Timely hitting and clutch pitching and defense were the keys to victory for the Mt. Hope baseball team as they beat Central 9-0 in a Division I game on Tuesday morning at Guiteras Field. The Huskies are currently 2-2 to start the season, 2-1 in Division I. Huskies head coach Mike Mazzarella suffered an ankle injury before the start of the season and has been out action since. He is due to return to the dugout as soon as this week. Assistant coaches Joe Simeone, CJ Cassalino and Connor Padovich have taken over the team in his stead, until he can return which may be as soon as this week. Also Catcher Matt Gale, pitcher Brad Denson and shortstop Parker Camelo were named senior captains for the Huskies this season for their team-first attitude and their stand out play on the field. 

“They are doing a great job,” said Coach Simeone of his younger coaches and captains. Cassalino and Padovich are both former Huskies that played for Coach Mazzarella. 

“They have been outstanding,” Coach Simone said. “It’s been all hands on deck. I’m more old school baseball. These guys can relate to the players a little bit more.”

Denson strikes out 7 in victory 

Senior starting pitcher Brad Denson struck out 7, walked 5 and gave up just 2 hits in 6 shut out innings of work. Ethan Santerre pitched the seventh inning in relief. The sophomore yielded a popfly out and then whiffed the last two batters to preserve the victory. 

“Brad threw a two hitter without his best stuff,” Coach Simeone said. “He worked his butt off and pitched great.”

Gale, the Huskies’ catcher, agreed. 

“Brad’s off-speed pitches looked good and he was locating the ball well,” said Gale. “His slider looked real nice coming on the inside. His changeup had a lot of movement and he had a few punch-outs.” 

“My slider was working pretty well, I got a couple of strikeouts on that,” Denson said. “I fought through and ended up winning. Didn’t have my best stuff, but got the job done.” 

Mt. Hope’s fielding was spectacular behind Denson and did not yield a single error. After seeing some baserunners in the first two innings. Denson and the fielders set Central down in order the last 5 innings of play. 

“The fielders are great,” boasted Camelo, the Huskies’ shortstop. “We are doing a good job of pushing each other. As long as we back up our pitcher. Just got to make the outs.”

Meat of the order mashes Central pitching

The Huskies meat of the order, Parker Camelo, AJ Jones and Matt Gale provided both timely hitting and power when needed. The trio smashed 7 of Mt. Hope’s 11 hits, drove in 6 runs and scored 4 runs. Camelo, the Huskies three hitter, went 3 for 4 with a double and two singes, 3 RBI and 1 run scored. Jones went 2 for 4 with two singles, 1 RBI and 2 runs scored. Gale went 2 for 4 with a double and a single, 2 RBI and 1 run scored. 

“They are stepping up,” Simone said of his senior bats. “We as coaches appreciate that.”

Santerre, the Huskies’ sophomore leadoff hitter, went 2 for 4 with a double, single, a stolen base and 3 runs scored. He manufactured a run in the bottom of the first to give Mt. Hope a 1-0 lead. Gale slapped a single to right field to score Jones in the third inning for a 2-0 lead. Camelo belted a double into the right field gap to score Rocco Ferolito and Santerre in the fourth to increase the lead to 4-0. 

Mt. Hope scored 5 more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Santerre, Dan Desilets, Camelo, Jones and Gale all came around to score for a commanding 9-0 lead. 

Santerre came on to pitch in relief for Denson and closed the door, pitching a 1-2-3 inning. 

Pitching staff is set with Jones and Denson  

The Huskies pitching tandem of AJ Jones and Brad Denson is one of the best in Division I. Last season Jones led the team with a 5-1 record, 63 strike outs and an .043 ERA in 42 innings. Denson went 2-4 with 50 strike outs and a 2.27 ERA in 39.2 innings. 

“They are our two work horses,” said Coach Simeone. “They are both great pitchers. AJ was all-state last year. He’s going to URI next year, Brad is going to Salve Regina.” 

 “Our pitching is strong,” said Gale. “We are just doing our thing. Our pitcher is backing up our hitters, our hitters are backing up our pitcher. We are just doing what we got to do.”

Santerre is the Huskies third starter and primary relief pitcher. 

“Ethan is only a sophomore, but he came in against Moses Brown and just mowed them down,” said Coach Simone. “He’s a good pitcher. He’ll be good for us.”

Sophomores Jacob Ferreira and Lucas Andreozzi also can pitch in relief. 

New to the starting nine 

Juniors Danny Desilets and Rocco Ferolito are starting infielders for the Huskies this season. Desilets is starting at second base and Ferolito is starting at third base. 

“They have been bidding their time the last few seasons and they have stepped up to the challenge,” said Coach Simeone. 

Six footer Brain Abbruzzi has been playing at first base this season. Coach Simeone said that the freshman played well both defensively and offensively, against Central. 

“Brian is going to give me what he can. We’ll have good and we’ll have bad. But he’s been spanking the ball. He’s a big kid with a good solid swing. He hits for power and I’m pretty happy with him.”

Lucas Andreozzi is playing right field and sometimes first base.

“He’s a jack of all trades,” said Coach Simone. “He does all the things that we ask him to do.” 

Santerre plays center field and Jones is playing left field. 

“We have a solid team,” Coach Simone said. “Is it going to be tough, absolutely. Division I went from 20 teams to 16 teams this year. The best 16 teams are left. It will be an interesting season.”

Huskies lose to Hendricken 13-7

Mt. Hope lost to Hendricken 13-7 in Warwick on Thursday afternoon. AJ Jones struck out 1 and allowed 4 hits, 5 walks and 6 runs in three innings of work. Ethan Santerre struck out 2 and allowed 6 hits, 1 walk and 6 runs in one inning. Jacob Ferreira and TJ Castriotta also pitched in relief. 

Parker Camelo went 1 for 1 and drove in two runs on two sacrifice fly balls. Ethan Santerre went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI and 2 runs scored. Dan Desilets went 2 for 4 with an RBI, Jonathan Kay went 1 for 1 and scored 3 runs, Brad Denson and Rocco Ferolito each smacked a hit and scored a run and Matt Gale went 0 for 3 with an RBI. 

Next up:

Mt. Hope hosts North Kingstown on Wed. 4/19 at 4 p.m.