Since taking over the baseball program at Susan Wagner in 2005, Bob Nappo has known little about losing. He’s reached the playoffs every year but one, including a quarterfinal appearance two years ago, and finished second to Tottenville twice.
To see a bigger number in the right-hand column next to the school name than the left is alarming.
“Absolutely,” he said, “it’s surprising.”
After Mondays’ 8-0 loss at McKee/Staten Island Tech, Wagner is 2-4 in Staten Island A, closer to the cellar than the top of the division. Little went right against MSIT. The Falcons managed just two hits against Seagulls starter Ryan Mannello in five innings, allowed four unearned runs to score, and pitcher Dylan Zinko walked four of the first six batters he faced.
“We took ourselves out of the game,” said Nappo, who spent 24 years coaching baseball and soccer at Canarsie before coming to Wagner.
His team is hard to figure out. Before a preseason trip to Florida, it was strong defensively, but weak at-bat. Although the Falcons were blanked by Mannello and two relievers, they have struck out just three times in the last two games, but have fallen apart defensively.
“We have to find the right mix,” he said. Nappo added: “My players never lose confidence. We are what we are. But the one thing my players do: we look forward to practice. That’s it; we have to work harder. We’ll get something out of this.”
Nappo plans to spend extra time in Tuesday’s workout on defense. It will help the Seagulls cause that they have staff ace Peter Fazio, who is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA this year, on the mound and shortstop Chris Hally back from injury. But the schedule-makers didn’t do them any favors.
Wednesday, Wagner hosts undefeated Tottenville.
“We’re looking to be a good team for Wednesday,” he said.
