1978 BASEBALL TEAM YEAR OF INDUCTION: 2010 The '78 Spartans sputtered to a 4-3 start but won 16 of their last 17 – including their final 12 – to claim the NJSIAA Group IV title with a 20-4 record. The 20 wins set a school mark at the time. It was the first state championship baseball team in Spartan history (a previous team won South Jersey but overall state title games were not played then). "The whole team was filled with good athletes," said centerfielder Dave Gallagher. "It wasn’t just a team of baseball players. They were all competitors and it was a very good blend. We had some pretty smart players. They were baseball smart and the makeup of the team was very good." Of course, it had what ever team needs – strong pitching. Twin brothers John and Jim Bowen anchored a staff that included Jim Maher, the late Jim Rivera, Brian Binns and Bob Kelly. In the state tournament, John Bowen went 5-0 while Jim Bowen had the other win. The position players were catcher Bobby Miranda, first baseman Jim Radvany, second baseman Joe Capone, shortstop Chris Pittaro, third basemen Jim and John Bowen, leftfielder Chris Moran, centerfielder Gallagher and rightfielder Jody Adams. Reserves were Rich Marolda, Pete Capone and Ken Ridge. Gallagher went on to a nine-year big league career. Pittaro won the third base job for the defending World Champion Tigers in 1985 and also played for the 1987 champion Twins. Gallagher led the county in hitting, while he, Pittaro, the Bowens, Capone, Adams and Miranda all earned All-County status. In the states, John Bowen allowed an incredible two runs in 38 innings of work and pitched all 10 innings in Steinert’s 1-0 Group IV semifinal win over Rancocas Valley at Rider College. Pittaro scored the winning run in that game when Miranda's shallow sacrifice fly drove the Red Devils rightfielder into the dreaded rightfield slope at Rider. In the finals against Teaneck, Gallagher was ordered to drop a squeeze bunt with the bases loaded in the first inning, which resulted in two errors and three runs. Steinert went on to a 9-0 win and a place in school history. "When you’re playing the game, you’re just trying to get through one game at a time and figure it out from there," Pittaro said. "But when you look back, you realize how special it is." Click Here to enlarge the team photo.