Baseball Player Magazine

The Adelphi University baseball team is fresh off an East Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles in 2009. The Panthers fell to Dowling College in the NCAA East Regional Championship game, 1-0, ending their season with a 34-16 overall record.

Junior starting pitcher Keith Couch is coming off a dominating 2009 campaign. Couch went 9-2 last season with an ERA of just 1.31, striking out a team-high 75 batters in 89.1 innings of work. He was also an All-ECC selection, while also being named All-Region. Senior pitcher Mike Bartlett posted a record of 5-2 during the 2009 season with an ERA of 2.53, striking out 39 in 64 innings pitched.

Senior third basemen Weidlein, a Third-Team All-Conference selection in 2009, hit .265 with 22 RBI, 14 runs scored and 41 hits, while slugging .361 and posting an on base percentage of .328. 

 The infield returns Reggie Smith at second base, someone Puccio calls, “the best overall second baseman I have ever coached”. Third baseman Dave Darcy hit over .300 last year in his freshman campaign, and should be a major RBI guy for the Seahawks. Tom Locrotondo and Gabe Ermarrino are battling for the shortstop position. Freshman sensation Kevin Licul, the cleanup hitter for Levittown Division last year, will man first base. Kevin Burke will also see time at first while also securing the lefty-hitting designated hitter role. 

Pitching will be the team’s first and foremost strength, with a good mix of veteran and rookie hurlers that should be one of the top rotations in the ECC. Seniors Bobby Kay and Pete Budkevics look to head up the rotation, both have previous all-conference and all-region accolades that can attest to their talent. Senior Brian Saldana will also look to cap a strong career, with Timmes looking to use him exclusively out of the bullpen.  Fellow senior Mark Czerniawski posted strong numbers last season, earning a second-team all-conference nod, and looks to repeat the performance this spring. The Pioneers are strong up the middle, with catcher Brian Anderson returning for his fifth year after losing last year due to injury. The veteran backstop has outstanding defensive abilities and handles the pitching staff very well, in addition to being a solid bat in the middle of the lineup. 

At shortstop for his final season will be senior Bryan Bonin. A standout on defense and a solid bat at the top of the lineup for the past three seasons, Bonin will look to put up strong numbers in his last season. With a career fielding percentage of .937, the shortstop will anchor an otherwise young infield.

Vying for spots in the Pioneer infield will be several freshmen, starting with Anthony Corona, who looks to earn a spot at first base and behind the plate, splitting time with Anderson at both positions. Casey McKay is slated as the second baseman, taking over for a graduated Kyle Walker. Highly touted freshman Kevin Chenicek will likely see a majority of the action at the hot corner, and also see time on the mound and possibly in the DH slot.

In the outfield, senior Mike Callaghan will make the move to right field, taking advantage of a strong throwing arm that will limit runners looking to take the extra base. Freshman speedster Zack Graczyk will take over in center field, and several players will compete for time in left field, with freshman Joe Armenti, sophomore Eddie Bartley and senior Kyle Dean as the leading candidates for the starting job.

C.W. Post’s first home game is February 28 vs. Franklin Pierce. Conference play kicks off March 19 vs St.Thomas Aquinas, and continues vs.  Dowling in a five-game series beginning March 23.

The 2009 season will go down as the most successful campaign in program history to date for the Dowling College baseball team. After making their first ever trip to the World Series, the Golden Lions finished the season with a 35-16 record. The 35 victories were a single season program record, eclipsing the 34 victories of the 2004 squad.

Also a First Team All-American by three different publications, Duran returns after an outstanding sophomore season in which he set the program’s single season record for wins. The righty from Brooklyn, NY, finished the 2009 season with a 10-2 record (including a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts against Felician College), a 1.30 ERA, and 83 strikeouts in 89.1 innings.

East Regional Most Outstanding Player Buddy Cipoletti, Marc Rutledge, and Nicholas Albero are also back on the pitching staff that led the nation in earned run average.

Among returning position players, the Golden Lions have four all-conference players back. Frank Intagliata and Colin Barnathan, both all-conference first teamers in ’09, are back after tying for the team lead in hitting with a .314 average. Barnathan, who was also a Daktronics All-Region selection, also finished third on the team with 28 RBI. First baseman Daniel Pembroke returns for his last season after a breakout junior campaign in which he hit .304 and led the team in homeruns (4) and RBI (34). Eddie Squeri, a slick fielding shortstop who also hit .284 with 28 RBI, is the Golden Lions fourth returning all-conference player. 

Dowling’s biggest hole to fill will come behind the plate after the graduation of four year starter and Tampa Bay Rays’ 50th round draft pick, David Wendt. Taylor Bargiacchi, who hit .352 in 54 at-bats and threw out 33% of attempted base-stealers in 2009, and newcomer 
Daniel Masiello will fight for time to replace Wendt. Other newcomers who could make an impact in their first season in navy blue and gold are Joe Candela, and All-League player from Westhampton High School, and Sean Craig, also and All-League selection from Rocky Point High School.

Dowling will start their season with a double header vs. Franklin Piece on February 20 at the Golden Lion sports complex in Brookhaven, NY.

The Farmingdale State Rams  baseball team gears up for the 2010 season ranked #13 in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's NCAA Division III Pre-season Poll. In 2009, the Rams captured their second consecutive Skyline Conference Championship and their first-ever New York Region Championship to advance to the NCAA Division III College World Series for the first time in school history. As one of just eight teams to appear in the World Series, Farmingdale faced DIII powerhouses Shenandoah and Chapman.

Highlighting the returnees, junior first baseman and 2009 Skyline Conference Player of the Year, Kevin Curtis, batted .407 last season, leading the team in hits (55), RBI (44) and total bases (70). Senior outfielder Frank Ennis, batted .336 with 34 RBI and 11 doubles. Senior outfielder Donny Moscatelli, finished the year batting .342, was second in RBI with 38 and had a team-high 152 at-bats. Senior designated hitter Mike Labrozzi, led the team with 39 runs scored. Senior centerfielder Frank Yera, led the team with a .415 batting average and held a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage to win the 2009 New York Regions ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Junior outfielder Matt Weingartner, who hit .484 with a .742 slugging percentage over 17 games, will be a key asset once again this year.

Senior catcher Zak Nersesian and sophomore catcher Frank Scarlato had solid years in '09, both offensively and defensively. Nersesian (.333) and Scarlato (.354) split time behind the plate, catching for a pitching staff that had a low ERA of 3.03 in Skyline Conference games.

The pitching staff will feature key returnees in sophomore right hander Chris Phelan and senior right hander Steve King. Phelan finished his rookie season with a 5-1 record and 3.97 ERA in six starts and 18 appearances. King held batters to a .189 average and went 5-4 overall in seven starts, posting a 4.12 ERA. Senior Patrick Gilbride, will help out the bullpen.

Notable transfers for this season are sophomore second baseman Danny Devito, junior third baseman Nick Wiwczar, junior outfielder Ryan Rubenstein and senior pitcher Ian Solomon. Devito and Rubenstein, transfers from Suffolk West, helped the Longhorns capture their third straight Region XV Championship in '09. Wiwczar, a transfer from Suffolk East, will look to see his way into the starting lineup at third base. Soloman, a transfer from Division II New Haven, will help stack the rotation with some talent. He threw for two years at UNH, making eight appearances his freshman season and seven appearances last year.

Some freshman recruits for the Rams include Ron Remi, a shortstop from St. Anthony's; Terrance Bohanen, an outfielder from Patchogue-Medford; Vinny Messana, a pitcher from Centereach; Matt Holder, an infielder from Connetquot; and Eddie Balzer, a pitcher from William Floyd.

For the full 2010 schedule and more information. Please visit www.farmingdalesports.com.

Casalicchio, Grangard, and Munday will head up the bullpen. Grangard was the team leader in ERA at 4.47, appearing 21 games with two saves, while Munday made 20 appearances, recording 39 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings and three saves. After battling elbow problems, Casalicchio will move to the bullpen with a slightly altered delivery that was very effective in the fall, and is relishing his new role.

The Hofstra University Baseball team will take on a younger look this season with 16 freshmen and six transfer players competing for positions all over the diamond. Just nine players return from last season's squad that finished 11-32.

“I want our mentality to be aggressive,” Anderson said, “We want to create a positive; energetic atmosphere and have everyone compete for all nine innings.”

 For the full 2010 schedule and more information. Please visit www.gohofstra.com.

The Jaspers are coming off another great season competing in the MAAC Conference. The 2009 season found the Jaspers on top of the Conference, winning their second straight regular season title with an 18-6 record in conference play. Overall the Jaspers were 35-18, putting up a 14-3 record at home, in Riverdale, NY. This past year was Manhattan’s fourth consecutive 30+ win season. This year they hope to make it their 5th and earn another bid to the NCAA Tournament.

For the full 2010 schedule and more information. Please visit www.gojaspers.com.

The 2009 Molloy squad finished the season with an overall record of 26-19, an East Coast Conference ledger of 16-8, a second-place finish in the league, and head coach Fucarino earning recognition as the East coach Conference Coach of the year. They headed to the ECC Baseball Championships confident and ready to bring a title home. The Lions lost to St. Thomas Aquinas College (10-3) and Dowling College (4-2), who went on to win the Division II National Championship.

For the Lions, 2010 brings back a trio of pitchers. Leading the way is senior Steven Stewart, All-East Coast Conference first-team player and 2009 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-America honorable mention. Last season the right-hander went 4-5 with an earned-run average of 1.63, ranking him seventh in the nation. He also ranked 11th in hits allowed per nine innings, at a ratio of 6.4. Stewart struck out 32 hitters in 71.2 innings pitched.

For the full 2010 schedule and more information. Please visit www.athletics.molloy.edu.

From an offensive and defensive standpoint, the Bears’ have two key veterans returning to the lineup, third baseman Effrey Valdez and shortstop Brian Smith. Valdez is a real offensive threat and as “tough an out as there is in the Northeast.” Smith is the table setter in the lead off position in the Bears’ lineup. He not only has the ability to consistently get on base, but he possesses excellent speed and is a constant stolen base threat. Defensively, he is adapting well to shortstop after being moved there in the middle of last season. Rounding out the infield at first base is Chris Dienna and at second base, Ryan Campbell. Steve McNamara looked excellent this fall and may fit in nicely as the extra infielder or could earn a starting spot as the year progresses.

In the outfield, there are plenty of players, but the real question is who will be a starter. Early in the season the only mainstay will be center fielder Jerry Smith, who will return to the starting lineup after being out all last spring with a broken ankle. The other choices in the outfield are Eric Cos, Dan Lackner, Dane Hardy and Sebastian Grazziani. The corner positions are up for grabs, so look for a rotation in the outfield early in the season until things get settled. “The lefty/righty combinations might bode well for us early in the season.”

After making its 10th-straight BIG EAST Tournament appearance, the St. John's baseball team will look to continue its run of success in 2010 with head coach Ed Blankmeyer at the helm.  In 14 seasons at St. John's, the four-time BIG EAST Coach of the Year and four-time ABCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year has compiled a 470-285-3 record. The Red Storm returns 17 letterwinners from a 2009 squad that set new school records in batting average (.349), runs (473), RBI (440) and doubles (149), and finished the season 30-22 (16-11 BIG EAST).

Offensively, the Red Storm should be powerful once again this season.  Despite losing third team All-American Tim Morris (.415, 12 HR, 62 RBI) and two-time All-BIG EAST selection Brian Kemp (.379, 68 runs, 16 stolen bases), St. John's returns five starters that batted .321 or better. Among the top returnees are ABCA All-Northeast Region selection Jimmy Parque (.360, 17 2B, 61 RBI) and second team NCBWA Freshman All-American oe Panik (.332, 11 2B, 47 RBI). Two-time All-BIG EAST selection Paul Karmas (.331, 16 2B, 31 RBI), Greg Hopkins (.349, 7 HR, 45) and Matt Wessinger (.347, 15 2B, 31 RBI) round out the offensive returnees.

The staff also returns nine arms from a year ago, including four pitchers that logged at least 49.2 innings.  Righties Nick Cenatiempo (5.17 ERA), Bruce Kern (57 strikeouts, one complete game) and Eddie Medina (3.81 ERA) each finished the season with five wins, while lefties Kevin Kilpatrick (42 strikeouts, two saves) and Brendan Lobban (30 strikeouts) combined for seven wins.  Ryan Cole (2-0, 3.49 ERA) anchors the bullpen and had a team-best five saves a year ago.

For the full 2010 schedule and more information. Please visit www.redstormsports.com.

St. Joseph's will also be counting on sophomore transfer Parteek Thamen out of Hauppague, New York. He's an impact player in the outfield, first base and at the plate. The talent at shortstop is deep, so the position will be split between two sophomores, James  Carey (St. John the Baptist) and Dennis Nover (St. Francis Prep). On the mound for the Eagles will be Ryan Scarsbeck (Massapequa), a freshman pitcher and senior Frank Tucker. They both have experience playing in big games and handling pressure, but one of Tuckers biggest wins was over Kean State, the Division III champions in 2008.

The Eagles have impressed their fans with offensive records, but most impressive may be that the last two seasons they have hit over .330 each year. They know that this is a record they want to stay in possession of.  If this record is going to be broken, the Golden Eagles plan on breaking it themselves.

The upcoming season brings many challenges as their schedule includes 10 teams that made the regional world series in 2009.  The Eagles are very aware of the challenges in the upcoming season, but with a great crop of freshman ball players and a healthy pitching staff, this team is ready to play ball. St. Joseph’s first home game is March 6 vs. Stevens Tech at the Gregg Alfano Field in Patchogue, New York.

For the full 2010 schedule and more information. Please visit www.sjcny.edu.

Stony Brook University is looking forward to the opportunity to bring an America East Championship back to Long Island. Entering his 20th season, Coach Matt Senk returns a solid mix of veteran leaders as well as a new crop of talented freshmen. The Seawolves made an appearance in the America East Tournament in 2009 and look to not only return to the playoffs, but also bring home the hardware.

Success for Stony Brook will start on the mound. Nick Tropeano is fresh off a great summer in the Hamptons League and will look to be the ace of the staff. Tyler Johnson is a promising righty who experienced summer success in the land of the midnight sun. He was a key part of the pitching staff that brought an Alaska League Title to the Mat-Su Miners. Jordan Purrington, Chris Maier, Mike Barbot, and Anthony Luciano will help bolster the staff with a veteran presence. Several newcomers will see significant time on the hill at University Field. Among these freshmen include local products Willy Carmona, Thor Miller and Adam Brown. James Campbell, Jasvir Raakar, G.C. Yerry and Patrick O'Leary will be expected to contribute on the mound.

Two freshmen are expected to see significant time in the outfield for the Seawolves in 2010. Travis Jankowski, a freshman from Lancaster, PA, is hoping to show off the athleticism that earned him all-state accolades in both football and baseball. A player who hails from North of the Border, Tanner Nivins displayed good power in his swing in the fall. Sophomore Sal Intagliata is another promising athlete who will see his name in the lineup.

For the full 2010 schedule and more information. Please visit www.goseawolves.cstv.com.

The Panthers will open the 2010 season after ending 2009 with a program record 27 wins. Head coach John Lonardo, the 2009 Skyline Conference Coach of the Year, has assembled an impressive cast of talent for the 2010 roster and believes that it is within the realm of possibility that the Panthers are ready for the post season.

While the Panthers will have to deal with the departure of six seniors from its 2009 club, Old Westbury will welcome back 16 lettermen.  Lonardo is relying on his group of upperclassmen, along with a group of underclassmen who played key roles on the 2009 club, to mesh with and guide a talented crew of newcomers.

After ranking fourth in both stolen bases (139) and stolen bases per game (3.48), Old Westbury will look to be a premier offensive club again this year.  Last season they scored 7.3 runs per game, clubbing 20 triples, ranking them 24th in the nation and 29th in triples per game (0.5). Old Westbury was also dominant on the mound last season, ranking 14th in hits allowed per nine innings (8.86) and 25th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.0).

One thing appears certain for the Panthers – a deep and talented pitching staff. Anchoring the Old Westbury staff is Dan Fordyce, a Second Team All-Skyline Conference selection. He went 5-0 with a 3.17 ERA in nine games (eight starts) a year ago posting two shutouts and three complete games in 48.1 innings of work.  Fordyce sat down 38 batters on strikes and walked 11 while holding the opposition to a .237 batting average.

Following him in the rotation is Robert Hugli, the clubs top returning winner after going 6-4 in 40.1 innings on the hill. Pitching Coach Rod Stephan has a bevy of talented hurlers in the mix for a rotation slot, as well. Joshua Burgos made three starts, registering a 2-1 record with a 2.91 ERA including one complete game shutout. 

Jorge Hiraldo was the closer last year. He made a team-high 19 appearances, putting in 24 innings of work on the bump. Hiraldo shutdown the opposing batters, handcuffing them to a .190 batting average. Hiraldo had five saves and a 2-0 record with a 2.25 ERA.

Offensively, Old Westbury will be led by senior shortstop/third basemen Albert Bevacqua.  Bevacqua comes off a season where he was named Third Team ABCA All-Region and Second Team All-Skyline Conference. Bevacqua totaled 33 RBI, while hitting .395 with 12 doubles, five homers and nabbed 21 stolen bases. Third basemen Ryan Blanco achieved First Team All-Skyline Conference laurels. Blanco hit .353 at the plate with 12 doubles, 33 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 37 games. Emmanuel Mateo will patrol the outfield, he enters the season with a career .306 average with 21 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 51 RBI and 41 stolen bases in 262 at bats.

When Old Westbury takes the field for the first time in 2010 on February 27 at Frostburg State in Western Maryland, they will begin a tough campaign. But the 2010 squad is ready to make history and take it to the 35th annual Division III Baseball Championship at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin. SUNY Old Westbury’s first home game is March 23 vs. Baruch College (NYC). 

For the full 2010 schedule and more information. Please visit www.oldwestburypanthers.com.