SWINGING AWAY: Princeton Day School baseball player Santino Cignarella follows through on a swing in a 2024 game. Senior infielder Cignarella went 1 for 3 with a walk last Thursday as PDS lost 3-1 to Princeton High. The Panthers, who moved to 0-5 with the defeat, host Hamilton West on April 10 before playing at Manville on April 12 and at Steinert on April 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having lost its first four games this spring, it looked like the Princeton Day School baseball team was poised for a breakthrough as it hosted Princeton High last Thursday.

Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning with two players on base, PDS freshman third baseman Vince Filis ripped a line drive down the left field line that sent the runners racing home.

But the shot was foul by inches and Filis went on to strike out as the Panthers fell by that 3-1 margin.

While PDS head coach Eric Schnepf was disappointed by the result, he liked the way his guys fought to the last out.

“The guys kept battling, they never just quit, they never just disappear,” said Schnepf. “They are always going up there, they are engaged, they are involved. They are competing, they are working on moving the line. A couple of feet one way or another and we might be having a different conversation.”

PDS had the bases loaded with no outs in the fifth but ended up with nothing as PHS outfielders tracked down some well hit fly balls.

“That is the way it goes sometimes, we had our opportunities,” lamented Schnepf. “We hit a couple of at-them balls. You are not always going to convert on all of your opportunities so that is just the way it goes. Credit to their pitcher (Eric Wheeler) and their defense, they did a great job of working themselves out of tough spots.”

Sophomore Mason Roitburg gave PDS some good work on the mound as he went five innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts.

“He threw a good game for us, we had one inning where there were some bumps in the road, that happens,” said Schnepf of Roitburg. “Overall, I thought he threw well, he gave us a chance to win which is all you can ask.”

While PDS has had chances to win some tight games early on, its youth has held it back.

“We are just so young and I think that the youth and inexperience is a contributing factor to lack of execution,” said Schnepf. “We are figuring it out as they go, day-by-day, pitch-by-pitch. Once we are able to convert, we will be a little more consistent in those opportunities and will find ourselves on a different side of the scoreboard.”

One of those young players, freshman outfielder AJ Doran, is making an impact, batting .250 with a homer in the early going.

“Doran has been doing great for us, he is an anchor in the middle of the lineup,” said Schnepf. “He is a big boy, he throws it well, he is physical. He is very mature in the box, he is someone that when he is up, you are ready for him to do some damage.”

Schnepf likes what he is getting from his players throughout the lineup.

“From top to bottom, there is nobody I haven’t been happy with,” said Schnepf. “Tino (Santino Cignarella) has been getting on base. Keegan [Fullman] is having a good year. Vince is swinging a good bat. Gavin [Ross] has been hitting really well.”

With PDS hosting Hamilton West on April 10 before playing at Manville on April 12 and at Steinert on April 14, Schnepf believes his team is poised for a breakthrough.

“We just haven’t strung them together in the right way yet, that is going to come,” said Schnepf. “I think the frustration isn’t in the losses necessarily, it is more just the frustration we have had the opportunities but we just haven’t converted. We have to punch through the wall one time. Wa are close, there guys can feel it, the coaches can feel it. It is just a matter of when it happens.”