Calhoun baseball continues strong start to LI title defense, tops New Hyde Park to improve to 6-0
Joey Goodman #2, Calhoun centerfielder, lines a pitch to the opposite field during a Nassau County Conference A1 baseball game against New Hyde Park at Calhoun High School on Saturday, April 8, 2023. Credit: James Escher
The blue banner with the white letters hangs on the leftfield fence at Calhoun to honor what the Colts were last season. They were the best.
So the sign reads: “CALHOUN BASEBALL ’22 LI CHAMPS.”
“It means everything to us,” senior catcher Ryan Pucella said of the banner. “We know how hard we worked for that and how special a chance like that, an opportunity like that, is. We know as a team that we want to feel that again.”
They’re looking like a team that’s a threat in Class A to feel that again.
The Colts had 11 hits and 12 steals en route to finishing a three-game Nassau Conference A-I sweep of New Hyde Park with a 12-4 victory on Saturday.
Calhoun improved to 6-0 and has scored 66 runs this season. Its top five hitters from last year's championship team are all back.
“We’re not clicking on all cylinders yet,” Calhoun coach Art Canestro said, a scary thought for its opponents.
Brian Sanchez had two hits and four RBIs, including a two-run single to cap a four-run first inning against New Hyde Park starter Brandon Lynn. Sanchez also had a run-scoring single to cap a four-run second against Lynn that made it 8-1, and added a sacrifice fly to cap a two-run sixth to give Calhoun a 12-4 lead.
Pucella had two hits and drove in three, including a two-run double in the first and an RBI double in the second. Charlie Imhof had three hits, two RBIs and stole three bases.
“We have a lot of team speed,” Canestro said. “I think maybe seven or eight out of the nine guys can run. So that’s a nice option to have.”
Canestro is still trying to determine his starting rotation. Aaron Small said he would “like to maybe start some games.”
The senior lefty excelled in relief of starter Matt Kalfas, earning the victory after working the final four innings and allowing no runs, one hit and one walk and striking out nine.
“I like taking the pressure off my defense and the starting pitching,” Small said of his current relief role.
New Hyde Park totaled just three hits and dropped to 0-6.
“We hung in there with them in game two, [losing, 3-2], but obviously we didn’t show up to play today, really,” New Hyde Park coach Joe Rotondaro said. “We’ve got to make the plays. We’re young. We’ve got a lot of sophomores starting. We’ve got to learn.”
