From Rivals To Roomates, Kasik and DeVito Shine At Worcester State
By Michael Corso, Sports Correspondent
May 6, 2011
Worcester, MA --- When Worcester State University senior pitcher Chad Kasik recalls his high school baseball career, one memory stands out above the others. In his junior season at Shepherd Hill Regional High School, Kasik was called upon to pinch hit in a blowout game in which his team was on the losing end against their hated rival, the Bartlett Indians.
With the game's decision well intact, the tall, left-handed Kasik entered the batter's box and was promptly greeted by a fastball that plunked him square in the back. On the mound that day for the Indians was an up and coming, hard throwing righthander named Bobby DeVito.
For the next two seasons Kasik and DeVito not only renewed a longtime Southern Worcester County League West division rivalry between bordering towns, but also a personal rivalry between each other that dated back to T-ball days.
"We used to play T-ball together and my dad was the coach," said DeVito. "Then he [Kasik] moved to Dudley. When he went to Shepherd Hill he was that guy that I didn't like."
Kasik agrees that there wasn't any love lost between the two in high school.
"I felt like it was him vs. me when we played each other our senior year," he said. "It was a very big and heated rivalry between Shepherd Hill and Bartlett. We went back and forth against each other. We could lose every game [all season] and win those two games [vs. Bartlett] and it would be a successful season. That is how big of a rivalry it was."
DeVito and Kasik split their head-to-head pitching match-ups their senior season and it appeared that it would be the last time each other would see the other on the field.
Kasik, a SWCL All-Star his senior season, took his game to Wheaton College, while DeVito, a Telegram and Gazette All-Star his senior year, received only one offer to play college ball with Worcester State and head coach Dirk Baker, who is in his 16th season with the club.
"Dirk and I have butted heads a couple times, but he is the only coach to call me and give me a chance to play," said DeVito on Baker. "I was ready to give up baseball and go to the University of Tampa."
DeVito flourished as soon as he stepped onto the field with the Lancers. He is currently tied for second in career wins at Worcester State with 16 and sixth in strikeouts with 143 over his four-year career.
After two years at Wheaton, Kasik decided to transfer closer to home, deciding upon Worcester State because of its academics and good baseball program.
"I went to Worcester State because it had a good criminal justice program and it was closer to home," said Kasik on his decision to transfer.
As a Lancer, Kasik was once again reunited with DeVito. This time they would be teammates. It wouldn't take long for Kasik and DeVito to become the top pitchers in Worcester State's arsenal. Last season Kasik finished with a 5-4 record and a 3.83 ERA, while DeVito finished with an impressive 6-0 mark and a 4.30 ERA.
The two quickly bonded and became friends and roommates.
Both players can now breathe a sigh of relief playing with one another instead of against each other.
"It is a lot better playing with him than against him," said DeVito.
Both pitchers helped the Lancers record a stellar 31-11- 1 season and a MASCAC title last spring. They would comeup short in the Regional's, losing to Eastern Connecticut State and St. Joeseph's (Maine).
This season Worcester State is 21-10 overall, 8-4 in the MASCAC, and have continued their recent success, which has a lot to do with the pitching performances of both Kasik and DeVito.
Kasik leads the starting pitching staff with a 2.32 ERA and a 4-2 record. DeVito continues to win games, posting a 4-1 record despite struggling with a 5.50 ERA.
The Lancers are second in the MASCAC despite having a plethora of injuries to key players and the departure of several starters from last season's club. They trail just Westfield State in the conference.
DeVito thinks the team has made big steps over the past couple of weeks.
"We are really progressing, especially on defense recently," he said.
The Lancers are closing in on their third consecutive 30-win season, despite not having a home field.
DeVito considers this year's team a brotherhood of close-knit players, which of course includes Kasik.
"We go to Florida for a couple of weeks and the dome when we get back so we have a lot of time together," he said. "I like everyone on my team."
From the time the Lancers landed down in Florida to begin their season, the goal has been the same, which is to win the MASCAC and advance further than any Worcester State team has ever gone before.
So far the Lancers are living up to those ambitious dreams and have no plans on cutting the plans short.
"I like our chances to go pretty far this season," said Kasik. "We have a good group of guys that love to play baseball together."
And with Kasik and DeVito playing together and starting for Worcester State University, the two foes turned friends play a large part in the Lancers' success.