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Baseball | Greenmen bid farewell to nine seniors who led team to league championship

steve batko
·4 min read
Aurora junior Sam Retton and senior Ryan Weber celebrate a run during a game against Kent Roosevelt. Weber was named the Suburban League American Conference Player of the Year and All-Ohio first team.
Aurora junior Sam Retton and senior Ryan Weber celebrate a run during a game against Kent Roosevelt. Weber was named the Suburban League American Conference Player of the Year and All-Ohio first team.

With a new head coach, a new-look coaching staff and an influx of first-year varsity athletes, this year’s edition of Aurora baseball had plenty of transitional moments, which will continue with a superb departing senior class.

The good news is that there were a slew of positive results and loads of talent that will be returning next spring.

First-year head coach Trent Dalton will sorely miss his senior class, which was a big reason why Aurora captured a Suburban League American Conference championship at 11-3 and finished 14-7 overall.

“Our senior class is fantastic and they did a great job all season,” said Dalton.

“I know I can speak from personal experience that as a player coming into the season with a new coach, a new staff, new signs, and some new philosophies — it is not easy for the kids and it’s not easy for the seniors,” added Dalton, looking back at his playing days in high school.

The Aurora senior class was a group of winners who produced on and off the baseball diamond.

Dalton will miss seniors Ryan Weber, Tyler Fernandez, Colin Skolaris, Kepler Rhoden, Jack Cardaman, Anthony Dolata, Hunter Lane, Aidan Grubb and A.J. Alexander.

Weber capped a sensational career by making first-team All-Ohio and was the Co-Player of the Year in the Suburban League American Conference.

A standout defensive outfielder, Weber led the Greenmen with a sizzling .487 batting average, 37 hits, 26 runs scored and 22 stolen bases.

In addition, Weber had 14 RBIs and two triples. On the mound, Weber was 1-0 and did not allow an earned run this season in limited action.

A clutch hitter who came on strong this year at the plate, Fernandez led Aurora with 22 RBIs, 13 doubles, and 14 extra-base hits. He had a .433 average with 29 hits, 18 runs and one home run.

Aurora senior pitcher Colin Skolaris had 40 strikeouts in 29 innings.
Aurora senior pitcher Colin Skolaris had 40 strikeouts in 29 innings.

Fernandez was a first-team all-league selection while Skolaris was a second-team choice, and Cardaman was an honorable mention pick.

Skolaris finished with a 2-3 record on the mound with a 2.41 ERA, and a team-best nine appearances. In 29 innings, he struck out 40 batters.

Cardaman was electric in the Greenmen’s top portion of the batting order.

The speedy Cardaman hit .357 with 24 runs, 20 hits, 12 RBIs, 16 steals, and five doubles.

Dolata was valuable at second base and in the infield as he added eight RBIs and four stolen bases.

A stalwart catcher, Rhoden had his senior campaign end after only a few games.

Lane added one save and a 4.57 ERA out of the bullpen while Alexander proved to be one of the area’s top pinch hitters as he hit .750 in eight plate appearances with six hits and two RBIs. Grubb added pitching depth.

“Our seniors got all of the underclassmen to get on board with our coaching and that really speaks volumes about these kids,” said Dalton.

Aurora's Ben Schechterman has committed to Ohio State. He will be a senior in the 2023 season.
Aurora's Ben Schechterman has committed to Ohio State. He will be a senior in the 2023 season.

Instrumental underclassmen who will head next year’s club will be junior Ben Schechterman (P-OF), junior Nathan Balkissoon (OF-P-INF), junior Sam Bianco (INF), sophomore Nathan Fletcher (P), junior Nolan Just (P), junior Andrew Eichenauer (INF-P), sophomore Dominic Trivisonno (C-OF), junior Sam Retton (INF), junior Alex Harrell (P), plus sophomores Jayce Unverferth, Zach Williams, Dean Larrance, Nate Albanese, Ryan Tierney, Jacob Cici and Jameson Embrescia.

Outstanding pitching depth will be present next year with Schechterman (3-1 record and a 2.08 ERA), Fletcher (2-0 with one save), Just (2-0), Balkissoon (1-1), and Williams, who came on strong late in relief with one save and a 2.10 ERA.

“We will have a strong group of juniors and some sophomores back and we will be looking to feature some of these players,” said Dalton.

An Ohio State commit, Schechterman has a lively arm and is continuing to get better. He added one save and 50 strikeouts in 33⅔ innings.

“Ben is obviously a key guy for us and he just leads by example,” said Dalton. “He is a quiet leader, but he does a lot of things while Balkissoon, Retton, Eichenauer, and Bianco will be some juniors to help us.”

Balkissoon pitched some last year as well, but his offense really improved this season with a .351 average and led the team with three triples. He also had 20 hits, 17 runs and nine RBIs.

“Nathan is another junior who has provided a lot of energy,” said Dalton.

Quietly having a banner year was the strong-hitting Bianco. He batted .365 with 16 RBIs on 19 hits. Bianco also clubbed four doubles.

Both Schechterman and Fletcher are talented southpaw hurlers for the Greenmen. Fletcher also pitched last season and will have a big role along with Just. Harrell had a 4.77 ERA in seven appearances.

Doing a great job of filling in for the injured Rhoden behind the plate, Trivisonno (six RBIs and three doubles) played in 19 games and showed how much promise he has as a catcher. Eichenauer contributed 10 runs scored while Retton had nine RBIs.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Aurora Greenmen baseball won the Suburban League American Division