By Tim Morris
The Atlantic Baseball Confederation Collegiate League (ABCCL) was made for players like Jason Lundy.
The Freehold High School graduate, who will be a senior at Fordham University in the fall, likes nothing better than playing baseball, and the ABCCL gives him that opportunity over the summer months.
“The fact is that I’m able to come home after long fall and spring seasons at Fordham and play with friends and have a lot of fun being with people I’m comfortable with,” Lundy said.
It’s more than just having fun. The ABCCL, which draws players from New Jersey and across the country, provides quality competition for the players. Ball players from NCAA Division I schools down to junior colleges make for a challenging league.
Lundy, who had played in other summer leagues before joining the Clippers last year, noted the caliber of play is at least equal to what he sees playing Division I baseball with Fordham.
“I wouldn’t say there is a drop off [from Division I to the ABCCL],” he said. “It’s good preparation for your next [college] season.”
That preparation for Lundy is in all facets of baseball, but he noted you can never get enough at-bats.
“You have to focus on all your at-bats,” he said. “They all matter. I’m a little more aggressive at the plate.”
Lundy said he has been focusing on not thinking too much. He noted that quite off, he’ll lay off a first-pitch fastball — but not anymore. He’ll take a rip at it if it’s in his zone. He’s also working on going the other way with the outside pitch. It’s the little things that can turn outs into productive at-bats.
Being more aggressive in the batter’s box isn’t all that Lundy has concentrated on. He’s being aggressive on the base paths, stealing bases and taking the extra base.
The league has given the ex-Colonial a forum to shine. He was the league Most Valuable Player last year and is on his way to having another big season for a Clippers team that is in first place with a sparkling 17-3-1 record. He was selected to play in the All-Star Game for the second straight year.
Lundy was honored to be a participant in it.
“It feels really great to represent the Clippers again,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it. My family will be there and good friends. It’s definitely awesome.”
Clippers manager Rich Gawlak said that his center fielder is one of the cornerstones of the first-place club.
“He’s been our starting center fielder the last two years,” Gawlak. “He’s really blossomed. He bats third in the lineup and has a lot of clutch hits. He’s a leader on the field. He’s soft-spoken, but there is fire in the belly.”
For his part, Lundy gives the credit to his teammates.
“My teammates get on base and give me opportunities to drive them in,” he said.
The way the season is going, the Clippers have titles on their minds. Lundy recalled last year when the team made an early exit from the playoffs. That memory has not been lost on the returning players. The way the season ended has been their motivation this summer.
“In the back of our minds we can win it all,” he said.
The MVP and all-star appearances are indicators of Lundy’s talent.
“I would say [the ABCCL has] given me a lot more confidence,” he said.
He hopes that confidence will make his 2017 season at Fordham his and Rams’ best.
Lundy was a four-year starter for the Colonials and in his junior year (2012), Freehold won the program’s first NJSIAA Central Jersey championship (Group III) since 1966. They went on to be the the first Freehold baseball team to play for a state championship. That season still looms large.
“I think about that [championship season] all the time,” Lundy said. “I’m still good friends with all those guys.”
Lundy, who saw Fordham teammate Joe Serrapico, a pitcher, get drafted and sign with the Tampa Bay Rays, admitted that playing in the major leagues is still in the back of his mind. But if it doesn’t come to fruition following his senior year, he’s prepared to use his degree in finance.
The ABCCL All-Star Game was played July 14 at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood — home to the Philadelphia Phillies’ Single-A affiliate, the Lakewood BlueClaws.
Lundy is one of several former Freehold Regional High School District stars who were named to the ABCCL All-Star Game. On the Larry Doby All-Star Team with Lundy were pitcher Ajay Kawa (Manalapan/Kean University), infielder Steve Santigate (Marlboro/Kean University) and infield Joe Baturgil (Colts Neck/Chestnut Hill College).
Selected to the Yogi Berra All-Star Team were outfielder Joe Iacobellis (Marlboro/Alvernia University), Joe Rotelli (St. John Vianney/Brookdale Community College) and Anthony Santoro (Manalapan/Rutgers University-New Brunswick).
The Larry Doby All-Stars won the game, 13-7.
The All-Star Game honored Captain Ryan K. Iannelli, a former league all-star and U.S. Marine Corps captain who was killed in action in Afghanistan in September 2011.