NO QUIT: Princeton High baseball player Nano Sarceno takes a cut in game earlier this season. Last Thursday, senior standout Sarceno went 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI in a losing cause as PHS fell 16-5 to Hightstown. The Tigers, who lost 12-8 to Somerville last Monday to move to 6-7, play at Hamilton West on May 1, at Ewing on May 2, and at Montgomery on May 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Nano Sarceno was looking to be a catalyst for the Princeton High baseball team as it hosted Hightstown last Thursday.

Batting third for PHS, senior Sarceno belted a double to left field in the bottom of the first inning and advanced to third base on an error.

“It was 0-2 and he hung me a slider and I just had to take advantage off it and drive it a long way which felt really good,”said Sarceno.”I thought that was going to give our team a lot of energy and someone would hopefully drive me in and give us a run to start us early.

Sarceno, though, was stranded on third and things went downhill from there for the Tigers as Hightstown built a 13-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third.

PHS did respond with five runs in the bottom of the frame but didn’t score again as the Rams prevailed 16-5 in five innings.

Sarceno contributed a run-scoring single in the Tiger rally.

“That felt good, helping our team get on the board with the first run,” said Sarceno. “I thought that was going to start it up after that inning and we were going to come back. We needed a strong top half of the next inning but we just didn’t get that.”

As weather has warmed up, Sarceno has been swinging a hot bat.

“I had a really strong preseason but to start the season, I started off very slow,” said Sarceno, who was 3-for-9 with a run and two RBIs in his last three games heading into last Thursday. “I kind of just got into my own head. I just feel way more confident in the box now. I am not worried about what is going to happen or striking out.”

For Sarceno, a turning point came when he delivered a key hit in a 9-8 win over WW/P-South on April 10.

“It was the bottom of the sixth inning, man on third, and I came up and drove a pitch to right field to give us the lead,” said Sarceno, who is now hitting .263 with five runs and four RBIs. “After that is really when I started to turn it around.”

Sarceno has been making a big contribution in the field for PHS as he has stepped in at catcher with Matt Akey currently sidelined by injury.

“It is a challenge and it is definitely difficult for the team because I am not the best catcher in the world,” said Sarceno, who started the season playing first base.

“I still have things that I have got to work on, I am picking it up a little bit. It is a little more challenging but I love it because it is a different point of view of the game. I am a part of it on every single play. I am more important to the team.”

As Sarceno heads down the stretch of his PHS career, he is focused enjoying the ride.

“I am just trying to make the most out of it and just have fun while I am playing this great game that we play,” said Sarceno. “I am just trying to embrace everything and every moment. Even during this game where we were down big, I was still just trying to have fun. We are here to win games but we are also here to have fun.”

PHS head coach Dom Capuano didn’t have fun watching his pitching staff struggle in the loss to Hightstown.

“It is baseball, these things happen,” said Capuano. “I think we faced 37 batters and 19 of them were either walked or hit.”

Capuano did like the way Tigers made things happen with their bats in the bottom of the third.

“That was good, the hitting was good today,” said Capuano.“Even at that point when we are on our sixth pitcher, it is tough. You are not going to dig yourself out. It was good to show that fight and come back.”

Sarceno’s recent hitting surge has been a plus for PHS. “Nano has been hitting a lot better if you take away the first couple of games,” said Capuano. “It was uncharacteristic of him to start off the season the way he did. He is coming along, he is doing what we thought he was going to do and what he was doing in the preseason. That is good to see.”

With PHS playing at Hamilton West on May 1, at Ewing on May 2, and at Montgomery on May 6, Capuano wants ro see some sharper play from his squad.

“Throw strikes, that is a start,” said Capuano, whose team lost 12-8 to Somerville last Monday to move to 6-7.

“This week, if we have been throwing strikes, we are not fielding well. We have to put it all back together and just move forward. I think in some ways losing 16-5 is better than than losing 5-4 because we can just wash this one away. It is what it is, we have got to have a good day of practice tomorrow and hopefully rebound.”

In Sarceno’s view, the Tigers need to show a sense of urgency to get back on the right track.

“Hopefully the boys can get it together, we need to do something,” said Sarceno. “We won four in a row and just lost three in a row. You can win games really quickly and you can lose games really quickly.”