By Dylan Butler
All Craig Everett needs for his recruiting budget at Queensborough Community College is a MetroCard and a Queens bus map.
The Tigers’ second-year baseball coach has assembled a virtual who’s who of PSAL Queens All-Stars last year to help form a deeper, more talented team.
“Last year we only had 13 players and still made it to the CUNYAC championship,” said Everett, whose team lost 3-1 to Bronx Community in the title game. “We should be a lot more competitive this year.”
Joining returnees Roger Mischel, a former Bayside standout who is the ace of the staff, and Cardozo grad Jeff Lulanaj, who will play shortstop and outfield, will be power hitting Fadul Bambino, a transfer from Division I Long Island University who was a star at Aviation.
Many of the borough’s top high school seniors from last year are also in the lineup, including pitcher Mario Santiago from Francis Lewis, pitcher/outfielder Brian Berg from Van Buren, pitcher/infielder Luis Abreu from Richmond Hill, Lukas Brito, a first baseman from Flushing, John Vasquez, a catcher/outfielder from Cardozo as well as third baseman Andy Patrinakos, who played at John Bowne three years ago.
“The guys are good players, they’re very talented but they just fell under the radar screen,” said Everett, who played at Queensborough in 1993. “I just happened to get lucky.”
In less than a year, Everett has already dramatically improved the program. After playing a 25-game schedule, mostly against local teams, Everett doubled his schedule this year, including trips to Baltimore and Delaware.
Following a 3-1 start, Queensborough opened its Region XV schedule Tuesday in a game against Nassau Community College and plays its first CUNYAC game Apr. 1 against Kingsborough.
After an appearance in the Region XV semifinals last year, the Queensborough softball team is looking to go even further this season under seventh-year coach Pete Marchitello.
“We should be very strong, we have a number of returning players and excellent pitching,” Marchitello said. “We should have a nice, well balanced team.”
Leading the returnees is starting pitcher Jamie Blandeburgo, a former Bayside standout, and Bushwick grad Shamika Bolta will also see time on the mound.
Bridgette Burke from Cardozo and Maria Ortiz will split time between shortstop and catcher, while the outfield will be patrolled by Kim Grabkowitz from Bayside, a transfer from John Jay, as well as former John Adams standout Natasha Kirkland.
Queensborough, which finished 5-7 last year, open its season April 1 against two-time defending Region XV champs Nassau Community College.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
