Posts 194-25 show signs of growth

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Dylan Cummings pitches for Prospect-Beacon Falls Posts 194-25 last summer. The team is showing signs of improvement early on this season. –FILE PHOTO
Dylan Cummings pitches for Prospect-Beacon Falls Posts 194-25 last summer. The team is showing signs of improvement early on this season. –FILE PHOTO

 

BEACON FALLS — The Prospect-Beacon Falls American Legion Posts 194-25 baseball team is looking to continue where it left off last summer and growing for the future.

PBF began the season last Saturday dropping a doubleheader to Ridgefield by margins of 13-2 and 4-2. On Sunday Posts 194-25 fell to 0-3 on the season coming up on the short end of a 4-0 outcome to Bethel.

“It may not seem it but we are making steady progress,” PBF head coach Don Ensero said. “We are still a young team but last season we lost to Bethel 24-0. There are a lot of 15-16-year-old kids going up against pitchers from other teams that are 18-19 years old so we are still struggling to score runs. But what I’ve seen so far we have made tremendous improvement in our defense and pitching. I can’t thank Post 194 and Post 25 enough for all the support they’ve given us.”

PBF is led by a stable of pitchers that gained experience and confidence pitching at the American Legion level last season. Anthony D’Agnone leads the way on the hill along with Nathan Clarke, Matt Spofford and Matt Wysocki. Ten other players also have mound experience adding to the depth of the Posts 194-25 pitching staff.

“I have to say I’m very pleased at the improvement and the maturity level that the team has shown this year,” Ensero said. “Last year we had games where we had trouble fielding enough players but I’m also pleased at the enthusiasm of the kids as we have 19 kids on the roster, giving us some depth.”

The veterans of the team are Joe Fancher (third base/outfield) and outfielder Andrew Gerard. Behind the plate and catching will be Mike Conway and Robert Stach.

Ryan Flanagan plays first base along with duties behind the plate and in the outfield. Joe Poeta plays the middle infield at second base and shortstop and Spofford plays the corners when not pitching.   

Kyle Soisson and Steve Kazalunas play third and Eric Beutel is at first base. All three can see duty in the outfield as well as the mound.

“We are not going to get any better as a team by sending the same nine kids out there,” Ensero said. “That’s why almost everyone on the roster plays multiple positions. Experience is what is going to make us a better team and we are constantly moving around the lineup to gain that experience.”

Dylan Cummings, Sam Merriman and Kevin Gabianelli can spark the offense along with playing the infield and the outfield. Freshman players Mike Tuohy and Mike Framski can play the outfield and lend their services to mound duty. Matt Butterworth is an infielder/outfielder/pitcher and showed his mettle playing on the Woodland varsity squad.

“The attitude on the team is just great,” Ensero added. “A lot of these kids couldn’t wait for the season to begin. Last year the coaching staff had to keep after the kids. We have something very special going on here and we will put some games in the win column. We are starting to turn the corner adding a few varsity players and having four younger players coming in this year to keep that turnaround growing.”

PBF will take on New Milford at home Wednesday night looking for its first win of the season.

Posts 194-25 will play at Oakville on Thursday and Madison on Friday before a home doubleheader against Naugatuck on Sunday.