Sports Preview: Rye Neck Baseball

This is the third year the core of the Rye Neck baseball team has been together. With 13 seniors and seven returning starters, experience is something the Panthers have no shortage of. 

Rye Neck finished 16-5 a year ago and was eliminated by John F. Kennedy High School in the Class B semifinals.

For the last three seasons, the Panthers have had one constant – Ryan Pennell. The team's top hitter and ace of the pitching staff is now entering his senior season. And with the quality of returning players, Rye Neck is poised to have one of its better seasons.

"This is our most experienced team," said third-year Rye Neck coach Tyler Slater. "This is definitely the most well-rounded group I've had. There's plenty of potential on this roster."

That potential begins with Pennell. The three-year starter finished last year with a .456 batting average and 23 RBIs. On the mound he was even better, recording 136 strikeouts in 63 innings with a 0.44 ERA.

Aiding Pennell is senior outfielder Jeff Colangelo. The three-year starter is also being groomed to eventually eat up some innings on the mound this spring. Colangelo ended last year with a .311 batting average and 21 RBIs. 

Another senior, Mike McCarthy, is expected to be the No. 2 starter for the Panthers. However, tendonitis in his arm has forced him to sit out  early practices. While there is no timetable for his return, Slater hopes to have him ready for the start of the season.

Tom Gisin will provide the Panthers with some depth as the junior can catch, play first base and pitch. In the end, Rye Neck is a team heavily dependent on its pitching staff.

 "We're a team that focuses on pitching," Slater said. "Everything in baseball comes from your pitchers. To have Pennell as our No. 1 pitcher the last three years has been a nice thing to build on."

In order to score runs, the Panthers are going to rely on their speed around the bases. Knowing that its pitchers will be able to keep the team in games, Rye Neck will also have to play small-ball–bunting, advancing runners–to put runs on the board.

This is a team that has been to the playoffs before. With a number of returning starters, anything short of a postseason berth will be a disappointment. But what happens to the team once it reaches the playoffs is anyone's guess.

 "The playoffs have a different feel than the regular season," Slater said. "We've gone to the playoffs multiple times, so we have the experience. But it comes down to how you execute and how you perform. It's how you use that experience to your benefit. Hopefully we'll be in a situation where we could use it to our benefit."