Monessen baseball motivated by postseason defeats

By: William Whalen
Friday, March 15, 2019 | 7:09 PM

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Tough losses can do one of two things, divide a team or bring a team together.

After suffering consecutive postseason losses to the same team to end the last two seasons, Monessen baseball coach Bill Matush feels like the 2019 Greyhounds are galvanized and have finally bonded as a team.

“The repeat of the last two years of losing to Union by one run, is something to think about,” said Matush, who is in 17th season as the Greyhounds coach. “I got like seven kids that were involved in both those losses the past two years.

“I think it’s brought them closer. This year is going to be more (about) team.”

Monessen was able to accomplish a feat that had not been done in the school’s long history.

The Greyhounds notched the program’s first postseason win with a 2-0 victory over Western Beaver in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs last season. That’s another reason why the one-run, quarterfinal loss to Union hurts. The Greyhounds had finally hit their stride but got knocked out of the race at the second turn.

“The team that has the least amount of walks and errors are usually gonna win games,” Matush said.

The Greyhounds had plenty more to hang their caps on. Monessen (11-7) also finished tied for second place with Jeannette in the Section 2-A standings and went into the Class A bracket with a respectable No. 7 seed.

“Our goal each year is to take another step, hopefully,” Matush said.

Big-time names in Cory Fleming, Antonio Rhome, Tyler Caterino and Nick Baker — all who have helped propel the program forward — are gone now. Matush and his staff are tasked with finding their replacements while trying to achieve the same results.

“Last year, especially, we had a couple of players and we kind of relied on them,” Matush said. “I feel like they have a different attitude. The most driving force that they have is that they want to be better than the team we had last year.”

The most interesting part of the Greyhounds this season is the pitching. Matush has to be the envy of the baseball world. Monessen holds three experienced starters, and they’re all lefties.

“I’ve been coaching for 17 years and never had a lefty, and now I have three,” Matush said.

Pitching is gonna have to carry Monessen early on while newcomers become more familiar with their positions.

“To be honest, I hate to say it but (our strength) might be our pitching,” Matush said. “Right now, I don’t have a true ace but we have depth.”

Seniors Vinnie Rhome and Nate Lynch and junior Cam Frolo make up the lefty trio. Seniors Zach Evans and Tyler Swann will add depth to the staff.

“If we throw strikes, we’ll be good,” Matush said.

Matush decided to go young behind the plate and will start freshman Braedon DuBreucq at catcher. Matush said he had his eye on DuBreucq from Day 1.

The Greyhounds won’t be young at first base but they will inexperienced. After waiting patiently behind Rhome, Lynch earned the starting nod at first, when he’s not on the hill.

“I’m expecting big things from Nate (Lynch) this year, and he’s been working really hard in the preseason,” Matush said.

There’s a quintet of players battling for the three remaining infield spots. Evans, senior Marcus Tansmore, Swann, sophomore James Thomas, and freshman Jack Sacco are all in the mix. Consistency will get the nod.

When they’re not pitching, Frolo will be in center field and Rhome in left. There’s a three-way battle between seniors Jeremiah Quattro and Darnell Howell and sophomore James Thomas in right field.

Monessen opens the regular season at Southmoreland on March 22 before starting Section 2-A play April 3 at home vs. California.

“I’ve been real happy with the way our preseason has been going,” Matush said. “It seems like we have more of a team attitude, more so than in past years.”

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

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