Prep Baseball Report

Conference Preview: Colonial League



By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

Colonial League

Returning all-Colonial League Honorees
North 1st-team 2nd-team Honorable Mention
Bangor Area (AAAA)
    '14 2B Frank Cutter
'14 SS Tanner Brescancine
'16 DH/Util Carson Freeman
Catasauqua (AA)
  '14 C Randal Pacchioli
'14 RHP Zack Bradley
'14 3B Brandon Purrone
'14 OF Jacob Stopay
Northern
Lehigh (AA)
    '14 OF Tyler Dibilio
'14 RHP Matt Egan
Northwestern
Lehigh (AAA)
  '14 C Collin Breidinger
'15 OF Nick Rodriguez
'15 OF Taylor Breininger
Palmerton Area (AAA)
     
Pen Argyl Area (AA)
     
South 1st-team 2nd-team Honorable Mention
Notre Dame (AA)
  '14 1B Paul Roth '16 SS Eric Santiago
'14 OF Kyle Buchman
(PSU Harrisburg)
'14 RHP Paul Roth
Palisades (AAA)
    '14 2B Colton Smith
'15 OF Andrew Koenig
Salisbury
Township (AA)
'14 SS Justin Aungst
(St. Joseph's)
'14 OF Brad Vangeli
'15 C Charley Rogers '15 2B Evan Kulig
Saucon Valley (AAA)
    '14 OF Gabe Sinko
Southern
Lehigh (AAA)
'14 RHP Petey Long '15 SS Preston Amato '14 1B Petey Long
'14 3B Nikos Milios
Wilson Area (AAA)
'15 DH/Util Phil Pierfy   '15 RHP Phil Pierfy

 

Salisbury Township brings back four position player starters from its 2013 state semifinalist team. Chief among them is Aungst, who, despite his exploits with the bat, will head to college as a primary pitcher after serving as the Falcons mound ace this spring. Rogers showed solid defensive skills as a sophomore starter, while Vangeli and Kulig return to hold down the top of the order.

Catasauqua coach Steve Bradley will have a line-up full of upperclassmen, including Pacchioli, Purrone, '14 1B Derrick Bond, '14 OF Alex Torres, and '14 IF Nate Doria. '15 IF/RHP Dakota Shiffert should help fill holes at SS and on the mound, while '15 OF Mike Shutta could get at-bats that opened up when Stopay ended up having surgery following a knee injury suffered on the gridiron. Bradley will once again front the pitching staff.

A group of '15s who were all called up to varsity midway through their sophomore year -- 1B Nathan Dekorte, IF Nick Sandler, and OF Mark Quinn -- will lead a young Palmerton Area team on its drive toward a district berth. Transfer '16 OF Johnathan Swartz has the opportunity to earn a spot in Mike Svetik's line-up as well.

Roth returns to lead Notre Dame with his arm and bat. Buchman has a solid stroke and good feel for going the opposite way. Santiago has the actions and arm strength to develop into a quality defender. Coach Michael Bedics also welcomes back '14 C Gerald Pascucci (Eastern), who missed all of last year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Six position players starters from last year's district championship game will again fill out the line-up for Southern Lehigh. The Spartans will be looking to get over the hump this year, as they had the bases loaded with one out down by two runs in last year's title tilt, but could only push one run across.

 

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