Andrew Ferrero – Nothing But NESCAC

And Then There Were Four: 5/4 Weekend Recap

Middlebury vs. Amherst

This three game series held high stakes in the NESCAC West, as both Midd and Amherst were tied at 5-4 in conference heading into the series. Whoever won this series was guaranteed a playoff spot, so the entire season was on the line for both teams. Friday was game one in which two California natives, Andrew Ferrero ’19 and Colby Morris ’19, took the mound for their respective teams. Midd was able to score and take the lead in the 3rd inning and then added on one more run each in the 5th and 7th innings. Morris was stifling Amherst batters and managed to keep them scoreless until the 8th, when Joseph Palmo ’21 mashed a three-run dinger to tie things up. The score remained 3-3 until the 10th inning when Midd doubled their total and scored 3 in the top half of the inning. Amherst was able to respond with a run in the bottom half but it was not enough and Midd was able to capture 1 of the 2 wins they needed to clinch the playoffs. In game two Amherst scored once in the 2nd inning and Midd quickly matched it in the 3rd. In the 4th inning Phil Bernstein ’19 singled in Alec Ritch ’22 and the score remained 2-1 Middlebury until the final out. With Midd taking the first two games, they clinched a playoff berth and the final game was just to help decide seeding. Game three was yet another close contest in what proved to be a thrilling series. The game was back and forth throughout with it being tied 5-5 going into the bottom of the 9th. After the first three hitters reached base, Seve Simeone ’20 ripped a single, allowing Amherst to capture the final game of the series and prevent Midd from snagging the #1 seed in the West. Next weekend Midd will travel to Colby for the NESCAC Tournament and face 1 seed in the East Tufts, while Amherst’s season is complete and the reigning champs will not have an opportunity to defend their title.

Williams vs. Wesleyan

Jack Bohen will look to continue his brilliant season into the NESCAC playoffs

The second of the NESCAC West series to occur this weekend took place between Williams and Wesleyan for each team’s final series of the year. Jack Bohen ’19 started game 1 for the Ephs and continued the dominance he has shown all year. He went 8 strong and gave the Cardinals no chance as he gave up no earned runs. The Eph bats were hot in game one as well; Eric Pappas ’21 had 3 RBI and Williams scored 6 runs to defeat Wesleyan by a final score of 6-1. Similar to Middlebury, going into the second day of the series Williams knew they needed just one win to guarantee playoffs. Despite this, Wesleyan came out very strong in game 2. Kelvin Sosa ’21 tossed a 7 inning CGSO, collecting 7 strikeouts and walking just 1. Johnny Lamont ’20 collected a 6 inning CG, but his 2 runs were too many for his offense to cover. Going into the final game both teams needed a win to have even a shot at playoffs, so this game was winner-take-all. Game three was extremely close as the teams were neck and neck throughout. Both teams staffed the game, using many pitchers in short spurts. They took turns trading blows, as Jonny Corning ’20 hit a two-run shot in the 4th to give the Cardinals the lead. The game was tied 3-3 going into the top of the 9th inning, when Eph prayers were answered with a Kellen Hatheway ’19 two-run bomb that ended up sending Williams right to the playoffs. Williams will be back in action next weekend in Waterville, ME, facing #2 seed in the East Bates. Wesleyan fell to Trinity 2-0 in their final game of the season on Monday.

Bates vs. Bowdoin

Brandon Lopez wrapped up a solid career against Bates over the weekend

Heading into this weekend Bates knew that just one win in their doubleheader against Bowdoin would send them to the playoffs, holding the head-to-head tiebreaker against Trinity. With this information in mind, Bates did not hesitate to get the job done as they came out firing in the first game of this Saturday doubleheader. Justin Foley ’19 was fantastic for the Bobcats, tossing a complete game shutout and allowing just 6 baserunners – earning NESCAC Pitcher of the Week honors in the process. Brandon Lopez ’19 was less impressive for Bowdoin, allowing 6 runs in his 6 innings. Christian Beal ’21 paced the Bobcats offensively, going 4-4 with 2 RBI, while Jon Lindgren ’20 added on by going 3-4. Catcher Jack Arend ’20 drew 3 walks, bringing his season total to a league-leading 33. All in all, Bates captured game one with ease and therefore their playoff berth. Despite this, the Bobcats continued to pounce on Bowdoin in game 2. Nolan Collins ’20 concluded his terrific regular season with a 5-inning, 4-hit, 1-run effort, earning the win on the mound. As a team Bates collected 14 hits and 11 RBIs in game 2, bringing home a decisive 11-1 victory. Bowdoin finished out their year with a non-conference win on Sunday while Bates takes on #1 seed in the West Williams next weekend.

Tufts vs. Colby

While Tufts entered the weekend knowing that they had already clinched a playoff spot, they ended up needing one victory against Colby to clinch the #1 seed, and they decided to tack on one more for good measure. RJ Hall ’19 threw a complete game, giving up just one run in the first game of the doubleheader. Six different Jumbos collected RBIs in the game, highlighted by a 2-4 day including a single and a home run from Harrison Frickman ’19, as Tufts took the game easily, 10-1. In game two the foot wasn’t really let off the gas as Tufts held Colby to just 2 runs behind Aidan Tucker ’22 providing 8 innings, allowing just 1 run and striking out 4. Brandon Bay ’21 and Will Shackelford ’19 combined for 5 RBIs for the Jumbos as game 2 was taken by a score of 7-2. While the Colby Mules will not be back in action this season, their field will be. Tufts will be one of the 4 NESCAC teams traveling to Waterville this weekend for the NESCAC Baseball Championships. They’ll start by facing 2 seed in the West Middlebury on Friday.

Who’s the Real Deal?: Weekend Preview 4/5

Weekend Preview April 5th

Williams (12-1, 0-0 NESCAC) vs Amherst (9-2, 1-2)

Friday @ Amherst

Saturday Doubleheader @ Williams

After losing a close series to Wesleyan last weekend, Amherst will have a chance at redemption as they will open up a 3 game series versus in-state rival Williams. All three games that the Mammoths played last weekend were close ones and unfortunately for them they found themselves on the wrong side of two of them. Dan Lombardo ’19 provided a quality start for Amherst in the final game of the series and Jake Alonzo ’20 came in and pitched a scoreless 2 ⅔ innings to earn his first save of the year and salvage a NESCAC win for the Mammoths. One of the biggest surprises for Amherst this year has been the success of freshman Daniel Qin ’22. He is hitting at a .426 clip and has an OPS over 1.150. Despite his 0-2 record, Senior Andrew Ferrero ’19 is having a solid season thus far, maintaining an ERA of 2.08 while only allowing 4 walks in his 13IP. Amherst has the opportunity to make a playoff run but they will need more pieces to the puzzle than they have now. While Williams has not officially entered NESCAC play, taking 2 non-conference games from Colby last weekend, they have been nothing but impressive in their games thus far. Their 12-1 record is due, in no small part, to the explosiveness of their offense which has been on display this spring. Senior Doug Schaffer ’19 is playing out of his mind, putting up a slash line of .571/.571/.816. He is second in the conference in hits and slugging percentage, fourth in doubles and leads the league in RBI and batting average. When a guy in on a tear like that it is tough for his teammates to not want to get in on the fun. Sophomore Erik Pappas ’21 has also been impressive, scoring 23 runs and batting .468. As a team the Ephs are hitting .343 so it is safe to conclude that hitting is in fact infectious. Although the team era for Williams is not as impressive as their average, it does not matter so much when your opponent ERA is above 8.5.

Prediction: Williams takes 2 out of 3

Hamilton (8-8, 1-2 NESCAC) @ Wesleyan (8-9, 2-1 NESCAC)

All @ Wesleyan

Ethan Wallis has been off to a very hot start for the Continentals

Hamilton will return from their sunny spring break in Florida to face off against Wesleyan in their second NESCAC contest of the year. In their previous contest the Continentals were able to take one game out of three from Middlebury. This was in large part to Gavin Schafer-Hood ’21, who continued to pitch great in a complete-game one run victory. When it comes to swinging the bats Hamilton has struggled more than most. Leading the pace for the Continentals is sophomore Ethan Wallis ’21 who is posting an impressive .409 batting average. He is also the lone Continental to go yard this season. Hamilton will be looking for a chance to right the ship in what will be a difficult matchup with Wesleyan. While Wesleyan’s non-conference record seemed to be less than impressive heading into NESCAC play, it didn’t seem to matter as they were able to come in and get their first series win of the new campaign. Solid pitching is what propelled the Cardinals, only allowing 7 runs in the 3 game series. Kelvin Sosa ’21 collected the win in the first game while Dan Lombardo ’19 took game two. Offensively Wesleyan’s top performer has been Andrew Kauf ’20. Kauf is batting .426 and leads the team with 20 RBIs (10 more than second place). Wesleyan seems to be an upperclassmen heavy team who knows when to get hot. They could be very dangerous this season.

Prediction: Wesleyan takes 2 out of 3

Bowdoin (0-14-1, 0-3 NESCAC) vs Colby (6-6, 0-0 NESCAC)

Saturday doubleheader @ Colby, Sunday @ Bowdoin

The Colby College Mules enter this series with no previous NESCAC experience, although they did play Williams in two non-conference matchups. Colby had what looked to be a much improved spring break compared to last year as they are already just one win away from matching their season total last year. Lots of thanks is due to their much improved offense. Junior Will Wessman leads the team in hits, doubles, runs, RBIs and home runs. They do not seem to have two or three key starters in the rotation but rather there seem to be 7 or 8 guys who could take the mound to start the game. Perhaps this strategy will play as the spring break schedule has come to an end, but who’s to say? Their team ERA is still a little high, which will hurt them in NESCAC play. Although the transition to NESCAC play can be tough at times, Colby gets a very easy transition in the form of Bowdoin. Not much has seemed to go right for the Polar Bears this season. They are yet to win a game through 15 total contests. They are batting below .215 as a team and their team ERA is near 8. I am not really sure what their is to praise or say about this team. It has got to be tough to watch and even tougher to participate in. I would give most teams an automatic sweep, but given the rivalry and Colby’s problems in NESCAC play last season, nothing is guaranteed.

Prediction: Colby wins 2 out of 3

Trinity (14-2, 3-0 NESCAC) @ Bates (6-9, 1-2 NESCAC)

Johnny Stamatis is one of the most dangerous hitters in the NESCAC this year

The Bantams are riding high right now, entering this series maintaining an 11 game win streak. This streak includes a clean sweep of Bowdoin to start their NESCAC play. Not only are they shining in NESCAC play, but in non-conference games they have some quality wins like their win over MIT. Nearly every guy up and down the lineup is hitting over .300 and it shows in their offensive production. Their 5 states that they rotate between have all been solid as well, maintaining ERAs between 2 and 4. Trinity appears to be a well-rounded team that has the talent and capabilities to go deep into the playoffs. Bates did not fare quite as well in their first NESCAC series. Tufts was able to take the first two games but the Bobcats managed to snatch the last game, which was a close one. Bates had an underwhelming preseason which does not project to a particularly exciting or prosperous conference play. While they may have individual players such as Christian Beal ’21 or Nolan Collins ’20 who can shine on their own, as a team they don’t seem to have what it takes to make it deep this year.

Prediction: Trinity sweeps

It Doesn’t End in May: 2018 Summer Ball Top Performers

While many NESCAC students are working for their uncle at Google or Goldman Sachs, most of the conference’s best baseball players are competing in the top collegiate summer leagues out there. Though it may be Division III, NESCAC baseball players see success nearly every year in some of the top summer ball leagues in the country, playing with and against guys from Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Virginia, etc. night in and night out. Every team in the NESCAC had a few guys whose summer performances last year were worth noting, so we did just that. Take a look at who had the most noteworthy summers from each team across the league:

Amherst

Andrew Ferrero ’19
Martha’s Vineyard Sharks – Futures League
4-2, 4.15 ERA, 43.1 IP, 50 H, 36 K, 10 BB

Like many others around the NESCAC, Ferrero took his talents to the Futures League last summer where he played for the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks. The Futures League is made up of mostly younger guys from Division I schools, but there are a handful of Division II and III guys on every team. With as much talent as there is, pitching in the Futures League should actually be a tougher test than the regular college season against all D3 opponents. Ferrero had himself a good summer, amassing a 4.15 ERA with 36 strikeouts and just 10 walks on the year. His numbers weren’t eye-popping, but this type of consistency against very strong opponents should bode well for Ferrero as he returns to NESCAC play.

Bates

Nolan Collins ’20
Brockton Rox – Futures League
5-0, 2.47 ERA, 47.1 IP, 43 H, 39 K, 17 BB

Collins joined forces with college teammates Brendan Smith ’19, and Jack Arend ’20, as well as current Middlebury Panther, George Goldstein ’21, over the summer as a member of the Brockton Rox, also in the Futures League. It appears that Collins picked up in the summer right where he left off from his breakout sophomore season at Bates. He finished the summer season with excellent numbers and his 2.47 ERA was the 3^rdlowest among all starters across the league. Perhaps an interesting aspect of Collins’ success is the fact that he was able to throw to the same catcher both in college and during summer ball. Having consistency behind home plate is key, and the duo of Arend and Collins has been able to take the Bobcats (and the Rox) to new heights with their success.

Bowdoin

Jack Wilhoite ’19
North Shore Storm – North Shore Baseball League
.360 BA (18-50), 9 2B, 2 HR, .448 OBP, .700 SLG

I’ll be honest – I had to look a little bit further for this one. Luckily, the numbers absolutely made it worth it. I don’t know much about the North Shore Baseball League other than that it’s a men’s league, but Wilhoite (along with a few of his teammates from Bowdoin) tore it up. When you have 18 hits and more than half of them are for extra bases, you’re doing something right. In fact, Wilhoite actually had himself a pretty good summer on the mound as well. The senior struck out 20 batters in just 13 innings, allowing 6 earned runs on 8 hits along the way. Bowdoin has really struggled so far this year but Wilhoite proves that they have talent; they just have some things they need to figure out. I’d look for them to get in the win column pretty soon.

Colby

Emery Dinsmore ’20
Norsemen – GNCBL

This one might be even more of a stretch, but for some reason the Greater Northeast Collegiate Baseball League doesn’t allow you to view player stats without having a paid account with GameChanger. So naturally I will have to settle for the fact that Dinsmore threw a shutout in game one of the league championship series and has been off to a great start for the Mules this season. In his first start of the collegiate season Dinsmore tossed 6 innings of one-run baseball, allowing 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7. The southpaw appears to be the ace in Waterville, so hopefully he can bring Colby out of the basement this year.

Hamilton

Gavin Schaefer-Hood ’21
Sherrill Silversmiths – NYCBL
1-1, 3.91 ERA, 20.2 IP, 21 H, 15 K, 10 BB

Schaefer-Hood put together a solid summer in the always-competitive New York Collegiate Baseball League. His number, albeit good, are actually not even indicative of what he was able to do all summer. Schaefer-Hood allowed 9 earned runs on the year, but 7 of them were in one game. If you take out that one bad performance, he finished the summer with a 1.08 ERA, allowing just 12 hits and 7 walks over 16.2 innings. He even had one start where he threw a complete-game, four-hit shutout, striking out 7 and not walking any. These are definitely Friday-starter numbers and that is exactly the type of performance he’ll look to continue as the Continentals move forward in NESCAC West play.

Middlebury

Colby Morris ’19
Green Bay Bullfrogs – Northwoods League/Chatham Anglers – Cape Cod League
1-2, 2.57 ERA, 28 IP, 27 H, 21 K, 9 BB

The NESCAC Pitcher of the Year from 2018 continued to make a name for himself in the very impressive Northwoods League. Similar to Schaefer-Hood, 5 of Morris’ 8 earned runs on the summer came in one outing, so it’s safe to say that the dude shoved. In his last (and best) outing with the Bullfrogs, Morris didn’t allow a run while surrendering just 4 hits and striking out 8. His success earned him a brief stint with the Chatham Anglers of the famed Cape Cod Baseball League – a very rare feat for a Division III player. This guy is legit and the only hardware he has left to bring home is a NESCAC championship trophy.

Trinity

Matt Koperniak ’20
North Adams SteepleCats – NECBL
.318 BA (41-129), 10 2B, 1 HR, 24 RBI

Koperniak absolutely shredded some really good pitching in the NECBL all summer. He finished among the league leaders in batting average, while roping 10 doubles and hitting a bomb. When mid-July rolled around and guys started to slump, Koperniak did just the opposite. The Massachusetts native went on a 15-game hitting streak in the middle of the year that included 7 multi-hit games, 8 of his 10 doubles, and hit lone home run. Not only is Koperniak one of the best hitters in the NESCAC, but he also has the ability to get really, really hot. The Bantams are off to a terrific start in 2019 and this guy has been right in the middle of it – an intimidating presence atop the lineup.

Tufts

RJ Hall ’19
Sanford Mainers – NECBL
3-0, 2.13 ERA, 33.2 IP, 29 H, 25 K, 7 BB

Not that I expected anything else from Tufts, but Hall was very impressive this past summer. His 2.13 ERA represented the 2^nd lowest in the league, and he allowed the fewest walks among starters all season. He put on a number of impressive performances, with perhaps the best one taking place at the end of June when he fanned 7 while allowing just 2 hits and a walk over 5 innings of shutout baseball. Hall has had a very impressive career as a Jumbo, serving as a key member of the staff from the day he set foot on campus. It seems that over the past four years the only certainties have been death, taxes, and RJ Hall.

Wesleyan

Kelvin Sosa ’21
Bristol Blues – Futures League
2-3, 5.58 ERA, 29 IP, 31 H, 32 K, 22 BB

Sosa didn’t have quite as strong of a summer as he would’ve liked, but competed and did a decent job considering he was the youngest D3 player in the league. As his strikeout numbers last year would indicate, Sosa has knockout stuff – his only real struggle has been with command. Yeah, allowing 31 hits in 29 innings isn’t great, but it’s a lot easier to hit when Sosa is only throwing one pitch for a strike that day. This seems to be a recurring theme for the Cardinal staff as a whole, so perhaps it’s time for Coach Woodworth to incorporate some more accuracy drills into the practice plan. If they are able to do this successfully then Wesleyan will go a very long way because Sosa knows how to pitch and the rest of the league should definitely be on notice.

Williams

Kellen Hatheway ’19
Martha’s Vineyard Sharks – Futures League
.311 BA (32-103), 6 2B, 6 HR, 28 RBI

Hatheway responded quickly after a lackluster junior season by breaking out over the summer. He teamed up with Ferrero from Amherst for the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks in the Futures League and went on a tear all summer long. Hatheway finished tied for 2^ndin the league in home runs, 7^thin RBIs, and 7^thin batting average while playing against almost entirely Division I opponents. He has the Ephs off to an incredibly hot start in his senior campaign and he’ll look to bring his summer form back into NESCAC play so that Williams can be in playoff contention for the first time in a while.

Mammoth-Sized Shoes to Fill: NESCAC West Preview

Amherst College Mammoths

Head Coach: J.P. Pyne, 1st Season

Projected NESCAC Record: 8-4

Key Losses:

OF Ariel Kenney (.362, 4 HRs, 25 RBI)

IF Harry Roberson (.302, 27 RBI, 38 H)

IF Max Steinhorn (.365, 1 HR, 20 RBI)

LHP Sam Schneider (59.2 IP, 4-2, 2.56 ERA)

Coach Hamm (9 years, 221-113 record)

Key Returners:

OF Joseph Palmo ’21 (.314, 43 H, 15 RBI)

C Severino Simeone ’20 (.243, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 11 runners caught stealing)

IF Nick Nardone (.280, 2 HR, 25 RBI)

RHP Andrew Ferrero (57.0 IP, 4-3, 2.21 ERA)

Biggest Series: Home vs. Middlebury, April 19th-20th

Realistically, this division is 3 teams—Amherst, Wesleyan, and Middlebury—competing for 2 playoff spots. Amherst should have the talent and experience to handle Williams and Hamilton relatively easily (I like that Amherst gets Williams early in the year before a young Ephs team
gets to figure it all out), and whoever comes out on top in their series vs. Wesleyan, it won’t be a sweep. If Amherst can win this series vs. Midd, either 2-1 or 3-0, they should be a lock for the postseason.

Everything Else

Despite being the reigning NESCAC champions, the Mammoths unfortunately have more questions than answers coming into this season. Losing three all-league players and the ace of your rotation will always bring some uncertainty, Amherst had to conduct a coaching search as well this summer. J.P Pyne takes over the program from Clark University after previous HC of nine years Brian Hamm departed for the same position at Eastern Connecticut State. While players undoubtedly win games, it will be interesting to see what kind of effect is felt with a first-year head coach. Joseph Palmo ’21 has already begun to fill the void that first team all-leaguer Ariel Kenney left behind in the outfield, garnering the most recent NESCAC Player of the Week award. If 3B Nick Nardone ’20 and C Seve Simeone ’20 can do the same for Harry Roberson and Max Steinhorn in the infield, Amherst will have a chance to repeat as champions.

Wesleyan University Cardinals

Head Coach: Mark Woodworth, 18th Season

Projected NESCAC Record: 8-4

Key Losses:

OF Matt Jeye (.347, 1 HR, 36 RBI)

Key Returners:

OF Alex Cappitelli ’20 (.367, 2 HR, 34 RBI)

OF Danny Rose ‘20 (.361, 17 XBH, 24 RBI)

LHP Kelvin Sosa ’21 (46.2 IP, 3.09 ERA, 9.5 K/9)

LHP Mike McCaffrey (53.0 IP, 5.60 ERA, 9.7 K/9)

Biggest Series: Away @ Amherst, March 29th-30th

While I think Wesleyan is the best team in this division on paper, that isn’t where the games are played. McCaffrey and Sosa’s pitching performances (see below) in the opening series against a Little Three rival will tell Cardinal fans just how much confidence they can have in this team. While it is obviously a matchup between the top teams in the division and has playoff ramifications, it is more so just a great opportunity to see if the talent in Middletown will come to play this year.

Everything Else

Kelvin Sosa needs to improve in order to give the Cardinals a chance this year

Wesleyan certainly seems to be the favorite in this division this year. They return 78.4% of their innings pitched from last year’s staff, as well as some of their top guys in the field, namely junior outfielders Alex Cappitelli and Danny Rose. But this team’s season rests on the shoulders of lefties Mike McCaffrey ’19 and Kelvin Sosa ’21. McCaffrey never came close to finding his form last year, someone who many thought had a chance to be the Pitcher of the Year in the NESCAC. The reason for that is because we have all seen McCaffrey has the stuff to dominate in this league, evidenced by his league leading 57 strikeouts. But he also led the league in walks, with 48. In fact, McCaffrey was joined by the aforementioned Kelvin Sosa (4th-26) near the top of the walks leaderboard. If their top pitchers can throw strikes, they’ll win the division going away. But if their early season results are any indicator (55 Ks to 51 BB), it’s going to be a grind.

Middlebury College Panthers

Head Coach: Mike Leonard, 3rd Season

Projected NESCAC Record: 6-6

Key Losses:

P Robert Erickson (48.2 IP, 3-3, 3.51 ERA)

Key Returners:

RHP Colby Morris ’19 (64.1 IP, 5-4, 1.68 ERA)

IF Justin Han ’20 (.369 AVG, .528 OBP, 22 SB)

IF Brooks Carroll ’20 (.963 FP, 7 2B, 17 RBI)

IF Hayden Smith ’20 (.364, 36 H, 22 RBI)

Biggest Series: Away @ Williams, April 12th-13th

Anyone who has played in this league or followed it, in any sport, knows the importance of winning games against teams you’re better than. The regular season is always decided by the top teams matching up against each other, but you cannot handicap yourself by losing to lesser opponents. Middlebury closes the season with series’ at Amherst and home to Wesleyan, but they cannot come into those games at 3-3 or probably even 4-2. They need to win this series against Williams, and probably win it handily.

Everything Else

The Panthers took another step towards becoming a NESCAC contender, coming just short in a last gasp run at the NESCAC playoffs. They return the reigning Pitcher of Year in righty Colby Morris ’19, and a stacked infield. In order to take the next step up they need to find a way to score some runs, namely in the power department. They were 4th in the league in runs last season but only 7th with just 9 home runs. They are clearly great at hitting for contact and hitting for average, but they need some more star power if they are to steal a few games when the bats go cold or when they run into a good pitcher.

Williams College Ephs

Head Coach: Bill Barrale, 12th Season

Projected NESCAC Record: 6-6

Key Losses:

IF Jack Roberts (.287, 1 HR, 21 RBI)

C Adam Dulsky (.313, 1 HR, 16 RBI)

Key Returners:

OF Mike Stamas ’20 (.321, 1 HR, 13 RBI)

LHP John Lamont ’20 (40.0 IP, 4-1, 1.80 ERA) –in 2017

IF Kellen Hatheway ’19 (.228, 2 HR, 11 RBI)

Biggest Series: Home vs. Amherst April 5th-6th

Not only because it’s one of the biggest rivalries in all of collegiate athletics, but this series will be huge for the Ephs as it is their opener in divisional play. I think this is going to be a year of ups and downs for Williams, a young and unproven team riding the momentum of a long season. If they get smoked in three games, they might not recover the rest of the way, but if they are competitive in every game and even manage to take 1 or 2 off of their archrivals, it could boost their confidence for the rest of the season.

Everything Else

2018 was nothing but bad luck for the Ephs. Star pitcher Johnny Lamont ’20 missed his entire sophomore campaign, decimating an already bare cabinet of arms in Williamstown. Freshman IF Erik Pappas had been a bright spot in the lineup, hitting .415 before going down with a season ending injury after 15 games. There is certainly talent on this roster, however. IF Kellen Hatheway ’19 didn’t have the junior season he was hoping to after terrific freshman and sophomore years, but absolutely has First-Team potential. This team is probably still a year or two away, but if they can stay healthy this year, there should be some bright spots and building blocks.

Hamilton College Continentals

Head Coach: Tim Byrnes, 12th Season

Projected NESCAC Record: 2-10

Key Losses:

None

Key Returners:

IF Matt Zaffino ’21 (.359, 3 HR, 22 RBI)

IF Jarrett Lee ’21 (.305, 29 H, 13 RBI

Biggest Series: Home vs. Williams, April 26th-27th

Matt Zaffino is looking to make the jump to “star” status in his second season

Hamilton plays Middlebury, Wesleyan, and Amherst in that order before their divisional finale vs. Williams. Quite frankly, 2 or more wins out of those 9 would be a win for the Continentals. Their performance against their next most equal division opponent in Williams to close out the season will, rightly or wrongly, determine how Hamilton should feel about their season.

Everything Else

Hamilton are in a peculiar spot this season. They went 4-8 at the bottom of the NESCAC West but they return just about everyone. However, you’ll notice there are only two names listed as “key” returners. They return everyone, but those returners were not amongst the league’s top producers, save for Rookie of the Year Matt Zaffino, who has Player of the Year talent. This might be a good team this year, but they have Amherst, Wesleyan, and Middlebury on their schedule. Their record is going to reflect that.

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

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

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.

What You Gotta Know: Amherst vs. Middlebury Series Breakdown

While everybody is looking towards the playoffs, there is still one series and one playoff spot on the line. Middlebury and Amherst are playing for their playoff lives with everything on the line this weekend. Read more to find out what you need to know before Saturday’s doubleheader:

Location: Forbes Field – Middlebury, VT

While Middlebury has only played 5 of their 28 games at home this season, they’ve certainly had success when playing on their own diamond. On the season Midd sits at 4-1 in all home contests, thanks to their current 4 game win streak at home. On the other side of the equation, Amherst has only had 7 away games this year and they are 4-3 in those contests, most notably beating Wesleyan 2 games out of 3 on the road. Overall I’d give the Panthers a slight advantage being on their home turf, but Amherst has clearly shown that they can get it done on the road, so home field advantage will not be enough to take them down.

Probable Starters:

Game 1: Colby Morris ‘19 (Middlebury) 4-4, 1.92 ERA vs Andrew Ferrero ‘19 (Amherst) 3-1, 2.19 ERA

Colby Morris ’19

Andrew Ferrero ’19

Game 2: Robert Erickson ‘18 (Middlebury) 3-2, 3.19 ERA vs Sam Schneider ‘18 (Amherst) 3-2, 3.22 ERA

Rob Erickson ’18

Sam Schneider ’18

Game 3: George Goldstein ‘21 (Middlebury) 2-0, 1.02 ERA vs Davis Brown ‘19 (Amherst) 5-2, 3.80 ERA

George Goldstein ’21

Davis Brown ’19

Game 1 of this series features two of the top pitchers in the conference this year in Morris and Ferrero. Both are Juniors, Bay Area natives (despite the fact that Morris lists himself as from Del Mar, which is fake news) (Editor’s Note: It is not fake news) and are enjoying the best years of their careers thus far. Game 1 should be a tight, low-scoring contest and will come down to which one of these aces can go the distance for their team. I would give Morris the advantage over Ferrero because he has been able to go CG in 2 of his 3 NESCAC games so far and has maintained a stellar 1.23 ERA in conference this year. Before Amherst’s loss against Hamilton I would have said that the game two matchup should be very close as well. But after giving up 6 earned in 3+ innings Davis Brown will likely have his start pushed to Sunday. That leaves the task up to Sam Schneider ’18 who will be making his last NESCAC start. Schneider got bounced after one inning against Hamilton and put up quality starts in his other two outings and is by no means a lock for success. On the other hand, Erickson has been able to hold all NESCAC West opponents to 3 runs or less per start so far this year. If both teams maintain their same rotation as last week then game 2 should be lopsidedly in favor of Middlebury. Game 3 looks to be an absolute wildcard as it pits Freshman George Goldstein, who only has one career start, against either Brown or an Amherst bullpen arm. Goldstein’s only career start came last week against Hamilton where he was able to go 5 strong, scoreless innings to get the final win of the series sweep for the Panthers. Despite Goldstein’s stellar numbers, because he didn’t go more than five innings in his start, he leaves a lot up to the Middlebury bullpen. This

Key Players:

Middlebury

Hayden Smith ‘20: .382/.452/.461, 21 RBI, 6 XBH

Justin Han ‘20: .367/.528/.456, 18 RBI, 27 BB, 20SB

Brooks Carroll ‘20: .311/.376/.427, 12 RBI, 9 XBH, 15SB

Amherst

Ariel Kenney ‘18: .420/.496/.670, 21 RBI, 4 HR, 11 BB

Max Steinhorn ‘18: .391/.458/.461, 16 RBI, 6 XBH, 14 SB

Harry Roberson ‘18: .316/.421/.429, 11 2B, 24 RBI, 16 BB

Numbers-wise, Amherst’s offense is clearly superior to Midd’s. Lead by a trio of Seniors, Amherst currently has the best team batting average in the conference at .304 while Midd sits in 6th at .267. One thing that both of these teams do especially well is run the bases. Midd leads the conference by a significant margin with their 72 bags swiped while Amherst is 3rd with their 53 stolen bases. Interestingly, when it comes to away games for the Mammoths, their team average is less than 10 points lower than it is for home games, showing that they are not intimidated on the road. Luckily for Middlebury, their team average goes up nearly 80 points when they are on their home field, which may provide some of the offense that Midd has seemed to be lacking all season. Overall, I think that Amherst has a clear offensive advantage over Middlebury and Midd will need to use the leverage of their home field advantage, as well as their current 9 game win streak, in their favor in order to be able to match the Mammoth’s outstanding plate presence.

Midd has something going right now after two straight sweeps. Photo courtesy of David Goldstein.

Series History (Since 2007)

Overall:

Amherst: 25-9

Middlebury 9-25

Home:

Amherst: 11-4

Middlebury: 5-10

Away:

Amherst: 10-5

Middlebury 4-11

Neutral:

Amherst: 4-0

Middlebury 0-4

It’s fairly clear to see that over the past decade or so Amherst has dominated their matchup against Midd. Both the home and away numbers are very similar for both teams, showing that home field advantage has not played all too much of a role in their past meetings. Although last year Midd was able to take 2 of 3 games from the Mammoths in Massachusetts and Middlebury made a much further playoff run than Amherst, so perhaps we are seeing a cultural shift happening in Vermont that is trending in the right direction. Despite the fact that history would choose Amherst over Midd by a long shot, with the recent momentum Midd has gained as well as their success last season against Amherst, this series will certainly be much tighter than it has been in years past.

What’s on the Line (Playoff Scenarios)

Amherst: After a devastating loss to Hamilton on Thursday, the Mammoths now need to get a series win on the road in order to secure their playoff spot. Anything less than 2 wins would have Amherst go from the #1 seed to a team that will miss the playoffs entirely. If the Mammoths are able to take 2 games from Midd they will salvage their playoff spot and retain their status as the #1 seed.

Middlebury: Hamilton’s win over Amherst was a godsend for the Panthers as Midd’s comeback from last in the division is nearly complete. All Middlebury needs now is a series win at home to come all the way back from their rocky start. 2 wins or more will see Middlebury make the playoffs as the #2 seed, something that seemed unfathomable just weeks ago.

Make or Break in Week Two: NESCAC Baseball Weekend Preview

NESCAC baseball is full steam ahead, despite what this weather is telling us. This past weekend we got to smell the sweet fresh cut grass, the ear ringing BBCOR aluminum bats, and baseballs snapping leather. NESCAC baseball, as always, is giving us upset alerts. Tufts, the most dominant team in 2017, has already dropped two conference games, just one off of last season’s total. On the filp side, as expected, Amherst is off to a hot start. Most teams, however, are in the middle of the pack only a week in. This second weekend is crucial for those teams who want to distance themselves from average. Here’s the weekend preview:

Bowdoin @ Trinity:

I wrote to the NESCAC universe in my season preview that Trinity is a team to take very seriously. I said that they potentially figured out how to optimize their pitching. Taking two out of three games over Tufts isn’t just good; it’s remarkable. Tufts is like the 2014 and 2015 Wesleyan teams: they were dominant the past two seasons. The ‘Bos graduated quality starting pitching, and it showed. The mark of a good ball club is winning close games. Trin took both games by three runs or less. The Bantams simply didn’t have the run support in the game they lost. I normally pick out a player that was the difference maker; however, there’s one team stat that illustrates how talented the Bantams are: they rank first in the conference in walks. Walks increase pitch count, make fielders lose focus, and put unneeded stress on the pen. If the Bantams can keep drawing walks, they’re going to be tough to stop.

Bowdoin is also 2-1 in conference. They took two games against Bates this past weekend. Wins are wins in the end, but Bates is no Tufts. Brandon Lopez is a jack of all trades for the Polar Bears. He’s both a pitcher and utility player. He has a .250 average so far and a 4.41 ERA. These are solid stats, but they’re nowhere near Lopez’s potential. He’s a freak athlete, both football and baseball, and played a major role for the Polar Bears last year. He’s a crucial piece if the Polar Bears want to make a playoff run. They’re first in the league in stolen bases, which is a dynamic aspect to the team. Lopez can fly. If he gets on base more, the team will be even more scary on the bases.

Series prediction: Bowdoin 1, Trinity 2

Colby @ Bates:

I’ll be blunt here. Both teams probably won’t make the playoffs. Even though the season is early, I don’t either team has the depth to beat the elite of the NESCAC. I do have a bias towards Colby. Two of my high school teammates, Matt Treveloni and Will Cohen, are Mules. Trev is already on track to be in the discussion of NESCAC player of the year and is hitting .469 with 11 RBIs–leading the team by far (a figure that should fall back to earth against better competition). Trev’s the key player for the Mules as a leader in the lineup, and a guy with scary range in the outfield. Cohen has pitched decently so far. He will need to pick if the Mules want to make a deep run this season.

Bates is picking up where they left off last season: without much momentum. Bates still isn’t hitting. They are only hitting .201. They’ve only scored nine runs in three games. That’s simply not enough in NESCAC baseball. Bates needs to figure at the plate if they want to have a record over .500. The pitching has been decent and Connor Russell is their ace with a 3.95 ERA but even he hasn’t been blowing guys away. It has to be frustrating for him without any support from their lineup.

Series Prediction: Colby 2, Bates 1

Williams lacks pitching, but range in the infield and lots of backpicks from C Alex Panstares ’19 might keep them in a ballgame or two. (Photo courtesy of David Goldstein)

Amherst vs Williams

The Amherst vs Williams rivalry is one of the most storied rivalries in college. Both schools are on opposite poles, however. Amherst is on the rise. Coach Hamm has figured it out once again. Amherst can mash. They’re first in the league in homers and second RBIs. Ariel Kenney is hitting .400 with two homers on the season. Harry Roberson was one player that I said would be Amherst’s best hitter. Kenney is absolutely crushing right now, and looks like he won’t slow down. The pitching staff is doing its job too as Andrew Ferrero holds a 0.96 ERA. That’s insane in his significant sample size of over 18 innings, but he was used out of the pen last weekend rather than as a starter. Amherst is strong top down without any glaring weaknesses.

Williams was lucky to go 1-2 last weekend against Middlebury. Midd’s a strong team, and Williams appears to be weak in multiple areas. The greatest area of concern for the Ephs is starting pitching. They have no depth. The team has a 7.21 ERA, which isn’t great to put it lightly. George Carroll has a 2.81 ERA which looks great on the surface, but he has zero strikeouts in 16 innings, showing that his numbers likely are not sustainable. That tells me that he doesn’t have an electric fastball. That’s a real shame because the Ephs’ lineup is solid. They’re hitting .271 as a team, but with a 7.21 ERA, that’s not nearly high enough to compensate for a lack of quality pitching. Williams has a long way to go, so if they pick up at most one win against Amherst, that’s a win.

Series Prediction: Amherst 3, Williams 0

Middlebury @ Wesleyan

This is my series of the week. Wesleyan has shown that they’re an all around solid team. Kelvin Sosa, a freshman pitcher, has a Kershaw like delivery that doesn’t allow hitters to consistently time up their stride. He doesn’t throw hard necessarily, but his southpaw late movement is really strong. He has a 1.62 ERA with 20 k’s on the season so far. To put it bluntly, he’s nasty. Jonny Corning is showing that he’s an elite player. I personally think he has all five tools. He’s not physically imposing, but he has pop. Look for him to be on the all conference team this year or in the years to come.

While Wesleyan has a young lefty arm up in their rotation, Middlebury’s Will Oppenheim ’21 is making a name for himself, too. (Photo courtesy of David Goldstein)

Midd comes into the series with some regrets. They should’ve taken all three games against Williams last weekend. Colby Morris, my editor, is going to be key in this series. Wes can hit, and Colby can pitch. Colby isn’t making me write this about him, which is going to be made clear in the next few sentences. He has to face a deep Wesleyan lineup. Even though the Cards’ strength is obviously 1-4 in the lineup, 1-9 will not give up easily. You rarely see three pitch strikeouts against the Cards. They string together quality at bats game in and game out. I’m not saying Colby will get shelled, but he can’t try to work around guys like Ryan Earle and Chase Pratt. He has to get out of three innings below sixty pitches. If Colby has a few early innings less than ten pitches, Middlebury will win the opener, and probably the series. Game one holds all the momentum.

If Wesleyan wins game one, I don’t think Middlebury can win the next two with Olmstead or Sosa on the bump for the cards

Series Prediction: Wesleyan 3, Middlebury 0

The Snow is Starting to Thaw: NESCAC Baseball Spring Break Recap

Editor’s Note: All of the NESCAC spring break trips are now over and conference play has started for eight of 10 teams. While it might be easy to predict some weekend results, others become muddled after looking at teams’ overall records. Depending on the region of spring break trips (Florida, Arizona, the Mid-Atlantic, or California) there are vastly different strengths of schedules, leading to either inflated or deflated stats. Generally, California has the strongest teams, while all of the other regions have extremely weak competition. For a more in depth look at strength of schedule, check out this site which provides a ranking and strength of schedule assessment for ever D3 baseball team in the country: http://www.boydsworld.com/baseball/isr/d3_isr.html.

Amherst:

Trip Location: Florida

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Weak

Despite a stretch of losses in the middle, Amherst (9-5, 2-0) came out of their preseason contests boasting a respectable 7-5 record. While their offense did its job, hitting .279 as a team and scoring 5.9 runs per game, their pitching is really what carried their success. Andrew Ferrero ‘19 has been the Mammoths’ best pitcher so far, only allowing 2 runs in 18.2 IP on the young season, however, mostly out of the bullpen. Also impressive was Zach Horwitz ‘20 who holds a 1.64 ERA after 11 innings on the bump. Offensively, Amherst was led by Ariel Kenney ‘18 who hit .364 and had a sky-high OPS of 1.157 as a result of two home runs on their trip down south. The Mammoths have set a solid tone for their club for the rest of the season and if key pieces like Harry Roberson ‘18 start to find a groove, Amherst could be title contenders.

Bates:

Trip Location: California

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Strong

Bates (4-9, 1-2) started out their 2018 campaign slowly, dropping six straight games in California. Although they started off on a bad note, both for themselves and for the NESCAC, the Bobcats were able to pick themselves up a little bit once they got back to the East Coast, taking 3 of their next 4 games. A 3-7 record going into NESCAC play is nothing to brag about, but maybe Bates can use some of their recent success to jumpstart them in conference play. With a team ERA of 6.12 and team batting average of .195 going into the opening weekend, there weren’t a whole lot of individuals who stood out as noteworthy after their early trip to SoCal. One bright spot may be Dan Trulli ‘19 who hit .262 over their 10 games and dropped Bates’ only bomb all preseason long. While Bates did play poorly, they traveled to California on February 18th, just three days after official practices started, so we will give them a break here as they couldn’t have been adequately prepared to compete.

Bowdoin:

Spring Break Location: Florida

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Medium

Bowdoin (8-7, 2-1) exits their preseason going an average 6-6. While they had a few lopsided victories (10-1 and 10-2 over Keuka), they also had lopsided losses (16-3 against #3 Rowan). Bowdoin really came into their own over their last 6 games, going 5-1 and holding opposing offenses to only 2.5 runs per game. While their staff as a whole has a very unimpressive ERA of 5.82, Seamus Keenan ‘20 sets the pace for the Polar Bears with a 1.42 ERA and 13K through his first 12 ⅔ IP. The offense has been led by Joe Gentile ‘18 and Jack Wilhoite ‘19 who are each hitting .405 and .406, respectively. While Bowdoin does have 4 guys hitting over .340, nobody in the rest of their lineup is able to crack .260, creating a stark contrast between the middle of their order and the rest. Bowdoin’s keys to success this season will be to lower that team ERA, and get everyone involved up and down the lineup.

Colby:

Spring Break Location: Florida

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Weak

After a huge 13-4 victory over Keuka on opening day, the Mules (2-8, 0-0) have looked stagnant. Going 1-6 since that win is not the look that Colby needed going into NESCAC play. Their only other win after Keuka comes against Waterville rival Thomas College, which is not a particularly impressive win to say the least. Captain Matt Treveloni ‘18 has had a stand out spring so far hitting .440, with the majority of his knocks being for extra bases. Will Phillips ‘20 has also been lighting it up for the Mules at the plate hitting .444. On the other side of the equation, Colby has been giving up an average of 6.6 runs per game, and the offense can’t keep pace with that so far. One success the Mules have had on the mound so far has been Frank Driscoll ‘21, who allowed no earned runs and recorded 8 Ks in the first start of his college career, earning the win over Thomas. The clear problem the Mules have right now is not their ability to put runs on the board, but rather keep them off of it. As their younger pitchers gain more experience, perhaps the Mules can take an opportunity to climb in the standings from their last place finish in 2017.

Hamilton:

Spring Break Location: Florida

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Weak

Hamilton’s (6-9, 0-2) preseason has been an absolute rollercoaster ride. Dropping their first 7 contests, the Continental’s trajectory seemed to be on a crash course for disaster. That is until their bats caught fire and proceeded to win them their next 6 games in a row. Talk about getting hot at the right time, Hamilton is coming into conference play riding a huge wave of momentum, even though they couldn’t finish out a game against Amherst on opening weekend. A large chunk of their success so far has come from freshman duo Jarrett Lee ‘21 and Matt Zaffino ‘21 who both look to be in the early running for NESCAC Rookie of the Year. Zaffino’s 10 extra base hits, three big flys, .405 AVG. and absurd .892 SLG% pace the Continentals through this past weekend. Hamilton’s freshman heavy lineup continues with Gavin Schaefer-Hood ‘21 who leads the Continentals with 16 ⅓ IP saw his 3.77 ERA balloon to 6.06 after a rough outing against Amherst. While Hamilton would not appear to be in the running for a NESCAC crown this season, I would expect them to find a lot more success this season than last with lots of help from their newfound fountain of youth.

Andrew Corcoran ’18 and the Panthers take big swings and will try to continue their suddenly hot offensive streak into Middletown this weekend.

Middlebury:

Spring Break Location: California

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Strong

While Midd (6-9, 2-1) boasts a weak 4-8 non-conference record, their strength of schedule may be to blame. Unlike their competitors who venture down to Florida or Arizona for the duration of their spring break games, Midd throws themselves right into the fire. They played in both Georgia and Southern California to face quality competition on their turf. The Panther’s 3-3 record on their SoCal trip in comparison to Bates’ 0-6 shows the caliber of players that Middlebury has. While their offense has been lackluster, hitting .223 as a team before playing Williams, Justin Han ‘20 has been a diamond in the rough hitting .347 with 12 RBI for the Panthers. On the mound, NBN editor and Middlebury ace Colby Morris ‘19 has been getting the job done, already amassing 28 ⅔ IP on the young season and maintaining a stellar 2.08 ERA befoer facing Williams, which ismuch improved from his first two seasons. While Midd is slated to be a major contender for the NESCAC championship this spring, it is still clear that they have issues that need addressing both offensively and defensively in order to compete at the level they are expected to.

Trinity:

Spring Break Location: South Carolina

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Medium

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Trinity’s (6-8, 2-1) spring so far has been quite below-average. Their 2-4 record in South Carolina screams “meh” and the fact that they have already had 5 home games, a luxury most all NESCAC teams have not enjoyed, hasn’t seemed to serve them too well. With a vital series win against Tufts, the Bantams showed that they put themselves in a good position, however, to outplay the Jumbos. One guy who has been getting it done for the Bantams has been Matt Koperniak ‘20 who leads Trinity in AVG (.404) and extra base hits (6). On the bump, Trinity’s starting rotation has been fantastic. Their top 3 arms Erik Mohl ‘19, Alex Shafer ‘20, and Justin Olson ‘21 have each started at least 2 games and still maintain sub 3 ERAs. This makes Trinity’s problems all to clear, their offense in which nobody buy Koperniak is hitting over .300 and their bullpen which has been blowing games that their starters are setting up for them quite nicely. Although their preseason wasn’t too promising, it looks as if their starting pitching could carry the Bantams to the playoffs due to a down year in pitching for the rest of the conference.

Tufts:

Spring Break Location: Virginia

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Weak

Unsurprisingly, Tufts (7-6, 1-2) is one of the only NESCAC teams to exit spring break with a winning record at 6-4. The Jumbos can flat out rake, with a team AVG of .301 and scoring 11.1 runs per game exiting spring break. The blue and brown machine seems unstoppable, but their stats are not all that they appear to be. During their classic trip to Virginia, they played an unchallenging schedule, looking to leave ranked like in 2016 and 2017. Their 6-4 record, while respectable, is an illusion. They usually exit VA with at most one loss and showed that their pitching staff is much weaker than any could’ve imagined. While RJ Hall and Brent Greeley are off to hot starts with sub-3 ERAs, Tufts lacks the bullpen depth to dominate the NESCAC. As a result, their team ERA is an abysmal 5.85. and they failed to take home a series win against Trinity who didn’t even make the NESCAC playoffs in 2017. Malcolm Nachmanoff ‘18 , Nick Falkson ‘18, and John Moschella ‘19 bolster a strong lineup that should continually allow the Jumbos to compete, even if not at their usual dominant level. Tufts, as always, is favored to win it all this year but they will not be able to do it without some vast improvement in their pen. That being said, I am looking forward to some weekend slugfests between the Jumbos and their NESCAC opponents that could very well result in some football-esque scores.

Wesleyan:

Spring Break Location: Arizona

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Weak

The Cardinals (10-6, 0-0) can be crowned spring training champs of the NESCAC despite a weak strength of schedule. A dominant 9-4 performance shows that Wesleyan is firing on all cylinders to start of the 2018 season. With a team batting average of .314, everyone is eating for the Cardinals. They have an incredible 7 starters hitting over .300 and Chase Pratt’s ‘20 statline of 412/.553/.735 is scary good but down from.520/.618/.920 before last weekend, showing that the Tucson fields aided his bat. Tanner Fulkerson ‘20 has started his season red hot too, hitting .393 with a conference leading 24 RBI. There are almost too many names to mention for Wesleyan so let’s just say that Ryan Earle ‘19, Alex Cappitelli ‘20 and Matt Jeye ‘18 also rake. Although when it comes to pitching, Wesleyan looks like any other NESCAC team with their 5.53 team ERA. Mike McCaffrey ‘19 has had a solid showing so far as the Cardinal ace, with a 3.86 ERA and 12.12 K/9 before a rough start against a great Endicott team which inflated his numbers. His strikeouts are impressive but 27 hits in 21.1 innings and a current 5.48 ERA isn’t dominant. When it comes to offense, I recommend that Wesleyan doesn’t change a thing. On the bump there are certainly problems to be resolved. Nevertheless, McCaffrey, Alec Olmstead, and Kelvin Sosa make up a solid rotation lots of Ks and lots of BBs. The impressive showing the Cardinals put up in Arizona shows that, perhaps, they can go deep into the playoff race this year, but they will likely fall significantly back to earth in the Northeast.

Williams:

Spring Break Location: California

Strength of Schedule Assessment: Strong

All I can say about the Ephs (2-10, 1-2) preseason so far is yikes. If a 1-8 non-conference record isn’t enough to sound an alarm, maybe the fact that they had a 10 game losing streak before beating Midd 5-3 in game three of their opening series. Although they were able to pick up a win on opening day against historically bad Cal Tech, I’m not convinced that Williams’ 1-8 record in SoCal is too much better than Bates’ 0-6. To be fair to the Ephs, they have had several close losses, losing 5-4 to La Verne, 2-1 to Whittier and once again 9-8 to Whittier. It is clear that Williams is missing just some little pieces to turn themselves from a 1-8 club into a NESCAC contender. One piece that has been working for them is Erik Mini ‘21 who starts off his college career hitting .306 with a .611 SLG% and team leading 2 HR. On the mound there is not much to mention for Williams with their team ERA at 7.21. Williams needs to treat their preseason like MLB Spring Training and ignore the numbers. Their series in California against Midd was their first real test of the season and they showed that their pitching is a huge issue. They allowed 29 runs in three games to Midd (20 in game one), and unless they figure something else out, they won’t be able to win 2/3 games in any NESCAC series.