Panezich helps New Jersey team win Cam-Am title

The Ursuline graduate is signed to play for the Sussex Skyhawks next summer.

staff report

Cliff Panezich helped the Sussex (N.J.) Skyhawks win the Cam-Am championship this summer.

He’d like to play a bigger role next year.

The Ursuline High graduate batted .298 with three doubles, four homers and nine RBIs in 47 at-bats for the Skyhawks, who finished off a three-game sweep of Quebec for the independent baseball league title last week.

Panezich was picked up in midseason by the Skyhawks after earning first team All-TranSouth Athletic Conference honors for his stellar senior season at Martin Methodist (Tenn.) College. He caught all but one game for the Red Hawks this spring, batting .328 with 21 homers and 61 RBIs.

Panezich played behind a 15-year veteran at catcher in Sussex, who will retire. Panezich is signed on to play next summer for the Skyhawks, but is still hoping to latch on with a minor league club.

“I have some offseason workouts scheduled, including one with the Phillies, so a lot can happen between now and then,” said Panezich, who graduated with a degree in business administration in June.

He knew he wouldn’t be a full-time starter when he signed with Sussex, but is looking forward to playing a bigger role next year.

“I got a little bit of playing time this year, put up some decent numbers,” he said. “I think I’ll get a lot more playing time next year and it’ll help that I’ll be there the entire year.”

Xwww.sussexskyhawks.com.