FULL SPEED AHEAD: Princeton Day School baseball player Keegan Fullman makes contact in a game last spring. Sophomore outfielder/pitcher Fullman is looking to build on a solid debut campaign. PDS opens its 2025 season by playing at Trenton Central on March 26. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After losing 16 of its first 18 games last spring, the Princeton Day School baseball team went 4-1 down the stretch, earning the program’s first-ever win in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public tournament in the process.

As PDS heads into the 2025 campaign, the squad is primed to build on the progress it made last spring.

“We are OK with where we are but we are eager to continue to grow and build it and elevate the standard,” said Panther head coach Eric Schnepf, whose club starts its 2025 season by playing at Trenton Central on March 26. “The guys are excited, they have been working hard, they are getting physically, mentally and emotionally ready for opening day and for the season.”

Schnepf is excited about his mound staff which features senior Dylan Powers, sophomore Mason Roitburg, senior Santino Cignarella, and junior Grayson McLaughlin.

“We return a lot of arms and we have a few new arms coming in so hopefully we have a little bit more depth as well,” said Schnepf. “I am excited with what the pitchers are showing me so far. Dylan had a really good year last year with him on the mound we feel like we can compete with anyone. Mason behind him had a great year as a freshman. I am excited to see how he steps up this year. We are feeling confident in the guys we have coming back and were excited to see what the guys who came in can do.”

As for the batting order, Cignarella figures to be the catalyst for the Panthers from the lead-off spot.

“Santino did a really good job last year, not just hitting for average but getting on base as he walked a lot,” said Schnepf of Cignarella who batted .421 last year with 18 runs and 24 hits. “He runs really well he is aggressive and smart. He is good situationally. It is nice to have that table-setter who you can rely on and depend on to get the guys going.”

Another senior, catcher Luke Haan, has been a dependable performer in the middle of the order for PDS. He batted .328 last spring with nine runs and 20 hits.

“We are very lucky to have had him for three years as a catcher and a middle of the lineup guy,” said Schnepf. “Being a new coach and coming in to work with these guys for the first time three years ago, you couldn’t ask for a better guy to have as a leader. He has continued to grow as a leader, as a teammate. Physically, mentally and emotionally, he has taken so many strides not just from sophomore year to now but from last year. I am expecting him to come out and be Luke Haan, not trying to do anything crazy, just playing his game.”

Sophomore Keegan Fullman raised his game over the course of last spring, ending up hitting .276 with 11 runs and 16 hits.

“He had a really competitive year at the bat, you are looking at a freshman that is seeing varsity pitching and he did a really good job,” said Schnepf, noting that McLaughlin and sophomore transfer Bailey Mitra should add some hitting punch. “I think the biggest jump we are going to see from him this year is his mental growth in the box. He has matured physically as well. We are hoping for him to continue to build on his freshman campaign.”

A pair of freshmen, AJ Doran and Vince Filis, figure to make a big impact this spring.

“They are good young kids, they are great baseball players that want to compete,” said Schnepf. “They want to be thrown into the fire here and overcome the challenges and adversity that they might see.”

The Panthers should be good defensively with the speedy Fullman patrolling center field and Doran in right with some mixing and matching in left field depending on the situation and who is pitching. Across the infield, Haan will be at catcher, Filis at third, Cignarella at short, and Mitra at first with second up for grabs.

Looking ahead, Schnepf believes that his players just need to stay the course to keep making strides.

“I think it is just continuing to improve on the things that we always focus on — are you making the play in the field, on the mound, are you competitive, are you in the zone, are you letting your defense work,” said Schnepf. “Up to bat, are you grinding out at-bats and working to do a job and move the line. As long as the kids continue to take that kind of mentality and approach into each game, they are going to be in good shape. Hopefully it equates to more wins and more games being more competitive. I think the kids just have to come out and continue to do what they have been doing and just continue to improve the physical, mental and emotional parts of their game.”