July 15, 2008
Timmy Hughes made 24 starts for the Holy Cross baseball team this spring, but none behind the plate. In fact, in his first three seasons with the Crusaders, he's never started a game at catcher.
Yet coach Greg DiCenzo expects the Middlesex School graduate from Andover to don a mask, chest protector and shin pads full time next spring and make the move to primary receiver. In preparation for his mighty challenge of replacing two-time All-Patriot League selection Brendan Akashian of Lowell, Hughes is spending the summer in the Pacific, suiting up for the Kamuela Panioles of the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League.
His college coach believes the experience, playing every day against fellow collegians, will pay off next spring.
Hughes, a three-sport athlete in high school, arrived in Hawaii ready to take on a schedule full of daily games and practices. When he found out he'd been accepted to the league in February, he said the decision was easy.
For the complete article from Sapna Pathak of The Boston Globe click here
