The Fenwick baseball team should feel pretty comfortable for the first few weeks of the 2008-09 schedule. The Friars won’t have to travel far as they host 13-straight games at the Dominican Priory in River Forest on their home field to start the season.
“It’s nice having a field of dreams,” said Dave Hogan, who with over 600 career victories is entering his 30th-year as head coach of the Friars. “We’ll get as many games in as we can on that field.” Last year, inclement weather early in the season cancelled nine games.
With the return of talented players in Cam Verbeke, Mike Falsetti and Matt Gallo, the Friars are looking to improve on last season’s 23-10 overall record. Verbeke, also a hockey player who was recently selected as the Illinois Hockey Player of the Year, takes over as Fenwick’s main pitcher this season. The Illinois State-bound right-hander went 7-3 with an ERA of 2.41 last season.
Falsetti, a three-year varsity starter who is headed to Bradley University in the fall, assumes catcher duties. The senior batted to a .398 clip last season, belting three homers, all of which came in one day during a doubleheader against Loyola. Gallo is expected to start in right field and pitch. He batted .343 last season for the Friars, while earning two victories on the mound.
Other pitchers for Fenwick this season include George Kinsella, Myles O’Donnell, Kevin Sweeney and Chris Gleason.
Hogan hopes to make use of a slew of versatile infielders at different positions. Seniors Austin Brown, Mike Loni, Andy Lutz and Gino Rooney will fill up the infield spots.
“Right now some things are set in stone in the infield but these guys are going to move around as well,” said Hogan. “It all depends on who may be pitching at the time.”
Brown is likely to play third and DH, while Loni takes on shortstop responsibilities.
In the outfield, seniors Joe Musso (left field), Verbeke, Joe Horrigan (center field), Nick Goggin and Conor Maloney, along with junior Tom Galvin, will see playing time.
Fenwick will need all the help it can get taking on Catholic League foes again this season. The usual suspects in Brother Rice, St. Rita and Mt. Carmel, along with Fenwick, will likely be contending for the top spot.
“No one is going to get through that league unblemished,” said Hogan. “It’s going to be quite competitive once again. In our division, there isn’t one bad team.”
The Friars have a good thing going for them in that they won 18 games during summer league play.
“We’re ready to get the ball rolling and hopefully some of that momentum during the summer will carry over,” said Hogan. “We’ve taken a couple of lumps already with injuries to Mike Rosenmeyer (outfielder, separated shoulder) and Goggin (sprained ankle), but I feel we’re ready to go.”
The Friars were to begin the season Tuesday against Proviso West (after deadline). They are scheduled to host Foreman today (Wednesday, March 25) and Proviso East on Thursday. Both games begin at 4 p.m. Fenwick welcomes Harlan on Friday (4 p.m.) and Kenwood on Saturday (11 a.m.).