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2020 RI Spring Team Preview - Bishop Hendricken

WARWICK, R.I. - It was a “magical season” for Ed Holloway and Bishop Hendricken in 2019.

The Hawks became just the fifth team in Rhode Island high school baseball history to go undefeated, finishing with a 23-0 record and the school’s 22nd state title.

“We had 16 seniors on that team so we were really experienced,” explained Holloway about the third squad from Bishop Hendricken to make it through a season without losing. “What a great accomplishment winning a state championship.

“Six of them played varsity as sophomores and gained a lot of experience their junior year when we were knocked out in the semifinals. Last year the team was so focused, they never felt they were going to lose. Even when they fell behind in games they were relentless, never panicked and were a confident team. I hope every team has that attitude.”

Six players are back from that squad for Holloway, who began coaching at Bishop Hendricken as an interim head coach back in 1995 before officially being hired full-time a year later.

“I hope they learned that attitude and go help out the young guys this year,” Holloway said about the returnees.

But the shoes to fill are big with losses to the likes of second baseman David Bordieri Jr. (Fairleigh Dickinson), shortstop Brayden Dolbashian (Merrimack), outfielders Tucker Flint (Maryland) and Kevin Gower (UMass-Amherst) along with left-handed pitcher Randy Reyes (Central Connecticut State) and ace right-hander Blake Roberge, a closer turned starter who won a pair of 1-0 state tourney games.

“Potentially, we’ll have a good team,” noted Holloway, whose 2020 Hawks will be led by three captains - Brad Lombardi, AJ Guindon and Rob Whalen. “I think we’ll have great leadership from those three, they’re hard workers.”

Lombardi, the fourth-ranked 2020 right-handed pitcher in New England, will likely move from relief to a starting role this season.

“He’s one of the top pitchers in the state,” Holloway said of the 6-3 208-pound Boston College commit. “He definitely was a contributor to the state championship.”

Guindon, an infielder who moved to left field a year ago, batted ninth on the state title team.

“He’s very athletic and has very quick feet,” Holloway noted about the 263rd-ranked New England senior who is headed to Wheaton College 

Whalen brings versatility to the team as a catcher, outfielder and first baseman.

“He didn’t play much as a junior but he’s worked and really improved,” Holloway said. “He opened some coaches’ eyes to be in the mix with a chance to win a starting job as a senior.”

A trio of juniors are also being counted on heavily in 2020.

Colin Lemieux, the MVP of the final series after producing a game-winning hit in one victory and bringing in the winning run in the other with a sacrifice fly, started at third base and averaged .370 a year ago. He is expected to also pitch this season.

Danny Rice could play second base, left field or first base in 2020 with Xavier Quezada at shortstop or second base.

“We have a lot of good young players, we’ll just have to see where they fit in during tryouts,” Holloway said about other potential contributors in the upcoming campaign.

The key, according to the veteran head coach, is on the mound.

”Pitching is the name of the game,” Holloway said. “Everything comes down to how good our pitching is this year. We’ll probably use Colin as a closer, we just need other guys that make the team from the JVs and freshman teams to step up and pitch.

“We need pitchers competing from the start, at least a couple guys. I expect Brad and Colin to do it, we just need a couple others to take on the role of starting pitcher or help us in relief. The staff has to step up for us.”