Ambrosini relishes coaching his sons in baseball

The first impression of the 58-year-old Bob Ambrosini is of a hard-core disciplinarian whose teams have been known to take on his aggressive personality.

But there is a softer side to the man who has won more than 500 games in 27 years. Most important to the retired physical education teacher - who has led Connetquot to 18 league titles, five county championships and three Long Island crowns - are his family and passion for baseball.

The 1970 Connetquot graduate and former Adelphi outfielder reflects on a coaching career that gave him the opportunity to coach all three of his sons and guide so many successful players. His passion for baseball runs deep and his ledger is filled with accomplishments. Here are some trinkets in a golden career:

1 "Winning my 500th game was certainly something to cherish,'' he said. "But I'll never forget three other milestones because all three of my sons were directly involved. Bobby scored the winning run in my 200th win. Anthony was the starting catcher for my 250th win. And Dominick was a senior for the 300th. Those moments are closest to my heart."

2 In the 1986 Suffolk Class A final against West Islip, Rob Dilello hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score. Connetquot won in eight innings.

3 In 1989, Connetquot was scheduled to play a state semifinal against Union-Endicott in Utica at 11 a.m. Repeated rain delays forced the game to be postponed until 11:30 that night. Matt Guiliano made it worth the wait with an 11-strikeout performance as the T-Birds won, 15-1. They went on to beat Carmel the next morning and claim the school's first state championship.

4 In 1995, Connetquot erased a six-run deficit and rallied to beat League II rival Commack, 8-7, in the county Class A final. Anthony Ambrosini, now the assistant coach, had a bases-loaded double to ignite the comeback.

5 In 1999, Dominick Ambrosini hit 19 home runs and earned the Yastrzemski Award, given to Suffolk's best player. He became the first T-Bird to win the award and was drafted by the Montreal Expos. "As a coach and a father,'' Bob Ambrosini said, "I was so proud."