NESCAC – Page 3 – Nothing But NESCAC

One Strong Leader, One Strong Goal: Wesleyan University Season Preview

2017 record: 6-3

Gotta love this atmosphere, and the Cardinals are going to bring it in Middletown.

NBN 2018 projected record: 7-2

Projected offensive starters (*5 returning):

QB: Mark Piccirillo ‘19*

RB: Sean Penney ‘21

WR: Evan Hull ‘19

WR: Hallvard Lundevall ‘20

TE: Ryan Earle ‘19*

OL: Bryce Jenkins ‘21

C: Joe Wilson ’19*

RG: Jacob Edlebeck ‘21

LT: Ryan Schutta ’20*

RT: Terence Norton ‘19*

Projected defensive starters (*6 returning):

DB: Ben Thaw ‘20*

DB: Eli Blair-May ‘20

S: AJ Lanton ’22

S: Pat Leone

LB: Brandon Morris ‘19*

LB: Will Kearney ‘20

LB: Malcolm Fox ’21

DL: Jude Lindberg ‘19*

DL: Taj Gooden ‘21*

DL: Grant Williams ‘19*

DL Bobby Nevin ‘19*

Projected special teams starters (*2 returning):

K: Pat Wolfe ‘21*

P: Sam Han ‘20*

Offensive MVP:

Mark Piccirillo ‘19

If you study the most successful college quarterbacks from the past decade, who do you have on your list? I have Tim Tebow, Baker Mayfield, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Marcus Mariota, and Lamar Jackson just to name a few. What do all these quarterbacks have in common? They’re all incredible athletes who ran option plays in college. After Eagles coach Doug Pederson introduced the world to the run-pass option (RPO) last season, RPO has established itself as common lingo. Mark Piccirillo, Wesleyan quarterback, has been running one of the most successful offenses in the NESCAC for the past three seasons. Even though he doesn’t amaze spectators with size, he makes up for it will intelligent reads. The offense is run fast, which is predicated on great conditioning and understanding what the defense is giving you. Piccirillo led the league in both yards per game and touchdowns; however, he threw ten interceptions. With a touchdown to interception ratio of two to one, Piccirillo slipped behind the likes of Sonny Puzzo (Trinity) and Jared Lebowitz (Middlebury) in that statistical category. As his offensive counterparts become more comfortable with Piccirillo, the turnovers will likely be cut down. Piccirillo’s meager 8.0 yards per attempt shows that the offense is comfortable taking what the defense gives them. Exploiting linebacker on slot receiver matchups underneath and in the flat is a major reason for all of Piccirillo’s passing yards a season ago. Piccirillo noted the following about his mental state entering his final season at Wesleyan: “I’d say personally to prepare for this season I’ll be watching a lot of film on opponents early into game weeks to really get enough mental reps on what I have to do and go into practices with the mindset that every day is game day. Also just really get a lot of reps with my receivers every day to have the chemistry to make plays on Saturdays. And the number one thing is playing with high confidence every place. This year I see our team going out on game days with a lot of energy flying around and being positive. I love what I see from the younger guys on the team that’ll have a big impact on bettering the team.”

Piccirillo is a front runner for NESCAC POY in 2018

Piccirillo’s mental state is what you want in a quarterback and leader. So much of sports is failing, moving on, and responding in a positive way. Piccirillo’s interceptions last year is a source of losing confidence. As a leader, nevertheless, he seems to have taken charge of the offense. One of the most important pieces of Wesleyan’s offense graduated last year. Wide receiver Mike Breuler invigorated fans with his flying catches in traffic and overall dependability. Breuler had a phenomenal junior campaign, leading the team in catches, yards, and receiving touchdowns, and earning first team all NESCAC honors. The wideout ended his senior year by earning NESCAC offensive player of the year, breaking Wesleyan and NESCAC single season records in yards and catches, and finished second in the country in yards per reception and third in total yards per game. It’s clear that losing Piccirillo’s top target from the past few years will hurt Wesleyan’s offense. The question for Coach DiCenzo and the coaches is who is going to fill Breuler’s void. There won’t be one guy who can possess the chemistry that Breuler and Piccirillo shared. It’s going to take multiple players to fill Breuler’s shoes. Joe Scancarella is a sophomore receiver to watch this year. He doesn’t have the size that Breuler has, but he great hands. He made an impact as a freshman with one touchdown. He’s quick, and is a matchup nightmare for bigger, slower linebackers.

Defensive MVP:

Brandon Morris ‘19

Wesleyan is returning some core pieces on defense. Senior linebacker Brandon Morris led the NESCAC in tackles per game. Defensive linemen Taj Gooden and Jude Lindberg return as well to an interior presence, which will wreak havoc for opponent offensive linemen. Besides Wesleyan’s loss of Breuler, play on the road has to be another point of concern. A perfect record at home coupled with a sub five hundred record on the road is something the Cards will desperately look to correct. Whether it’s mental or physical, the Cards will travel to play Tufts and Williams on the road, both hostile environments. Wesleyan dominated the time of possession, leading the league. As John Madden would say, without the ball, it’s hard for the team to score points. Wesleyan has to continue to emphasize winning the time of possession this season if they want to succeed. I think that Mark Piccirillo will be the ultimate difference maker for the Cards. He will bring them over the top to bring them a NESCAC championship.

Biggest game: 9/15 vs Middlebury:

The first game of the season is Wesleyan’s biggest. Middlebury beat them last year, so a 1-0 record to start the season is a necessity to win a NESCAC crown. Wesleyan isn’t such a young team anymore with Morris and Piccirillo leading the team. Wesleyan can prove to the league with an opening day win that they’ll here for the long haul.

Best tweet: https://twitter.com/GKessFilms/status/1035619516498288640

A fly messing with Picc! Wow.

Everything else:

Who else is looking forward to seeing this glorious field next Saturday?

As the dog days of training camp come to an end, and the strange combination of jubilation for another year of a college social life and fear of problem sets, exams, and papers churns in our stomachs, we have to remember what we’ve waited for since February: football. NESCAC football fans have waited even longer, however, too see their alma mater on the gridiron. There are many question marks that come to my mind as both a writer and a fan when considering how teams will perform this season: will there be two poles like last year with Trinity, Middlebury, and Amherst at the top, while Colby and Bowdoin rounded out the bottom? Will young teams like Wesleyan, Williams, and Tufts dethrone Trin at the top? Wesleyan, Williams, and Tufts all showed promise last season, but only one team is returning a four year playmaking starter at the quarterback position. Only one team was second in the entire conference, behind Middlebury, in total offense; only one of those teams had a 65% touchdown efficiency in the red zone, ranking second in the league behind Trinity. The team that I keep referring to, and will make the leap from a successful 6-3 2017 season to an outstanding 8-1 2018 (one more win than Colby and Cam gave these boys) is the Wesleyan Cardinals.

The Stampede is Gonna Hunt You Down: Amherst College Season Preview

Amherst has an easy opening schedule and should be ready to go by the time they face a powerhouse opponent.

2017 Record: 7-2

Projected Record: 8-1

Projected offensive starters (*7 returning)

QB – Oliver Eberth ’20*

RB – Jack Hickey ’19*

WR — Will Kelsch ‘19

WR – Bo Berluti ‘19*

WR – James O’Reagan ‘20*

TE — Harry Boeschenstein ‘20

C – Dan Papa ’20*

LG – Jack Tyrell ’19*

LT – Brendan Coleman ’20*

RG – Jack Griffiths ’19

RT – Nick DiPrinzio ’22

Projected defensive starters (*11 returning)

CB – Nate Tyrell ’19*

CB – Avery Saffold ’20*

DB– John Rak ’19*

DB— John Ballard ’20*

LB – Jack Barrett ’19*

LB – John Callahan ’19*

LB —Andrew Sommer ’19*

DE/LB – Andrew Yamin ’19*

DL – Greg Franklin ’20*

DL – Matt Albino ’21*

DL – Blaine Fox ’20*

Projected specialists (*2 returning)

PK – John Rak ’19*/Andrew Ferrero ’19

P – Henry Atkeson ’20*

KR/PR – Avery Saffold ’20/Trey Jarmon ‘20

I wouldn’t want to face this team, I’m sure some other NESCAC foes feel the same way.

Offensive MVP:

RB Jack Hickey ‘19

Hickey will look to make a name for himself this season as the best tailback in the NESCAC. Max Chipouras has held the title the last few seasons, but Hickey has been hot on his tail. The Mammoths should hold possessions longer than the Bantams this year with a better QB, and Hickey’s strong O-line anchored by Dan Papa, Jack Tyrell, and Brendan Coleman should open up holes for him to run in. He averaged a ridiculous 6 yards per carry and totaled 640 yards on the ground and nine TDs. He split carries with Hasani Figueroa last year, limiting his overall touches, but since Figueroa is out of the picture, Hickey could figure to handle a bigger workload and surpass Chipouras as the NESCAC lead rusher.

Defensive MVP:

DE/LB Andrew Yamin ’19

As Amherst switches between the 3-4 and 4-3 defense, Yamin switches between defensive end and linebacker, called the buck position. He was one of many reasons why Amherst had the best defense in the league in 2017 and should likely hold that title in 2018. They are masters at stopping the run game and Yamin’s versatility should really shine through in his final campaign as he looks to best his All-NESCAC and All-New England season with 54 tackles, 13.5 sacks and take the Mammoths back to the promise land. There is a statistical discrepancy, however, as Herosports posted that he only had 12.5 sacks, but regardless, he is any NESCAC QB’s worst nightmare.

Regardless of how many sacks he had in 2017, Yamin will terrorize opponent QBs this season.

Biggest Game: November 3rd @ Trinity

Amherst needs to take this one from the Bantams, and if everything I’ve said before this point is correct, they should beat them with some attitude. Assuming all else goes to their plan, this game could be an explanation point in a dominant season and it would show that Amherst hasn’t just come to win, they’ve come to embarrass the conference in 2018. Watch out chickens, it’s time to get plucked.

Best Tweet:

https://twitter.com/AmherstCollFB/status/1036300487295942656

I don’t know how you could best a video of an offensive lineman catching a punt, so there’s no need to try. Amherst has some inspiring material on their twitter that really got my blood pumping for football, but Dan Papa couldn’t have looked more graceful on this reception and if he ever got back there during a game, I think I’d lose it.

Everything Else:

Ollie Eberth did a remarkable job in his first campaign as a starter last season, pushing former NESCAC POY Reece Foy mostly out of the picture. He did a great job of finding his two favorite targets in Bo Berluti and James O’Reagan and should continue to do so this year with a receiving corps falling second only to Middlebury. Amherst has the most balanced offensive attack of any team with both ground and air games that should rank among the league’s best, making them particularly difficult to defend.

Eberth should continue the success he put up in 2017.

Amherst’s team really looks scary to opponents on the defensive side. Last season they ranked second with 103.6 yards per game allowed on the ground and have many returners for the new season. Nate Tyrell and All-NESCAC CB Avery Saffold should anchor the secondary which is just another strong point in a loaded team that ranked #1 in the conference with just 168 passing yards/game allowed. K/DB John Rak and John Ballard should each improve on their past seasons and limit most of the NESCAC receivers. The Amherst red zone defense was their only weak point last season, allowing the fourth most total point at 19.2 per contest but allowing the fewest yards. That trend might change though as Jack Barrett, John Callahan, and Andrew Sommer will return in the linebacking core and Greg Franklin, Matt Albino, and Blaine Fox will set up on the D-line. Amherst has a ton of returning talent and looks like the strongest all around team on paper with Wesleyan right with them. Amherst will be one of the favorites to bring home the NESCAC crown and barring injuries and breakout players from other teams, I wouldn’t be surprised if they secured it.

Stay the Course: Bowdoin Football Preview 2018

Stay the Course: Bowdoin Football Preview 2018

2017 Record: 0-9

Projected Record: 1-8

Projected offensive starters (*4 returning)

QB – Noah Nelson ’19*

RB – Nate Richam ’20*

WR – Greg Olson ’21*

WR – Michael Cloppse ’20

WR – Chandler Gee ’20

TE – Robert Millett ’21

C – AJ Mansolillo ’19*

OL – Jacob Palmer ’20

OL – John Galusha ’20

OL – Justin Winschel ’21

OL – David Monti ’21

Projected defensive starters (*6 returning)

LB – Liam Dougherty ’21*

LB – Harrison Craig ’21

LB – Joe Gowetski ’20

DB – Cameron Rondeau ’19*

DB – Jack Whiting ’19*

DB – Owen Gifford ’21*

DB – Matt Williams ’20

DL – Robert Caputo ’19*

DL – Yuejay Reeves ’19*

DL – Nat Deacon ’20

DL – Tomasi Fakatoumafi ’22

Projected specialists (*3 returning)

K/P – Michael Chen ’20*

KR/PR – Owen Gideon-Murphy ’21*/Matthew Williams ’20*

Offensive MVP: Wide Receiver Greg Olson ’21

No not Greg Olsen, All-Pro tight end for the Carolina Panthers. I’m talking about Greg Olson, future All-NESCAC wide receiver for the Bowdoin Polar Bears. Olson was stuck behind a couple of senior wide receivers last year, but still managed to have an impact when he saw some action, mustering 17 receptions for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns. This is his year to break out, as he’ll be the team’s go-to option out wide. At 6’3”, 210lbs, Olson has the physical tools to be an elite NESCAC receiver, and he’ll benefit greatly from a year of collegiate experience under his belt as well as the loss of the only two guys ahead of him from last season. Expect Greg Olson to have a big year, as he’ll try to do his best Greg Olsen impression and help Bowdoin turn the ship around this season.

Defensive MVP: Linebacker Liam Dougherty ’21

Dougherty stepped on campus in Brunswick last fall and immediately made an impact. As a freshman, he led the team with 53 tackles and played significant minutes in all 9 games. Now that he’s had a taste of what NESCAC football is like, he’s poised to have a huge sophomore season. Given his size at 6’, 210lbs, it will be important for Dougherty to be able to defend smaller, quicker guys when he drops back into coverage. If Bowdoin continues to employ their aggressive defensive approach, I’d look for Dougherty to see an increase in his sack numbers. Now that he’s found a role in this Polar Bear defense, Dougherty will only continue to get better and will be one of the scariest threats in the league for opposing offenses.

Biggest Game: November 10th @ Colby

Bowdoin is currently riding the longest active losing streak in the NESCAC, having lost 17 in a row. Their last win was the final game of the 2015 season against none other than the Colby Mules. Not only is this game part of the CBB rivalry, but if the Polar Bears can’t get their act together, they could go into this game riding a 25 game losing streak. They haven’t come within 10 points of the Mules since the last time they beat them, so the revenge factor will be strong in this one.

Best Tweet:

https://twitter.com/CoachKyleMac1/status/1031909466466398208

I love this tweet for a few different reasons. Coach McAllister clearly wants to show off that he knows how to use GIFs, but I’m not really sure how this one is relevant to the tweet itself. I’m also interested in where he came up with the hashtag because it’s got a good ring to it, but I did some research and didn’t see that particular hashtag used anywhere by any of Bowdoin’s other football coaches or their official team Twitter. I’ll let it slide because I like the sound of it, but he couldn’t have at least used the right “too?” Hopefully the incoming freshman class is as excited as Coach McAllister because throwing grammar to the wind is very un-NESCAC. Power move.

Everything Else:

The Polar Bears have had a rough couple of years, but there are a few reasons to feel better about this upcoming year. First of all, they return a ton of guys who got solid time last season. The majority of players who start and get significant time are underclassmen, so they will only continue to develop and improve. They also welcome impact freshman Tomasi Fakatoumafi ’22 from the Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii who will join the team as a defensive end. Fakatoumafi has a college-ready body and will certainly see significant game action right out of the gate. He’ll be a valuable addition to a defensive line that has really struggled as of late, allowing over 60 more rushing yards per game than any other defense in the conference.

Another cause for excitement is the starting quarterback battle that is currently taking place. Noah Nelson ’19 and Griff Stalcup ’21 split time under center last season, partly as a result of injuries to each of them. This year it’ll be a battle between them as neither one played well enough in their opportunities last season to officially win the starting spot. The water got muddied even more when the Polar Bears landed transfer Austin McCrum ’20 from Division I Lafayette College. None of these guys have a clear advantage over the others, so it’ll be a true three-horse race for the starting job.

The addition of Austin McCrum gives Bowdoin quarterback depth that they haven’t had in recent years (Courtesy of Maine Journal Tribune)

Bowdoin isn’t undergoing any major personnel or scheme changes, but they have struggled in recent years playing with very young lineups. Coach Wells encourages his team to stay the course and trust the system they have in place. They’ll continue to develop the youth that they have and hopefully with a bit more experience under their belt, they’ll be able to start seeing the success that they haven’t seen over the last few seasons.

Don’t Cross the Line: Middlebury Football Preview

Don’t Cross the Line: Middlebury Football Preview 2018

Middlebury has a tough opening game that will set the tone for their season.

2017 Record: 7-2

Projected Record: 6-3

Projected offensive starters (*8 returning)

QB – Jack Merservy ‘19

RB – Peter Scibilia ‘21*

WR – Conrado Banky ’19*

WR – Jimmy Martinez ’19*

WR – Maxim Bochman ’20

TE — Frankie Cosolito ’20*

RT – Kevin Woodring ’20*

LG – Jack Purcell ‘20

LT – Andrew Rogan ’19*

RG – Parker Ferguson ’19*

C – Connor Roche ’19*

Projected defensive starters (*7 returning)

CB –Matthew Daniel ‘19*

CB – Bobby Ritter ’19*

S – Jordan Delerme-Brown ’20*

S– Kevin Hartley ’20

LB – Michael Joncich ’19

LB – Clay Hunt ’19*

LB —Kevin Maxwell ’19*

DL – Alex Norton ’20

DL –Emo Schiappa ’22

DL – Marty Williams ’20*

DE — Ian Blow ’19*

Projected specialists (*2 returning)

PK – Carter Massengill ’20*

P – Maxwell Rye ’20*

KR/PR – Conrado Banky ’19/Jimmy Martinez ’19

Offensive MVP:

RT Kevin Woodring ‘20

The returning 1st-Team All-NESCAC right tackle is going to bring the heat against opposing D-lines all season long. ‘Woody’ gets left on an island and lines up alone against a D-End and is going to have an even more important role in the new season in protecting an unexperienced QB and RB combo. Jack Merservy is a sniper from the pocket but not the most mobile of passers, meaning he will need all the time his line can give him. Adding to the importance of this task is the retirement of RB Diego Meritus who was out for most of last year and a heap of inexperienced runners who need to make a name for themselves. This RB group includes Charlie Ferguson, Wyllis McKissick, and Peter Scibilia, and the offensive line is the most important layer of the Middlebury offense.

It’s hard to let these clean uniforms speak for themselves as the players look painfully awkward waiting on photo day. I won’t read too much into this, but cmon, guys.

Defensive MVP:

LB Kevin Maxwell ’19

After losing both John Jackson and Wes Becton, the two strongest linebackers on the Middlebury defense from a season ago, both Kevin Maxwell and Clay Hunt will need to step up their game in 2018. After tallying 66 total tackles, these two, but especially the more productive Maxwell will need to try to match the numbers of the two all NESCAC defenders. The Middlebury secondary is always strong but in the big games against Amherst and Trinity who have stellar ground attacks, Maxwell will be put in a make or break position.

Biggest Game: Saturday Sepember 15th @ Wesleyan

After narrowly beating the Cardinals a season ago 30-27, Middlebury will be in a different position this season as the underdog headed into the matchup. The Cardinals have a stronger lineup on paper with the potential NESCAC POY in Mark Picirillo. Wesleyan is our pick to win the NESCAC and in order to prove that Midd is still a contender, they are going to need to show up in week one in Middletown.

Best Tweet:

Middlebury doesn’t bring a whole lot of electricity in their twitter game, but this picture of Coach Ritter in the blue and white really gets me going. I would go to war for this guy who’s been going to war for Midd since 1978.

https://twitter.com/MiddFootball/status/1031564197820342272

Everything Else:

Along with Kevin Woodring, C Connor Roche, LT Andrew Rogan, and RG Parker Ferguson will push back against other NESCAC foes with him and should be one of the steadiest units in the conference. The last guard position will be decided between veterans Chris Taylor, Ian Arthur, and Jack Purcell, all bringing some heat in their own right. In addition to this line, the receivers are the strongest part of the Panther squad. Conrado Banky, Jimmy Martinez, and Maxim Bochman are all primed to have impact seasons as one of the speediest and talented groups we have sen in recent years. Frankie Cosolito should add even more depth to this position as one of the top tight ends in the NESCAC, bringing a more physical presence than the other members of the receiving corps. Although the tailback position is a bit of a question mark after modest seasons from Charlie Ferguson ’21 and Peter Scibilia ’21 . The duo should offer a reasonable attack for a pass heavy offense.

Fall at Middlebury means football and the Panthers are ready to bring it.

DE Alex Norton, DE Ian Blow, and DT Marty Williams should anchor the D-line who allowed the sixth most rush yards at 152 yards per game on the ground, but led the conference in sacks at 31 last year. A first year player will replace Ibby Nasir who is out for the season with injury, a big blow in training camp to the defense. Bobby Ritter, Matthew Daniel, and Jordan Delerme-Brown will make up the secondary for the Panthers this year and will do their best to replace Kevin Hopsicker who was an All-NESCAC honoree last year. Delerme-Brown is the most athletic of the group and should take a step up from 2017 after posting a season with 11 tackles and nine assists. Both P Max Rye and K Carter Massengill return after executing some clutch field goals last season. Banky and Martinez should return kicks for the Panthers and represent a real threat on special teams as two of the most speedy athletes in the conference. While Midd doesn’t have quite the impressive signal caller in Jared Lebowitz as it did last season, Merservy should compete well enough to give them a shot. They should stay in the upper tier of the NESCAC but will be in some tight games against the traditional league powerhouses and will need to show that their linebackers and run game can balance out the stronger parts of their game.

Up Tempo: Bates Football Preview 2018

(Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

Up Tempo: Bates Football Preview 2018

2017 Record: 2-7

Projected Record: 3-6

Projected offensive starters (*8 returning)

QB – Brendan Costa ’21*

RB – Jaason Lopez ’21*

RB – Peter Boyer ’19*

WR – Marcus Ross ’19*

WR – Ty Baum ’19*

WR – Derek Marino ’22

C – Jack O’Brien ’20*

LG – Dan Marino ’19*

LT – Phil Simplicio ’20

RG – Marty Guinee ’19*

RT – Yanni Falaras ’19

Projected defensive starters (*8 returning)

CB – Coy Candelario ’19*

CB – Kevin Claflin ’19*

DB – Joe Frake ‘19*

DB – Devin Clyburn ’21

DB – Jon Lindgren ’20*

LB – Bobby Dee ’19*

LB – Connor Suraci ’20

LB – Chase Fulton ’19*

DL – Calvin Johnstone ’19

DL – Walter Washington ’18*

DL – Connor DeSantis ’19*

Projected specialists (*1 returning)

PK – Karim Darwiche ’21

P – Justin Foley ’19*

KR/PR – Christian Sanfilippo ’21/Jon Lindgren ’20

Offensive MVP: Quarterback Brendan Costa ’21

(Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

Costa is going to be the biggest make-or-break player for the Bobcats this season. He finished his freshman season as the NESCAC’s 2nd leading rusher, trailing only 3-time All NESCAC honoree Max Chipouras of Trinity. He can definitely run, but with Bates switching to the “Air Raid” offense this season we’ll find out if he can throw. In 2017 he threw for the fewest yards per game of any starter – although they ran the triple option, which certainly does not lend itself to throwing the ball. However, he also completed only 47.8% of his passes, last among starters in the conference. We know that Costa can do damage with his legs, but he’ll have to prove that he can use his arm if the Bobcats want to snatch a few more wins this season.

Defensive MVP: Safety Jon Lindgren ’20

(Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

This kid was the biggest 2017 All-NESCAC snub and I’ll tell you why: he compiled 75 tackles last season, good for 7th in the conference. I know, it’s not good when your safety is leading the team in tackles. But 75? That’s legit. Now you’re probably thinking, “Oh, well if he had that many tackles then he must not be very good in coverage right?” Wrong. Lindgren led the NESCAC with 12 pass break ups. I will admit that he didn’t have any interceptions but come on, how are you going to hold it against him that he has bad hands? He’s playing safety for a reason. Anyways, the point is that Lindgren is a stud with outstanding defensive instincts and a knack for finding the play. He’s ready to lead a defense that returns the majority of its starters and will have to do more than they have in recent years to keep the Bobcats in games. Stay tuned to see if he learned how to catch over the summer.

Biggest Game: November 10th vs. Hamilton

Normally I’d pick one of the CBB games as the biggest game of the year, but the Bobcats have had no trouble in recent years securing that trophy. The biggest struggle as of late has been the season’s final game against the Continentals. Hamilton has been stuck between the top tier of the conference and the three Maine schools, always able to snag that last win against Bates to stay one spot ahead in the standings. This year the Bobcat offense will need to step it up, as they have only been able to score 21 points against the Hamilton defense in the past 3 years combined. That’s not good. Circle this one on your calendar, folks.

Best Tweet:

https://twitter.com/Coachcap77/status/1034816725299224581

If you don’t follow Coach Capone on Twitter, I highly recommend it. He has absolutely mastered how to use this app and is taking full advantage of that fact. If there was ever a football team who definitely feels the JUICE, it’s the Bates College Bobcats. This tweet gets me FIRED UP for a (mostly) new coaching staff, a new offense, and a new season. Stay hot, Coach Capone.

Everything Else:

Out with the old, in with the new. Bates welcomes Malik Hall as the 20th head coach in program history. With him he brings new offensive coordinator Custavious Patterson and a new-look offense that probably shouldn’t be new-look because it’s what literally everyone else does, but is still very exciting for Bobcat fans. This will surely make games light-years more fun to watch, and will hopefully start putting up big numbers on the scoreboard. Brendan Costa ’21 is in position to have a huge season, as he’ll work to get on the same page as his wide receiving corps. They’ll return running back Jaason Lopez ’21 who played well in somewhat limited time last season, also catching a number of passes out of the slot. Freshman Derek Marino (younger brother of senior offensive lineman Dan Marino) has a chance to make a big impact at wide receiver in his rookie season. The defense returns top defensive backs Jon Lindgren ’20, Coy Candelario ’19, and Joe Frake ’19 who saw a ton of action last season. Chase Fulton ’19, Bobby Dee ’19, Pete Daley ’19, and Connor Suraci ’20 will anchor a solid group of linebackers who also have a lot of experience.

Coach Hall comes from the University of Pennsylvania where he served as the team’s defensive line coach (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

If the Bates offense can have a better year (and it looks as though they can), then the defense will get some valuable rest and will likely see some improvement given how many of their starters are returning. The coaching change has brought some very positive energy to the boys from Lewiston who really needed it. The Bobcats led Wesleyan at halftime last season, and have played Hamilton and Tufts close in recent years. They’re in striking distance of teams just ahead of them and it looks things seem to be going well (if Coach Capone’s reports are true). This could be the year that they finally make a leap and steal a few more wins.

Next Year Starts Now: Way Too Early 2019 NESCAC Baseball Power Rankings

2019 NESCAC Baseball Preseason Power Rankings:

After it was all said and done, Amherst showed everyone why you can’t count them out. Facing elimination against Middlebury, Amherst won some close ballgames to survive and advance, combining clutch pitching and hitting all the way to a NESCAC title. As the Harry Roberson and Max Steinhorn era comes to a close at Amherst, it was nice from a personal perspective that these guys won it all. With those guys leaving, however, it is tough to think that Amherst will be in the same position next year. While coaches Brian Hamm and John Casey will never put out a losing team onto the field, a product of superior coaching, recruiting, and pedigree, they have a tough task to replace their best hitters. Casey arguably has a harder task, needing to replace the meat of his lineup, but will likely have some hot shot recruits coming in to fill that void. As these guys graduate and move on to the real world, teams filled with underclassmen will start to rise. Middlebury, and Wesleyan of the west division were filled with strong underclassmen, while Trinity looks to be the most promising out of the East.

1). Wesleyan:

With sometimes inconsistent hitting, Wesleyan’s NESCAC success will rely on the control and success of their pitching staff.

Wesleyan had to play a perfect game against Tufts to stay alive in the tournament and they revealed some weaknesses in their pitching staff as a result. Despite some stellar offensive numbers (.298 team AVG), the Cards struggled against quality pitching down the stretch. At times they looked overmatched in the NESCAC tournament, seeing their true advantage of starting pitching fail to execute when it counted. Mike McCaffrey and Kelvin Sosa, two of the most talented pitchers in the league, went 5.1 innings, allowing 11 runs and 13 BBs in the NESCAC tournament, leading to an early exit. They have the offensive depth and starting pitching to go a long way, but they need to compete better in big games and show that their bullpen can keep the score close if their starters don’t got deep into outings. The Cards are young, though and just might have the talent to go all the way. Alex Capitelli, Danny Rose, Kelvin Sosa, and Mike McCaffrey are just a few of the names the Cardinals are returning.

2). Middlebury:

Colin Waters is a wild card for 2019, putting up solid numbers as a sophomore and coming on only at the end of this year. Not playing football could turn him into one of NESCAC’s best arms.

Middlebury came close to making the playoffs, but a weak start to the season made any road to the postseason a long shot if not impossible. Getting swept by Wesleyan in one of the early serieses gave Midd absolutely no momentum and a 2-4 record at the halfway point. The squad stopped underachieving around three-quarters into the year, but by then, it was too late. They were hampered all year by injuries too as highly touted recruit Michael Farinelli and starting pitcher Spencer Shores both went down with Tommy John surgery after the preseason. Shores, a hard throwing righty with jerky mechanics and a wipeout slider, saw tons of success at the beginning of 2017 and if he can get healthy, the Panthers should have a formidable pitching staff. Anchoring that pitching staff is Colby Morris, one of the NESCAC’s top arms and Colin Waters who really came on at the end of the year, dominating Union in a 5-3 victory and shutting down Amherst in relief. 1B Kevin Woodring (1st Team All-NESCAC Nose Tackle for the football team) went down with a knee injury against Williams and did not return the rest of the way, and has the potential to lead the league in HR. They also have the NESCAC defensive POY, Brooks Carroll at SS, First-Team All-NESCAC 2B Justin Han, and a breakout hitter in Hayden Smith. The ceiling is high for this team, but as always the question will be: Will they put it all together?

3). Trinity:

Trinity has solid starting pitching and their offensive is anchored by the powerful Koperniak.

Trinity must be kicking themselves after such a heartbreaking change of events at the end of the regular season. The Bantams started off the season so strong, winning the series against Tufts and Bowdoin and sweeping Colby, setting themselves up for an early playoff clinch with a 7-2 record. With Tufts underachieving, Bates not hitting, and the rest of the east not playing well all together, it seemed like a playoff spot for Trin was locked up. Losing three tight games in a row to Bates, however, killed the Bantams season. The potential returns, though: no weekend starter for Trin was a senior, so they’ll be back. Alex Shafer dominated all year and is in the conversation for pitcher of the year, Erik Mohl had a down year but could return to his All-NESCAC form. C Alex Rodriguez needs to step up though, seeing his stellar freshman numbers collapse in his sophomore campaign. Hopefully a second stint in the NECBL will help him find that talent once again. Matt Koperniak broke out and garnered both All-NESCAC and All-Region honors and will be their on field leader in 2019. With their new field, good coaching, and likely some talented recruits coming in, the Bantams will be an exciting team to watch come next spring.

4). Tufts:

Tufts didn’t surprise anybody by winning the East division regular season title, proving our preseason rankings correct. Although they made it to the tournament, they lacked pitching dominance like they have enjoyed in their previous eras, seeing their #2 and #3 starters combine for a paltry 4.05 K/9. Despite sub-3.00 ERAs from both of these players, Brent Greeley and Spencer Langdon, their strikeout numbers reveal that they can’t generate swings and misses and rely on good defense and a bad BABIP (batting average on balls in play) from opponents. Well, it might not get much better, as their corner infielders Tommy O’Hara and Nick Falkson graduated. Their seniors represented a 4x First Team All-NESCAC honoree in 3B Tommy O’Hara, the 2018 NESCAC POY Malcolm Nachmanoff, and the 2017 NESCAC POY Nick Falkson which is tough for even the legendary coach John Casey to replace. RJ Hall will lead the staff to a number of wins, but they might not have the offense to dominate like they usually do. One thing to count on is that they will lead the league in hit by pitches by about 50.

5). Williams:

Williams had a tough season without their ace Johnny Lamont. He’s an elite pitcher, although even he wouldn’t have been able to solve all of the Ephs’ pitching problems. Williams simply lacked ‘stuff’ on the mound this year and their offense wasn’t deep enough to make up for it. Kyle Dean will likely move back to the bullpen next year where he saw success as a freshman, and Lamont should help balance out the staff. Jack Bohen will need to be more consistent for his team to have a chance to win NESCAC weekend games. Kellen Hatheway and Jack Roberts had talent sure enough, but got off to slow starts and never got back to the All-NESCAC level that they were at in the past. Hatheway will surely figure it out (unless he gets an internship this summer) and is still an elite DIII defender, with arguably the most range in the conference. Losing is never fun, and the Ephs’ playoff drought is getting longer and longer, so they will assuredly come back next year with a new sense of energy especially with their ace returning.

6). Amherst:

Nick Nardone is one of the lone powerful bats remaining in Amherst’s lineup.

What a run it was for the Amherst Mammoths. They won 5 straight to head to the New York Regional, and while they exited after a quick 0-2 performance, they lost both games by one run, competing and showing that they deserved to be there. Ultimately their offensive depth was an issue as Max Steinhorn, Ariel Kenney, and Harry Roberson were far more dangerous than their other hitters, but they had the best all around team in the conference. Their pitching, both starting and relief, performed when they needed it to, and some unlikely offensive heroes stepped up in big spots. Bolstering the lineup in 2019 will be first year standout Joseph Palmo, whose wide batting stance is surprisingly balance and consistent, offering a contact heavy and line drive approach. He, along with Severino Simeone and Nick Nardone, should lead the Mammoth team who desperately needs to retool after losing some of their program’s all time best players. Andrew Ferrero finally pitched up to his potential too, and with Zach and Davis Brown, they could easily keep most of their NESCAC opponents at bay to compete for another title.

7). Bates:

Bates, underwhelming in most statistical categories, somehow got into the playoffs again. I don’t know what’s in the water up in Lewiston, but once you make the playoffs, nobody could care less about your stats. What it came down to was doing what Middlebury couldn’t–winning with their season on the line and coming from behind to take tight ballgames. A .237 team average is one of the worst in the ‘Cac, but the Bobcats beat out other teams with better team averages to see their season continue. What was especially huge was how they saw a future ace emerge as Nolan Collins threw the ball extremely well in tight spots. The sophomore posted a 2.75 ERA, and was the go to pitcher for Bobcats in must win games, knocking off Tufts in their final series to clinch a trip to Hartford. No hitter posted above a .267 average with most hitters barely hitting their weight though and that is a recurring issue. It will be tough for the Bobcats to get in again with that hitting, but Zach Avila was a breakout player who could see continued success in the NESCAC along with second year starting catcher and All-NESCAC honoree Jack Arend. I counted them out before, so it’s hard to predict what they’ll do next year. All I have to say is it ain’t over until all 12 games are played.

8). Bowdoin:

Bowdoin either needs to have a stellar recruiting class coming in or Lopez needs to be the ace that the Polar Bears were missing in 2018.

The Bowdoin Polar Bears’ end of year record was solid at 7-5, but they lost out on a playoff bid in tiebreaking fashion to Bates. I’m sure that they want to get revenge on Bates for making the playoffs two years in a row, seeing their season end exceptionally early. Like in the west, Bowdoin has a lot of young guys in All-NESCAC honoree Eric Mah and Connor Lee who led the team in hitting. Those two will put up another good year at the plate in 2019, as the team will be bolstered by all around athlete Brandon Lopez. Lopez started off the season terribly and looked as if his velocity dropped from previous years, but turned it around back to back gems against Colby (not a huge confidence booster) and Southern Maine. The game against Southern Maine really gives the Polar Bears some momentum moving forward as the ranked Huskies dominated all the other NESCAC teams they played (Bates, Colby, Amherst). Brett Osterholtz and Colby Lewis will need to step up to make the starting staff more formidable, but if they do, look for Bowdoin to compete for a playoff bid again next year.

9). Hamilton:

Hamilton Baseball’s 2021 class showed a lot of potential, leading to an exciting offseason for the young program.

Hamilton, as usual, is competitive at times with the league’s best but also finds a way to come up short. The West division is no cake walk with perennial winners Wesleyan and Amherst, but Hamilton showed to both teams that they should be respected. They won the series against Wesleyan and took one game from Amherst after losing the first two in heartbreaking fashion. The team is young, and didn’t return too many starters, putting out a product much better than most expected. Matt Zaffino raked all year, garnering the NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors—ending the season with a .359 average. If they can figure it out in close games, Hamilton could potentially make the playoffs next year. They need to keep games close to give the ball to their lights out closer Ian Nish, and have to improve on their defense and offensive execution.

10). Colby

Colby had a tough year and there’s no way around that with a 1-11 NESCAC season. It doesn’t look like it’ll get much better next year either. The Mules’ best hitter and my former classmate Matt Treveloni is graduating (congrats, Trev), and the east is far more variable than the West. Tufts is always a good team, however they didn’t dominate like they have in the past few years and aren’t likely to improve without their three best hitters. The other teams in the East–Bates, Bowdoin, and Trinity are likely to improve though, and the Mules will have a tough task ahead of them without any cake-walk serieses. If pitchers throw strikes for the Mules next year (and they find a new starting pitching staff or it Taimu Ito returns to this 2017 form), they could be 4-8 in conference, but to be better, they’ll need to find some more offense.

It was a great year. Teams that seem to always get the job done, Amherst and Tufts, made it to the finals and two great coached teams playing each other is every baseball fan’s dream. In the end, Amherst proved to everyone why the game always requires twenty-seven outs, cranking out stellar performances in must win games like it was easy. The highlight of the regular season was the way that the East division came down to a three team tiebreaker, showing that no matter how many games are played, everything still seems to come down to the wire. Thank you to all the players and coaches that make the season so enjoyable! See you next spring.

-Andrew

Appleton Bound? Amherst NCAA Baseball Regional Preview

Auburn Regional (New York Region) – Hosted by #9 Cortland

After earning the NESCAC automatic NCAA tournament bid, preventing Tufts from collecting their third straight conference title, the Amherst Mammoths will venture down to Falcon Park in Auburn, New York. Falcon Park is the home of #9 SUNY Cortland and the site for this year’s DIII baseball New York regional. Other notable teams include #10 Salisbury, out of Maryland, and #24 Southern Maine. NCAA regionals are a double-elimination tournament, much like the NESCAC playoffs. The winner of the regional will represent the New York Region at the 2018 DIII World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin.

First Opponent – #24 Southern Maine

Southern Maine finished 3rd in the Little East Conference this season, behind Eastern Connecticut and #3 UMass – Boston. Southern Maine finished 4-1 against NESCAC opponents this season, beating Bates and Colby in mid-week games and splitting games against Bowdoin. The USM Huskies are lead offensively by Devin Warren ‘19, who is hitting .401 with 31 RBI, and Dylan Hapworth ‘20, who has a .338 AVG and 8 home runs. Jake Dexter ‘19, whose father Tom is a baseball and football coach at Colby College, has been doing absolutely everything for the Huskies this season. At the plate he is hitting .387 with 28 RBI and on the mound he is USM’s #1 arm out of the ‘pen, maintaining a 1.67 ERA and 11.13 K/9. Amherst will most likely face Gage Feeney ‘20 who is 6-1 on the season with a 3.18 ERA. Southern Maine is no stranger to good competition as they have the 21st best strength of schedule in the nation, compared to Amherst’s 164th, per herosports.com.

Amherst will likely send out Sam Schneider ‘18 to face the Huskies as he has been their ace all year long. Schneider has started to stand out down the stretch in this playoff run, throwing 7 ⅔ strong innings against Bates in game 1 of the NESCAC playoffs and will have had 6 days of rest between that appearance and their contest versus USM. Amherst’s and USM’s staffs match up very evenly on paper. Amherst has a team ERA of 3.58 while USM’s team ERA is 3.82. They both have solid starters that should keep them in the game for 6+ innings and bullpens who have consistently kept the leads that their starters have given them this season. Offensively, Southern Maine has the clear advantage over Amherst. While both clubs have team averages in the low .300s, USM has been getting it done in style. The Huskies have belted 29 home runs as a team this season, compared to Amherst’s 11. The Mammoths will need to keep USM inside the ballpark in order for them to move past game 1 of the regional unscathed.

Game 2

If Amherst manages to take down USM, they will face the winner of #10 Salisbury vs. St. Joseph’s (L.I.). If Amherst loses to USM, they will face the loser of #10 Salisbury vs. St. Joseph’s (L.I.).

Salisbury enters the tournament after receiving an automatic bid as champions of the Capital Athletic Conference. The Salisbury Seagulls are on a 8-game winning streak, which is tied for the 5th longest active winning streak in D3 baseball and are the clear favorite to win their opening round game. They enter the tournament white-hot after sweeping through their conference tournament, scoring 49 runs and giving up just 7 in 5 games. Jack Barry ‘19 has been an offensive juggernaut for the Seagulls, boasting a .423 AVG and dropping a team-leading 8 bombs thus far. Salisbury’s offense is good, but their pitching is what makes them great. The Capital Athletic Conference is a hitter’s conference, nearly every team has averages above .300 and ERAs above 5.00. Salisbury has a conference-best 3.38 ERA, which is really what separates them from the competition. Their staff is spearheaded by Connor Reeves ‘18, who has the most wins in the nation at 13. Reeves also is 9th nationally in ERA at 1.22, 6th in strikeouts with 103 and 1st in innings pitched with 110 ⅔ (the NESCAC leader in IP has 64.1 for reference). If having one clear All-American wasn’t enough for Salisbury, how about two? Austin Heenan ‘18, a DI transfer from Virginia Military Institute, is 10-3 on the season, tied for 2nd most wins in the nation, with a 2.33 ERA. Heenan has racked up 110 strikeouts this season, which is also 2nd best in the nation. If Amherst were to face Salisbury in game 2, which would likely only occur given the Mammoths take game 1, they would have to face Heenan. While Amherst has seen their fair share of quality arms this year, All-American caliber players such as Reeves and Heenan are hard to come by, and even harder to beat.

Most likely, if Amherst loses game 1 they will face St. Joseph’s (L.I.). The Golden Eagles earned their NCAA tournament berth through capturing the Skyline Conference playoff title. Prior to their conference final against Merchant Marine, St. Joseph’s was riding an impressive 11-game win streak. The St. Joe’s lineup is headlined by Paul Britt ‘19, who transferred from host SUNY Cortland after his freshman year. Britt is hitting .406 and leads the team in homeruns (7) and RBI (35). The Golden Eagles have an extremely productive core in their lineup, but are not great top-to-bottom as many teams who fare well nationally are. On the mound, St. Joe’s has had 9 different guys start games for them and are usually quick to pull the trigger and head to the bullpen. Nick Clemente ‘18 has logged the most innings on the staff this year with 54 ⅔, a miniscule number compared to Salisbury’s #1 and #2. The Golden Eagles would be a very even matchup for Amherst, should they square off. Both teams have guys who are excellent individually, but the team as a whole doesn’t stick out in the very talented group in this regional.

Beyond Game 2

If the Mammoths are lucky enough to make it past 2 games, as Tufts was unable to do last year, they could face any combination of the remaining teams in the regional. #9 SUNY Cortland won their first national championship back in 2015 and has competed in 26 straight NCAA tournaments. Baldwin Wallace won the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament and has now made the NCAA tournament in 3 of their last 5 seasons. Swarthmore upset a very talented Johns Hopkins team to win their conference and currently hold a school-best 33 wins on the year. Finally, Westfield State captured the Massachusetts Small College Athletic Conference title to make their first NCAA tournament since 2009.

Overall, the majority of the teams at this regional simply outclass Amherst. The Mammoths could certainly compete against teams like Westfield State, Swarthmore, St Joseph’s and maybe even Baldwin Wallace. When it comes to teams such as Southern Maine, Salisbury and Cortland; Amherst would need to pull off a small miracle to walk away with a victory.

But since they are our only NESCAC team left, we believe in the Mammoths. Did anybody see Davidson College’s remarkable playoff run last year? Crazier things have happened, so keep reading to see how these academic weapons can keep the dream alive:

Amherst’s Strengths, Weaknesses and X-Factor

Strengths:

The boys are hot: Amherst is on a 5-game winning streak that includes 2 crucial wins against Midd to take them to the NESCAC playoffs and then 2 more impressive wins over two-time reigning champs Tufts.
Senior Leadership: The core of the Amherst lineup is Max Steinhorn ‘18, Ariel Kenney ‘18 and Harry Roberson ‘18. These boys have been grinding together for 4 years to reach this point and will not go out without a bang. They set the bar high for their teammates and challenge them to perform to their full potential. Senior leadership is an invaluable asset for any team and Amherst is full of it.
Sam Schneider is ready to go this weekend after back-to-back gems.
Their Bullpen: Similarly, Stephen Burke ‘21 has started his career off hot. In his 13 appearances he is 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA. Zach Brown has also been a major player for Amherst, putting up a 1.76 ERA and 11.74 K/9 in his 9 appearances, despite lots of unearned runs and a lack of control. He can dominate if he locates his curveball, because his heat probably won’t phase these hitters as much as it did earlier this year. Mike Dow has also had a phenomenal statistical season with 7 saves, but has had some wild pitches and hit batters in his last few outings. If he keeps it together emotionally, Amherst will be good to go as his stuff is effective and he generally locates well. When it is time to hand the ball over to the ‘pen, Amherst has some great resources at their disposal which could help them further themselves in the NCAA tournament.

Weaknesses:

Quality of Competition: While it is a great feat in-and-of itself to capture the NESCAC title, the competition Amherst has faced has not prepared them for the level of talent they are about to go up against. No team that Amherst has faced this year is in the top-25, let alone any team that they have beaten. In a regional that has 3 top-25 teams, including 2 in the top-10, Amherst is facing competition unlike any they have seen this year.
Power: Amherst’s 11 home runs ranks last among all the teams at the regional. Alex Marcum ‘18 (Baldwin Wallace), Dudley Taw ‘20 (Baldwin Wallace) and Anthony Crowley ‘19 (Westfield St.) all have more home runs individually than Amherst does as a team. In high-stakes playoff environments such as the NCAA Regionals home runs can be a huge momentum shifter and Amherst simply doesn’t have to pop to produce many of them. Especially against high-quality arms, which they will be facing plenty of, it will be tough to string together hits, so the long ball becomes a much needed tool that Amherst doesn’t have access to.
Experience: Only the Seniors on this Amherst team have had the taste of NCAA playoffs. Amherst made the NCAA Regionals with an at-large bid back in 2015 after losing the NESCAC Championship to Wesleyan. That regional was also hosted by Cortland and the Mammoths went 1-2 in regional play, including a loss to eventual national champion Cortland. Many of the other teams in this regional consistently make the tournament or play in higher quality conferences, no offense NESCAC, that regularly get more than one team into NCAA Regionals. The lack of postseason experience could serve to hurt Amherst as they will be going in a huge underdog compared to many of the programs they will be facing.

X-Factor

Ariel Kenney ‘18:
Ariel Kenney ’18

Kenney started off the season hot and is my pick for West Player of the Year, but as of late he has cooled down significantly. In his last 8 games he is 5 for 29 (.172 AVG) and has had no extra base hits. Kenney has been a key part of the Mammoth lineup all season and if they wanted to outperform their expectations for this regional he’s going to have to break out of this slump and play like he was at the beginning of the season. Now is as tough a time as ever to break out of a slump, as he will be facing the best pitching he has seen all year and possibly in his career, but if he can’t go back to his POY ways, it is more than likely that Amherst will not make it too far in the regional.

Prediction

I believe that Amherst will drop their first game against Southern Maine and the rally to beat St. Joseph’s (L.I.) in their second game. Southern Maine’s pitching is not dominant, so the Mammoths certainly have a chance, however. Amherst’s staff is not deep enough to carry them for more than 2 or 3 games in such a short time-span so it is more than likely that whoever the Mammoths face in game 3, if they are lucky enough to make it that far, will get the better of them. That being said, as representatives of the NESCAC I will be rooting for Amherst to exceed my expectations and help to put NESCAC baseball back on the map. Good luck Mammoths.

Note: For the full regional schedule, please go online and check out Amherst Baseball’s page.

Ring Chasing: NESCAC Baseball Playoff Preview

Finally, we’re in the NESCAC playoffs. It’s the usual suspects from the west: Amherst and Wesleyan. Coming out of the east, we have the same teams as the 2017 season. Both Bates and Tufts put up impressive second half records to allow them to make the playoffs. Amherst similarly barely made the tournament, while Wesleyan has limped its way in. All teams have the ability to win the conference—making it a fight to the bitter end. Let’s look at the game one matchups:

Game 1, Wesleyan vs Tufts (Hartford, CT):

This game is a rematch of the 2014 NESCAC final. Tufts comes into the tournament smoking hot. Tufts is one of the best hitting NESCAC teams in the past few years. The ‘Bos are either first or second in all major hitting statistical categories. They lead in HBP (like they do every year) and on base percentage, which shows all nine guys are willing to get on any way possible. They open it up by leading the league in homers and hits. Malcolm Nachmanoff is the run away candidate in the player of the year race with a .432 avg and seven big flies, leading the ‘Bos at the plate. Not far behind him is 10th-year senior Tommy O’Hara, who has been a staple in the Jumbos lineup for quite some time. R.J. Hall will likely be the game one starter. He has logged the most innings, and couples that with a 2.81 ERA. Right behind Hall are Brent Greeley (2.31 ERA) and Spencer Langdon who leads the ‘Bos starters with a 1.66 ERA. Tufts has no glaring weaknesses with a potent lineup, and dominant staff. They might be in trouble if a starter gets knocked out early though as no reliever has below a 4.00 ERA. Tufts isn’t invincible. If teams can get to Tufts’ bullpen, they have a serious chance of winning.

Ryan Earle needs to be a power threat like that of Tufts’ three headed monster in Hartford.

Wesleyan crawls into the playoffs with numerous injuries on the year. The Cards have had their fair share of big wins such as sweeps against Midd and Williams, but disappointments as well. Losing a series against an evenly matched Amherst squad, and losing two games to one against an underachieving Hamilton team are low points. For Wesleyan’s standards, I’m sure that these results are disappointments, but they showed important aspects of the team. Southpaw Kelvin Sosa is on track to win rookie of the year; McCaffrey has the best K/9 in the league. There are certain x-factors in the lineup like Danny Rose who is one of the top hitters in the conference. His short swing coupled with good bat speed allows him to launch baseballs to the right center gap. The biggest x-factor for Wes, I believe, is Tanner Fulkerson. The Colorado native was named NESCAC player of the week with an outstanding performance against Trinity last weekend. Andrew Kauf and Jake Alonzo have provided great gloves and bats for the infield as well. If I were writing a stock report, Wesleyan sophomores would definitely be stock up. People forget that infielder Jonny Corning is out for the year with a shoulder injury (albeit in his non-throwing arm). Fortunately, this talented class has stepped up all season. If all the sophomores perform, Wesleyan’s lineup can almost match Tufts.

Pat Clare and Alec Olmstead are going to have huge roles as the weekend rolls on for Wes.

The bats make the matchup exciting, but expect a 5-4 or 6-3 game. If Sosa goes, and messes up Tufts’ rhythm (shimmy-shimmy), I think the Cards will take it.

Prediction: Wesleyan 5-4

Game 2: Bates vs Amherst (Hartford, CT):

Amherst got into the playoffs by the skin of its teeth. Having to beat a hot Midd team twice in a row on the road is no easy task, but Amherst accomplished it. Amherst is a good team, but they shot themselves in the foot a bit with a poor performance against Hamilton. Like I always say, Amherst will make the plays down the stretch in close games. A guy like Harry Roberson has been through it all at Amherst. He may not carry himself like a physically imposing player, however, his role in Amherst’s record books doesn’t lie. Roberson has picked it up after a slow start to the season. After hitting in the mid-.200’s to begin the year, he has clawed his way up to a .303 average. Although Davis Brown had been their go-to game one starter, Andrew Ferrero has become their top guy, and with a 2.72 ERA, he is depended on to get the outs in critical scenarios. Ariel Kenney and Max Steinhorn are also anchors in the lineup with averages in the high .300’s, pacing the team that leads the league average and hits. Amherst will put up a good fight one through nine and there’s no easy out in that lineup.

Connor Russell needs to be sharp to give Bates a chance.

Let’s stop criticizing Bates. Yes, the team average isn’t good. It’s pretty bad. At .244, the Bobcats are ranked eighth in the league in team average. Even if they can’t hit on paper, they’re good enough to find themselves in the playoffs for the second consecutive year. They’re making the plays when they need to. Nolan Collins has been throwing the ball really well recently and dominated Tufts two weeks ago to clinch their spot in the postseason. The righty leads the starters with a 2.98 ERA while the other starters are merely average. With ERA’s in the 4’s and 5’s for the rest of the staff, Collins will be relied upon to carry the staff the rest of the way. Another key factor to Bates’ recent success is the coaching of Jon Martin. Coming from Vassar to Bates for 2017 season, Martin has brought Bates to the playoffs for two consecutive years. The talent of Bates is average for the NESCAC, but Martin has made the Bobcats a perennial contender. They started off the season slowly, but Martin guided them to a berth, while simultaneously shocking Trinity. Offensively, Justin White has the best average on the team (.381) with very few at bats and Zach Avila has had some big hits, but there aren’t a ton of threats in this lineup. In order to have a shot, the bats are going to need to come alive this weekend.

The game will be low scoring for sure, but I can’t bet against Amherst here.

Prediction: Amherst 2-0

Time For Hardware: Regular Season NESCAC Baseball Awards

While the baseball season might be over, the awards season is just beginning. Not to be too self promoting here, but our awards are certainly less biased than the real NESCAC awards and should be taken more seriously. As it goes with the MLB awards, they are based on regular season results, not the postseason, and categorized based on league. Here’s to the best ballplayers in the ‘CAC…

West Player of the Year:

Ariel Kenney had a stand out season to finish off a great career.

OF Ariel Kenney ‘18 (Amherst) Chula Vista, CA: Kenney put a monster season this year en route to Amherst clinching of the #1 seed in the NESCAC West. Coming in at 3rd in the conference with his .383 AVG and 5th with his 4 big flys, Kenney was the heart of an Amherst offense that put up the 2nd most runs in the league. A few of Kenney’s impressive performances this season include a game versus Eastern Connecticut St. in which he went 4-5 with a homerun and a 2-2 stint with 3 RBI and a walk against Williams. Kenney’s 16 extra-base hits were third in the conference, helping boosting him to a .600 SLG%. Amherst will look to ride their MVP all the way to a NESCAC ‘ship, starting with Bates in NESCAC playoffs this weekend.

East Player of the Year AND Combat Silver Slugger POY:

Stony Brook transfer, Malcolm Nachmanoff, had by far the best season of any NESCAC player.

OF Malcolm Nachmanoff ‘18 (Tufts) Boston, MA: Another year, another Jumbo winning Player of the Year. That being said, there is absolutely no doubt that Nachmanoff deserves to take home the hardware after an incredible, breakout Senior spring. Nachmanoff lead the conference in Batting Average (.432), Homeruns (7), Slugging (.775), Doubles (15), Total Bases (86) and Extra-Base Hits (23). He was the NESCAC leader in 6 categories which is nothing less than absolute dominance. Nachmanoff transferred to Tufts after his sophomore season at D1 Stony Brook and proceeded to have a fairly rough Junior year for the Jumbos in which he only hit .182. He was able to find that D1 talent this season and prove that he is not just one, but several steps above the rest of the competition. Nachmanoff’s next challenge is to lead the Jumbos to his second ‘ship in 2 years and their first challenge will be the Wesleyan Cardinals.

West Cy Young:

P Colby Morris ‘19 (Middlebury) Ross, CA: Yes folks, the time has come. NBN is going to give our editor the credit he deserves. As much as we all love to make fun of Colby, his numbers are far too good to ignore. Morris was absolutely lights out all year long, leading the conference in Complete Games (4), Wins (5), Innings (63 ⅓) and Strikeouts (52). Along with all those feats, Morris was second in the conference with a jaw-dropping 1.71 ERA. Though, what made Morris’ effort so special this season is the way that he turned it on during conference play. In-conference he was 3-1, including 3 complete games, with 23 Ks and an ERA of 0.93. Despite the fact that Midd will be missing out on the playoffs this year after a tough series loss against Amherst, Morris did absolutely everything in his power to give them the opportunity to get there. Midd’s youthful core this season and Morris’ dominance should translate to a very exciting 2019 in Vermont.

East Cy Young:

RJ Hall has been there and done that in his three years at Tufts and is a tough matchup for any team in the playoffs.

P R.J. Hall ‘19 (Tufts) Marietta, GA: The East Cy Young was a particularly difficult award to pick because there were many good candidates, and almost all of them play for Tufts. Hall takes the cake because he proved himself to be the Jumbo’s most relied upon arm and ace throughout the season. Hall has a solid 5-2 record on the year, contributing immensely to Tufts’ 1st place finish in the East. His 47 strikeouts were far and away the most of anyone on the Jumbo’s staff and was 4th in the NESCAC. Hall notched 3 key conference wins over all 3 Maine schools (Colby, Bowdoin and Bates), including a complete game shutout against Bowdoin. Hall is the face of a three-headed monster for Tufts which will look to continue their success all the way to a three-peat of the NESCAC championship this weekend.

Reliever of the Year:

P Jake Shapiro ‘18 (Bates) Sandy, UT: It seemed as if every time Shapiro entered the game for the Bobcats, it was over. In his 14 appearances this season Shapiro maintained a .98 ERA and amassed 6 saves which were 2nd best in the ‘CAC. 5 of Shapiro’s 6 saves came in conference games, tied for the most of any pitcher this season. The reason behind Shapiro’s success was his ability to put hitters away via the strikeout. Shapiro has been punching out batters left and right and it shows in his 12.27 K/9. #2 Bates will face #1 Amherst this Friday in the first round of the NESCAC playoffs and you can be sure that if they have a lead Shapiro will be there man to finish it off.

Breakout Player of the Year:

P Spencer Langdon ‘20 (Tufts) Westlake, TX: After not seeing a single inning of work his Freshman year, Tufts hurler Spencer Langdon broke onto the scene in the NESCAC this year. He lead the NESCAC in ERA with a staggering 1.66 and holds a perfect 4-0 record heading into the playoffs. The majority of Langdon’s success came in NESCAC play in which he went 3-0 and had an even better ERA of 1.35. The Jumbos managed to win every single game that Langdon started this season, helping them to another first place finish in the NESCAC East. Tufts gave Langdon his first career start in their opening series against Trinity, after his impressive preseason relief stints, and never looked back. Langdon cemented his place as the best #3 starter in the conference this season and certainly as a candidate for POY. Tufts will use their hidden gem this weekend in NESCAC playoffs where Langdon will look to go 2/2 on NESCAC ‘ships.

Rookie of the Year:

P Kelvin Sosa ‘21 (Wesleyan) Bronx, NY: Amongst a 2021 class that was full of talent, Sosa proved to be the best. Earning himself the 2-spot in the rotation in just his first season, Sosa took full advantage of the opportunity he was given. His 2.54 ERA was the 5th best in the NESCAC and his 49 Ks were 3rd best. Some of his highlights this season include 6 ⅔ scoreless innings against Midd where he racked up 11 Ks and a 9 inning, complete game shutout against Williams that notched him 7 Ks. Sosa was a key piece in Wesleyan’s playoff run and will be getting his first taste of NESCAC playoffs this year. While Wesleyan’s next test is #1 seed in the East, Tufts, it is almost certain that Sosa will get the ball in game 2 of the playoffs.

2018 NESCAC 1st Team (Does not include award winners above)

C Chase Pratt ‘20 (Wesleyan) Rye, NY

IF Matt Koperniak ‘20 (Trinity) Adams, MA

IF Max Steinhorn ‘18 (Amherst) Washington, DC

IF Tommy O’Hara ‘18 (Tufts) Glenview, IL

IF Matt Zaffino ‘21 (Hamilton) New Canaan, CT

IF Justin Han ‘20 (Middlebury) Vienna, VA

OF Matt Treveloni ‘18 (Colby) Ashland, MA

OF Alex Capitelli ‘20 (Wesleyan) North Caldwell, NJ

OF Matt Jeye ‘18 (Wesleyan) Holliston, MA

P Brent Greeley ‘20 (Tufts) West Chester, PA

P Alex Shafer ‘20 (Trinity) Baltimore, MD

P Sam Schneider ‘18 (Amherst) San Diego, CA

Clock Strikes Midnight: Weekend Preview 5/5

The Regular Season Comes Down to This:

With three out of four playoff spots secured, we wait on the Amherst vs Middlebury series to determine the 2018 NESCAC tournament schedule. Both teams were in two very different spots midseason. Midd was underachieving with a weak looking rotation after its ace. The once potent lineup from 2017 was easily contained. Amherst, in contrast, was firing on all cylinders. Clutch offense, defense, and pitching guided Amherst to a conference victory against Little Three rival, Wesleyan. However, these past few weekends haven’t treated Amherst kindly. With Wes clinching a playoff spot, and Midd rising, Amherst needed to perform in these last few games. Losing to Hamilton in a rescheduled game Thursday night didn’t help. As a result, the winner of this series will determine who’s in and who’s out.

Including non-conference games, Midd has won nine in a row. That statistic is absurd considering the entropy of baseball. Midd accomplished what neither Wes nor Amherst could do: sweeping Hamilton. Colby Morris, biggest glow up in the ‘Cac and my editor, leads the Midd staff with a 1.92 ERA. In my opinion, he’s the best pitcher in the league. Going back to my piece a few weeks back that interviewed each pitcher, I asked each of them what they do when they’re not getting any run support. To say that Morris wasn’t getting much run support early on is an understatement. However, like the GOAT of all GOATs says, ‘Do your job.’ Morris was able to keep sharp focus on his task at hand: throwing strikes, getting ground balls, and making outs. In a comparison with another ace in the league, Mike McCaffrey, Morris has logged around ten more innings pitched, while compiling less strikeouts than McCaffrey. Even though strikeouts are the tantalizing statistic among fans, Morris’ pitch count per inning has to be lower than McCaffrey because he’s not always looking for the spot on a back door breaking ball, but shooting the knees to induce a ground ball or double play. Midd’s bats have come alive as well. Freshman standouts from last year, Justin Han and Brooks Carroll, and have picked up the production at the plate with avg’s all over .300– above .350 for Carroll and Han. Hayden Smith has emerged as a stud at 3B for the Panthers too. Amherst should fear what would happen if Midd takes game one. Even though I believe that Amherst is a better all-around team, beating Morris isn’t an easy task for any ball club. That scenario would put Midd in the driver’s seat to take either game two or game three to clinch its second consecutive playoff berth.

Morris and Ferrero are going to duel it out tomorrow in game 1.

Amherst has had a roller coaster season with big wins against Wesleyan, but critical losses to Hamilton. Its road record of 4-4 in overall play in contrast with a 12-2 home record doesn’t exactly give Amherst fans confidence traveling to face a hot Midd team on their diamond. The old saying goes, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Amherst has been a force in the conference for years and years. While the faces of Yanni Thanopoulos, Andrew Vandini, Mike Odenwaelder, and Drew Fischer are gone, names such as Harry Roberson and Max Steinhorn remain. Most importantly, Brian Hamm, a Middlebury alum, will continually put together a quality team year in and year out. That’s why I’m not overly concerned about Amherst this weekend. Yes, they’ve put themselves in a tough position by needing to win two out of three against a hot team. Like I’ve said in all my articles, there are teams that always come through in the clutch. Amherst is one of those teams. The Patriots were down by twenty-five midway through the third about Super Bowl LI. At the end of the day, the Patriots are the Patriots and the Falcons are the Falcons. The Falcons were destined to blow it. Amherst has nine guys that are hitting over .300 in overall play. Even though none of them are really the standout hitters that Tufts has, they all compete and grind out quality at bats at an extraordinary level. Even though Morris is better than Ferrero, I give Amherst the edge in overall pitching.

Harry Roberson just became Amherst’s all time hits leader, coming in hot after a slow start to the season.

Given that we had two articles on this pivotal series, we have two different projections from the recent authors. If these tell you anything, it’s that this series is a must watch:

Andrew’s Prediction: Amherst 2 games, Middlebury 1 game

Why he chose them: This series is going to be tight. Obviously, both teams are high level ball clubs who are built to compete on this stage. I believe that both teams will take a game, but in the end, you have to go with the team that’s done it consistently before, and is acclimated with the spotlight and pressure that comes with big games.

Spencer’s Prediction: Middlebury 2 games, Amherst 1 game

Why he chose them: Midd will be able to complete their improbable comeback and return to the playoffs hungry for another shot at a NESCAC ‘ship. With their home crowd and hot streak, they should be bringing it all weekend. Whatever happens, there’s no doubt that this will be the series of the year.