The Wantagh baseball team embarked on the program’s first annual spring break trip in three years providing an in-season bonding experience that longtime coach Keith Sachs hopes is the catalyst for a positive finish.
The Warriors’ Mid-Atlantic journey took them to the Philadelphia and Baltimore regions for scrimmages as well as attending some Major League Baseball games as fans. The experience came at just the right time with Wantagh at the bottom of a rigorous Conference A-IV schedule following some close defeats and in need of a lift.
“It was a very positive trip and a lot of fun for the players.” said Sachs, who was unable to organize the trip last year due to COVID-19 restrictions during a truncated season. “It was very important to bring this tradition back.”
The Warriors will have little margin for error the rest of the season if they want to make a push for the postseason, but boasts plenty of talent to stay in contention until the end. Sophomore catcher AJ Bardi, who earned All-County honors as a freshman, is having another solid season at the plate with two home runs entering the week. Junior shortstop/pitcher Tim Hennig also garnered All-County accolades last year
Third baseman/pitcher Andrew Bonanno and outfielder Chris Petrillo provide senior leadership both on and off the field. Bonanno, an All-Conference player as a junior, has served as the Warriors’ No. 1 or 2 pitcher while also being one of the team’s leading hitters. Petrillo is hitting over .400 after batting .319 last spring.