A rocky start is not shaking the faith that coach Ciro Gentile has in Uniondale’s baseball team. His squad moved up a conference, now in AAA, and everyone is experiencing some growing pains. Not to fret, Gentile assures.
“The competition is a little harder than what we’re used to, but the kids are hanging in there, we’re adjusting to it,” he said. “It’s really just the kids adapting to a higher level.”
Right now, one of the things he looks forward to the most is pitching, describing it as one of the Knights’ stronger points so far.
They have junior Jaxson Baptichon, freshman Oliver Blanco, and seniors Carlos Vazquez and Steven Frias all make up the pitching staff. Overall, Gentile is pleased with the rotation.
“They pretty much throw strikes, they work the count pretty well,” he said of his hurlers. “They know where the strike zone is, they have their off-speed pitches, and they have been using them in a methodical, targetted manner. It’s what they do in addition to their work on the mound that makes them so impressive.
“When they’re not pitching, they’re playing other positions,” Gentile said.
Vazquez doubles as shortstop, Frias plays centerfield and shortstop, and Bapitchon is either on first or third.
“They’re all using their arms, whether they’re pitching or not,” Gentile explained, showing a symptom of the team’s struggle: lack of personnel.
Then there’s the offense. Gentile sees this part of the game as what needs the most improvement, and he’s counting on the top of his lineup to execute: sophomore Willy Rodriguez shines as the leadoff hitter, seeing regular time in the outfield and first base.
Gentile is especially impressed with Blanco and Rodriguez, two players who he says have been quick to pick up the pace of the varsity game after being brought up recently from the JV unit.
“They have been playing well,” Gentile said of Blanco and Rodriguez. “Defensively and offensively.”
After that, it’s the pitchers who do a lot of the heavy lifting at the plate. Gentile said Blanco, who typically hits second, is a talented hitter. Fellow pitcher Vazquez is in the three-hole with Frias in the clean-up spot and Baptichon fifth.
It’s the bottom of the lineup that’s in flux.
Fortunately, Gentile has seen the work that his guys have put in, in live batting practice, off of the T, in games, and he thinks they’re just moments away from unlocking the secret to success.
“I think we’ll improve upon our hitting, probably the first thing we’ll improve upon,” he said. “And I think our outfield play will improve too.”
Gentile refers to a mainly young presence in the outfield, kids who were recently brought up from JV and are still learning the speed of the varsity game, like the speed with which the ball comes off the bat and the way the ball curves and drops when hit to the outfield.
The Knights (1-3 overall) face Herricks in a three-game series this week, concluding Thursday at home at 5 p.m.
