Expectations High for Baseball Season, College-Bound Players Bring Experience

Joey Bonadonna, Sports Editor, Online Tritonian

The Notre Dame baseball season is now a week underway with the Tritons sitting at 1-1 to start the 2022 campaign.

A year removed from their heartbreaking 13-inning playoff loss to Wrightstown, the Tritons have returned most of their production from last season including the senior pitcher-catcher battery of Caden Capomaccio and Cade Milton.

Capomaccio, who is ranked as one of the best pitchers in the state of Wisconsin, is committed to play at the University of Minnesota and Milton is committed to play at UW-La Crosse.

This season, the Tritons have expectations of having a shot at a conference title and much of that is attributed to the pitching staff, which also includes junior Deuce Musial, who is committed to D-l Illinois State, and sophomore Donatelllo Badalamenti.

“The pitchers we have this year are for lack of a better word, amazing,” Milton said. ”Their ability to get outs efficiently is going to ease the pressure of our offense putting up runs on the board to win ball games.”

While Capomaccio headlines the staff, he also notes the depth the Tritons have on the back end.

“Most teams in the conference have 2 or 3 good pitchers and we have 5 or 6 quality starting pitchers that can go deep into games,” he said.

The Tritons will have a huge week ahead as they face De Pere and Bay Port, two of the biggest contenders for the title in the FRCC this season.

Capomaccio will pitch one of those two games, but he said he is unsure which at the moment. He made his season debut on Tuesday against Ashwaubenon with a solid start before the game was postponed due to rain with the Tritons up 5-0.

As of right now, though, Capomaccio and Milton just want to enjoy their final season of high school baseball and soak in everything they have taken in along the journey.

“I can remember as a freshman, looking up to the older kids and thinking they are big and strong, and here I am three years later, that big and strong guy,” Milton said. “ I would like to think that as a captain I have gained a lot of respect from the younger guys on the team.”

“Although I do want to gain some hardware, I think playing my last high school season with the guys I have been playing with my whole life is something that I want to cherish,” Capomaccio said.