By ANDREW McCLURE
The Rams, who finished 7-14 in 2007, will look to compete for the top spot in Conference ABC-VII which includes Sewanhaka, Roosevelt, Roslyn and Westbury.
"We're going to play a little small ball and keep the opponents on their toes," Valentino said. "If we can get the guys at the top of the order on base, we'll look to bunt, steal and make the defense move on every pitch."
West Hempstead returns Matt Metz, who will be the Rams' top pitcher and likely bat third in the order. The hard-throwing Metz, who hit .384 as a sophomore, will patrol center field when he's not on the mound. The Rams and Metz opened the season with a 4-1 non-league victory over cross-town rival Malverne. The junior righthander scattered five hits and struck out five over six innings.
Setting the table for the Rams will be Mike Sassman and senior Zach Hill. Sassman, a junior and second-year varsity player, plays second base and outfield. Hill, a third-year varsity performer, is a solid defensive shortstop who makes things happen hitting leadoff or in the two hole.
Joining Metz in the middle of the lineup is be catcher Dom Alongi and junior first baseman Brian DiGiovanni. Alongi, who started behind the plate a season ago as a sophomore, was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the opener. The left-handed hitting DiGiovanni has some pop and is tinkering with hitting from both sides of the plate. Hard-hitting junior third baseman Mike Angelone rounds out the heart of the lineup.
The No. 2 starting pitcher is senior Brian Donohue, a third-year varsity player who mixes in off-speed stuff with a decent fastball. Also vying for spots in the rotation are DiGiovanni and junior Tyler Angelos.
A pair of youngsters can expect to see significant time at the corner spots in the outfield. Freshman Jason Arasmo and sophomore Anthony Misiano, who will also see some time behind the plate, both have looked strong in the early going. Arasmo will also work out of the bullpen.
Valentino, who is assisted by Al Christsenson, is optimistic that the Rams can be very competitive in a conference which appears to be up for grabs. "It's very early, but in the two scrimmages and the opening game, the hitting has been pretty strong," Valentino said. "If we can pitch well and get guys on base, we should be in a position to win games."
West Hempstead's schedule calls for 17 conference games. In addition to facing Sewanhaka, Roosevelt, Roslyn and Westbury three times apiece, the Rams will play crossovers against each of the five teams from Conference ABC-VI. The final crossover game is set for Thursday, April 10 at Friends Academy.
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