In the MIAA ‘B’ Conference, St. Paul’s baseball team is off to a very strong start. In conference play, the team has a 6-1 start, being the conference’s #1 seed.
Besides their conference successes, St. Paul’s has defeated several strong-caliber ‘A’ Conference teams. Two of their non-conference victories include an 8-4 win over Loyola Blakefield and a 4-3 win over defending ‘A’ Conference champion Gilman.
We interviewed head coach Coach Miele to offer his thoughts on the team’s strong start.
On the season’s non-conference competition, Coach Miele described, “We have been challenged quite a bit already this season, having played teams like Bishop O’Connell, Hereford HS, Gilman, Loyola, Curley, St. Mary’s, Calvert Hall and Noble & Greenough (MA). The reason we stacked the schedule like this was to get our guys the reps they need to compete at higher levels. We are incredibly proud of our team’s ability to overcome adversity and show fight throughout games. We already have 3 come-from-behind wins and have beaten “A” caliber programs. This ‘never give up’ mentality is going to take us far this season!”
When prompted to commend a specific player, Coach Miele had high praise for senior Charles Konkolics. Miele commended Konkolics for his character and classroom performance besides his on-field role as a pitcher and utility infielder. He will attend UNC-Chapel Hill and is one of 76 Morehead Cain Scholarship recipients in UNC’s Class of 2026.
Besides Konkolics, Miele commended junior Cam Nelson [Wake Forest commit], along with seniors Braden Kletz and Zach Felton on their performances at the plate. All three are hitting above .300, with Nelson above the .500 mark. Miele emphasizes that these players are crucial to the team’s success and are “pieces of the puzzle” to St. Paul’s championship run this year.
On a team level, Miele describes the program’s philosophies of “fine-tuning the little things” and the “Big 3” : work ethic, attitude, and effort. He outlines his philosophies as part of the future goal to re-join the MIAA ‘A’ Conference and compete for championships.