Making up for lost time
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CRANBERRY TWP — Having missed out on two of the last three spring baseball seasons, 2021 Seneca Valley graduate Conor Carney quickly learned how to counter such misfortune.
Play more baseball — a whole lot more.
After losing his junior baseball season to the COVID-19 pandemic, Carney played for the Pittsburgh Diamond Dawgs in 2021, along with the Youngstown Class B team that reached the Palomino World Series that same summer in Laredo, Texas. And that was after making first team all-section as Seneca Valley’s shortstop his senior year.
“I just wanted to play as much as I could,” Carney said. “I love baseball. It’s been the only sport I’ve played since I was a little kid.”
Carney hit around .300 as a sophomore second baseman for the Raiders and was primed to take over as SV’s shortstop his junior year before the pandemic hit. When high school baseball finally resumed in 2021, Carney hit .370 with a lot of doubles in achieving section honors.
“I was our No. 2 hitter,” he said. “It was my job to get guys in scoring position — including myself — for the No.’s 3 and 4 hitters.”
Opting to study criminology in college, Carney considered West Chester, Chatham and other PSAC schools before deciding to attend California (Pa.) University.
He said that was the best school for his major and one of the Vulcans’ assistant coaches — Joseph Noro — coached him with the Pittsburgh Diamond Dawgs.
“It seemed like the perfect fit,” Carney said.
California posted a 31-17 record this season and qualified for the PSAC Tournament. But all Carney could do was sit and watch — as a red-shirt freshman.
“It wasn’t ideal. I wasn’t crazy about it ... but I understood it,” Carney said.
And, again, he responded to it.
For the first time, Carney is playing in the Butler County Area Baseball League with Cranberry Township. He is the team’s starting shortstop. He’s also playing for the Captains in the Eagle County League.
“If he could, Conor would be playing baseball someplace every night,” Cranberry coach Matt Baic said. “If it was winter and there were six inches of snow on the ground, if there was still a baseball game going on, he’d be in it.”
But there’s a mission to his madness.
“I figure a college baseball season is 50 to 60 games in a short period of time,” Carney said. “I want to adjust to playing that type of schedule, so the more nights I can play ball this summer, the better.
“This is my last chance to play one more year with my buddies from high school, too. Coach Baic was my coach when I was younger ... It just made sense for me to play for Cranberry this summer.
“Our shortstop at California this year is graduating and will probably be drafted (by a major league club). That spot is open and my goal is to be the starter there next spring.”
California shortstop Jake McCaskey hit .373 with 10 homers and 45 RBI this spring. He did some pitching for the Vulcans as well.
Baic appreciates having Carney on his team.
“The kid hustles his butt off all the time,” the coach said. “He’s into every minute of every game. He simply loves baseball.”
