New coach wants to instill winning attitude at AG
YORK RUN – Albert Gallatin has the athletes. Now new baseball coach Dan Palm wants to instill a winning attitude. “We have to teach the guys how to win. That’s the main thing,” said Palm. “They walk on the field and don’t expect to win. When we teach them that, we’ll be fine.”
Palm comes from Belle Vernon, where he was an assistant the last four years. He also coaches Fayette City in the Fayette County League and comes to Albert Gallatin with an all-star coaching staff that includes Jason Lohr from Carmichaels, Levi Bristor from Washington & Jefferson, Walt Williams from Fayette City and Belle Vernon, and Bernie Yednock from Point Marion.
“We preach every day the little things about winning,” Palm said. “If you practice harder, learn the fundamentals better, take pride in doing the little things right, and then get a couple of big wins, you can turn everything around.”
After tying for the Section 2-AAA title in 2000, Albert Gallatin went 14-19 the last two seasons combined. This year, the team has started 1-1 with 11 seniors and strong junior and sophomore classes.
“The mix is pretty good,” Palm said. “Our strengths are probably defense and pitching. Where we’re struggling is hitting, especially with runners on base.”
Pitching is the team’s rock. Junior Craig Hriblan, 3-3 last year, throws in the mid 80s with good control. The No. 2 pitcher is senior Alan Smodic, who led the staff last year with 41 innings and a 4-2 record. Junior left-hander Josh Null has been a pleasant surprise.
“He apparently had control problems last year and got that fixed,” Palm said. “He had the win versus Yough and has definitely been the surprise. He’s been real strong every time out.”
The fourth pitcher on the deep staff is senior Josh Francis, who’s working his way past some arm trouble.
Defensively, Albert Gallatin is two-deep at nearly every position. Around the horn are catcher Josh Franks, first baseman Greg Moore, second baseman Josh Gacek, shortstop Hriblan and third baseman Sean McCahill.
In the outfield are center fielder B.J. Strimel, Scott Piper in right field and Null in left.
Palm considers Hriblan to be an outstanding shortstop, and he’ll be replaced by a promising sophomore, Jarrod Lint, when he pitches.
Gacek, another sophomore, and McCahill, a junior, are also outstanding defenders, as is Strimel, the junior lead-off hitter.
Following Strimel in the lineup will be Gacek, Hriblan, McCahill, Null, Smotek and DH Jerome Manchas.
The top reserves are Jeremy Shaneyfelt, Craig Santella and Chad Filmeck.
“Our expectations this year,” Palm said, “are in this order: to have a winning season, to make the playoffs and win the section. At this point, as a coaching staff, we’re not sure how we stack up against the section because we haven’t seen them play but we expect to compete in the section, which we feel is very strong and we wouldn’t want it any other way. Everyone wants to have a program like Connellsville, and Uniontown and Laurel Highlands made the playoffs, and that’s the big jump we need to make. Make the playoffs and everyone starts doing things the way you want them to be done.”