Holliston High School baseball player Ben Maiorano knew that he wanted to play collegiate baseball for a long time. As he got closer to graduating, he started to begin emailing colleges that he wanted to attend. It wasn’t long before he was receiving invitations from Johnson and Wales, Eastern Connecticut and Clark University. While contemplating those schools he got one more invite, from UMASS, Boston.

“I had totally forgot about UMass Boston,” Maiorano said. “It was one of those schools high on my list, and when I got the opportunity to visit the campus, I was hooked. With the campus in the city and surrounded by water, I fell in love with it. The coaches and facilities were also great and had an impact on my decision.”

With his ticket punched to play for the Beacons, the Holliston athlete is ready to help the school playing somewhere in the infield.

“I’m hoping to play second base at UMASS, but it will all depend on what happens,” he said. “I really don’t care as much as long as I’m playing somewhere; I’ll go wherever the coach tells me.”

Maiorano had been playing the infield for quite some time when his summer coach of the Northeast Longhorns thought it was best to move him into the outfield as he thought it was where the player was best suited to help the team. The Holliston athlete took the move in stride and quickly learned the position.

“It was definitely difficult to transition, but you just got to trust the process,” Maiorano said. “I began in right or left, and once I got the hang of it, in about a month, I was moved to center, where I really enjoy playing now.”

Being this is his senior season with the Panthers, Maiorano was hoping to go out on top, but unfortunately, the Holliston outfielder pulled his hamstring in the third game and missed all but the last four games of the season. Although sidelined, he was itching to get back on the field as soon as possible.

“This was my senior year, and I thought that the team had a good chance at a State Title,” he said. 

Holliston went 13-9 in Division 2 and found themselves with a 26 seed and had to travel to Longmeadow to take on the number seven seed. The Panthers ran into a really good pitcher, and nothing seemed to fall Holliston’s way. They were sent home after the first-round loss, 1-0.

Having basically returned to the field, Maiorano was hoping to have that one last deep run with his teammates, but that would not be in the cards. Being that he didn’t get to play all that much, the senior opted to play baseball this summer with the Milford Legion team.

“I know that he had a tough senior season and worked extremely hard to get back onto the field, and we are lucky to have him,” Milford Legion Coach Steve DiVitto said. “He’s got great plate discipline, can fly on the basepaths and has some serious pop into the gaps. When he’s not in the lineup, we feel it.”

Playing in his first ever Legion season, Maiorano had heard that it was a different type of game compared to high school, and he was hoping to get himself a lot of at bats against some quality pitchers to help adjust his game, so he’d be ready in college.

“I heard that the atmosphere was great and there was a lot of college kids playing, so it would help me prepare,” Maiorano said. “It’s a different game, and I will have to be able to adjust, but I’ll pick the brains of my college teammates.”

While his next endeavor has yet to begin, Ben is hoping that once he does leave college that he has the opportunity to play professional baseball. He knows a lot will depend on how things go over the next four years, but he’s planning on giving it his all to earn a starting position and have fun. Whatever happens after that, happens.

Joe Maiorano’s experience with the Milford American Legion baseball team this summer is sure to help prepare him for college-level play at UMass Boston this fall. Photo used courtesy of Ben Maiorano