H-ton JV Baseball Looks to Strengthen Team

The Huntington junior varsity baseball team wrapped up its season and immediately turned its attention to next spring. Developing a strong JV squad is a priority for everyone involved in the baseball program.

The Blue Devils were led by first year head coach Nicholas Matarazzo and captained by Matt James, Graham Gooch and Spencer James. The roster featured 16 players.

“The best accomplishment was us coming together as a team and the growth of individual players,” Matarazzo said. “Our series against Deer Park where we were on the cusp of winning a very competitive game but fell short was another highlight.”

A skilled freshman, Gooch was a jack-of-all-trades, pitching, catching and playing third base while batting .316 and posting an earned run average of 3.00.

“Graham’s a talented player who can get it done on offense, defense, catching, pitching and third base,” Matarazzo said. “He shows strong leadership skills and a knowledge of the game.”

Spencer James patrolled centerfield and the sophomore batted a lofty .400. “Spencer is a great defender and everything you can ask for in a leadoff batter; someone who gets on and steals bases and gets himself in position to score runs,” Matarazzo said.

Matt James was a utility player extraordinaire. The sophomore batted .259 and helped the team in an assortment of ways. “Matt is a true leader on this team,” Matarazzo said. “He was vocal and made sure everyone stayed on track. He’s a strong utility fielder who is like a Swiss Army knife.”

Matarazzo intends to double his efforts to strengthen the program, including welcoming incoming players from Finley Middle School. Another off-season youth clinic is planned and there are discussions about forming teams on every level for summer baseball.