MacArthur swings for big prize

On the heels of leading the MacArthur girls soccer team to a Long Island title in the fall in his first season as head coach, Steve Costello is finding more success this spring on the baseball diamond.

The Generals entered the week at the top of the Conference A1 standings after marching out to an 8-0-1 start. Costello, who has led MacArthur to two county titles in his 29 previous seasons as head coach, is hoping to celebrate another championship after winning a girls soccer crown in the fall.

“The lineup has been pretty solid and has scored a decent amount of runs,” Costello said. “Everything has been coming along.”

MacArthur has scored 10 runs or more in seven of its wins including back-to-back 11-1 and 11-3 victories over Great Neck South last week in the first two victories of a three-game sweep. 

The offense has been ignited in large part by the play of senior outfielder James Eden, who entered the week batting .515 with 17 runs scored in the leadoff spot. Eden will continue his baseball career next year on the collegiate level at nearby Adelphi University,

“He’s one of the best offensive players I have ever coached,” Costello said of Zegers, who has committed to play college baseball at Adelphi.

Senior outfielder Ryan Tam, a Farmingdale State commit, has also sparked the lineup with a .500 batting average in his third varsity season and leads the team with 15 RBIs. Catcher Sebastian Loor, another three-year varsity senior, has also shined with a .400 batting average. Fellow senior John Dinkelman adds to the veteran presence in the lineup with a.348 average. 

Senior shortstop Evan Paladino and sophomore second baseman Chase Palma have anchored the middle infield while also batting in the .380s . Sophomore third baseman Dylan Tripi is also a force in the lineup who entered the week hitting .360. 

“The top of our lineup has been very strong,” Costello said. “Our first five guys are all seniors.” 

The pitching staff is led by junior ace Tyler Bonsignore, who has already committed to play college baseball on the Division I level at James Madison University. The lefty recorded 10 strikeouts with no earned runs allowed over five innings in MacArthur’s 11-1 win against Great Neck South on April 17. 

Costello has plenty of options to turn to on the mound including sophomores Alex Darzano, Michael Joyce and Nick Albert. 

MacArthur kicked off a three-game series with Mepham Monday after press time that concludes Thursday in Levittown starting at 5 p.m. The Generals then face Calhoun in another three-game slate starting Monday at home. 

“We’re looking at these upcoming six games as a barometer to see where we are and what we need to get better at.” Costello said. “It is going to be a real gauntlet.”

The regular season concludes on May 10 against New Hyde Park a thome before the Generals begin the Class A playoffs in a quest for the program’s first county title since 2015. Last year MacArthur's postseason run ended when it fell to Clarke in the semifinals.