Baseball is back following a year-long stoppage of play, and RCSJ Gloucester Coach Rob Valli and his team are once again ready for prime time.
Following a brilliant 2019 season in which they finished as NJCAA Division III national runner-up, Valli and the Roadrunner baseball team were ready for even more success. The Roadrunners indeed flexed their muscles early in the Spring 2020 campaign as they raced out to a 6-1 overall start before the pandemic forced the shutdown of the remainder of the season.
Valli and his talented club are again ready to leap over the pack and bring home the coveted NJCAA Division III crown.
"Our goal remains the same going in to every season, win a national championship," said Valli. "We are confident in our roster of players," said Valli. "We believe there is a good balance of hitting, pitching, and the ability to play defense. It should be another exciting season."
The Runners look very much like National Championship contenders. Valli, with 12 seasoned sophomores, has reloaded the roster with a solid recruiting class of freshmen pitching and hitting prospects.
Valli -- who has 449 career wins as a Roadrunner coach in 11 seasons – knows his squad has plenty of depth and experience to return to the National Championship Tournament.
See season preview below.
2021 Season Preview
Head Coach: Rob Valli; 12th season at RCSJ-Gloucester; 449-111 record at GCC/RCGC; former head coach at Temple University; career record of 561-323.
Assistant Coaches: Greg Chew (pitching coach), Chris Rollins (assistant coach).
Last Season 6-1 overall, 4-0 Region XIX prior to 2020 season being canceled by NJCAA.
2019 Season: 42-11 overall; No. 2 nationally, NJCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
2021 Outlook: Preseason No. 1 in National Coaches Rankings; No. 2 in NJCAA Division III National Rankings; Region XIX and GSAC preseason favorites.
Opener: Monday, March 8, at Mercer County Community College, 3 pm.
Top returnees: Jack Billings, So., RHP, St. Augustine Prep/Virginia Tech; Rich Racabaldo, So., LHP, St. Joe's Hammonton; Jose Correa, So., Middle Infield, LEAP Academy;Dauri Genao, So., INF, High Tech; Joe Marino, So., LHP, St. Joe's Hammonton Dan Frake, So., RHP, Shawnee/Salisbury U.; Marcus Eusebio, So., RHP; Passaic Tech/U. Tenn.-Martin.
Additional second-year players: Liam Anderson, So., OF, Cherry Hill West; Angel Cespedes, So., RHP, Passaic/Howard JC; Cole Chesnet, So., C, Archbishop Carroll; John Cristino, So., C, Haddonfield; Isaias Marte, So., 1B, Woodrow Wilson.
Newcomers: Isaac Beebe, Fr., RHP, Eastern Regional; Joseph Cepin, Fr., RHP, Passaic; Sean Colbert. Fr., RHP, Audubon; Billy Hoffacker, Fr., RHP, Timber Creek; Tom Kane, Fr., LHP. Cardinal O'Hara; Jason Kinnerman, Fr., RHP, Paul VI; Chris Widger, LHP, Fr., Pennsville.
Additional Newcomers: Chase Banks, Fr., C, Deptford; Carson Haas, Fr., C, Middle Twp.; Vince Nader, Fr., C, Pitman; Roberto Bonafacio, Fr., 3B, Pennsauken; Jimmy Bruno, Fr., MIF, Paul VI; Greg Rossi, Fr., MIF, Washington Twp.; Matt Schaffer, 1B, Highland; Sean Szestowicki, Fr., MIF, Kingsay/James Madison; Jim White, Fr., INF, Cardinal O'Hara; Starlyn Arias, Fr., CF, Bayonne; Sam Daggers, Fr., RF, Egg Harbor/Wagner College; Shawn Dougherty, Fr., OF, Clearview; Nick Nocella, Fr., 1B, Gloucester Catholic; Christian Kane, Fr., CF, Washington Twp.; Eric Sabato, Fr., CF, Bishop Eustace.
Season Outlook: The Runners begin the season as the No. 1 team in the Baseball Coaches Association preseason poll and No. 2 in the NKCAA preseason poll. Valli's team is loaded in every part of his lineup, both offensively and defensively. Sophomore Jack Billings will be a key contributor throughout the season both on the mound and with his timely hitting. The starting rotation is loaded with some of the top talent in the country, and Valli will also rely on a top group of middle relievers and closers.
Offensively, the lineup will be strong with veterans Billings, Dauri Genao, and Jose Correa, along with the some talented transfers and newcomers leading the way.
Coach Rob Valli on his 2021 Roadrunners: "Our strength is the depth we have at each position. We are loaded with top pitching prospects, and they will be on early season pitch counts like we usually do. We also feel good about our ability to score runs in different ways. There is a lot of athleticism among an aggressive group of hitters; they afford us the ability to platoon and create advantageous matchups."