By Jimmy Allinder
A new baseball season is about to begin, and a new man is directing the fortunes of Saint Joseph High School of Metuchen.
His name is Mike Murray Jr., and he brings a wealth of experience the North Jersey native hopes will enable the Falcons to repeat as Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Red Division champions.
After catching for Wake Forest University, Murray signed with the San Francisco Giants and played in the organization from 2010-12, including spending one of those years with the Salem-Keiser, Oregon, franchise in the Northwest League.
“I decided I wasn’t going to threaten [perennial all-star] Buster Posey by taking his job,” Murray joked. “So I retired as a player.”
Murray returned to New Jersey and became an assistant coach at Westfield High School, his alma mater; worked at East Coast Conditioning Sportsplex in Edison; and pursued a master’s degree in sports business from Columbia University, which he earned in 2014.
Murray’s head job at St. Joe’s is his first, and he is excited to coach one of the premier baseball programs in the GMC. The Falcons finished 19-10 overall last spring and return a number of veterans. However, there are also some major holes to fill, not the least of which is making up for the departure of all-state pitcher Justin Willis, who transferred to Memorial High School.
The unseasonably warm weather enabled Murray to get a close look at his players in action, and he has decided on a starting lineup as the Falcons prepare to open at J.P. Stevens High School April 1, followed by a home game with the Hawks the next day.
The lineup includes sophomore Jon Sot (center field); juniors Nick Loffredo (second or third base), Ross Maertz (right field), Brandon Warick (catcher), Gabe Mejias (outfield), Anthony Favor (second base) and Kyle Angel (third base/designated hitter); and seniors Travis Adams (shortstop), George Favetta (infield) and Joe Weaver (infield).
The pitching staff is deep, headed by right-handers Mike Farr (junior), Angel, Tyler Guensch (senior), Kyle Subers (sophomore), John Fresco (junior) and Weaver (senior), as well as left-hander Massimo Agresti (senior).
“My philosophy is to keep baseball simple,” Murray said. “It’s a game that requires hard work and needs to be played with integrity and passion and be done with some intent and purpose. In the end, our baseball program should be a microcosm of the school’s culture.”
J.P. Stevens
J.P. Stevens could be one of the Falcons’ most formidable division opponents. Coached by Dave Marzano, who enters his 11th season, the Hawks finished 17-8 overall last spring and return the mainstays of a potent lineup.
Players who should see frequent action this year are junior catcher Luke Jacobi, who hit .367 last season with 35 runs; senior center fielder Frank LoGuidice, who hit .309 with 22 RBIs; senior first baseman Zach Marzano, who hit .426 with 27 RBIs; senior left fielder Matt Elko, who hit .305; senior right fielder Mike Katims; senior third baseman Alex Zilli; senior shortstop Matthew Pastor; senior third baseman Kevin Wu; and senior third baseman Joe Pecararo.
Freshman infielder Steven Zederbaum, junior outfielder Sagaar Pande and senior outfielder Anthony Castelo are also being counted on to contribute.
The pitching staff benefits from three top-flight hurlers who saw extensive action last year. LoGuidice, a left-hander, went 7-3 with a 1.92 ERA; Marzano, a left-hander, went 2-1 with a 1.63 ERA; and Zilli, a right-hander, went 3-1 with a 1.94 ERA.
Others pitchers include Katims (right-hander), senior Jared Fraraccio (right-hander) and junior Aditiya Chandel (right-hander).
The team’s top reserves include senior Corey Jason (third base), senior Rudro Biswas (third base) and senior Ben Mandell (first base).
Bishop Ahr
One of the veteran coaches in the GMC, Scott Runkel, begins his 33rd season as coach for Bishop George Ahr High School. He returns the entire infield from a team that finished 16-7 and won the GMC Blue Division last season.
However, Runkel said the Trojans will challenge for the division title only if a pitching staff, which was depleted by graduation, comes through. In addition, quality catcher V.J. Makris has also graduated.
The likely starting lineup is senior shortstop John Sheedy, who batted .318 last season; senior second baseman Corey Ciszek, who hit .333 with 25 runs; senior third baseman Donny Fackina, who hit .438; senior first baseman Mickey Mesaros; junior outfielder/catcher Andrew Brazicki, who batted .369 with 31 hits and 26 RBIs; junior outfielder Austin Brooks; sophomore infielder Rich Albrecht; sophomore outfielder Sean Flynn; and sophomore catcher Mike Medvetz.
The pitching staff will be headed by Fackina (3-3, 3.95 ERA), Albrecht (4-0, 0.35 ERA), Mesaros, senior Connor DeVoe, junior Matt Smith, Brooks and Flynn.
Others in the mix include senior infielder/designated hitter Joe Risoli, junior infielder Dudley Engram, junior infielder Jon Manzo, junior first baseman/outfielder Billy Taylor and junior infielder Adrian Genao.
The Trojans open at home with New Brunswick High School April 1 and face the Zebras the following day on the road.