With opening day tomorrow, the 2020-2021 Glen Rock High School baseball team looks to have a successful season. The team has a solid lineup from top to bottom, which includes some elite high school baseball players that have recently committed to play baseball in college. These players include starting pitcher, Michael Silver, and shortstop, Justin DeStaso. Silver has committed to TCNJ, and DeSales University will receive Justin DeStaso’s top-level talent at shortstop. 

The baseball team will rely on Silver and DeStaso throughout the season, along with the leadership from seniors Rob Zamparelli, Jack Strawhorn, Connor Cunningham, Vincent Alvino, Doug Somers, Andrew Kastelman,, and Matt Ferrari. Head Coach Matt McGrath will look to lead Glen Rock to a successful season this spring.

The GRHS baseball squad will open up against Emerson on April 21. This will be a huge tilt for Glen Rock going up against an Emerson team that went 23-7 last season. The baseball team experienced a COVID-19 outbreak at the start of the season, but this does not change the date for opening day. 

DeSales commit Justin DeStaso is optimistic about the season and understands what his team needs to do during a season where COVID-19 is in the air. 

“Obviously with COVID-19, every team’s goal this year should be to play a full 25 game schedule and postseason without any shutdowns due to an exposure from COVID-19.”

All baseball teams in New Jersey understand the devastation that COVID-19 could bring. They lost an entire season of their high school careers because of the virus, and like DeStaso said, “Every team’s goal this year should be to play a full 25 game schedule”. 

“With not being able to play last year’s season, this team is as hungry as ever this year. We want to make up for what we’ve lost”, mentioned senior Tommy Callahan.

 Callahan expresses how the baseball squad is ready to get after it with the fuel and motivation that they have after missing out on last season. 

The Glen Rock Panthers are eager to get back out on the field and will have some season goals in the back of their minds, “Our two main goals are to make a run in the county tournament and to obviously win a sectional title,” said Justin DeStaso.