Baseball at Pitt Greensburg

The 2002 UPG Baseball team enters their seventh season looking to improve themselves after finishing a disappointing 2001 season.  They finished the year 5-20 overall, 3-7 in the AMCC Conference.  With only four players returning from last year’s team, the Bobcats will rely on many incoming freshmen and transfers to make an immediate impact.

One of the returning players from last year’s team is sophomore Jason Ramaley (.338, 24 H, 8 2B, 5 HBP).  He will be counted on to be a defensive spark in the infield and to provide leadership for the team.  Another returning player, Junior Ryan Venezie (.376, 32 H, 6 HR, 21 RBI) will be counted on to provide some power in the lineup and to anchor the pitching staff.  Doug Gallick, a transfer from IUP and the team’s only senior, will be looked upon to provide some spark to the top of the batting order and his leadership will also be looked upon by his fellow teammates.  Sophomore Jon Parknavy comes over from Penn St. McKeesport to provide more power to the lineup and to add another quality arm to the starting rotation.

The season gets underway early with fall practices and games to prepare for the spring season.  During the Spring 2002 season, the Bobcats will play a number of non-conference teams to prepare them for the AMCC Conference schedule.  In late April, the Bobcats are looking to make a run for the AMCC Championship and anything less will be disappointing.

JOE HILL:  Coach Hill will begin his first season as the Head Coach of the Bobcats.  Hill will be the third head coach in the eight-year history of baseball at Pitt-Greensburg.  Coach Hill has spent a total of 14 seasons as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level including stints at the United States Naval Academy (4 years), College of Charleston (SC) (4 years), University of Pittsburgh (2 years), and most recently Duquesne University (4 years). Hill has specialized in coaching pitchers, and has had 10 former pupils sign professional contracts including former Duquesne University and current Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher Joe Beimel.  Hill, a graduate of Penn Hills High School and the University of Notre Dame (IN), is spending his ninth consecutive summer as an assistant coach for the Hays Larks (KS) in the prestigious Jayhawk Collegiate Summer League. Some of his former Larks players include Houston Astros outfielder Lance Berkman, Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals, and current Pittsburgh Pirate shortstop Jack Wilson.  “I am hoping to instill a new approach and attitude to Pitt-Greensburg Baseball,” said Coach Hill. “Being part of the University of Pittsburgh, and sitting on one of the most beautiful campuses in Western Pennsylvania, it shouldn’t take long for the transformation.”  Coach Hill is also the owner of Extra Innings Baseball Camps, providing both group and individual instruction throughout the Pittsburgh area.
 

MARK KATARSKI:  Coach Katarski enters his second season as an assistant coach for the Bobcats.  He is a graduate of Mt. Pleasant Area High School, where he was a part of the tradition-rich baseball program there.  During the Spring 2000 season, Coach Katarski was the Head Coach of the Derry Area High School JV Baseball team.  He also has been a certified PIAA Baseball Umpire, umpiring many local district games, since 1996.  Currently, Coach Katarski is a full-time employee at UPG, and his duties also include being an assistant coach for Women’s Basketball and the Coordinator of Intramurals and Recreation for Pitt-Greensburg.

 

BOB YASOFSKY:  Coach Yasofsky returns for his third year as a volunteer assistant for the Bobcats.  Before he was an assistant, Coach Yasofsky played first base and the outfield for the Bobcats for two seasons.  Previously before UPG, he was a member of the Community College of Allegheny County – Boyce Campus Baseball program for two seasons.  Coach Yasofsky is a graduate of Woodland Hills High School and this spring graduated from Pitt-Greensburg with a major in Natural Science.

KEVIN LASKEY:  Coach Laskey enters his second season as a volunteer assistant coach for UPG.  Previously, he was the starting catcher for the Bobcats for four seasons.  He also was named to the AMCC Honorable Mention All-Conference Team in 2000, his junior year.  Coach Laskey attended Mt. Pleasant High School and played baseball there under the tutelage of Dennis Miscik.  This spring, Coach Laskey graduated from Pitt-Greensburg with a major in Natural Science.  He also currently serves as the Systems Specialist at the UPG Computer Center.

Roster Fall 2002

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