COOL HAND LUKE: Princeton Day School catcher Luke Haan guards the plate in a game earlier this spring. Junior Haan has been an anchor of the team defensively from the catcher spot and is also hitting .293. PDS, which fell 9-1 to Allentown last Monday to move to 2-15, hosts Trenton Central on May 15, plays at Hightstown on May 17, and then hosts North Plainfield on May 18 and Willingboro on May 20. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Encouraged by defeating Dunellen 7-5 on May 4 in posting its second win of the season, the Princeton Day School baseball team was looking for a Colonial Valley Conference breakthrough as it hosted WW/P-South last Wednesday.

The game was knotted at 0-0 heading into the second inning before the roof fell in on PDS as WW/P-S pushed across nine runs in the top of the frame. Things went from bad to worse for the Panthers as they fell 23-2 to the Pirates.

PDS head coach Eric Schnepf tipped his hat to the Pirates.

“They did a good job, their pitchers threw strikes, they made the plays in the field, they hit the ball all over the yard,” said Schnepf. “They just took it to us today, there is no other way to say it. It wasn’t in the cards for us today, we just really took a tough one on the chin.”

While disappointed with the result against WW/P-S, Schnepf believes his young squad has shown improvement this spring.

“I know it might be tough to see today, but there has been progress from last year to this year and even from the start of this year,” said Schnepf. “We picked a bad time to play a bad game.”

Junior transfer Santino Cignarella has played well this spring, posting a team-high batting average of .385.

“He is doing a really good job leading off and playing shortstop,” said Schnepf of Cignarella.

“He is setting the table and keeping the team composed. He is a good leader on the field and in the locker room. He does a really good job with the culture we are trying to build here. He has been a great addition to the program.”

Another key addition for PDS has been freshman outfielder-pitcher Keegan Fullman, who is hitting .293.

“He is playing really well, it is easy to forget that he is a freshman,” said Schnepf. “Just him coming in and being comfortable and being able to adjust to the pace of play and the speed of varsity baseball, we are very excited by him and impressed by what he has done so far.”

The play of junior catcher Luke Haan has been impressive as well.

“Luke is having a good year,” said Schnepf of Haan who is also batting .293. “He got beat up a little bit today, it was a tough day to be behind the plate. He never complains, he never puts his head down. He is just trying to keep his guys in it. We definitely lean on him game in, game out as an anchor of the team.”

The Panthers, who fell 9-1 to Allentown last Monday to move to 2-15, have not been hanging their heads despite the lack of wins.

“Top to bottom, everybody is finding ways to develop, not just physically but also culturally,” said Schnepf, whose team hosts Trenton Central on May 15, plays at Hightstown on May 17, and then hosts North Plainfield on May 18 and Willingboro on May 20. “They are into it, they care.”

With PDS slated to finish its season by competing in the upcoming New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public tournament, Schnepf believes his players will keep being into it.

“It is just trying to finish the year strong and gear up and do what we can in the state tournament,” said Schnepf.