By Rich Acritelli
Former Rocky Point High School phenom Dominick J. Carbone recently was a key pitcher for the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers against Louisiana State University at the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. A 20-year-old college junior, Carbone began playing T-ball at St. Anthony School 15 years ago and began pitching at the age of 9.
Making the junior varsity baseball team in eighth grade, Carbone revealed early throwing success. As his velocity and strikeout total increased, Carbone became a major asset to the team and helped Rocky Point win the Suffolk County baseball title in 2022 against Mount Sinai. He went on to win the league’s most valuable player award during his sophomore year and was awarded the gold glove for pitching. And through these baseball successes, this unassuming, but dominant athlete gained a masterful one ERA against rival hitters during his senior year.
With a big smile, Carbone recalls the family atmosphere of the Eagles squad, his fondness for the players and his former pitching coach, Brian Glenn, who helped prepare him with a keen sense of humor to oppose some of the most formidable competition on the island. This tutelage ensured that Carbone was one of the finest pitchers in Suffolk County with his fastball reaching 90 miles per hour.
Glenn recalled that he “met Dom as a skinny, excitable eighth grader, who had God-given ability, and possessed an iron work ethic.”
Carbone “quietly handled adversity,” Glenn said. He would go to the gym after a long day of playing to improve his fitness and help younger players. “This has not only solidified him as a great player, but a unique person,” Glenn said.
In his summer seasons, Carbone continued to present his talents with the Farmingdale-based Team Francisco Baseball Academy that battled against capable teams from Florida, Georgia and New York. After his junior season, Carbone was a sought-after college recruit, and he signed with Coastal Carolina.
Before he left high school, this honor roll student helped organize a home-run derby, which raised $3,000 for autism and cancer foundations.
During Carbone’s first year at Coastal Carolina, he pitched against older and experienced Division I hitters. He quickly understood that he had to work harder, adapt to the competition and learn from the examples of his older teammates.
Capping off his first year, Carbone was invited to play with the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League for Hyannis Harbor Hawks to oppose the fiercest young prospects in the United States.
During his second year, Carbone improved his pitching metrics and mental game. He amassed 52 strikeouts and nine walks over 42 innings. Earlier in the playoffs against East Carolina University, he tossed 12 pitches for 12 strikes and gained three strikeouts and five total outs. Not pitching well in the next round, Carbone regrouped against the University of Arizona, where he allowed one hit, had a strikeout and forced a double play.
He kept up the momentum and closed out the 26th win in a row for Coastal Carolina against Louisville State University, winning consecutively since playing the College of Charleston on April 22. Advancing to the finals for the first time since 2016 against LSU, Coastal Carolina fell behind by one run, resulting in a 1-0 loss. Carbone pitched two innings in an extremely close contest, but LSU won, and they kept their bull pen rested for the second game. Carbone watched LSU beat his team by a score of 5-3, winning their second College World Series crown in the last three years.
Whereas Coastal Carolina was on the losing side of this baseball battle, the Rocky Point community was elated watching Carbone’s contributions to his team. His mom, Kelly Anne, a middle school aide, and sister Madison, a substitute teacher in the high school, were proud of Carbone, as was his community. Carbone commented that he was “blessed” to have his parents travel to Omaha to watch his team oppose LSU.
The head coach of varsity baseball at Rocky Point, Anthony Anzalone, was in awe of his past “hurler.”
“Watching our home-grown Eagle pitch on the biggest stage, at the College World Series, is one of the most incredible moments that I have ever seen as a coach,” he said. “It is no surprise, as Dominick, from his earliest moments, has been dominant, from T-ball to the victory at the county championship. I am thrilled that the world can witness his greatness on the national stage.”
Eric Strovink, a former Shoreham-Wading River High School hitter and player for LSU and C. W. Post, watched the prowess of Carbone and stated, “Dom is an elite competitor, who always wants the ball. No stage is too big for him. When it really matters, Dom always plays at his finest.”
Carbone is looking forward to next year, when he is determined to gain an ERA that is below two runs, and looks at the outside chance of getting drafted by the major leagues. Although this is a huge task for Carbone to reach, he is also looking forward to becoming a future high school physical education teacher.
Always a baseball fan, Carbone enjoys watching “The Sandlot,” “Bull Durham” and “Major League” and, always the kid at heart, he is excited to go back to Coastal Carolina to go bass fishing with his baseball buddies. Good luck to Dominick Carbone, as we proudly witness this special baseball talent of the North Shore!
