Special thanks to Metamorphosis Landscape Design for sponsoring this year’s series
By Anthony DiCocco
Eastport-South Manor 11, Hills West 10 (F/11 innings)
Walk-off hit by sophomore 2B Connor Minihane.
They will host No. 4 East Hampton on Thursday pic.twitter.com/yVYOXaCUiR
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 21, 2025
Following a magical season that featured a disappointing ending, head coach Jim McGowan and the Eastport-South Manor (ESM) Sharks will work to get over the hump in 2026.
After losing a win-and-in game in 2024 to miss the playoffs, the Sharks put together a campaign for the ages last year. Though ESM lost its final two contests of the season to end its run prematurely, those were the team’s only defeats all spring, as it won its league and was ranked the No. 1 Class AA team in New York State at one point after embarking on a 22-game winning streak to begin the year.
“I thought we were going to be good, but it was a little unexpected,” McGowan said in an interview with Axcess Baseball. “As the winning streak evolved, we started to win in multiple ways. I’ve been a head coach for 25 years and that was the toughest group we’ve had.”
The Sharks graduated three key contributors from last year’s squad. All-League RHP Noah Kirwin, who was dominant last year before missing the playoffs due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament, is now pitching at Queens College.
Like Kirwin, All-League CF Joey Gubitosi sat out for ESM’s final three postseason games due to an injury and is now at St. Joseph’s. RHP Ralph Betner, who totaled six saves, has also moved on.
However, McGowan stated that “the beauty of last year” was having a younger team, meaning he will not need to search as hard to fill those holes that the three created. For the most part, a large chunk of last season’s roster will be returning.
Most notably, All-County and Gold Glove winner Brady McGowan — Jim’s son — will return to man shortstop for his fifth year at the varsity level. Following this season, McGowan will join his brother and former Shark, Drew, at Marist. Last year, McGowan also earned Second Team All-Long Island and All-State nods to his resume after he hit .317 with three doubles, two triples, 10 runs batted in (RBI), 25 runs scored and 22 steals.
A couple great swings from Thomas Gargiulo (Eastport South Manor 2027) pic.twitter.com/UAAFvhF1c3
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) August 14, 2025
All-County C Thomas Gargiulo will also be back for his junior season. Last spring, Gargiulo earned the Sharks’ Most Valuable Player award, as he slashed .396 with a 1.046 on-base plus slugging and 10 doubles as a sophomore.
Jim McGowan feels that the duo will be the team’s greatest strength this season.
“Those [McGowan and Gargiulo] will anchor us defensively up the middle and behind the plate and that’s huge,” McGowan said. “We’ll go as [Brady] goes and [Thomas] was our most consistent kid last year.”
Junior 2B Connor Minihane will reprise his role as Brady McGowan’s double-play partner. Jim McGowan described Minihane as an “elite defensive player,” as he did not commit a single error in 64 chances. At the plate, he hit .256 with 11 steals, 18 runs and 10 walks to finish the season with a .408 on-base percentage (OBP).
At the corner infield spots will be 1B/ RHP Mason Gatchalian and 3B/RHP Logan Walsh. Gatchalian — a junior — cracked six doubles with a .423 OBP last year and led the team with 20 RBIs. Along with posting up at first, Gatchalian is set to pitch out of the bullpen.
RHP Logan Walsh (Eastport-South Manor 2026) commits to Felician University @ec_lumberjacks pic.twitter.com/RgvvHUoJnL
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) November 25, 2025
“We’re expecting a big jump from Mason; he’s a very talented player,” McGowan said.
Walsh will be tasked with being the Sharks’ ace in addition to manning the hot corner. Walsh — a Felician commit — was named the League 5 Pitcher of the Year and earned an All-County nod in 2025 after pitching to a 7-1 record, 1.64 earned run average (ERA) and 52 strikeouts in 51 innings.
“[Walsh] was great from start to finish last year,” McGowan said. “We had to rely on him more and he had an undefeated regular season.”
Junior RHP/CF Memphis Lanier and senior RHP Brennan Morrison will round out ESM’s starting staff. Morrison is slated to join St. Joseph’s next fall. While picking up the slack following Kirwin’s injury, he went 4-0 record, produced a 1.21 ERA and walked just three batters across 23 innings.
Memphis Lanier (Eastport-South Manor 2027) gets the start for Beast pic.twitter.com/VC7fEvdRd3
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 14, 2025
Lanier, who will start in center field when not on the bump, went 5-0 with a 2.96 ERA after being a late addition to the rotation. At the dish, he scored 13 runs, hit four doubles and drew 13 walks.
In the big moments, sophomore RHP/INF Gabe Sikora rose to the occasion last year. Following a call-up from junior varsity in May, he registered nine strikeouts and 0.70 ERA over 10 frames.
“[Sikora] was huge down the stretch,” McGowan said. “He’s another guy that we expect to help us on the mound in a big way this year.”
Sophomore Nick Lawrence will patrol left field again after starting there everyday last year and slashing .263 with 10 RBIs and .424 OBP. Junior 1B/OF Bennett Smith batted second for the majority of 2025, boasting a .275 batting average, 17 runs, 10 RBIs and 11 walks. He is expected to appear on the hill as well.
Nick Lawrence (Eastport-South Manor 2028) pic.twitter.com/JYLTauSmQj
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) December 8, 2025
After hitting .236 last year, junior CJ Spatz, who McGowan called a “really good defender,” will also vie for time in the outfield. Senior OF Nick Calcaterra (Dominican) will compete for time there as well after displaying a “tireless work ethic” this offseason.
Senior Matt Beardsley is the Sharks’ Swiss Army Knife, as he can play every position on the diamond. Senior C/DH Jordan Goldhammer — a Vermont State at Randolph commit — will likely see an uptick in playing time after batting .272 as ESM’s primary pinch hitter.
McGowan cited sophomore 3B/DH James Chandler as being someone who “can really swing it” as he looks to earn at-bats. Sophomore Logan Kirwin — Noah’s younger brother — may see time on the bump and has hit 84 miles per hour on the radar gun.
Eastport-South Manor 7, East Hampton 6
WP: Gabe Sikora (4 IP in relief, 0 runs, 2 H)Mason Gatchalian: 2-3, R, sac, walk-off double
McGowan: 2-4, R
Gargiulo: 2-R single
Gubitosi: RBI singleNo. 1 ESM will face No. 2 East Islip on Monday pic.twitter.com/rvUPS23TCb
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 24, 2025
With a roster filled with talented players that got a taste of winning, McGowan expects the Sharks to come into 2026 hungry for more after shocking the world last year.
“I think we’re going to play with an edge and chip on our shoulder,” McGowan said. “They thought we were a cute little story, but I don’t think people really thought we were good last year or gave us the respect we deserved. We’re going to be extremely motivated to show people that last year wasn’t a fluke.”
ESM will aim to get off to another white-hot start with a season-opening road matchup against the reigning Suffolk County and Long Island Champion Sayville Golden Flashes on Friday, March 27.
