(Peter Hvizdak – New Haven Register) Amity’s John Nolan, left, jogs down to home plate after hitting a fourth-inning solo home run during a 1-0 victory over Cheshire. Catcher Matt Costello of Cheshire H.S. watches Monday, April 3, 2017 at Cheshire H.S.
They have won 20-consecutive state playoff games, four straight Class LL state titles and six overall. They won their sixth Southern Connecticut Conference title with a record-setting 17 runs against Notre Dame-West Haven last season after scoring 14 in the SCC title game a season earlier.
They were ranked first in the Register/GameTimeCT top 10 poll from start to finish last season.
So the question is, when will the Amity’s baseball team’s run of dominance end?
Judging by this year’s roster, it doesn’t look like any time soon.
Senior Max Scheps takes the reins as Amity’s No. 1 starter after going 11-0 last season. He earned his first victory over the year with a 1-hitter vs. Cheshire Monday at Cheshire, April 3, 2017. (Peter Hvizdak – New Haven Register)
The Spartans’ string of dominance can be compared to that of the National Football League’s New England Patriots in the sense the Spartans replace solid players year after year with other players and the results remain the same.
“I do think that a lot of it is about attitude,” Amity coach Sal Coppola said. “We have had such great leadership the last few years. The guys taking over the next team have such high expectations and I am talking about level of expectations in terms of work ethic.
PHOTO GALLERY: Amity vs. Cheshire baseball opener
“They try to maintain that and be part of the team culture. When we talk about expectations, we don’t mean winning state championships. We have expectations where the kids are in the weight room in October, not missing a day, working out and doing baseball training every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They are lifting weights and doing explosive drills. They are working hard preparing for the season.”
Coppola, who enters his 23rd year as head coach of the Spartans, is no stranger to award recognition himself.
The Amity head coach has been named the New Haven Register All-Area and State Coach of the Year following the 2005, 2006, 2013, and 2016 seasons, along with being a National Coach of the Year finalist following the 2013 campaign.
The drive for five-straight state titles began this week with a 1-0 victory over Cheshire, which was the only school to beat Amity during last year’s 27-1 season.
If this year’s Spartans do get another state championship ring, they will have to do so without the graduated Eli Oliphant, Brian Ronai and Chris Winkel, who are all playing at Division I colleges.
Oliphant, the All-Area Most Valuable Player and All-State selection who is now playing at Fairfield University, was 9-0 with three saves and a 0.40 earned run average a season ago.
Ronai, now playing at Yale University, was an All-State selection after hitting .375 with three home runs, 25 runs batted in, 26 runs scored and a .462 on base percentage. Winkel, who missed significant time at the plate last year with a hand injury, is now playing at the University of Connecticut.
“They are big losses,” Coppola said. “Losing Eli is huge because he had the potential to completely dominate a game every time he was out there. We have to replace him, Brian (Ronai) and Chris (Winkel). Even though Big Wink (Chris Winkel) was hurt most of the year, he still gave us solid defense and ran for us. By the end of the year, he was hitting again.”
One of this year’s key performers will be junior catcher Pat Winkel, who is already committed to play at UConn, following his older brother, Chris. (Peter Hvizdak – New Haven Register)
Rohan Patel throws to get an out during Amity’s season-opening victory over Cheshire. The senior will be a key part of Amity’s pitching rotation this year.(Peter Hvizdak – New Haven Register)
With these three key losses, one would think there may be a significant drop off. That is not the case as the Spartans boast maybe the top catcher in the area in junior Pat Winkel, who has already committed to follow his brother at the University of Connecticut.
Starting since he was a freshman, Pat Winkel has impressive bat speed and quality at bats. But what makes the younger Winkel stand out above the rest, Coppola said, is a precise cannon he possesses for an arm. Winkel’s defense behind the plate is a big part of the reason the Spartans are able to keep their runs allowed down.
“He has a major-league arm,” Coppola said of Pat Winkel. “On days where he feels good and his arm is rested, he makes effortless throws to second base.
“That is not to belittle in any way how well he receives and blocks the ball behind the plate. We have had very few players start as freshmen, with it being him, Vin Siena and Jason Esposito. We know he can hit, but we value equally what he does for our pitching staff. He controls the running game.”
The remaining core of this year’s team looks to be just as impressive. Tri-captains Andy Hague, Ted Hague and Max Scheps lead a team which returns four of the top five hitters from last year’s batting order. “That’s a good start,” Coppola said.
The top of the order features Andy Hague, another UConn commit, in the leadoff spot. Yale commit Ted Hague will bat second.
“Teddy and Andy are both seniors,” Coppola said, referring to the Hague brothers. “For Coach (Tom) Penders to go after Andy and for Teddy to go play at Yale is super special. That is pretty big time.
“They were very important to us last year, batting one and two in the order. Andy set a school record for hits last year and led the team in batting average. He was a lead off spark and a defensive spark. The thing about Teddy is he can steal bases and bunt for a hit as well. He did absolutely everything for us. He is a phenomenal defensive outfielder with a strong arm.”
Amity shortstop Andy Hague unleashes a throw during the Spartans’ 1-0 victory over Cheshire Monday, April 3, 2017. (Peter Hvizdak – New Haven Register)
Sal Coppola begins his 23rd year at the helm of the Amity baseball team, which is be playing for an unprecedented fifth-straight state title this season. (Peter Hvizdak – New Haven Register)
Ted Hague will also be part of a pitching rotation which includes Scheps, a West Point commit who was 11-0 last season, senior Rohan Patel and junior Ben Lodewick.
“I like this staff,” Coppola said. “We have work to do, but this can be a strong staff.”
Scheps takes over for Oliphant as the team’s ace, even though it can be argued Scheps was the ace last year, especially while Oliphant worked back from an early-season injury. Both pitchers were unbeaten last season.
“Max had a phenomenal year,” Coppola said. “It was just unbelievable the season he had.
“But, it wasn’t just his pitching. He played third base as well. He does throw hard — in the mid 80s, possibly touching the upper 80s. He has command of two to three pitches, which he can throw for strikes when he wants to. If you can do that, we say you are an All-League caliber pitcher.”
When he isn’t pitching, Hague will play right field. Nolan will play first, Andy Hague will be at shortstop and Colin Beaulieu will anchor the outfield in center.
The Spartans usually have seven or eight scrimmages to determine spots on the roster. With the wet weather, Amity is in the same boat as other teams with less than a handful of scrimmages.
Plenty will be determined in practice, but the Spartans have practices like few other teams. Coppola says he’s determined to keep the teaching fun.
“When I talk to Little League coaches, I tell them they have to make practice fun,” Coppola said. “You have to bring the sandlot to practice.
“Honestly, my number one goal is to make sure my kids have a memorable senior year and career at Amity. I want to make sure it is the most fun they ever had. You have to practice and work hard, but it should be fun. Our practices are competitive, but fun. These guys want to compete against each other. We bring the sandlot to it and let the kids play. When the kids enjoy learning, they learn better. When they are out there having fun and learning, they are getting better faster.”
The Spartans opened the season in impressive style, beating Cheshire in a pitcher’s duel, 1-0, Monday afternoon. Scheps and Cheshire pitcher Mike Hickey were equally impressive, but Amity came out on top thanks to Nolan’s long home run to center in the fourth inning.
Scheps threw a complete game one-hitter with 14 strikeouts and one walk. Hickey struck out seven for Cheshire.
“Both kids were really throwing it,” Coppola said. “Both were pumping in the mid to upper 80’s. Max was on. The only hit he allowed was a perfectly placed swinging bunt between third base and the pitcher.
“We did not intend to have Max go the full game, but he wanted the ball and he pitched a fabulous game. We hit the ball hard today, but right at people. It was a well-pitched game. It could have gone either way, but we were able to come out on top.”
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