MaxPreps 2015 Rhode Island Baseball Fab 5 presented by the Army National Guard
1. Bishop Hendricken (Warwick)
2014 finish: 25-3
Head coach: Ed Holloway
The defending state champions are loaded with a host of returning all-state players, led by Gatorade State Player of the Year
Gian Martellini, a catcher, who had a .467 batting average and 41 RBI. The Hawks also return all-state third baseman
John Toppa, the team's top pitcher in
Michael McCaffrey, and one of the state's top juniors in outfielder
Dante Baldelli.
View last season's Rhode Island baseball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard
2. La Salle Academy (Providence)
2014 finish: 23-9
Head coach: Geoff Marcone
The Rams return three of the team's top pitchers from last year in
Tyler Shemick (all-state second team),
Ryan Quirk and
John Beneduce. La Salle also returns one of its top offensive players from last year in
Tyler Walsh, who batted .418 and earned all-state first team honors.
View last season's Rhode Island baseball playoff brackets3. Cranston West (Cranston)
2014 finish: 15-12
Head coach: Rob Malo
Athough the Falcons lost 12 games last year, they return five of the team's top eight offensive players from last year, including junior
Matt Lonardo (.413 batting average), senior
Gersham Rainone (.365),
Travis Collins (.375) and junior
Dan Smith (.360). Lonardo earned all-state honors while the rest earned all-conference second team recognition.
View last season's Rhode Island baseball stat leaders
4. East Providence
2014 finish: 19-3
Head coach: Mick Lefort
The defending Division 2 champions return a pair of all-conference players in
Marc Lavalley and junior
Jon Costa. East Providence also had three other players make second team all-conference in
Kyle Marquis,
Tyler Lockard and
Michael Allienello.
View the MaxPreps Rhode Island baseball pro photo galleries
5. North Kingstown
2014 finish: 21-5
Head coach: Steve Breitbach
Although North Kingstown loses its entire pitching staff from last year, the Skippers return four of the top hitters from last year, including
Liam Darcy (.317), junior
Cirella Stephen (.304), junior
Bobby Daly (.250), and sophomore
Mansolillo Chad (.290).