Saturday, May 17, 2025
With a streamlined and improving roster, Uniondale baseball sits at 11-0 in the Countywide Conference, overwhelming teams in the developmental conference with superior pitching and power at the plate.
The Knights' best players are not yet seniors either, forcing coach Ciro Gentile to consider ideas of a future promotion.
"We think we have the talent," Gentile said. "I didn't know we were going to have this last year. We have so many kids infiltrating the district that play baseball, and if we can come up with a couple more kids, we might be able to come out of Countywide and go back into AAA."
Nassau County high schools are typically classified based on school size into one of four classifications: AAA, AA, A and B. Opting to play in the Countywide division gives less competitive teams the chance to find their footing, but Uniondale has proven that it is ready to move into deeper waters.
The Knights got off to a white-hot start in late March and have sustained that momentum throughout April. In three games between April 22 and April 25, they didn't allow a run while lighting up opponents for 30.
Gentile said a dozen players on the roster find consistent playing time, a relatively shorthanded staff that has to constantly shift between positions to accommodate pitching changes. Most everyday starters also have a role on the mound.
In a 10-0 victory over Great Neck South on April 25, sophomore ace Jaxson Baptichon threw five innings and allowed just two hits, striking out eight batters to continue a dominant campaign. In a game against West Hempstead on April 11, he pitched nearly five innings in relief and struck out nine. He also bats second and consistently contributes at the plate.
Since arriving from the Dominican Republic, juniors Steven Frias and Vaner Guerrero have developed dual roles on the roster as well, overpowering opponents on the mound while providing plenty of pop in an inescapably deep Uniondale lineup.
Gentile said that senior Anthony Perez and junior Carlos Vasquez have taken key leadership roles for a team that's constantly in motion. Both players are in the lineup everyday and pitch when needed, and Vasquez's return from injury in April gave the Knights new depth in every area.
"Carlos is our No. 1 hitter," Gentile said. "He bats third in the lineup, he hits for average and power. He's a great situational hitter and he's been carrying the load for us."
Players like Baptichon, Frias and Vasquez give Gentile reason to believe that Uniondale is ready for Conference AAA now, but younger players are already showing him that the roster can remain competitive for years to come. Freshman Willy Rodriguez and eighth-grader Oliver Blanco have made solid contributions at the varsity level early in their careers, and an improving JV operation will only produce more talent going forward.
Without playoffs to determine a champion, the team with the best record wins the Countywide conference title, and Valley Stream Central is wrapping up its April schedule with a similarly dominant 9-0-1 record. The Knights will play the Eagles on April 30 and May 2 in games that could eventually decide the championship.
