Coming off a successful 2015 season, with a 12-8 record, the SHS boys’ baseball team showed improvement last year, and displayed to the FCIAC and CIAC leagues that they were going to be a force to be reckoned with. The team graduated 14 key seniors last year, including Billy DeVito (currently a Division 1 pitcher at the University of Hartford), Mikey White (who will be playing Division 2 baseball at Stonehill College next year), and Tyler Serricchio  (who will be going to UNC Asheville, also to play Division 1 baseball). After losing such an extremely talented group, this season will obviously be a test to not only the coaching staff, but to the three returning varsity players from last year. Senior captains (as well as the three returning players) Jay DeVito, Mark Serricchio, and Nick Frattaroli are instrumental in not only leading the team on the field, but also in helping young players get acclimated to the varsity level of play.

Coach Melzer weighed in with his thoughts on how this season will go saying, “With the loss of 14 seniors, obviously there are a lot of opportunities for playing time this year, and we are excited to see who’s going to step up and take advantage of that. I think there will be a lot of competition early in the season amongst the seniors and some of the underclassmen, and we are looking forward to them battling it out and earning starting positions.”

We also got to sit down with head coach Rit Lacomis and the team captains to see what they had to say about the transition from last year to the beginning of this season and what their goals are for this campaign.

Captains:

The Round Table: What are you looking forward to most this season?

DeVito: Having a winning season and to enjoy my last sport at Stamford High.

Frattaroli: Stepping up my level of play and finishing my high school career on a high note.

Serricchio: I’m looking forward to playing my last season with my closest friends and making the best out of my last year.

The Round Table: What is your favorite thing about playing SHS baseball?

DeVito: Playing with all my friends and representing Stamford High.

Frattaroli: Being with all my friends and playing America’s greatest game.

Serricchio: Stamford High has always been known as a baseball school so it’s a pleasure playing for the school and having great coaches.

The Round Table: What team do you worry about playing the most?

DeVito: Staples

Frattaroli: Staples, they haven’t lost any of their starting players from last year.

Serricchio: Staples because they have their whole entire roster from last year returning.

The Round Table: What senior from last year will be your hardest to replace?

DeVito: Tyler Serricchio

Frattaroli: Billy DeVito

Serricchio: My brother, Tyler Serricchio will be the hardest to replace because he was one of the best catchers in the state and he was a great leader.

The Round Table: Individually, coming up on your last season of high school baseball, what are your goals?

DeVito: To get All FCIAC 1st team and make it into the FCIAC tournament.

Frattaroli: Get into FCIAC and States, to go far in the tournaments, and get to the “ship.”

Serricchio: My goals for my last year of SHS baseball is to play my best and lead the team to the playoffs and hopefully further than that.

Head Coach:

The Round Table: What are you goals for the season?

Lacomis: Make it back to the state and FCIAC tournament, which we did for the first time last season in seven years.

The Round Table: Coming off of last season, what is one thing you want to focus on improving?

Lacomis: Adapting our new young players to the varsity level of play.

The Round Table: How is the team looking in the pre-season?

Lacomis: Pretty good… with a whole new group of players I’m excited to see what’s to come.

The Round Table: Losing a great talented group of seniors last year, are the boys stepping up with the opening of huge starting positions?

Lacomis: So far, the boys are stepping up and are showing their talents.

The Round Table: What team do you enjoy playing the most?

Lacomis: Staples; they are a great team and it’s a challenge for us. Playing a good team makes the players, as well as the coaches, step it up.

As we can tell from our interview, the baseball team is very excited to start playing and seeing these what these new players can do on the field. Staples will definitely be a game to go see and we only wish the boys the best of luck on their season!