Rams taste late-season success

West Hempstead entered the 2012 baseball season looking to take another step toward respectability on the diamond. While it was another rough season for the Rams, who finished at 5-14 overall, 3-14 in Conference A-V, the team had a decent finish.

The Rams closed out the year with a dramatic 4-3 win over visiting Floral Park. Senior Austin Slamowitz squeezed home junior Joe Palladino to plate the winning run. Two innings earlier, a bases-clearing triple by Palladino tied the score at 3. Junior Brandon Sherman went the distance, striking out 12 to get the win.

Second-year coach Bill Cloughessy knows the road was mostly rocky, but hopes the late-season magic will serve as a harbinger. “After getting off to a good start, we sort of hit a stagnant point,” Cloughessy said. “We had some games where we were right there, but couldn’t get over the hump. There were a few promising moments during the season, and over the last couple weeks. We’re just going to continue to try to get better.”

Brandon Ruiz was one of the bright spots for the Rams. Ruiz hit .429 and led the team in runs scored with 18. The senior middle infielder went 4-for-4 with a home run and four runs scored to lead the Rams to a 9-7 win over Island Trees. He went on to earn All-Conference honors. 

Sherman got off to a slow start on the hill for West Hempstead, but the junior southpaw was tremendous over his last five starts. In addition to beating Island Trees and Floral Park, both of which qualified for the playoffs, Sherman was more than effective in narrow defeats at the hands of North Shore and Seaford. He was recognized as an All-League performer. 

Palladino, who picked up All-Conference honors as a sophomore, led the Rams with 14 RBI as a junior. Cloughessy is hopeful that sophomore James Valerio, a player who got better as the year went along and ended up hitting .310, will continue to improve. Valerio started 17 games and played multiple positions.

Sophomore Hardvis Batista, a versatile middle infielder, is also a big part of the future of West Hempstead baseball. Cloughessy sees Batista as a player who can serve as a leader on the field.

Cloughessy hopes the program is on the right track. “It’s still a work in progress,” Cloughessy said. “It would be nice to have some of the seniors back another year. There are positives. Knocking off playoff teams like Island Trees and Floral Park was big for us down the stretch. We need to build on the positives.”