it and he hurt his right elbow. But he’s 100 percent now and he’s also growing offensively. He’s got gorgeous mechanics"
   Junior left fielder Josh Williams, who earned the starting job during last year, is settled in the position and worked hard over the last few months. Williams could be the team’s cleanup hitter.
   Sophomore center fielder Brandon Shamy has been impressive in the pre-season and freshman righty Rob Kumbatovic — a 6-foot-3 righty — has worked himself into the No. 2 spot behind Eden. Junior righty Will Miska has returned from a bad back and sophomore Rudy Burshnic, who will also play in the outfield, will also pitch.
   "I really like Kumbatovic’s game savvy," Hewitt said. "He’s got very, very good game savvy and he throws strikes. Shamy is legitimate. He gets a great jump on the ball and we’re probably going to bat him in the leadoff spot. He’ll work the count deep and he can bunt. We’re working on his strength."
   The outfield should be sound defensively with Williams, Mark Benson, freshman Tim Fedroff and sophomore Sasso, who swings left-handed. Fedroff could also start as a designated hitter. Sophomore Mark Demetriou will provide depth.
   Senior Mike Gara, who backed up Miller last season, will be the starting catcher this year. He’ll be backed up by junior John Pogorzelski.
   "We’ve got a lot of depth," Hewitt said. "We have a solid infield this year, we have a speedy outfield and I think we’re going to hit."