CB East Varsity Baseball is back in less than a month, and they are looking to build off the memorable season they had last year when they dominated the conference with a 12–4 record, putting them in first place. They had a 17–8 overall record. East won playoff games against Garnet Valley, Neshaminy, and Plymouth Whitemarsh but fell to Downingtown West and Hazleton Area High School, bringing the 2024 season to close. The 2024 season had many notable seniors who graduated and went on to play collegiate baseball. Starting third baseman Chase Harlan was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Jack Mislan, the big-bat center fielder, continued his career at Lafayette College. The team was stacked with successful pitchers like Damian Frayne, who is now pitching for the College of Wooster baseball in Ohio, and Sam Bliss, who went to Dickinson College.
Despite losing the talented 2024 class, East still has the potential for another great season. The pitching will likely include Jason Abert (East Stroudsburg University commit), Mike Scafidi, and Luciano Stridacchio (Allegheny College commit). They will also have Mason Cruz (Messiah University commit) and Chase Fulford (Binghamton University commit) available for time on the mound. Additionally, Brody Wojnicki and Konnor Ware may see more opportunities this spring rotation. Stat-wise, Jason Albert had a solid 1.64 ERA last year. The junior looks to repeat an impressive sophomore year, as he was primarily a closer for the season.
Doubling as a primary shortstop, Fulford pitched well in the fall tournament league, mixing his fastball and breaking ball, and he will continue to be an asset in East’s pitching rotation. Fulford said, “After a great season last year making school history by making it to states, we are still overly optimistic about the year to come. Although we lost a few key players and simply great friends, we will have to come together as a team to battle this year. With the new schedule of playing a three-game series against conference opponents, we will need to pitch well. We will lean on Mike Scafidi, Jason Abert and Konnor Ware as well as me, but they are all beyond qualified for the job. I am good to pitch as well, but I also love playing in the field, so I will pitch at times that we need it. So excited for our season, team is looking great, and the team chemistry is through the roof.”
Matthew Sharkey, primary catcher committed to Chestnut Hill College for baseball, can also be effective with a .990 fielding percentage and solid bat speed. He has been a skilled senior catcher to stick in the lineup for East. His counterpart Nick Mutchler is an offensive weapon who goes for power and throws people out from behind the plate. Finally, Colin Lynch, a University of Dayton commit, will likely return to first base and move up in the lineup as his bat is very impressive. He is an incredible asset to the team on the field and in the box.
From last year, the Patriots made a massive jump. In the 2022/23 season, they were ranked 175th in Pennsylvania, and in the 2023/24 season, they were ranked 18th in the state, a +157 difference from last season. It was a highly successful season for the Patriots, and that outcome is heavily anticipated for the upcoming season. They will start their journey in early March against their first opponent, Perkiomen Valley High School, at home.