<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0YwrNz_0tLybM8C00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0YwrNz_0tLybM8C00" width="1280" height="893" ><figcaption>Susan Wagner's Anthony DiTomasso (24) was second on Staten Island in hitting with a .557 batting average during the 1997 high school baseball season. (Staten Island Advance) Staten Island Advance</figcaption></figure>Charlie Bilezikjian must have felt like the Big Man on Campus at this time 27 years ago.The Port Richmond junior not only led Staten Island in hitting with an eye-popping .574 batting average and RBI with 27 in 1997, but he was the only player from this borough to land among the top pitchers as well. In fact, the power-pitching righty boasted a 6-1 mark with a 3.16 earned run average and an Island-high 80 strikeouts. Bilezikjian, in fact, was named the Staten Island Baseball Oldtimers’ Outstanding Pitcher that season.Not too shabby.In batting, Bilezikjian was followed by Susan Wagner’s Anthony DiTomasso (.557) and St. Joseph by-the-Sea’s John Hagan (.519), who was named SIBO’s Outstanding hitter in 1997. DiTomasso had the most hits (34) and Sea’s Glen Van Pelt scored the most runs (25). St. Peter’s Matt Nugent had the most at-bats with 72.Tottenville’s Marc Goldberg (3-0) and Joe Sears (6-0), meanwhile, finished 1-2 on the Island in ERA with a 1.06 and 1.94, respectively. The Pirates entered the 1997 season winners of back-to-back PSAL city championships and won 28 straight games before losing its one and only game in the PSAL semifinals that year.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2bmPnd_0tLybM8C00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2bmPnd_0tLybM8C00" width="1280" height="870" ><figcaption>Tottenville right-hander Joe Sears was not only 6-0 during the 1997 campaign, but he was second on Staten island with a 1.94 earned run average. (Staten Island Advance) Staten Island Advance</figcaption></figure>St. Peter’s sophomore Chris Rigney also had a 6-1 record while Curtis’ Kevin Swords logged the most innings with 50 1/3. Goldberg surrendered only 18 hits in 33 innings while Swords allowed just an Island-low 10 bases on balls.For a look at all of the Island’s pitching and hitting leaders during the 1997 campaign, please scroll down.*****1997 INDIVIDUAL BATTING LEADERS(Based on 36 or more at bats)AB-R-H-RBI-AVGCharlie Bilezikjian (PR) 54-23-31-27-.574Anthony DiTomasso (SW) 61-23-34-15-.557John Hagan (Sea) 52-15-27-17-.519Glen Van Pelt (Sea) 57-25-25-15-.439Tristan Braithwaite (C) 53-24-23-10-.434Nick Marzella (F) 59-13-25-12-.424Ted Filis (T) 49-18-20-19-.408Carmine Jichetti (F) 62-9-25-18-.403Joe Barsalona (Sea) 50-12-20-20-.400Larry Merrill (T) 54-17-21-16-.389Mike Walsh (SW) 48-13-19-12-.396Bobby Maynard (PR) 52-20-20-14-.385Ray Johnson (SP) 71-6-27-20-.380Matt Nugent (SP) 72-17-27-17-.375*****<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1Au8lw_0tLybM8C00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1Au8lw_0tLybM8C00" width="1280" height="873" ><figcaption>Monsignor Farrell's Pete Camarda, center, and Carmine Jichetti, right — seen above conferring with former coach Larry Musanti — both landed among Staten Island's top pitchers and hitters, respectively, during the 1997 high school baseball season. (Staten Island Advance) Staten Island Advance</figcaption></figure>1997 INDIVIDUAL PITCHING LEADERS(Based on 28 or more innings)IP-H-BB-SO-W-L-ERAMarc Goldberg (T) 33-18-12-45-3-0-1.06Joe Sears (T) 43 1/3-35-16-37-6-0-1.94Pat Hannaway (F) 43 2/3-43-28-66-4-2-2.24Chris Rigney (SP) 46-52-23-38-6-1-2.74Kevin Swords (C) 50 1/3-58-10-40-2-5-2.90Charlie Bilezikjian (PR) 44 1/3-32-25-80-6-1-3.16Pete Camarda (F) 28 1/3-27-12-19-4-1-3.21Mike DiNicola (SJ) 42-47-6-32-6-0-3.33*****Some other “A Look Back” HS baseball statistic pieces by Charlie De Biase Jr.</div></body>

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A Look Back: These hitters, pitchers dominated the diamond during the 1997 high school baseball season

Charlie Bilezikjian must have felt like the Big Man on Campus at this time 27 years ago. The Port Richmond junior not only led Staten Island in hitting with an eye-popping .574 batting average and RBI with 27 in 1997, but he was the only player from this borough to land among the top pitchers as well. In fact, the power-pitching righty boasted a 6-1 mark with a 3.16 earned run average and an Island-high 80 strikeouts. Bilezikjian, in fact, was named the Staten Island Baseball Oldtimers’ Outstanding Pitcher that season.

A Look Back: These hitters, pitchers dominated the diamond during the 1997 high school baseball season

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