Thursday, November 13, 2008

Gasti to Cleveland State


Carmichaels High School senior Chuck Gasti will sign a National Letter of Intent on Friday to play baseball at Division I Cleveland State, a member of the Horizon League.

Gasti, a shortstop, was a first-team selection to the Observer-Reporter all-district baseball team after he helped Carmichaels win the 2008 WPIAL Class A championship and reach the state title game. He batted .477 with a WPIAL-leading 42 runs. As a pitcher, he posted a 9-1 record with 81 strikeouts and a 1.05 ERA.

Joby Lapkowicz, Gasti's teammate, is close to signing with Division II Slippery Rock.

Also, Waynesburg senior Rachel Rohanna signed a letter of intent on Wednesday to join the Ohio State University women's golf team. Rohanna, a two-time WPIAL and PIAA champion, committed to the Buckeyes last year.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where are Matt Pierpont and Alex Pihakis going? I've heard Duquesne for Pierpont and Buffalo for pihakis but have not confirmed either.

Anonymous said...

Pierpont is going to Winthrop (not Duquesne). As for Pihakis, I think he is getting looks from some local D-3 schools. I would expect him to end up at Waynesburg, Bethany, or Westminster-- basically the top football programs in the area at that level.

Unknown said...
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Anonymous said...

I wish I played single A, I'd be going D-I too

mike_kovak said...

Trust me Anon, I haven't seen one WPIAL baseball team inrecent memory which Chuck Gasti would not play some role.

Gasti was on the same Allegheny Pirates team Matt Pierpont played for. Guys don't end up on a showcase team by accident. They are on these teams because they can play baseball.

I wish some posters on this board would grow up.

Anonymous said...

your right mike, some schools could use him to complete a 5-man rotation. i would like to see him pitch against PT and CM three times each

Anonymous said...

everyone always bags on single A in football, basketball, baseball, whatever, if you can play, you can play regardless of what class you're in.

mike_kovak said...

"your right mike, some schools could use him to complete a 5-man rotation. i would like to see him pitch against PT and CM three times each"

Why not ask those coaches if they think they could find a spot for Gasti?

No one is saying he'd be 13-0 with 147k in 63 innings at the Quad-A level. But he is worthy of playing baseball at the D1 level.

Anonymous said...

Anon,

A couple of things ... One, I've never had much time for a kid (you) who whines about another kid being successful (Chuck Gasti). You posted "I wish I played single A, I'd be going D-I too." I doubt it. Two, college coaches don't sign players based on stats. A kid can have great stats, which could possible merit him a look by a scout or a coach, but then the coach has to like what he sees when he indeed watches the kid play. Three, if you were deserving of a scholarship or a look by a college coach, word of mouth or recommendation by your high school coach would at least get you a look by a scout or a coach. So, I guess what I'm saying is that you're not as good as you think you are, and also, your comments suggest most coaches wouldn't want you anyway because it seems you're more concerned about yourself than actually giving credit to someone who deserves it. All Gasti does is put time in, work hard and produce. And treat other players with respect. He deserves a shot at D-I, because he is a great player. You don't have to think so; I know so.

Anonymous said...

Mike, I have never had the chance to see Gasti pitch. Do you think you could post a scouting report on him. Maybe compare him to some local Quad A pitchers, since that is what I am more familiar with?

mike_kovak said...

For starters, Gasti projects as an infielder at the D1 level, most likely shortstop.

He makes great contact, rarely strikes out, hits for power and can run. Since there are a lot of C-M baseball people out there, Gasti is somewhat similar to Mike Hull though he is taller and more slender. Gasti is also a very polished defender.

Anonymous said...

better than pierpont?

Anonymous said...

Why do some posters insist on punishing a kid (Gasti) simply because he happens to live in a district that plays single-A sports? It is not his fault that his family resides in the Carmich. district. At the very least he has sought to challenge himself at the highest levels in summer and fall ball by playing for elite teams. Besides, Gasti is going to Cleveland State. No one said he was going to the Cleveland Indians or Florida State to play baseball. He is going to a lower tier D-1 team and it is nice that he has earned the opportunity to play there.

Anonymous said...

why don't you ask peter township coach how a single baseball team did compare to a quad a baseball team. i believe when carmichaels scrimmaged them before playoffs it was tied through 4 innings when each team switched pitchers every inning

Anonymous said...

i agree with the statement that if you are good, then your good and your talents will be seen. but anyone who wishes to compare quad a baseball with single a is out of their mind. go watch peters play canon mac and tell me that its the same level of baseball is watching carmichaels play california. its not even close. mike, regarding your comment that gasti compares to mike hull is also kind of crazy. mike hull is one of the best athletes in the country who is going to penn state to play football. with ridiculous speed and strength, the kid is an absolute freak. if you look at gasti, he has average speed about a 7.1 60 time and he is very slender, hull probably outweighs him by a good 30 pounds of muscle.

mike_kovak said...

First of all, I don't think anyone is saying a good Class A team can beat a good Class AAAA team on a regular basis.

What a few of us are saying, including myself who has seen an extraordinary amount of high school baseball at all levels, is that those good Class A teams have 2, sometimes 3 guys who could start at any level. So, yes, there are those of us that are saying that guys like Gasti, Lapkowicz, or say C-H grads like Bobby Mary and Dan Novak would have been starting for any local team.

I'm also not saying Chuck Gasti is Mike Hull. What I said is that, as baseball players, they provide very similar roles and styles of play for their teams.