South Jersey’s all-time win leader in high school baseball has reached another milestone.
Longtime Bishop Eustace Preparatory School coach Sam Tropiano reached career win No. 800 on April 21 as the Crusaders defeated Shawnee High School, 8-1.
Tropiano broke into coaching baseball as a junior varsity coach at Saint Augustine Preparatory School in 1983 and coached the Hermits’ varsity program for four years (32-33 record) before taking a job at Bishop Eustace in 1988.
After serving as a JV coach his first year and a varsity assistant a year later, he was appointed head coach for the Crusaders in 1990 and has remained in that position the last 36 years.
At Eustace, Tropiano has won five state titles and six Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic titles. Through April 21, his overall record was 800-285, including a 9-3 record this season.
Tropicana has coached six players who have appeared in a Major League Baseball game, including Mike Moriarty, Blaine Neal, Devin Smeltzer, Zac Gallen, Tyler Phillips and Justin Hagenman.
An Italian immigrant who moved to South Philadelphia at age 6, Tropiano played travel baseball in his youth and varsity soccer at Saint John Neumann High School (now Neumann-Goretti).
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”
