BELLEVILLE, NJ — The Belleville High School baseball team, under head coach Joe Sorce, is looking forward to another great season.
The Bucs, who went 20-7 overall and won the Super Essex Conference–Colonial Division title with a 13-1 divisional record last season, return a strong group this spring.
The Bucs will open the season on Monday, April 1, against Cedar Grove at home.
The following are the returning players:
Seniors
- Josh Abramson, a captain who will be a starting pitcher and play in the outfield.
- James Monroig, a captain who will be a relief pitcher and also play first base.
- Santiago Nunez, who is a strong lefty hitter, will play first base and serve as a designated hitter.
- Luis Deleon, third baseman and pitcher.
- Marino Perez, a catcher who, along with Monroig, will also form a very strong 1-2 punch out of the bullpen.
Juniors
- Ayden Carrero, a shortstop who will also be a starting pitcher.
- Jordan Rosario, who will play all around the infield and also see time in the outfield.
- Rafael Matos, who will play in the outfield and at first base.
- Derek Gonzalez, a second baseman and outfielder.
- Ariancy Paulino, who will be one of the team’s catchers.
Sophomores
- Crismel Deleon, who will play third base. He was the team’s leadoff hitter last season.
- Sean Walsh, who finished last year as the team’s No. 1 starter. He also will play first base.
The Bucs also expect contributions from senior Bernie Fajardo and sophomores Jordan Armstrong and Marcos Atehortua.
Fajardo is new to the program. He will be competing to earn time in the outfield and as a relief pitcher.
Armstrong will be used in scrimmages as a pitcher and also can play third base, while Atehortua is very versatile and will be used in scrimmages at shortstop, in the outfield and on the mound.
Freshman Damir Giddens is a player to watch, said Sorce.
The team will try to get Giddens, a catcher and pitcher, into varsity scrimmages and should be a major junior varsity player this year.
The Bucs had two preseason scrimmages. They played five innings against Rutherford and played Scotch Plains on Monday, March 25.
Walsh, a lefty, pitched in both and is lined up to start opening day against Cedar Grove.
Deleon and Nunez have looked very good at the plate.
The Bucs were scheduled to scrimmage Brearley on Wednesday, March 27, and Governor Livingston, of Berkeley Heights, on Friday, March 29, both at home.
“We have some things to figure out before Monday’ opener, but I think we are in a good place, ” said Sorce, who has been the head coach for the Bucs since 2007.
Here is the schedule:
April 1: Cedar Grove, 4 p.m.
April 3: at Newark Academy, 4 p.m.
April 5: at Newark Tech, 4 p.m.
April 6: Verona, 11 a.m.
April 8: Newark East Side, 4 p.m.
April 10: at Payne Tech, 4 p.m.
April 12: East Orange Campus, 4 p.m.
April 13: at Caldwell, 11 a.m.
April 15: Shabazz, 4 p.m.
April 18: at Cedar Grove, 4:15 p.m.
April 19: Newark Academy, 4 p.m.
April 20: Kearny, 11:30 a.m.
April 22: Newark Tech, 4 p.m.
April 24: at Newark East Side, 4 p.m.
April 27: Hoboken, 11 a.m.
April 29: at Montclair Kimberley Academy, 4 p.m.
May 6: Payne Tech, 4 p.m.
May 9: West Orange, 7 p.m.
May 10: Irvington, 4 p.m.
May 11: at Bloomfield, 7 p.m.
May 13: at East Orange Campus, 4 p.m.
May 15: at Shabazz 4 p.m.
May 18: at Nutley, 11 a.m.
Photos by Joe Ragozzino
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