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Cardinal Mooney looks to fill big shoes in 2022

1st-year head coach Eric Reese and Cardinals look to replace senior class and longtime coach

Correspondent file photo / Robert Hayes Mooney senior Cole Litman delivers a pitch versus an Ursuline hitter at Cene Park on April 13, 2021. Posting a 4-3 record with a 3.20 ERA last spring, the righty is committed to Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

YOUNGSTOWN — Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but being at the helm of your alma mater has always been a dream for plenty of stellar athletes who eventually take the journey into coaching.

After being an assistant coach at Cardinal Mooney for the last five years, Eddie Reese has taken over the Cardinals baseball program following the retirement of longtime coach Al Franceschelli in the offseason.

It’ll be a spring of learning too, with eight seniors from last year’s squad gone, the Cardinals have plenty of fresh faces that are ready to take the field.

“A lot of guys are trying to earn spots and playing time, and I think that’s only going to help us down the road,” Reese said about the team, taking notes from Franceschelli. “Just bringing the focus everyday getting the kids ready to go. In high school baseball, it’s tough when you’re practicing inside for a couple of months, but every day just competing.

“Coach Al was great at getting the guys going and I’m trying to do what he did.”

Reese was a member of Cardinal Mooney’s 2010 graduating class, before having a standout career at Division III Wooster where he posted a career average of .367 with 148 RBI for the Fighting Scots. He eventually earned the title of the North Coast Athletic Conference player of the year during his junior season.

It’s his connections in that area that have allowed him to formulate a tough out of market schedule versus the likes of Waynedale and Wooster Triway, which are games that he hopes will challenge his team in April and May.

“Our philosophy is that we’ll play anyone, anywhere. We play basically everyone in the area at least once it seems like besides a few teams,” Reese said. “I think that if you take what our boy’s basketball team did this year, they had a very tough schedule and it only helped them in the playoffs.

“We’re in the Steel Valley Conference, but we’re not like other schools where we played a true conference schedule for a true conference title, so our title is a district title, and that’s what we’re shooting for.”

There are times where Reese said he wishes he was in his players shoes, being able to take the field again, but he’s excited with what the Cardinals have to offer.

Posting a mark of 17-9, Mooney concluded their 2021 season in a 1-0 loss to Burton Berkshire in the D.III Struthers District Final, while earning wins over high-seeded Columbiana and Garfield during their playoff run.

The team’s experience starts with a pair of seniors in starting shortstop and pitcher Jim Campbell and fellow pitcher Cole Litman, who is committed to Indiana University of Pennsylvania and posted a 4-3 record last season with a 3.20 ERA and 47 strikeouts.

Senior Zach Hyrb, a Walsh commit who batted .292 last season with 18 runs scored, shores up the outfield. Juniors Bronson Ferencak (2-0, 3.00 ERA in five appearances with two saves), Logan Boyd (.348 average, with 19 RBI and two home runs), and Jeff Brenner (.243 average, with seven RBI and four runs scored), add much needed depth for a Mooney roster that’ll feature plenty of new starters.

As any coach will say, the best way to learn the game is by playing it. Reese and his team had the opportunities to compete in a few scrimmages over the past week, with eyes set on opening day this weekend at Cene Park versus Cleveland Benedictine — if Mother Nature and a potential snow storm allow it.

“I’d say the main challenge with new lineups is that it’s hard to differentiate guys because we’re inside so much,” Reese explained. “You have to be on the field, that’s when you really show where people excel at. So you think they’re this position inside, but outside and it might be a totally different spot.

“It was great just to face other guys (in scrimmages) and get on a field and go over different baseball situations, so we’re not going into game number one with no experience.”

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