South Philly Review
700 wins and counting for Coach Tropiano
Sam Tropiano, who grew up in South Philly, recently became the first high school baseball coach to win 700 games in South Jersey. Tropiano, a St. John Neumann High School grad, is the longtime coach at Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in Pennsauken. Photo/Mark Zimmaro
Becoming a legendary baseball coach was never part of the plan for Sam Tropiano.
A lifelong teacher, first and foremost, and a soccer player when he attended St. John Neumann High School, Tropiano found his calling as a high school baseball coach, first at St. Augustine Preparatory School and then at Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in Pennsauken, New Jersey, where he has been the skipper for the last 31 years.
Anthony Vilar bats during Miami s game against Duke on April 3 at Mark Light Field. Photo credit: Alex Carnochan
The Hurricanes got off to an encouraging 4-0 start Sunday afternoon versus the Pittsburgh Panthers, but they ultimately fell 12-5 in a blowout loss, resulting in a weekend series sweep.
Miami came into the contest with a vengeance, looking to pounce on the Panthers after dropping Friday and Saturday’s games.
In the top half of the second, the Canes did just that and cracked the scoreboard with a four-run frame. Christian Del Castillo led off the inning with a two-bagger perfectly placed in the right-center field gap. He was then brought in to score on an RBI knock from Alex Toral. However, the loudest swing of the inning came off the bat of Dominic Pitelli, who crushed a three-run home run over the right field wall to blow the game open for Miami at 4-0.
Victor Mederos pitches against Duke on April 3 at Mark Light Field. Photo credit: Alex Carnochan
Miami freshman pitcher Victor Mederos took the mound in Pittsburgh on Saturday looking to help Miami even the three-game series, but after a one-two-three first inning, the right-hander failed to maintain momentum in the second and No. 17 Pittsburgh held off No. 20 Miami 6-4 Charles L. Cost Field.
Mederos (1-3) was lifted after only two innings, allowing four earned runs and walking two batters, as Miami (17-10, 10-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) fell behind early on a three-run Pittsburgh attack in the second frame.
Pittsburgh (16-10, 11-9 ACC) continued to capitalize in the fourth inning with UM sophomore right-hander Jake Smith in at pitcher. Pitt third baseman Sky Duff hit a one-out RBI double to stretch the Panthers lead to 5-2.