Coach Moritz Announces Assistants for 2012

Published on May 10, 2012 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Edenton Steamers News Release


EDENTON, N.C - Edenton Steamers head coach Steve Moritz has announced his two assistant coaches for the upcoming 2012 season. Dan Pirillo and Dustin Hess will help guide the Steamers with coach Moritz this summer.

Pirillo, a former four-year infielder at Long Island University, will join the Steamers' coaching staff for the first time this season. After graduating from LIU in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in physical education, he immediately joined the Blackbirds' athletic department staff as their graduate assistant for the 2009 season. In 2010 Pirillo joined the Blackbirds' coaching staff fulltime as an assistant under Don Maines. He focused on defense for both infielders and outfielders and assisted with hitting, recruiting and overseeing field maintenance and the team's academic studies. Pirillo is currently an assistant coach at Georgia College and State University, along with coach Moritz, under head coach Tom Carty. This summer will mark a full year that coach Moritz and Coach Pirillo will have worked together on the diamond. The 2011-2012 season is Pirillo's first at GCSU and he is currently assisting with the outfield defense and teaching the overall offensive approach, as well as helping with recruiting efforts.   He recently finished a master's degree in exercise physiology.

"I do want to say that I am grateful for the opportunity to coach for the Steamers this summer. I'm looking forward to working for the Edenton Steamers and being a part of the Edenton community," remarked coach Pirillo. "Coach Moritz has told me nothing but great things about the town of Edenton, so I'm looking forward to being there this summer. "

Hess will also join the Steamers' coaching staff for the first time this summer along with coach Pirillo. He played at Manhattan (Kansas) High School before continuing on to Fort Scott Community College (also Kansas) in 2007. From Fort Scott, Hess moved into the coaching ranks; first at his alma mater Manhattan High School and then the Manhattan American Legion program before coaching the Midwest Wolverines in the United States Specialty Sports Association. The 2011 season saw Hess jump into the college ranks for the first time as an undergraduate manager with the Kansas State University baseball program. There he assisted with the video operations, set-up and breakdown of practice along with care and maintenance of team equipment. Hess is currently in his first season as an assistant coach at Northeastern State University (Oklahoma) under head coach Travis Janssen. At NSU he is assisting Janssen with the hitting coach duties, as well as leading the outfielders and assisting with recruiting efforts. Coach Hess is also currently working on a master's degree in Health and Kinesiology at NSU.

"The Coastal Plain League is historically good and very well respected, so I expect it to be exactly that this summer," said coach Hess.  "I think the players are going to be a talented group that shows up to work hard and have fun. All I've heard about Edenton is that it's filled with genuine people that know their baseball and love the Steamers."

The Edenton Steamers are a proud member of the Coastal Plain League, the nation's hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 16th season in 2012, the CPL features 14 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Furthermore, the CPL has had over 930 alumni drafted and 50 alums - including 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander - make their Major League debut thus far. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at http://www.coastalplain.com, and be sure to friend us on Facebook (at http://www.facebook.com/coastalplainleague) and follow us via Twitter (as cpleague).

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