ALEX THE GREAT: Princeton High baseball player Alex Winters takes a cut in recent action. Last Thursday, senior center fielder Winters went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs to help PHS defeat the Princeton Day School 10-0. The Tigers, who fell 15-9 to Allentown last Monday to move to 4-5, host Hopewell Valley on April 26, play at Colts Neck on April 27, hosts Franklin on April 29 and plays at Lawrence on April 30. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Alex Winters lived up to his role as the catalyst for the Princeton High baseball team with aplomb as it hosted Princeton Day School last Thursday.

Senior center fielder and leadoff hitter Winters started the bottom of the first inning by stroking a single and stealing a base to ignite a two-run rally.

“That is always the goal, getting a good start especially with the top of our lineup,” said Winters.

“We believe that is what we should be doing every game off of any pitcher to come out strong. We think we should do that and we should keep going.”

Winters kept going, drawing a walk and stealing a base in the third, and coming around to score on a Mike Prete single. In the fourth, he blasted a two-run double over the right fielder’s head to put PHS up 6-0 as it cruised to a 10-0 win in six innings.

“It is give it my all, that is all I have got,” said Winters, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs in the win.

“I am here to win games, I am here to have a good time.I am here to make a run with these guys.”

On his double, Winters knew he made good contact. “I was just trying to simplify my approach up there and hit one hard,” recalled Winters.

“I know if I hit one hard, it is probably going to fall somewhere, especially if I pull it. It is exactly what I did, I hit it hard somewhere. I didn’t get the launch angle I was hoping for to get it out but it did the job. It is a deep fence over here. I knew the boys would figure it out on the bases, it was hit it out there and we will get a few runs in.”

Winters has a lot of confidence in his teammates, noting that with only 13 players on the squad, the Tigers have developed tight bonds.

“The thing about this team is we have a special fight and a special heart,” said Winters.

“I think that is something we haven’t seen in a while with the Princeton program. That is something that makes this team really special, there is a good spirit. We only have 13 guys but it seems like we have 20 guys in here. Everyone wants the same thing, everyone wants to win. That is the consensus. No one is here for stats. Everyone wants to win the game, that is what I love here.”

As a battle-tested veteran, Winters also looks to be a catalyst when it comes to promoting that team spirit.

“I have been here for three years, I take it that I need to be a leader for the team, whether on the field, off the field,” said Winters.

“I try to be a vocal leader and keep the guys in the game. I think if we are in the game at all times, good things are going to happen.”

PHS head coach Dom Capuano credits Winters with making things happen for the Tigers.

“That is why he hits leadoff,” said Capuano of Winters who is batting .448 with 12 stolen bases.

“For my money he is definitely the best leadoff hitter in the county, if not one of top three hitters in the county. It shows; he did a good job today. We rely on him.”

So far this spring, PHS has been one of the top hitting teams in the county, averaging eight runs a game through nine games.

“One to five is doing really well,” said Capuano, whose first five features Ben Walden, Mike Prete, Dylan Newman and Chase Hamerschlag in addition to Winters.

“You saw today with the one to five, if you can get them up a lot it helps. Prete is hitting .900 in the last three games. He went O-for and then he got his first hit and he is killing it. I put him in the nine hole for a game. When I told him about it, he put his head down. I said look it is not a punishment, it is so you can see better pitches and feel comfortable and he did. It hasn’t stopped. Ben is doing great. Everyone in the top five is doing great.”

In the win over PDS, the Tigers got a stellar mound effort from junior Jai Justice as he went five innings, striking out seven and giving up just one hit. Nano Sarceno came on in relief in the sixth and closed the door on the Panthers.

“The last two days, they have been throwing more strikes,” said Capuano.

“In our losses, it is not that simple. I think both pitchers walked the first batters they saw but then after that they settled in. Justice did great today for his first outing, first start, first everything. You can’t ask for much more, five innings of shutout baseball with one hit. That’s the thing, especially playing five games this week, you need guys like him to do that.”

Capuano is seeing good things from his players in the early going.

“We are finding our stride,” said Capuano, whose team fell 15-9 to Allentown last Monday to move to 4-5 and hosts Hopewell Valley on April 26, plays at Colts Neck on April 27, hosts Franklin on April 29, and then plays at Lawrence on April 30.

“We are starting to play complete games, we are starting to throw strikes and doing the things we need to do. We talk about beating teams that you are supposed to beat. It is just keep doing what we are doing. The guys who aren’t hitting, it is make sure we keep focused and make sure that they are adjusting and doing the right things. The pitchers just need to keep throwing strikes and keep the pitch count down.”

Being a tight-knit squad has proved to be an advantage for the Tigers.

“It is nice, everybody understands their role,” said Capuano.

“Everyone is willing to be together and fight for each other. It definitely helps. I would love to have 18 guys but if you are going to have 13, this is a good nucleus of guys to have.”

In the view of Winters, the PHS players are taking their roles seriously.

“We have to stay all business, that is what we like to say,” said Winters.

“It is don’t talk about it, be about it; that is our team motto. We can say all we want about having energy but it is just show up and play well.”