FULL EFFORT: Princeton Day School baseball player Keegan Fullman makes contact in a 2024 game. Last Thursday, sophomore Fullman starred with his arm and bat as sixth-seeded PDS defeated 11th-seeded Wildwood Catholic 8-1 in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public South Jersey Group B tournament. Fullman got the win on the mound and went 3 for 4 with one run and two RBIs at the plate. The Panthers went on to fall 7-4 to third-seeded Doane Academy in the quarterfinal round last Friday to end the spring with a 10-17 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having its New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public South Jersey Group B opener delayed by a day due to rain, the Princeton Day School baseball team was chomping at the bit to get its state run underway when it faced Wildwood Catholic last Thursday.

“We got pushed back a day and then we couldn’t play at home so we had to shoot up to Diamond Nation,” said PDS head coach Eric Schnepf. “The boys came out and played really well.”

The Panthers rolled to an 8-1 win as it excelled in all phases of the game.

“We swung it well,” said Schnepf. “Keegan [Fullman] gave us six strong innings and then Cameron [Kelemen] came in and shut the door. We played solid defense. It was a good day for us.”

It was a very good day for sophomore Fullman who went 3 for 4 with one run and two RBIs at the plate in addition to his stellar work on the mound which saw him strike out six and give up just six hits.

“Keegan just came out and he was ready to go,” added Schnepf. “He played great. He hit well, he threw well. It was a big effort he gave us.”

Freshman AJ Doran and senior Luke Haan had some big hits in the win as Doran went 1 for 2 with one run and two RBIs while Haan was 2 for 4 with one run and one RBI.

“AJ has been swinging a really good bat all year,” said Schnepf. “Luke came in and has been swinging a really good bat as of late too.”

Getting a win in the first round in the Non-Public tournament for a second straight year was a confidence builder for the program.

“It is not just advancing but playing good baseball,” said Schnepf. “That is the big thing. They realize that when they play well, they can compete. That is what it takes to perform at a high level.”

On Friday, the Panthers competed hard at third-seeded Doane Academy in the quarterfinal round, falling behind 4-0 and then rallying for one run in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth to narrow the gap to 5-4. Doane, though, responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and held on for a 7-4 win.

“[Jacob] Powell came out and threw a really good game, he was taking it to us early,” said Schnepf, whose team ended the season with a 10-17 record. “We got to him a little bit late where we started to string some stuff together. They brought in a reliever and the two of them were able to shut the door that inning. Credit to their offense too, right after we put up a couple of runs they came back and responded.”

Schnepf was proud of the way his players responded down the stretch as the Panthers went 10-8 after starting 0-9.

“I think the boys played really well; the goals are simple but they are effective,” said Schnepf. “You always want to continue to elevate the standard and grow the culture. You expect the boys to come out and compete and overcome adversity. If you are able to do those things more often than not, it shows in the wins and losses. Not only did we see improvement from last year but we did it with a relatively young group.”

In assessing the team’s progress over the course of the spring, Schnepf pointed to the growth of its young players and the leadership of the veterans.

“I would say the first thing was just getting over the growing pains,” said Schnepf. “Our younger guys getting comfortable with the pace of the game and the expectations of it. The older guys just continue to lead. They did a good job all year of setting the tone, setting the standard and mentoring those younger guys along. Everyone just got a little more comfortable. We were able to come out and be competitive and be confident.”

While the Panthers have a good foundation in place with such returners as freshman Vince Filis, junior Grayson McLaughlin, sophomore Mason Roitburg, and freshman Gavin Ross along with freshman Kelemen, freshman Doran, and sophomore Fullman, Schnepf acknowledges that the team’s seniors are having a big void.

“We are really excited to be bringing a good chunk of the team back but with that being said we are going to miss our seniors,” said Schnepf, whose senior group included Santino Cignarella, Dylan Powers, and Haan. “You are going to miss them not just for what they do on the field. I have had them now for three years and they have understood what is expected of them and the culture we want to build. Losing those leaders is tough and you just hope that there are guys who are ready, willing and able to step up and continue to elevate the standard and the culture.”

Schnepf believes that the less experienced players soaked up valuable lessons from the senior trio.

“All three of them were really good leaders,” said Schnepf. “They took care of business on the field, they got along with the kids really well off the field. I think some of our younger guys latched on to them to see how they do things. They handled the day-to-day, so hopefully our younger guys now can continue to grow.”

Overall, the PDS program is in a good place with the growth it has shown in Schnepf’s three years at the helm.

“You are happy with where you are but you are never content or satisfied,” said Schnepf. “Going back to year one, I think we all appreciate the growth that we have seen but with that being said, we still have a long way to go. If we can continue to focus on the things that we can control — how we show up every day, our competitiveness — your hope is that you can continue to improve in all areas.”