Suffolk baseball preview

Vin Valela lined a single to centerfield and seemed content with another base hit during his spring-training trip to the Dominican Republic. It was only February but it's the offseason, a time to lay the foundation for championship runs.

And Lindenhurst has another championship-caliber roster. The state's defending Class AA champ graduated key players but is still considered the team to beat. Valela, who was plagued by a knee injury last year and power-hitting first baseman Kenny Skon, who missed most of the season with a shoulder injury, are ready to go.

"Our league is very tough and that will get us ready for the county tournament," said Valela, who hit .371. "The guys put in the time during the offseason to come back and defend the title."

Lindenhurst will rely on lefty Rich Vrana, who is headed to Marist. Vrana was 9-0 and almost unhittable in 2010 when he finished with an 0.89 ERA. The Bulldogs had a 27-1 record, and nearly became the first Suffolk team in 30 years to finish undefeated.

Coach Mike Canobbio will also have the luxury of a senior-laden squad led by shortstop Steve Skon, who committed to George Washington University for football, and Gold Glove outfielder Mike Roehrig, who batted .414 with 33 RBIs. They will try and duplicate last year's Suffolk title run, the first since 1963.

The Bulldogs open the Suffolk League II season with perennial power Connetquot but the Thunderbirds are only one of four top flight opponents in the league. Sachem North, led by pitcher Alec Sole and Northport, which features shortstop Adam Moosmann, will be in the mix for the crown.

Watch out for Floyd and pitchers Nick Brass and Cameron Sorgie to try and bring home the school's first title in more than a decade. Patchogue-Medford and hard-throwing righty Matt Vogel will challenge Floyd.

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It'll be Smithtown East and Smithtown West for the League III crown but Newfield is loaded with pitching, led by Caleb Olesen and Tim Renahan.

Smithtown West slugger Anthony Gatto, a former League MVP, will go to the mound this year. Smithtown East star Alex Indelicato will do the same.

The Class AA will also have Half Hollow Hills West, which has a smaller enrollment, big-time results, in the championship mix.

In Class A, Shoreham-Wading River has all the ingredients to win a county crown. The Wildcats have Hartford-bound pitcher Dan Sperruzzi, who was an All-State selection with a 7-1 record and a 1.41 ERA. He leads a senior triumvirate of impressive college signings, including Le Moyne-bound outfielder Matt Kneisel, who batted .412 with 28 RBIs and third baseman Ryan McAlary, who had five home runs and 35 RBIs and is headed to Cortland State.

The Wildcats, who qualified for the playoffs for 25 consecutive years, also have depth in freshman Nick Bottari, who hit four homers and drove in 39 runs as an eighth-grader.

Watch for Islip,Sayville and Kings Park to make a run at Shoreham-Wading River.

In Class B, Southampton, the defending champ, will be hard-pressed without pitching ace Chris Pike, who is playing at Fordham.