Chaminade baseball advances to fourth straight CHSAA finals

The Chaminade baseball team wants to leave little doubt that it has what it takes to win a fourth straight CHSAA title. The Flyers moved one step closer to that goal with a dominating offensive effort on Monday.

Second-seeded Chaminade defeated No. 5 Holy Trinity, 18-7, at Farmingdale State College to return to the CHSAA baseball final.

The Flyers scored at least three runs in four different innings, including six runs in the second and five in the fourth.

“Hitting is contagious,” senior outfielder Aidan Katzman said. “I knew if we got our bats going early, everyone behind me was going to do the same. I just feel confident up there knowing I have the best hitters behind me.”

Katzman was a key contributor in a lineup that had all nine starters reach base safely, with eight recording at least one hit. The senior hit a two-run home run to leftfield in the big second inning.

“He threw me a fastball over the plate and I got it,” Katzman said. “I had a feeling I got it, but I just wanted to make sure it was going over, and when I saw it go out, that felt amazing.”

Chaminade (14-5) advanced to the best-of-three CHSAA finals, beginning with a doubleheader at Hofstra on Monday at 11 a.m. If Chaminade and its opponent to be determined split on Monday, they’ll meet for a winner-take-all Game 3 next Tuesday.

Holy Trinity (16-7) will play in a one-game semifinal at the winner of No. 1 St. Anthony’s/No. 4 Kellenberg on Wednesday. Kellenberg and St. Anthony’s play on Tuesday.

The Flyers, who won the state CHSAA title last year, had contributions from all over their deep lineup. Of 15 players to make a plate appearance, 14 reached base safely. Ten players on Chaminade either recorded a hit, an RBI or a run scored.

“Our offense is so versatile,” said Sean Sweeney, who went 3-for-5 with a three-run triple, a double and a single. “Any spot in the order can come up with guys on base and do some damage.”

Sweeney and Katzman each had four RBIs. Evan Baschnagel and Matthew Dieguez each added three hits and scored two runs and Matthew Brandt had a two-run double to give Chaminade a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

“We’re just all talented kids and we knew coming into this game that we were going to be able to hit,” Katzman said. “And we did just that.”

Chaminade opened a 14-0 lead after the fourth inning but Holy Trinity rallied to score six runs in the fifth inning. Nico Quiroz, Nicholas DelVecchio and Tyler Cook each had RBI singles in the frame. Andrew Sinclair scored two runs in the game.

The Flyers graduated a strong core of seniors from last year’s state championship team. But this year’s squad wants to continue their legacy and prove capable of winning a fourth straight league title and back-to-back state crowns.

“We spoke about that at the beginning of the year and it’s a different team, a different year and how you have to make your own mark and they’ve been determined to do that,” coach Mike Pienkos said. “I’m really proud that we’re back in the final.”

“It’s truly amazing,” Sweeney said. “Everyone thinks that because we lost a lot of big guys last year that we weren’t going to be able to do the same but all of us here have confidence.”