Nick Doscher thought he saw everything in baseball. And then the Moore Catholic coach brought his team to Florida for some preseason fine-tuning.
“We saw so many things in Florida we’ve never seen, just baseball instincts,” Doscher said.
But something else happened in the Sunshine State, something a lot more positive, something the young Mavericks hope can carry them this season.
“Whether we’re young or not, I don’t think that’s going to hurt us because the chemistry is there,” senior centerfielder Chris Ahearn said.
While their baseball acumen might have been put into question by their coach, the players connected in Florida and already, just one game into the regular season, they are reaping the benefits.
“We all just bonded, got tight and put it all together here today,” junior pitcher/designated hitter Dom Casella said following a CHSAA season-opening, 4-2 win at St. Raymond’s on Thursday.
How well Moore is this year largely depends on how quickly its underclassmen, like sophomores Adam Skjeie (shortstop) and Joe Todaro (catcher), who both started against St. Raymond. That’s what made the season-opening win so important.
“This is big for them,” Doscher said. “A lot of these kids are babies and this was a big to come up here and beat a quality team like them.”
But the Mavericks also have a big edge on many teams thanks to a steady diet of left-handed pitchers.
“All the years facing lefties, this is the first time we’ve ever had a lot of lefties,” Doscher said. “You don’t see them a lot so it’s tough for the kids.”
Sophomore John Baggs, who picked up the win against the Ravens on Thursday, is joined by senior Neil Connelly, who earned the save. Charles Cosgriff is the only pitcher in the Mavericks top five who is a right-hander.
While they struggled in Florida, Moore had plenty of timely hits against St. Ray’s. Casella led the way, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Leftfielder Jojo Coughlin scored a pair of runs, third baseman Shea Spitzbarth was 2-for-3 with an RBI and rightfielder Frank Smith, who bats third, had an infield single and scored a run.
“It was kind of surprising because we were struggling a bit, especially in Florida,” Ahearn said. “Hitting is probably the most important thing coming into today because we needed the runs and we got them early, which was important.”
Moore was young last year, too, and the Mavericks missed the postseason for the first time in eight years. Expectations from the outside are low with some believing the same three teams – St. Joseph by the Sea, Monsignor Farrell and St. Peter’s – to battle tooth and nail for the Staten Island division title will be there again this year.
Ahearn, one of just four seniors on the team, is just fine with that.
“Now we have something to prove,” he said. “They’re counting us out already, but meanwhile I think we’re going to slip right in and surprise everybody. I think we’re going to be alright.”
Added Doscher: “The years we won – ’04, ’05 and ’07 – we were never picked. We thrive on being the underdog, small little school, not a lot of boys in the school. We thrive on that.”