Cranston West’s Chris Famiglietti is safe at the plate in an April 14 game against Portsmouth. Famiglietti is now playing for unbeaten American Legion title contender Gershkoff/Auburn.

The Providence Journal / Steve Szydlowski

CRANSTON –– It’s been 20 years since a Cranston team won the American Legion state title.

It’s been 20 years since a Cranston team advanced to the Regional Tournament for a shot to play in the American Legion World Series.

None of the players on Gershkoff Auto Body/Auburn Post 20 was alive when the Cranston team won the American Legion state title. But if Gershkoff has its way, it will be the first Cranston team in two decades to capture the coveted state title.

“They are super focused,” Gershkoff manager Dave Schiappa said. “They don’t talk about it, but they feel like they can beat anybody. Last year we went to the finals and most of our kids were juniors. We had some post-grads, but Shields had a heavily loaded team of 19-year-olds and they had to beat us twice. They did, so they deserved to win. We want to come back and win it this year.”

So far, Gershkoff is playing like the team to beat. It enters next week’s action undefeated in league play (8-0), and overall (16-0).

Schiappa, who has been coaching American Legion baseball for 15 years and has been the head coach for Gershkoff for six seasons, said that the key to Post 20’s success this year has been talent, coaching, and having a great sponsor.

“I have great coaches, that’s key,” Schiappa said. “My assistant coaches, Chris Hopkins and Mike Giblin, have been great. They help me out a lot and Steve Gershkoff has been a tremendous sponsor to us. He’s given us everything that we’ve needed economically to put a great team out there.”

Gershkoff certainly has talent. Everyone in Gershkoff’s lineup can hit, Schiappa said, and the pitching staff is top-notch.

Gershkoff has several All-Staters and Division I college players on its roster, including Anthony Meo, a first-team All-State selection from Cranston West who was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 43rd round and received a baseball scholarship to play for Coastal Carolina University.

“He is a very fine player and on any given night can change the outcome of the game,” Schiappa said of Meo, who went 7-2 for Cranston West last season, during which he struck out 95 batters in only 53 innings.

Cranston West All-Stater Chris Famiglietti, who was the Division I-West Outstanding Player of the Year and who is committed to play for Texas A&M next year, is one of the leaders at the plate.

“Chris can get a hit at any time and can change a game, too,” Schiappa said. “I think he’s the fastest kid in state.”

In addition, Brent Hopkins (first-team All-State, Division I-North Outstanding Player of the Year for La Salle, will play for UMass-Amherst) and Danny Hopkins (second-team All-State from Cranston West, will play for UMass-Amherst) provide added firepower at the plate.

The talent doesn’t stop there.

Former Cranston West star Dan Lovejoy, who hit .368 this spring for CCRI, and Ryan Raleigh (All-State shortstop at Cranston West, plays for Worcester State) are having good summers, as are John Healey (pitcher), Brian Labianca (CCRI, first base and designated hitter), catchers Shane O’Connell and Shane Milan, infielders Russell Beacon and Austin Milan, and outfielder Joe Enright.

“Everyone on the team is contributing, so that has been a huge emphasis for me,” Schiappa said. “Every lineup that I’ve put out there has done well. They are jelling really well.”

Along with Meo, Dan Hopkins, and Healey, Cranston East’s Marwing Pena, and Cranston West’s Joe Portukalian, Rob Carbone and Jake Morgan add depth to the bullpen.

“It’s very hard to win a Legion championship,” Schiappa said. “You have to win six games in the playoffs and anybody can have a good night and beat you. We are going to take it one game at a time and we’ll see what happens.

“Hendricken’s good. North Kingstown was beating us 3-1 before we came back and won, 8-3. Woonsocket is good. Cumberland is good. Portsmouth has a lot of good players and South Kingstown played us, 4-2. It’s a very good league. We do have a lot of talent but a lot of teams are good.”

roblee@projo.com