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Conference Preview: District 5 Class AAA

March 13, 2014

By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

With the start of the high school season less than a month away we will be previewing conferences around the state leading up to opening day. In addition to a look at the top teams we will also highlight some of the top prospects in each conference.

                 district 5 Class AAA

Preseason Favorite

Somerset (18-5) 

Under the current PIAA playoff format Somerset knows one thing heading into the 2014 campaign, they will be playing post season baseball. Somerset, being the only AAA baseball program in District 5, has the ability to play its way into the state tournament by competing in the District 6 tournament.

A year ago Somerset downed Huntingdon and Hollidaysburg by identical 1-0 scores prior to falling to South Park 8-5 in the first round of the state tournament. The Eagles will be in a bit of a rebuild mode this spring after saying good bye to nine seniors that made significant contributions during last year's 18 win season.

Returning starters Alex Dirienzo (.328), Ross Direnzo (.431) and Tanner Stull (.417) will be counted on heavily for similar production and senior leadership in 2014.

Following are some of the most notable losses among the 2013 class:

RHP Ian Stiffler (7th round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves)
RHP/3B Drew Hemminger (Potomac State)
3B/OF Brent Barron (Pitt-Johnstown)
OF Michael Flyte (Mount St. Mary's)

 

Preseason Player of the Year

Alex DirienzoAlex Dirienzo, Somerset (Class of 2014)

Dirienzo hit .328 as the every day shortstop in 2013, but will be counted on to assume the No. 1 starter role in the rotation this spring. The University of Akron recruit went 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in just seven innings of work as a junior. He blossomed on the mound this past summer and fall leading to interest from a number of college programs.

Dirienzo, ranked No. 149 in the PA Class of 2014, sat 85-86 at the Elite Prospect Showcase in November shortly before committing to Akron. The 6-foot, 180-pound righty will likely get an opportunity to be a two-way player for the Zips early in his career.

 

Top Prospects

Alex Dirienzo, RHP/SS (Class of 2014, Akron commit)
Ross Dirienzo, 2B/OF (Class of 2014, Gannon commit)
Tanner Stull, C (Class of 2014)
Raven Beeman, OF/C (Class of 2015)
Bryce Mostoller, 1B/LHP (Class of 2015)
Seth Rose, SS/2B (Class of 2015)

 

view all conference previews & preseason players of the year by conference


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