Pfeifer's new battery-mate, Delmonico, has baseball in his genes. His father Rod is the former University of Tennessee baseball coach and both brothers play at a higher level – Joey at the University of Georgia and Tony in the Dodgers' minor league system. Like his older siblings, Delmonico is now a catcher. But unlike his brothers, who didn't begin catching until after high school, Delmonico decided to make the position change for his senior year.
"Growing up I played all over the diamond," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder, who also has played third base and center field this season. "It's neat to play different positions and I take each seriously. You never know where they might need you to play."
Both Pfeifer and Delmonico spent the last three summers playing on Team USA and many scouts say they will be drafted this spring. However, both players say they plan to go to college regardless of the outcome of the draft.
Delmonico will join his brother and former Farragut teammate Curt Powell at the University of Georgia, where he says he'll probably play in the infield next year.
"One of the most fun times I had in my life was playing with my brother Joey and Curt my freshman year," said Delmonico, who is batting .400 with five home runs and 25 RBIs. "Ever since I was little I wanted to play for the national championship in Omaha. It's a blessing for me to have that chance at Georgia."
Pfeifer will take his talents to Vanderbilt where he hopes to jump right into the starting rotation.
"I don't throw it 98 mph, but I can strike a lot of people out and go deep into games, and the coaches liked that about me," he said. "My mother probably summed up best why I chose Vanderbilt. She said, ‘A lot of colleges will teach you to become the baseball player you want to be. The coaches at Vanderbilt will teach you to be the man you want to be.'"
Before Pfeifer and Delmonico head off to play at the next level they still have one goal left, and both agree neither has had trouble staying focused on trying to win the school's fourth consecutive state championship.
"The coaches have made it fun, which makes it easy to stay motivated," Delmonico said. "When you have a lot of guys who just love the game of baseball in your life it makes it a lot of fun to come to the field every day."
Pfeifer said his motivation dates back to his childhood: "When I was little I played for a team that won just one game. Ever since then I've really hated losing."
Buckner says the team doesn't talk about winning the state title, but instead they take a "pitch-by-pitch, out-by-out approach" before each game. But when asked, he did admit that it would be exciting if Farragut does become the first team in Tennessee to win four straight state baseball titles.
"It would put us in elite company," he said. "It would be pretty special."
Jon Buzby is the sports columnist for the Newark Post, a freelance writer, and on the broadcast team for the 1290AM The Ticket High School Football and Basketball Games of the Week. You can reach him at jonbuzby@hotmail.com.
