BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield High School baseball team returns a strong nucleus this season.
The Bengals, under longtime head coach Mike Policastro, will open the season April 1 against Belleville at home at 4 p.m.
Bloomfield will be led by a host of experienced players. The Bengals return six position starters from last year’s squad.
“We were 10-14 last year, starting six underclassmen and eight underclassmen pitchers in the (Super Essex Conference)–American Division,” said Policastro, a 1989 BHS graduate who has been the Bengals head coach since 2007. “I feel really good heading into the season, but, as usual, our division is stacked with solid opponents from top to bottom.”
Senior catcher/captain Nico Ong, a four-year starter who signed with the University of Maryland–Baltimore County on an athletic scholarship, batted .570 last spring with 39 hits, 18 RBIs and 24 stolen bases to earn All–SEC–American Division honors. The SEC–American Division is the top division in the conference. Ong needs 42 hits to reach 100 in his career in just three years. His sophomore year was canceled due to the pandemic.
Senior shortstop/captain Liam Hempstead, a four-year starter, batted .345 a year ago and knocked in 19 runs, which ranked second on the team. He made the All–SEC–American second team and will be playing at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx, N.Y., next year.
Senior left-handed pitcher Logan Kot pitched 14 innings last spring and will be playing at Rosemont College, in Pennsylvania, next year.
Junior second baseman/pitcher Tyler Bell played great defensively last year, turning 15 double plays, and will be the team’s pitching ace.
Junior third baseman/pitcher Brandon Piacenza was another strong hitter last spring as he batted .450 with 28 hits to earn All–SEC–American Division second team honors. He will be the team’s No. 2 pitcher.
Senior outfielder Charles Abplanalp is coming off a good year in which he batted .300.
Senior pitcher/second baseman Jackson Laub and junior pitcher/outfielder Keithdem Perez are other key returning players. Perez has five-tool potential, noted Policastro.
Other returning players are junior first baseman Christopher Sanchez and senior pitcher/third baseman Isaiah Ortiz. Sanchez batted .312. Ortiz will continue his career at New Jersey City University next year.
The Bengals have a host of other contributors, Policastro said. The rest of the seniors include outfielders Justin Nunez, Jarnel Rancy, Justin Costomiris, Alexandro Velez and Ethan Kielb; and first baseman Isaiah Quinones. The juniors are pitcher/outfielder Daniel Murawinski, pitcher/infielder Alexander Klena, catcher/pitcher Anthony Dittrich and outfielders Jake Sullivan, Shayne Hinton and Michael Rosamilia. Sophomore pitcher/infielder/outfielder Evan Freid rounds out the roster.
Policastro is looking for his pitching staff to improve.
“We need to do a better job of limiting the extra outs, cutting down on the walks and hit batters as a pitching staff if we are going to be successful,” he said. “We need to drastically improve that this year if we are going to be successful.”
Policastro also cited his team’s experience, depth and defense as areas of strength.
“We will hit and play defense,” he said.
In addition to Policastro, the Bengals’ coaching staff consists of varsity assistant coach Mike Carter Jr., varsity pitching coach Rich Adams, junior varsity head coach Sean Downey, assistant coach Liam Penberthy and freshman coach Allen Wannat.
The Bengals will open the season on Friday, April 1, at home against Belleville at 4 p.m. Bloomfield will visit Memorial of West New York on Saturday, April 2, at noon and visit West Essex, in North Caldwell, on Monday, April 4, at 4 p.m. before hosting Nutley on Wednesday, April 6, at 4 p.m.
Photos Courtesy of Jerry Simon
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