Staff Report
You could put Eastern Regional High’s Vinny Milillo on any other team in South Jersey — and at just about every position — and he’d probably be the best player at that spot. Or at least right up there with the best player.
Milillo was an outstanding infielder during his four-year varsity career with the Vikings, and also did a solid job as a pitcher when called upon, delivering a 2.40 ERA over 43-plus innings.
But it was as a hitter where Milillo truly made his mark. He started off with a tremendous freshman year, hitting .333 with 21 hits, 29 runs scored and 19 RBIs, and after a tough sophomore slump his career really took off in his final two seasons.
As a junior Milillo pounded out a career-high 40 hits, scored 38 runs and knocked in a career-high 24 runs while adding a pair of home runs, nine doubles and 14 steals. That year, he helped lead Eastern to the sectional championship game, where they lost a tough matchup against eventual state Group 4 champion Cherokee.
After hitting .465 as a junior, he followed that up with a .344 campaign as a senior with 31 hits, 36 runs scored, 21 RBIs, 22 walks and a career-high 29 stolen bases. With Milillo having his two best years, Eastern went 41-16 the last two seasons and made it to the South Jersey Group 4 championship game each year. As a sophomore, Milillo was part of an Eastern team that won the sectional title and made it all the way to the state championship game before falling to Bridgewater-Raritan, 6-4.
For his career, Milillo hit .346 with 103 hits, 71 RBIs, 120 runs scored, 21 doubles, 59 walks and 54 stolen bases.
— Staff Writer Dave O’Sullivan
