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Austin Prep

READING, Ma. - “Good pitching always gives you a fighting chance.”

The words of Austin Prep’s Steve Busby proved to be spot on during last season’s Division 3 state championship season and the ninth-year head coach is hoping it is the case in 2019 with the top three hurlers returning.

“Our pitching is back, but we lost most of our position players,” noted Busby, who has taken the Cougars to the state tournament seven of the eight years he has been in charge of the program.

Ace pitcher Cam Seguin, a left-hander committed to UMass-Lowell ranked 69th in New England’s senior class, was undefeated allowing just two earned runs a year ago. Colin Jaena, another senior ranked 306th, also returns. The Stonehill College signee was on the mound when Austin Prep won the title last year, winning three games during the tournament run.

Andrew Croteau gives the Cougars a third pitcher with experience. The 5-7 140-pound righty rated 271st in the 2020 New England class, was 7-0 as a sophomore.

But while the pitching staff has depth, the everyday lineup will be without seven regulars from a program that has been to the finals two years in a row, winning the first state title in school history in 2018. Catcher Peter Burns is at Boston College, shortstop Logan Bravo at Harvard and third baseman Alex Martinez at Bridgeport University.

John Gilbride, a 5-10 170-pound middle infielder ranked 79th in the New England senior class, will provide experience and leadership in his final year at Austin Prep before moving onto the next level at UMass-Lowell.

“We have seniors this year that were behind seniors last year,” Busby said about filling all the holes lost from the 2018 squad. “We also have a really good freshman class that wants to win and likes to compete.”

Evan Blanco, a 5-11 175-pound freshman left-hander considered the Top 2022 Pitching Prospect at the PBR Winter Pitching Analysis, could see time in center field this year as well as on the mound. Infielder Jake Elbeery, a 6-2 205-pound left-handed hitter ranked 19th in the 2021 New England class, has given a verbal to Notre Dame and gives Busby another underclassman with potential.

“It’s a coin toss who is going to step up,” Busby said. “So many have the opportunity, we just don’t know who will step up.”

It only seems inevitable that a program with a 43-3 league record over the last four years will have a number of players take advantage of the openings in the lineup.

“The league is really good this year, everybody has a good number one,” Busby said of the Catholic Central League, which last year produced not only the D3 state champ in Austin Prep but the D4 champ (Archbishop Williams) as well as the D2 team (St. Mary’s) that knocked off the two-time North champs.

“You always hope to win a state championship, that’s always the goal,” continued Busby, whose team finished 24-2 a year ago. “It depends on the new guys. If they step up, we’re as good as anybody in Division 3. Hopefully, our pitching and defense will help keep us going while we’re getting experience.

“If we get the same pitching as last year and play good defense, we’ve got a chance. As long as we’re working hard and developing we’ll have a shot. Our pitching and defense will be as good as anyone. We have as much depth as we’ve ever had in the program.”