With a full 25 game season this year, second year St. Vincent de Paul head coach Spencer Finkbohner wants to make the most of it.
"I am expecting at least 15 wins this season, and of course we hope to win our league. We always aspire to compete,” said Finkbohner. “With my time here it would also be awesome to get some players to play college baseball. I am also expecting a team GPA to be higher than a 3.0.”
There are still some starting spots to fill for the Mustangs, who finished 10-7 last season in the COVID-19 shortened season. With this, one of the lone-known starters is senior leader Jake DeCarli. He caught every game last season, and again plans to be behind the plate this season. Last season, DeCarli hit .333 and was reliable defensively behind the plate committing just one error in 105 total chances.
In both the football and basketball seasons, DeCarli was turned to by coaches to be a leader. He hopes these qualities will carry over to baseball this season.
“I’m all about helping out the younger kids when they need it,” said DeCarli. “Whatever it takes to help this program succeed”.
Another likely lock to start in Wednesday’s game for the Mustangs is sophomore infielder/pitcher Nico Antonini. He was the team's MVP last season as a freshman. In 17 games he had a .397 batting average with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 63 at bats. He also stole six bases and was 3-0 in six appearances on the mound, with an impressive 1.97 ERA.
Finkbohner had high praise for both DeCarli and Antonini.
“I could not have been any happier for the two of them and the way they have grown up,” Finkbohner said. “Both are complete gamers. I am so lucky to have them on my team and in my dugout”.
Senior infielder Dante Antonini returns as one of the team's standout players. He had multiple team-leading stats last season, including a .431 batting average, .686 slugging percentage, and stole 14 bases on 14 attempts. He played outfield and infield last season in his junior year, but is focusing on an infield position this season.
The Mustangs currently have three pitchers competing to start on Wednesday against the Coyotes. These three pitchers being junior Eddy Stone, senior Carter Payte, and sophomore Josh Malik. Stone and Malik also play 3rd base, with Payte being a 1st baseman. Whoever does not start in the season opener will likely see action at their respective infield positions and will likely pitch at St. Helena Thursday.
Malik and Payte each pitched two innings in Saturday’s scrimmage against Rosemont. Stone pitched two innings the weekend before in a scrimmage against Petaluma High School.
Finkbohner does not focus on the narrative behind being the ‘day one starter’, but rather focuses on mapping out ideal situations for each game.
“Day one starter for me is just a cliché, it’s just another ball game,” said Finkbohner. “But it is more than just rolling the ball out there and seeing what happens. We are definitely trying to be two steps ahead but also remembering the task at hand: WIN = 'What’s Important Now.'”
Finkbohner also has incredible respect for his entire coaching staff which include Patrick Hodges, Grant St. Martin, Gary Sharp, Patrick Sharp, and Darrin DeCarli.
They will host the Sonoma Academy Coyotes on Wednesday at 3:30pm to open the 2022 season.
