Brandon O’Brien (Division 2017) on to pitch for Queens. He was 21-2 in his high school career pic.twitter.com/WCUnvOaqfB
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) October 1, 2017
In 41 games last year the Queens College Knights went 18-23, notching key victories against conference foes and against the likes of No. 12 Franklin Pierce and NCAA East Region Champion St. Thomas Aquinas. They went 10-15 in conference play, marking the first double-digit conference win total since 2013.
Still, they will be looking to make the necessary improvements to take the next step and make a championship push.
On the pitching side, the Knights were carried by senior Joseph Broderick and freshman Nick Morena. The two combined for 131.2 innings and 129 strikeouts. Broderick has since graduated and Morena has transferred to Suffolk College. Filling the innings and the leadership of Broderick won’t be an easy task for Head Coach Chris Reardon.
“He was a leader, the guy you wanted to be on-and-off the field. Somebody that led by example,” Reardon said.
Broderick’s presence will certainly be missed but Reardon believes that Cameron Burt might be the guy to fill his shoes. In his junior season Burt started eight games, logging a 5.77 ERA over 39 innings. Though the ERA looks a bit high Burt showed signs of raw power last season, striking out 33 batters, good for a 7.62 K/9.
Morena’s transfer to Suffolk will open the door for another pitcher to step up. Morena was a revelation in his first season, throwing 64.1 innings and compiling an impressive 2.52 ERA.
One guy who could potentially fill that gap is sophomore Dylan Hughes. In his one start last season, Hughes went five innings, giving up just one run and striking out four. At Calhoun HS, he was named All-Long Island in 2016 after posting an unblemished record of 6-0 with a 1.65 ERA for Coach Art Canestro.
The makeshift starting rotation will be a shakeup from last year but has all the potential to be even better. Sophomore Rob Backus showed signs of life in his first season as a Knight, logging 11 appearances, three starts and a 4-0 record. He also showed his versatility with the club, notching two saves as well.
Reardon will have to rely heavy on his freshmen to see what they have to offer the club. He was not shy when talking about breakout candidates for his new class.
“From a pitching standpoint we’re high on Dylan Sabia. He can log some valuable innings and he’s got a good strong arm with a sense of how to pitch,” Reardon said.
Sabia stands at a solid 6’3”, 200 lbs. His senior year at Iona Prep he carried a 3-0 record with a 1.87 ERA. He punched out 40 batters and led his team past Fordham Prep in the semi-finals.
They have a couple familiar Long Island names on their staff as well. Sachem North grad and Dowling transfer Dennis Buckstein sat out the 2017 season, but is a seasoned pitcher that has already won games at the Division-II level. Fellow Sachem North grad Kevin Kochen had a strong senior year in high school and was a solid No. 2 starter behind Chris Lollo. Additionally, Division grad Brandon O’Brien was lights-out during his high school career, compiling a record of 21-2 during his brilliant three-year varsity career.
Sophomore LHP Michael O’Brien (Plainview-JFK) will be an important members of the bullpen as well.
The biggest bright spot the Knights have going into the season is almost certainly the starting lineup. Only Seniors Joe Morris and Ryan Bender are graduating from last year’s club.
From top-to-bottom the starting lineup will have plenty of opportunities to eat. Coming off an injury that derailed his 2017 season, shortstop Kevin Kolesar is ready to regain his 2015-2016 season form. In that season he played 46 games, notching 62 hits, 8 doubles and 29 RBI, good for a .350 average. Koselar was effective in his limited work last season, spraying 11 hits in 30 at bats over just nine games.
Another key player to watch will be senior Jonathan Temenak. Temenak did a bit of everything last season, hitting six doubles, driving in 19 and swiping two bags as well. His .310 average and .373 slugging percentage led the team, which him on the Axcess Baseball All-Long Island team.
“He even got off to a bad start last year and then picked it up. I really think he can have a great year for us. Him and Koselar will make our lineup more dynamic,” said Reardon.
As for the rest of the lineup look for Louis Antos to step into a bigger role in the upcoming season. In just his first season with the Knights he played in 36 games, knocking seven doubles and 17 RBI’s. The West Islip grad played a big part of the Long Island Championship team.
Sophomore infielder Eric Roubal (Pat-Med) has a chance to be a major contributor in the lineup as well as junior outfielder Matt Stepnoski.
Suffolk transfer Ron Linsalato was a key contributor for the Sharks last season and brings high energy along with great speed and above-average defense to the table. Concordia-transfer Ronmel Ocampo was among the best hitters in Nassau County in 2016 and is no stranger to playing in big games having played at Division HS alongside O’Brien.
Behind the dish, they will be leaning on another Suffolk transfer Eloy Benson (Longwood) to handle the staff and provide some punch as he did for the Sharks in 2016. Also in the mix behind the plate will be Brian Shannon (Glen Cove), Daniel Codispoti (Pat-Med) and Kevin Cavataio (Hills East).
Queens College stuck to their strengths last season. Keeping the ball in play, swiping the occasional bag, and walking at a high rate were all keys to their offensive game. The return of Kolesar should only help them get back in contention. The 2018 season has a lot of promise for the Knights and they will be looking to compete in a very competitive ECC.
