When Allegheny Valley holds open tryouts before the start of the Federation League season, manager Kevin Giza says that he doesn't care what players have done in the past.

Good thing for Dante Vaccaro.

In high school, Vaccaro never had a chance to play baseball for North Hills. The two times he tried out, his sophomore and senior years, he was cut. After graduating, he went to Slippery Rock University and did not make the team there.

Not to be deterred, after reading an ad in a newspaper for open tryouts for the Allegheny Valley team Vaccaro thought he would give it one more shot. The only baseball he played was American Legion ball through his high school years.

Still, Vaccaro showed up for tryouts along with about 50 other potential players who were trying to make the 25-man roster.

After the three-day tryout Vaccaro had beat the odds and made the team. After not playing in the WPIAL or in college, Vaccaro was now in one of the most competitive semipro leagues in the East.

"I figured after my last year of Legion I was done with baseball," Vaccaro said.

"I read about Allegheny Valley in the newspaper and rather than just give up on baseball I gave it one more try. I figured I had nothing to lose and as long as I was confident I could make it."

The reversal of fortune did not stop there for the North Hills High School graduate. After working with Giza and the rest of the Allegheny Valley coaching staff, Vaccaro decided to tryout for the team at his new school, Point Park University.

He made that squad, too.

"Giza gave me a shot and he and the older players have worked with me the last couple of years and they helped me progress and make a college team, something that I never thought I could do," Vaccaro said.

"I think people doubting me helped make me better. All those years of getting cut and not making it made me work hard."

Vaccaro starts in right field most of the time for Allegheny Valley and bats seventh or eighth. His once shaky defense has now become the strength of his game.

"You talk about someone showing you that hard work pays off," Giza said.

"He is one of the hardest workers on the team. From the time he first tried out to now he is head and shoulders above what he was before. He is a total athlete now. His defense went from his weak spot to his strength and that is a tremendous transformation. He is just a great kid and a great player."

The left-handed batter has had success hitting the ball all over the field not just pulling it. Vaccaro has consistently been able to go the other way with the ball this year and he is hitting around .400. Against first place St. Johns last week Vaccaro went 4 for 5.

After two years playing for Point Park Vaccaro has played in 21 games but only started one. He hopes after another summer playing for Allegheny Valley and with the help of Giza and the other veterans on the team he can work his way into a starting role for the Pioneers.

In high school, Vaccaro was a wrestler and that cut into the offseason conditioning program for baseball. He was never up to speed with the other players by the time wrestling season had ended and it became tough when it came to tryout.

During high school for summer ball most of the North Hills varsity played in the Palomino League, while Vaccaro played American Legion for West View/Ross.

Now in the Federation League, Vaccaro is playing alongside those same players.

Team captain Steve Long along with Dustin Mills and Mike Reeves all played for North Hills in high school.

Vaccaro pointed out those three fellow North Hills alum as three players who have helped him progress since he joined Allegheny Valley.