The Murrysville American Legion baseball team has a new coach this season.

While it may be a new face taking over, the expectations remain the same – to contend for a District 31 title.

Ryan Catello replaces Bob Bozzuto as the head coach for the Eagles, one of the premier teams in District 31, which consists of teams and players from Westmoreland, Allegheny, Armstrong and Indiana counties.

The other teams in the league include Bushy Run, Hempfield East, Latrobe, Lower Burrell, Unity, Young Township, Homer City and Mt. Pleasant.

Murrysville opened the season by falling to Young Township, 9-6, on May 27.

Weather forced their May 28 game against Mt. Pleasant to be postponed and their May 29 game at Homer City was postponed because of a PIAA District 6 playoff game.

They were scheduled to play Latrobe on May 30 and then back-to-back games against rival Bushy Run (Penn-Trafford) on June 2-3.

“That was the schedule that was handed to me,” Catello said. “But that’s OK. The players are looking forward to the challenge. It should be a lot of fun.”

The Eagles are already two pitchers short this summer as N.J. Ramchandran and Josh Hudak are out with upper body injuries. Ramchandran, a Fairfield commit, played for Franklin Regional and Hudock, a 2024 Franklin Regional grad, played for Pitt-Greensburg.

“We have other pitchers,” Catello said. “They get a chance to step up.”

The staff includes Jonah Willochell, Ethan Raver, Christian Dunn, Anthony Mitchell and Jake Dombroski.

The Eagles are an experienced team. Most of the roster consists of players from the Franklin Regional baseball team and one from the softball team – Kent State commit Ciara Camacho. There are two players – third baseman Dan Macioce and shortstop Domkowski – from Plum, one player – Dave Speranza – from Central Catholic and one from Kiski School, 2024 Franklin Regional grad Owen Sinclair.

“We definitely have a lot of experience who have been playing together since they were young,” Catello said. “I had a few kids come out when they learned I was coaching.

“I coached Ciara when I coached travel ball. She is a heck of a player. She is athletic and will help us. Reston (Cicco) was a hockey player and wanted to give baseball another shot.”

Cicco was playing hockey at an academy in Michigan for the past few seasons. The Murrysville native is a Penn-State Behrend commit.

Others on the team are catcher Ray Catello Jr. center fielder Brady Yarabinitz, second baseman Chase Lemke, right fielder Liam Bernadowski, infielder Anthony DePaulo and leftfielder Danny Cristofano.

“Our goals are the same as previous teams,” Catello said. “The team wants to continue the rich tradition the program has.

“The pitching should be solid, but we just must come together as a squad. We also must clean up the defense and get timely hitting.”

Macioce showed some pop against Young Township when he clubbed a home run.

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