Finley Baseball Team Takes the Field

The 2023 edition of the J. Taylor Finley Middle School baseball team took the field for the first time late last month. Three days of tryouts produced a roster of 19 players, including a dozen seventh graders.

Coached by social studies teacher Jarrad Richter, the Finley team practices and will play its games on the cozy field located behind the building. The squad will wear brand new uniforms this season.

Richter has been teaching a combination of basic baseball along with some of the finer points of the game. He’s been spending time on defense and base running skills among other areas.

The roster includes seventh graders Nicholas Bartasi, Jesse Blohm, Rocco Caruso, Anthony Centrone, Emmet Cocoman, Jackson Dickson, Carlos Fajardo, Nicolas Martinez Eubig, Jory Morgan-Page, Daniel Paiz, Matthew Pepe and Martin Ramos Joyas and eighth graders Ethan Adonis, William Donaghy, Graham Gooch, Eli Levi, Edgar Loeza Mendoza, Joseph Perotti and Darwing Ruiz Meza.

Finley will play a 10 game schedule with five home contests and five away at their opponents.

Finley’s schedule includes home games against Northport, West Hollow Red, West Islip Udall, Commack Gold and Oldfield and away contests at West Islip Beach, Hauppauge, East Northport, Stimson and Kings Park. The season runs to June 1.

Richter wants to make Finley the powerhouse baseball school that many in the community still remember it once was during dozens of seasons since the school opened in 1965.

Richter believes long-term success lies in doing all the little things really well. Pitching and catching, solid defense, putting ball on the bat and running out every ball.

Players have varying degrees of experience, but all need to be sharp if Finley is going to have a winning record.