Special thanks to Metamorphosis Landscape Design for sponsoring this year’s series
by Anthony DiCocco
Commack captures their 4th consecutive Suffolk County Championship behind a complete game gem by Evan Kay against Sachem North 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ElDOlV4Qlz
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 26, 2024
After having their streak of four straight Suffolk County Championship victories snapped last year, the Commack Cougars have their sights set on rediscovering their winning ways in 2026.
In addition to its county dominance, Commack had captured three Long Island Championship titles in that same four-year span prior to last season. However, the Cougars went 9-11 in 2025 and failed to win a postseason game.
Though Commack’s green team endured some growing pains a season ago, head coach Matt Salmon believes that learning to take some lumps will result in success down the road.
“Last season was a battle,” Salmon said in an interview with Axcess Baseball. “We dealt with a lot of turnover … A lot of our young guys played pretty big roles and we were asking a lot from them. But I think having that little bit of playoff experience and fighting through a tough year is going to pay dividends.”
Luckily for Salmon, one of the benefits of having a team made up of mostly underclassmen last year is that most of his group will be returning with a year of experience under their belt.
The most notable departure comes in the form of LHP Chris Messina, who is now playing at Fairleigh Dickinson after serving exclusively as a designated hitter last year while he recovered from Tommy John surgery.
The Commack infield spins a double play to finish off SP Chris Messina’s scoreless first
Commack 1 – Connetquot 0
End first pic.twitter.com/gmImlfvt05— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 13, 2025
“Chris had a lot of experience,” Salmon said. “He fought through that injury, even when he wasn’t 100%. He was a hard worker and a good example for the guys. It’s hard to replace a guy that puts the team before himself.”
RHP Lucas Scarangello is continuing his playing career at SUNY Old Westbury.
As far as returners go, Salmon will lean heavily on All-County C Robbie Mascia. Despite entering his sophomore campaign, 2026 will mark Mascia’s third year behind the plate at the varsity level. Last year, Mascia batted .373 with a 1.151 on-base plus slugging, 11 extra-base hits, eight runs batted in, 19 runs scored and 14 steals.
Sophomore Cooper Schramm will continue to start at shortstop after earning the role as a freshman midseason. Salmon is excited to see what Schramm can do in his first full season with the squad.
SS Cooper Schramm adds to the Commack lead with an RBI single
Commack 2 – Connetquot 0
Mid third pic.twitter.com/NO4DhmzpKx— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 13, 2025
“[Schramm] started our last 10 games of the year and had some really impressive moments,” Salmon said. “I’m hoping that as he grows older with a little more varsity experience and gets stronger, he kind of just takes off a little bit.”
Senior Ryan Bush is also poised to make an impact as he remains a staple in the infield and the middle of the Cougars’ lineup. Once he graduates at the end of the season, he will head to St. Joseph’s to take his game to the collegiate level.
Ryan Bush (Commack 2026) @mvpnewyork pic.twitter.com/wYst5dXufR
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) February 2, 2025
Junior Sam Kay will occupy a position on the infield dirt when he is not on the mound. After starting as a sophomore last year, Kay will be one of Salmon’s go-to arms this season.
Alongside Kay, fellow right-hander Dean Kirschbaum is poised to take control of a starting spot. Though he mostly came out of the bullpen as a junior last year, Kirschbaum is no stranger to starting, as he did it regularly as a sophomore.
Luke Krzemienski, Jake Fragola, Jack Schilling and Travis Gural-Carufe will round out the pitching staff. Krzemienski — a junior — made some key starts for Commack before going down with an injury last season, while Fragola and Schilling are both seniors that can contribute out of the bullpen.
Freshman Travis Gural makes his first varsity start for Commack pic.twitter.com/HLwwnM5i0y
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 11, 2025
As a freshman last season, Gural-Carufe was deployed as a starting pitcher and will hope to further improve as a sophomore.
When not taking the bump, Krzemienski will spend some time in the outfield. However, the rest of those spots are still available. Seniors Justin Gomez, Anthony Ciaccio and Danny McDonough are set to compete for the chance to patrol the outfield after serving as role players last year.
Regardless of class standing, Salmon will start anyone that steps up to grab a stranglehold of any of the three positions on the grass and hopes that the open competition will culminate in iron sharpening iron.
“If the seniors are going to go out there and earn the spot, then let’s go; make it impossible not to play you,” Salmon said. “If not, then someone else is going to get it. We try our best to create as much competition as we can, and when that happens naturally, I think it can only help as long as they can compete for innings and still have respect for each other as teammates.”
Following a disappointing year, Salmon is ready to see the Cougars right the ship immediately now that they are a more veteran team compared to last year.
“This should be a really big year,” Salmon said. “We won the Suffolk County Championship four years in a row and three out of four Long Island Championships, so I want them to have pride in that. Last year, we didn’t get it done and that’s got to be looked at as a blip on the radar. That can’t be the new standard and we can’t be the group that slows the momentum down.”
Commack’s quest to return to the mountain top begins on March 26 at home against Sachem North.
