DeSales quartet on winning All-Star team

Contributed Photo – DeSales’ WNY Parochial All-Stars include, from left, Sam Murphy, Jason Buza, Karl Darling and Colin Fragale.

The Western New York Northern Parochial All-Stars led by DeSales Coach Todd Fragale played their championship baseball game at Coca Cola Field on May 25th. With the coaching help of Tom Murphy of DeSales and Kevin Pritchard of St. Marks, the Northern All-Stars bested the Southern Parochial All-Stars 14-12.

Eighth graders, Sam Murphy, Jason Buzak, Karl Darling, and Colin Fragale represented DeSales on the WNY Northern team.  These boys were selected based on their baseball abilities, as well as their teamwork and sportsmanship.

In addition to playing for DeSales, Murphy plays for the Niagara Nationals, Darling plays for Lockport Little League and both Fragale and Buzak play for the AnJo Bombers.

Also on the Northern team were players from St Marks of Buffalo, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in Depew and Elmwood Franklin of Buffalo.

Coach Fragale was chosen to manage the team based on his DeSales team winning the WNY Parochial championship in the Fall, which was the first time in school history and the first time in the 92 years of the WNY Parochial league.

Buzak, Murphy and Darling all pitched.

Offensively, all four players each reached base three times. Buzak had three singles, Murphy had two singles and scored three times and Fragale and Darling both had a single.

The DeSales quartet drove in nine runs and crossed home plate five times combined.

The defensive highlights kicked in during the fourth inning when Buzak fired a ball in from centerfield to Murphy on the mound, which he fired to Darling at home nailing an aggressive runner at the plate. In the sixth inning, Fragale added a web-gem digging a ball out of the dirt on a back hand, completing a double play from Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament player Jerry Stachura.  Murphy also took down two trying to swipe a bag while behind the dish.

Coach Fragale described the experience, “It was a once in a lifetime game for these 8th graders. The DeSales boys certainly made the best of the opportunity and gave their all. I was very proud of the poise, sportsmanship, and leadership the boys displayed. “