Tim Pettorini knew Rob Piscetta had a “big-league arm”
the first time he saw him, but it took some time developing at The
College of Wooster from 1984-1987 before Piscetta got his shot with
the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 6-4, 215-pound right-hander from New Milford, Conn., came to
Wooster with a strong fastball, however, it was “usually high
and out of the strike zone,” joked Pettorini.
Piscetta’s very first start was a rough one, as he allowed
seven runs in 1.1 innings, but then bounced back to reveal his
potential, throwing 13.0 scoreless innings during the remainder of
his opportunities as a freshman.
Piscetta became a regular member of the rotation his sophomore
season, helping the Fighting Scots to a share of the very first
North Coast Athletic Conference championship. He went 3-3 with a
5.70 ERA over nine starts and one additional appearance, but was
still struggling with his control, having walked 36 in 47.1
innings.
The experience he gained his first two years resulted in increased
confidence and maturity, transforming Piscetta into one of the best
in the league the next spring. He started out as Wooster’s
No. 2, but ended up leading the team in both ERA (2.90) and
strikeouts (74), while going 7-2 during 68.1 innings en route to
first-team all-NCAC honors.
Piscetta raised his game another level as a senior, setting a
then-school record with 12 victories (12-2), including one over
NCAA Div. I Youngstown State University. Out of 13 games started,
he completed nine, and in the process, accumulated a 2.94 ERA and
83 strikeouts in 82.2 innings, leading the Scots to the conference
championship. For his efforts, Piscetta was the 1987 NCAC Pitcher
of the Year and a third-team All-American, as well as first-team
all-region and all-conference.
Thankful for Pettorini’s lenience early on, Piscetta said,
“My first two years were developmental and I appreciated
Coach P.’s patience. The last two years were tremendous and I
look back at them with great fondness.”
Piscetta wound up with a 24-8 career record, 3.64 ERA, and 196
strikeouts, nearly an average of one every inning (212.2 innings).
His win and strikeout totals ranked third and fifth, respectively,
in the Scot annals at the time of his graduation. Currently,
he’s tied for sixth in games started (36), seventh in
complete games (18), tied for ninth in wins, and 10th in
strikeouts.
In addition to putting his name in the school records,
Piscetta’s last two seasons gained attention from several
professional scouts. The Dodgers took him in the 27th round of the
1987 draft, and although he never made it up to Major League
Baseball, he had a successful run, pitching for four years within
their organization. He even represented the Dodgers in Australia as
a player/coach on a national team, and as a scout.
“He’s one of the all-time greats here,”
commented Pettorini, who has coached Wooster to a spot in the
top-25 of the final NCAA Div. III national rankings 17 of his 26
seasons. “He was the first great pitcher that I really
recruited, so I have a special feeling for that. He was part of my
second recruiting class, and that’s the one that really kind
of got us going.”
Piscetta, who earned a bachelor’s degree in geology, is
still involved in athletics, as he’s worked for Wilson
Sporting Goods Co., since 1999, currently as a regional sales
manager (northeast). He married 1989 Wooster alum Colleen McCauley,
and they reside in nearby Sharon Ctr., Ohio, with their daughters
– Madeline (13) and Kate (10).
