Thursday, October 1, 2026
The early returns for Hewlett baseball suggest a program on the rise, even if recent results served as a reminder of how much work still remains.
The Bulldogs opened the season with five straight wins and currently sit at 5-6 overall (2-46 Conference AA2), already one victory shy of their combined total from the previous four seasons. Their offensive surge has been just as striking, with 65 runs scored — four more than the program produced over the last two years combined.
“The seniors’ chemistry and how much they wanted to get better [and] how much they really care about the game and care about each other is a huge part,” coach Frank Viggiano said. “The 6 a.m. showing up at the high school and all of us hitting and throwing and pitching since September.”
Senior ace Marek Williams set the tone on Opening Day with a dominant five-inning, one-hit shutout, striking out 16 in an 11-0 win over Friends Academy. He carried that momentum into April 7 against Glen Cove, where he fanned 10 over five innings and went 4-for-4 at the plate, highlighted by a grand slam and a two-run single in an 11-1 victory.
“He's a strikeout pitcher and he challenges batters,” Viggiano said. “He's fun to watch. Our mindset is amazing when he's on the mound and they're full of confidence when he's there.”
Junior first baseman David Miller has added punch to the lineup in his first varsity season. He drove in four runs on Opening Day and later blasted a three-run homer in the Glen Cove series, quickly establishing himself as a consistent power threat.
“He's a [cleanup] hitter and every time he gets to the plate, he's a threat to hit the ball over the fence,” Viggiano said. “He loves baseball. He's been a great addition.”
Hewlett’s most memorable game came in the middle of that Glen Cove series, when the Bulldogs erupted for 10 first inning runs and held on for a wild 21-14 win on April 8.
“It was bad traffic and we had over an hour and 20-minute bus ride,” Viggiano recalled. “I was worried that they're going to be stagnant and sleepy and we scored 10 runs right off the bus in the first inning. That was the story of the game.”
The pitching staff has also received key contributions from senior Lowen Zuckerman, who owns two wins. Junior reliever Josh Goldenberg has been a reliable late-game option with two saves, including a two-out, bases-loaded strikeout to seal a one-run victory over Baldwin on March 24, and tossing three scoreless frames in an 8-5 win over Valley Stream South the following day.
Additional contributors have also come from center fielder Ari Rechtweg, catcher Max Fried, second baseman Ian Cruz, outfielder David Mezrahi, utility player Ben Samuelson and outfielder Maverick Hain.
Still, the Bulldogs enter the next stretch looking to regroup after four straight losses, including a three-game sweep by MacArthur in which they were outscored 23-1. Up next is a three-game series against Manhasset this week, followed by a three-game set versus Carey beginning May 5.
