Thursday, October 1, 2026
Now in his 18th year with the program, and 12th as head coach, Tom Smith has seen his fair share of baseball seasons at South Side.
This year’s group has a special kind of energy. Young and talented, the Cyclones have come together after a bumpy start, locking up a playoff berth.
Early in the season, the Cyclones struggled with situational hitting, often coming up empty in key spots. “We kept getting ourselves out,” Smith said. “But we’ve zeroed in on those moments in practice. Working pitch selection, reading defenses, and being smarter at the plate. It has made a huge difference” That focus is paying off. Over the past few weeks, South Side has become lethal with runners in scoring position.
On the mound, senior Scott Bernabeu has become the heart of the rotation, sporting a 2.77 ERA while pitching through a painful bone bruise in his thumb. He hasn’t missed a start and has dominated in his last two outings, both tight wins over New Hyde Park and Manhasset. “He has done a nice job making adjustments to his approach,” said Smith. “Rather than trying to strike everyone out, he relies on pitch mix and savvy location, constantly keeping hitters off balance.”
Backing him is standout sophomore Stellan Zangari, who has stepped up as the ace. After flashing potential as a freshman, he’s now thriving with 32 strikeouts in 21 innings and a dazzling 1.96 ERA. Junior Liam Conlon has also emerged as a reliable arm, adding depth to the staff.
The offense runs through shortstop John Pericolosi, a Stony Brook commit and the undeniable leader of the team. Batting .474 with an OPS of 1.381, Pericalosi has just one strikeout in 50 plate appearances, an incredible mark of consistency.
Senior Gavin Donoghue has anchored first base while hitting .318 with five extra-base hits and 10 RBIs. “He’s the guy the underclassmen look up to,” Smith said. Another key contributor has been junior Jack Boyens. “He’s a reliable presence in the middle of the lineup,” Smith said. “Just an excellent run producing machine.”
Freshman catcher Ethan Johnson is quickly maturing into a cornerstone of the program. Batting .324 with 14 RBIs and six stolen bases, he’s become the everyday backstop and a pitcher’s favorite, thanks to his quick arm and growing feel for the game.
The lineup is filled with role players making their mark such as junior Connor McNulty, along with sophomores Ryan Solomon, Derek Fessler and AJ Magaraci, who returned from a football injury. Senior James Delegianis is playing several infield spots and was clutch out of the bullpen in the Manhasset series.
Sophomore center fielder Aaron Amberpet has been exceptional defensively. “He does such an awesome job patrolling gap to gap,” said Smith. “He’s a big reason why our pitchers have kept their ERAs down.”
The Cyclones just got back over .500 on the season, improving to 8-7 after a three game series sweep over Manhasset, winning each of the first two games 11-6 followed by a 7-6 victory in the final game of the series on May 1.
“It is so easy to coach these guys,” Smith said. “Even after a win streak, they are still motivated and continue to push each other to be better.”
