Longhorns Looking to Stampede Their Way Back To Texas

 By Rich Gonzalez

                The 2009 baseball season will bring big expectations from the Longhorns of Suffolk West Community College who will be on the prowl to capture their third consecutive Region XV Championsip, and another trip to the JUCO World Series in Tyler, Texas.

                 Gone are most of the recruits who finished their two year commitments along with two trips to the JUCO World Series, and entering are young men who are looking to supersede the previous class and bring home a National Championship.  Only a few cogs remain from those Championship teams, like the return of All - American OF Giovanni Jimenez, the potent Sean Connochie, who sported a hefty .403 batting average and broke the schools single season RBI record.  Returning on the hill are outstanding pitchers Vinny Loughlin, Erik Puterio, and Jonathan Grosse.  Being that the team needed to re-fuel, it was once again the expertise of Head Coach Bobby Molinaro who enticed a number of very talented ballplayers in Nassau and Suffolk County to be a part of the Longhorn Baseball Team.  Included are right handed pitcher Eric Stampfl, who along with a nasty repertoire of pitches, pops the gun at 91 MPH.  Joining him from the left side is John Mincone, Suffolk County's 2007 Gibson Award Winner, who is under the watchful eye of several Major League Baseball Scouts.  This exceptionally talented pitching staff will be primed for takeoff when the Suffolk West Longhorns get set to not only open up their '09 season, but their newly renovated ballpark as well.  However, pitching was not the only weapon Coach Molinaro hit hard on the recruiting trail.  Standout Catcher, Joe Tebaldi, from the University of Delaware, along with power hitting C / OF Anthony Orsano from Marshall will complement an arsenal of offensive ammunition who decided to join in on the chance of winning a title.

                 The season will commence with many new faces, but the talent is possibly the strongest this program has ever had, which is saying a lot, considering they have already won Back To Back Region XV Championships.  They do understand that many teams will be circling their names on schedules, and looking to knock them off the top of the mountain in which they stand.  Coach Molinaro will be entering his 7th season as the Head Coach at Suffolk West CC.  Rich Gonzalez will be returning as Hitting Coach after taking a year off.  Former standout and back at his alma mater is 1st year coach Joe Kitt.  Bob DeMichael will take over the reigns as pitching coach, as he will also be entering his first season at Suffolk.  

                 This team knows the challenges ahead, and with hard work, dedication, and perserverance , they will attempt to become the only College Baseball Team from Long Island to win a National Championship since 1966, and the first EVER to win  a NJCAA DIII JUCO National Championship.   Only time will tell if the Longhorns will return to the place where they belong........Texas!