In-depth with our sports seniors

In-depth with our sports seniors

Pat Negrini: Respect everyone, fear no one

Derek Gibbons

Strike one. Strike Two. Strike Three, you’re out.” Pat Negrini had become a little too familiar with those words in a game against tenth-ranked RPI last season.

Negrini had struck out four straight at-bats, and was due up in the bottom of the ninth. Staying with a positive mindset, a story from Coach Zavattaro ran through Negrini’s mind.

“Zavy’s story about striking out four times and then hitting the game winning homer in the ninth ran through my head all inning,” said Negrini.

With a runner on third and less than two out, Negrini did not disappoint his team as he hit a sac fly into the outfield, tying the game at five. The team would later win the game in walk-off fashion with a hit from Tim Burns.

“It was an incredible feeling winning that game,” said Negrini. “Not because we beat the tenth-ranked teamed in the country, but because of the way we did it. It gave me a bigger appreciation for the game.”

Growing up in the close-knit community of West Stockbridge, baseball was the first organized sport he participated in. His father was the one to introduce him and teach him the game, but it was a close bunch of friends he played the game with growing up.

“I played baseball with the same kids from when I was young, all the way up through high school,” Negrini said.

Negrini, his father, and friends would spend eleven out of the twelve months each year hitting and getting ready for the baseball season. His friends, who were a year older than him, were on the Varsity baseball team when he was a freshman. This was the first time he was not on the same team as his friends. What he didn’t know, was that it was a blessing in disguise, as he would meet his future favorite coach and friend Pete Wilson.

“I still go to him for hitting, especially when I am in a slump,” said Negrini. “He is like a second father to all the players. We still go to his house and keep in touch with him outside of baseball.”

Negrini had not only learned about baseball from Coach Wilson, but also about life. Negrini really came into his own as a baseball player and learned about the game, rather than just playing it. There was one quote from Wilson that Negrini remembers vividly in his mind and has stuck with him to this day:

“On or off the field, you respect everyone and fear no one.”

Senior season of high school came fast and it was an underachieving one at that. The team needed to win in order to make it to the tournament, but they had one problem: pitching. The team had run out of pitching, and the varsity coach decided he was going to go down to the JV level and field a few younger pitchers. Negrini was not having that. He proceeded to go up to the coach, and tell him he was pitching in tomorrow’s game.

“I wasn’t going to let him throw the season away,” said Negrini, “and we were playing a D-1 team, so I knew a JV pitcher would have gotten rocked.”

It was a great move on the part of Negrini, as the team won 3-1 and got into the tournament.

“I hadn’t pitched since freshman year,” said Negrini. “but I knew I was going to get the job done.”

The assistant varsity coach had come up with a list of schools where Negrini could play, and Springfield College was the one for him. Coach Puleri here at the College had recruited him to play, but Negrini’s final choice was Springfield College because he believed it to be better academically than MCLA.

Negrini attended Springfield for two years, but not after hurting his arm freshman year and having surgery. After, he took a year off from baseball, and spent a semester in New Zealand.

After studying abroad, Negrini decided to come to MCLA and play baseball. Negrini knew it was the right choice for him because when he first called Puleri to tell him he was going to attend Springfield College, Puleri told him he would rather see him go to Springfield College and enjoy it, than come here and not. With Puleri looking out for his best interests, Negrini knew he could work with the coach.

“I really liked the baseball knowledge and coaching staff here,” Negrini said.

Now a senior and captain of the baseball team, Negrini expects a lot from the team.

“I expect nothing but the top,” Negrini said. “There is only one expectation, that’s to win MASCAC. It’s the only option. Our team is like a brotherhood, everyone is close and they know what they have to do to win.”

Baseball will be with Negrini forever.

“Until my arm falls off, I will play baseball,” said Negrini. “Then when my arm does fall off, I am going to coach it.”