Riverhead, SWR baseball teams prepare for upcoming season

As the long, brutal winter comes to an end, two local area varsity baseball teams are looking to ramp up the heat for the spring season. 

Riverhead

Coming off one of their most impressive seasons in recent memory, Riverhead will look to replicate its success and continue taking another step forward. After combining for five wins total in 2023 and 2024, the Blue Waves shocked Suffolk County with a 14-10 overall record and made the playoffs for the first time in a decade. They also went on to win two games in the playoffs, something that hadn’t been done in over 20 years at Riverhead.

“The conversation, actually, all winter workouts was that last year was last year,” Riverhead head coach Kevin Kerman said. “It was so much fun, but it’s a new year. I’m proud of everything they accomplished. I would love for them to push forward now. They tasted it, and now let’s do it again.”

Led by junior Matt Zambriski, who is one of the top arms in the County, the long-framed fireballer gives Riverhead an instant chance to win every time he steps on the mound. Last season, he threw the first perfect game in Riverhead baseball history and has touched 90 MPH this offseason. He committed to St. John’s University over the summer.

“We’re going to lean on our number 1 this year,” Kerman said. “Zambriski is the real deal. It’s really nice to watch him continue to grow. He’s a hard worker, and it’s a pleasure to watch how he prepares and what he’s doing to get himself ready every single day. He’s a great role model for the younger guys on the team.”

As the front of the rotation is fully cemented, the back end took a hit during the offseason. Drew LeGrady, the team’s No. 2, hurt his arm and is getting evaluated by doctors. The team’s No. 3 was supposed to be Landon Reiter, a sophomore, but after getting surgery on his arm, his season is over.

“Landon Reiter was someone we had on our radar from last year,” Kerman said. “Someone that works really hard as well. He had a lot of success for our JV last year and also in the summer time. He’s been making very nice strides to get himself ready for this, so it’s very unfortunate he had to go down.”

The injuries leave the rotation in a state of flux, but Kerman doesn’t want to make any excuses. 

“It’s always the next guy up here,” Kerman said. “We have spots up for grabs, and we’re going to have the guys work for them. We have guys more than capable in stepping up to bigger roles than originally planned.”

In addition to Zambriski, two other major pieces in the lineup figure to be major contributors. Jason Davis and JJ Perez had solid campaigns on the diamond last year. Davis hit .438 from the plate as a freshman. 

“Jason’s somebody that will have to lead our offense this year,” Kerman said. “He was an all-league player last year, and I believe is continually getting better. I expect JJ to have a big year this year. He was a big part of our team last year, especially down the stretch. He had really big hits last year that helped us get in the playoffs, so I’m hoping that momentum continues into the new league season.”

Riverhead will open its League I season against Longwood at Pulaski Street Sports Complex on Thursday, March 26. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Shoreham-Wading River 

SWR is coming off a down season in which they posted a 6-12 record in League VI play, but head coach Kevin Willi believes things will turn around this year.

“Well, first off, we have 12 seniors this year,” Willi said. “That’s a major change from years past. We have that leadership and experience now to compete against the top teams in the division.”

SWR has also dropped down a division to League VII and will avoid the gauntlet that is League VI. Instead of playing powerhouses every week with teams like Sayville, Mt. Sinai, Rocky Point, and Kings Park, where they are the smallest school in the division, SWR now becomes one of the biggest schools in the league.

“When it comes down to it, school size means a lot,” Willi said. “When you have more to pick from, you will undoubtedly find more talent. So I’m excited how things will change this year.”

The Wildcats will expect major contributions from senior Daniel Laieta and sophomore lefty Conor Dietz.

“Dan will be our everyday shortstop and pitch the third game for us,” Willi said. “He’s been on varsity since ninth grade. Great fielder, hitter and excellent pitcher. Great leadership qualities, and I think he’s really got himself ready this offseason. Conor will open the year for us as our number 1 on the mound. He’s sitting mid-80s as a lefty with good secondary pitches. I think he’s going to open up a lot of eyes on Long Island this year.”

SWR will open its league season on Friday, March 27, against Mattituck at 4:30 p.m.