Pitching key to success for Jets

East Meadow won two of its first five games of the 2010 season on the baseball diamond and the key to success was clear: It will all likely rest on the shoulders of a pitching staff led by senior ace Max Schoenfeld and classmates Tyler Levine and Harris Danenza.

“There aren’t too many teams that will win games without good pitching,” Jets coach Ken Sicoli said. “If you’re not pitching well, you’re going to be in trouble.”

Schoenfeld finished his junior season a perfect 7-0, but suffered his first loss of 2010 in his second start, a 10-2 decision to Calhoun last Monday that gave the Colts a sweep of the two-game series. Bad weather limited Schoenfeld to little more than indoor work during spring camp, and the efficient right-hander didn’t see his first live action until the Conference AA-I opener on April 6. “We just expect that when he’s in there we’re winning or we’re in every game,” Sicoli said. “We know he’ll be fine.”

Calhoun’s 10-run outburst Monday followed an 11-5 win in the first game of the series last Friday. The Jets fell behind early and despite stringing hits together several times, never broke through against Jon Mekleburg. East Meadow scored two of its runs after the Colts starter left the game. “We had the bases loaded and Mekleburg pitched his way out,” Sicoli said. “When we got guys on base he got out of it. The kid pitched a good game.”

Levine and Danenza earned the Jets first two wins, the latter of whom pitched 6 1/3 innings in a 4-2 victory over Baldwin on April 7. Junior catcher Anthony DiTomasso delivered the game-winning hit, a two-run single in the sixth to back Danenza’s strong work on the mound.

Junior first baseman Kyle Berger, who scored the winning run in the ninth inning of the deciding game of last season’s second-round playoff matchup, is joined by senior second baseman Mike Skoller, sophomore shortstop Robbie Healey and junior third baseman Robbie Franzese on an infield that has already flashed its defensive potential.