This is the fourth and final post in a series on the 2016 Class M state champion Wolcott baseball team.
Wolcott baseball won its first state championship in 2016, and it lost several key seniors to graduation.
Gone are Isaiah Negretti, Jacob Ramos, Nate Murphy, Brad Grasso, Chris Hull, Matt Warren, Jacob Gabriel, Eric Gillotti and Phil Olmstead. Negretti and Warren are huge losses, and several other seniors offered major contributions during the season.
Who’s coming back for the Eagles as they try to get back to the state championship game?
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| Nick Longo will be among the players returning for Wolcott baseball in 2017. |
The center of the infield will be solid with Nick Longo at shortstop, Ray Bartoli at second base and Jeff Nicol at catcher.
Longo played junior varsity as a freshman, and varsity head coach Tary Scott knew he would be moving up to varsity in 2016. Longo had some big hits in his first varsity season.
“He’s a very confident kid as a sophomore,” Scott said.
Bartoli was the hero of the Class M state championship against Northwestern Regional with his game-winning, two-run home run. Bartoli is strong with the bat and will form a nice double play combo with Longo.
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| Class M state championship game hero Ray Bartoli will be back for his senior season. |
Nicol started at catcher as a freshman.
“He played like a sophomore or junior,” Scott said.
Nicol had just three passed balls all season, and two of them came early on.
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| Jeff Nicol was solid as a freshman at catcher, and he will be back. |
“I credit the seniors because they made him feel like a part of the team,” Scott said.
Nicol had a big home run in the Class M second round win over Ellington.
Jack Drewry also saw playing time as a freshman, and his role is sure to increase in 2017. Drewry saw some time on the mound, and he will join Bobby White in that capacity. White was the No. 2 pitcher behind the ace Negretti.
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| Bobby White was Wolcott’s No. 2 pitcher behind ace Isaiah Negretti. |
Steve Urbanski returns to give Wolcott a great leadoff hitter who is adept at getting on base. Urbanski is the engine that makes the Eagles go.
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| Steve Urbanski will return in 2017 to give Wolcott a steady bat at the top of the lineup. |
Nick Trager saw time as a sophomore and is sure to see his role increase.
Also slated to return for Wolcott is Zach Maisto.
The Eagles will have some big shoes to fill, but the 2016 team was just that, a team.
“There were no egos, no superstars,” Scott said. “This year’s team was about the team.”
Several of those pieces will be back next season for Wolcott, which is a good way to start.
Here’s a list of the returnees by 2017 grade:
SENIORS — Steve Urbanski, Zach Maisto, Bobby White, Ray Bartoli
JUNIORS — Nick Trager, Nick Longo
SOPHOMORES — Jack Drewry, Jeff Nicol
