Cacciato Paces Blue Devil JV Baseball
Freshman centerfielder Joey Cacciato banged out 16 hits and batted .356 to lead the Huntington junior varsity baseball team to a 7-11 mark this past spring.
The 18-player Blue Devil squad was coached by Keith Barrett. The highlight of the season came when Huntington swept Kings Park in a three-game series.
"This year's team was a work in progress at the start of the season," Barrett said. "They lacked a lot of the basic fundamentals and knowledge. They worked hard and practiced well all year and turned into a good team."
Barrett called Cacciato a "good athlete" and a "very good all-around player." Sophomore Justin Fleiss starred at pitcher and catcher, driving in 12 runs and compiling a team-best 3.38 earned run average. The coach said that Fleiss is "very knowledgeable" and is a "real student of the game."
Freshman Anfernee Lopez (P, 2B) swiped 11 bases and won two games on the hill and sophomore first baseman James Byrnes led the squad with 15 RBIs. Barrett said Lopez is a "very good athlete" who can play a variety of positions. The coach pointed to Byrnes as a "great team leader. [The] type of kids you can always rely on."
Freshman pitcher Kevin Montefusco had a team-high three victories and 25 strikeouts. He's a "big strong kid with a lot of potential," Barrett said.
Eighth grader Alexander Borman picked up 14 hits, batted .326 and his10 bases on balls were a team-high. Freshman Lee Reiver had 12 hits and scored nine runs.
When asked about next year's forecast, Barrett said it is "hard to tell at the JV level."