South Side aims to continue playoff streak

South Side’s performance in an 11-4 season-opening non-league baseball loss at East Meadow March 28 isn’t what coach Keith Lessuk is expecting from the Cyclones this spring.

“We hit well at times, but we played sloppy defense and walked too many hitters,” Lessuk said. “We’ve been inconsistent and we’re trying to work through it. We didn’t bring back a lot of players with varsity game experience, but these guys play year-round and have what it takes to become a playoff team.”

Coming off a six-win season that included a Nassau Class A first-round playoff victory over Great Neck North, the Cyclones will battle Division, Hewlett and Roslyn for Class A/League II supremacy. The league schedule calls for three games against each League II rival as well as two games versus each of the four teams in League I – Garden City, New Hyde Park, Jericho and Wantagh. “We’re striving to get into the playoffs,” said Lessuk, who noted South Side hasn’t missed the postseason in almost 20 years. “It’s something we know we can accomplish,” he added.

The Cyclones return their RBI leader, senior James Howard, who knocked in three runs against East Meadow, as well as senior Andrew Talbot, who could play any position in the infield and is vying for the No. 3 spot in the starting rotation.

Howard, an All-Conference selection, batted .339 with 20 hits and 16 RBI in 2010. He’ll hit in the meat of the order along with senior catcher Matt Sollin and start in the outfield along with sophomore David Hawley (center) and senior Tom Kane (left.) Hawley, the team’s leadoff batter, covers a ton of real estate and possesses a strong arm. Kane, another with speed and a quality arm, is looking to stay healthy all year after battling nagging injuries last spring.

The pitching staff has been bolstered by the arrival of junior southpaw Christian Colletti, a transfer from Holy Trinity. He’ll be at the top of the starting rotation, Lessuk said, and features a glove-popping fastball, curve and changeup. “He’s a big lefty who’s going to be tough,” Lessuk said.