HSBN Game Of The Week: Jupiter vs. Park Vista

Warriors left fielder Guy Casaceli bats in game last week against American Heritage.

The teams set to compete Saturday in the inaugural High School Baseball Network Game of the Week in Palm Beach County are no strangers to each other.

Jupiter and Park Vista share a healthy rivalry that’s been there since the Cobras got into the fray when the school opened in 2004.

The schools shared a district for a few years and also met in the playoffs a few times, with Park Vista knocking off Jupiter in a regional quarterfinal in 2008 and a regional semifinal in 2011.

The Game of the week concept was created by HSBN with two goals, raising money for the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation, and bringing increased excitement to baseball in South Florida. Opening up with two rivals has accomplished those goals.

“It’s a rivalry that has a respect for each other,” Park Vista Manager Larry Greenstein said. “A lot of our kids know there kids through the summer leagues. Andy [Mook] does a great job over there. I’ve known him a long time. It’s another good measure of where you are at this point in time.”

Greenstein said he’s curious to see how his team handles the pressure of playing an opponent such as Jupiter when the teams meet at Park Vista at 7 p.m. Saturday. A portion of the proceeds from the game go to benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hopsital in Hollywood.

“Park Vista has very good players and good coaches, and they’re going to come out and battle you,” Jupiter Mananger Andy Mook said. “We want to try to play the best competition we can play so we can get better.”

Mook said his players are excited to play Vista.

“They’re ready to play,” he said. “That’s what’s really great about this. They’re ready go and bring their ‘A’ game.”

Park Vista (1-0) will be facing a Jupiter team that has outscored its opponents 29-9 through the first three games of the season as the Warriors have started out 3-0. Those wins came against some tough teams — American Heritage, Santaluces and King’s Academy — in the Santaluces Slam.

Manager Larry Greenstein goes over fundamentals with Cobras during a recent practice.

Mook said the team is about where it needs to be with hitting but needs to improve on defense. He’s also trying to figure out who’s going to settle into the top three pitching spots. Jupiter’s roster lists nine players who can pitch. Among them are seniors Kyle Keatts, John Nieves, Hunter Haisey, Scott Danek, Parker Hamilton and John McCarthy.

Park Vista isn’t as lucky on pitching this year as its top two arms — Brandon Rhodes and Chris Wurster — graduated last year. The team also is working to overcome the adversity of losing two catchers and the entire infield, but so far, the Cobras played well enough to start the season with a win. They beat Okeechobee 8-0.

Park Vista is young and relying heavily on the leadership of starting outfielders Trey Amburgey and Matthew Paciello, the only two returning starters.

“There’s a lot of things to work out, but I was happy with the way our defense played and the pitchers tried to stay ahead,” Greenstein said. “When things like that happen, it puts you in a good position to stay in the ballgame.”

Both coaches said they’re happy to have their teams competing in an HSBN Game of the Week. Greenstein said he “thought it was a great idea” when he was approached by HSBN about the game. He also commended HSBN for its efforts to get players the recognition they deserve.

“It’s not about the coaches, it’s about the players,” Greenstein said. “It’s always nice to see (High School Baseball Network) is giving the kids publicity like it does. It’s good to see. You know, the newspapers, with all the sports they cover, it’s hard for them to focus on baseball, which your organization does and does well. So it’s really nice to have someone show an interest.”

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