By: Anthony Gulizia, News Correspondent
Senior right fielder Tony DiCesare led the baseball team to back-to-back victories over Bryant this weekend, logging six hits and five runs batted in (RBI) in 12 at-bats in the three-game series, in which the Huskies took two of three. DiCesare also drove in the lone run for the Huskies in Monday’s 12-1 loss to Connecticut, his sixth RBI in four games. His efforts earned him Huntington News Player of the Week honors.
Friday afternoon, DiCesare was just one hit shy of the cycle. Finishing with a pair of singles, a double and a triple, he also drove in three runs en route to a 10-0 victory for the Huskies. He added a single and two RBI in Saturday’s game, a 7-4 victory for the squad. Sunday afternoon, he went 1-3 with a walk, as the Huskies fell to the Bulldogs, 16-4.
“I felt comfortable up at the plate and I saw the ball well,” DiCesare said. “On Friday I was able to get up with guys on base and drive them in, and that really set the tone for the weekend.”
In his four-year career at Northeastern, this was DiCesare’s first four-hit game, and he said it was a great experience.
“It really felt good to get that four-hit game. I tried getting that fifth, but four is fine,” he said.
Batting in the cleanup position, DiCesare has the opportunity to drive in runs, and while this may pressure most, the right fielder said it keeps him focused.
“My sophomore year I hit leadoff, so it’s nice to be back in the middle of the lineup,” he said. “When I get up with guys on base, it’s an incentive for me to get the job done and do what I need to do to get the runners home.”
DiCesare entered his senior campaign returning from back surgery on a herniated disk, an injury that limited him to only seven starts, and 10 total appearances during the 2009 season. DiCesare is off to a strong start this season, batting .400 with a team-high 13 RBI. He credits his success to Bob Cooley, a specialist in resistance stretching, as well as his teammates and coaches.
“Bob really took the twists out of my back that stretched all the way down to my hamstrings, and he really straightened things out and it’s helped a lot,” DiCesare said. “The coaches have done a great job helping me get back, especially coach [Mike] Glavine who’s done a great job with my hitting. The guys have been great on the team too, especially seniors like Frank [Compagnone], Dave [Gustafson] and Dan (Zehr), and the freshmen are stepping up too.”
When he’s not on the diamond, DiCesare said he really enjoys watching movies, going to the beach and taking vacations whenever he can.
“Last summer was nice, I got to go away a lot because I didn’t play,” DiCesare said. “The past five years of my life have been all about baseball so it’s nice to be able to sit and relax a little.”
DiCesare said he also enjoys reading from time to time.
Upon graduation, the Lynnfield native said he hopes to enter real estate. He completed his last co-op with his father and a friend, working for a private real estate company, focusing on development. DiCesare is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship.
DiCesare said he also plans to take his baseball career as far as he can.
“If the chance ever came, then I’d take it,” DiCesare said. “But right now I’m just focused on playing my best baseball and winning. For me and the senior guys, this could be our last hoorah for our baseball careers.”
With conference play starting this weekend, DiCesare said he is very excited.
“I’m really looking forward to make a splash in conference play,” he said. “I really think we have a good recipe for a winning baseball team this season.”
