Brooks Parker – Nothing But NESCAC

Pitchers Are People Too; NESCAC Probable Starters Weekend Preview

Pitchers are People Too

The hall of fame football coach, commentator, and player John Madden once said, “They’re either going to run the ball here or their going to pass it.” Even though this quote isn’t relevant to the article, I just wanted to include it to show how much we miss Madden in the booth. Madden’s best statement is the following: “Usually the team that scores the most points wins the game.” The same mentality holds true in baseball. The team that scores the most runs wins. However, winning a ballgame encapsulates so many more characteristics than just scoring runs. You hear in basketball and football that defense wins championships. The 2000 Ravens, 2016 Broncos, and those mid-2000’s Pistons’ teams are all examples of great defenses carrying teams to championships. Having a dominant starting pitcher, setup man, and closer are pertinent to championship teams. Remember Madison Bumgarner coming into game 7 mid game against the Royals in the 2014 World Series, and absolutely shutting them down? He was on short rest, but still blanked the Royals. NESCAC hitting has been most of the talk all season, but I want to focus on the guys who constantly keep their teams in games when the well runs dry in the hitting department. Here are some of my conversations with the league’s top pitchers.

Colby Morris, Middlebury College:

3-4, 1.77 ERA, 37 K’s, Roster picture evaluation: chin up, chain out, confident.

AM: How do you plan to beat Bowdoin this weekend?

CM: To be honest, I haven’t looked too much at Bowdoin yet and am focussed on mid-week games and bullpens first. As far as the game plan goes, however, I’m just going to stick to what I’ve been doing–mixing it up and locating which is kind of what I do on the mound.

AM: What’s the mentality you take to the mound when you’re not getting run support?

CM: I try not to think too much about run support when I’m pitching. Obviously if we have a big inning offensively, my focus coming back out is to pitch to contact. In a tight game though, whether we are up or down doesn’t really matter to me as I’m just trying to stop everybody from scoring to keep the score where it is.

AM: What has been your best pitch this season and why?

CM: Strike three. In general my offspeed is just sharper than it was last year and with better location I have been able to get more K’s. While I usually pitch to contact (as seen with some low K/9’s my first two years), it has been big preventing big innings with some K’s.

My conclusion: Colby’s followed up a stellar sophomore campaign with an arguably better junior year. The win loss record is due to Midd’s underachievement as a lineup; you can’t put any of that on Colby with his ERA. Midd’s in a bind with Amherst and Wesleyan dominating the west, so every series is a must win for them.

Alex Shafer, Trinity College:

4-3; 1.74 ERA (NESCAC); .197 opponent avg. (NESCAC); Roster picture evaluation: nice guy to shoot the breeze with, crazy maniac on the mound. Loose tie.

AM: How do you plan to beat Bates this weekend?

AS: The game plan is always to give the team a chance to win, by reducing or eliminating the amount of runs that Bates scores.

AM: What’s the mentality you take to the mound when you’re not getting run support?

AS: My mentality is always the same. my game is built around keeping the fielders engaged with soft contact. handing them easy ground or fly balls keeps them in the game, which in turn means they may take more focused at bats. So if i wasn’t getting run support, i just try to be as effective as possible. I try to throw the least amount of pitches in order to get my fielders their at bats.

AM: What has been your best pitch this season and why?

AS: I think my best pitch is whatever keeps the batters off balance. Some batters are excellent at waiting on off speed, but struggle against well located fastballs. Some batters try to ambush fast balls, so i work them with off speed. My favorite pitch is my changeup, and the pitch calling partnership between me and my catcher means we are rarely unprepared for a batter’s tendencies.

My conclusion: Trin is having a very impressive season (7-2 NESCAC). If they can take at least two against Bates this weekend, there’s no way they don’t make a solid run in the playoffs. Shafer’s mentality of getting ground balls in tough spots is why Trinity has been so successful. It allows Shafer’s pitch count to be low, so he can stay out there for at least two thirds to three quarters of the game.

Mike McCaffrey, Wesleyan University:

1-0 (NESCAC); 1.54 ERA (NESCAC), 12.34 K/game; Roster picture evaluation: pretty swag, officially sponsored by Nike, looks like a kid who would take your candy (see below).

AM: How do you plan to beat Amherst this weekend?

MM: Every time we play Amherst the game seems to come down to one play or one pitch, so just focusing on winning each pitch.

AM: What’s the mentality you take to the mound when you’re not getting run support?

MM: I’m going to attack hitters and control what I can control, everything else seems to take care of itself.

AM: What has been your best pitch this season and why?

MM: I don’t know if I could choose one

My conclusion: He clearly went to the same college as Bill Belichick with these answers, and I love it. McCaffrey along with Kelvin Sosa have been two dominant southpaws at the top of Wesleyan’s rotation. As I said in my season preview, this is the biggest series of the year for both teams. They will likely meet again in the playoffs. Amherst won’t give Wes any free runs, so expect close games in this series with McCaffrey leading the charge.

Gavin Schaefer-Hood, Hamilton College:

3-3, 3.81 ERA, 27 K’s, roster picture evaluation: looks like the kid McCaffrey took candy from; still a beast on the mound this year; probably got a 98 on a midterm right before this was taken.

AM: How do you plan to beat Williams this weekend?

GSH: Being a freshman I don’t know much about Williams so I’ll be relying a lot on the game plan our coaches put together for us. They definitely seem to have some talent at the plate hitting both for average and with some power so I’ll just be trying to compete and prevent any big innings.

AM: What’s the mentality you take to the mound when you’re not getting run support?

GSH: I don’t think my mentality on the mound changes at all up one run or up 10. I’m just trying to execute each pitch and rely on my defense to make plays. I know my teammates will find ways to push runs across – they did it enough against me in the fall and early spring practices – so I just try to do my part and keep guys off the bases.

AM: What has been your best pitch this season and why?

GSH: I’d love to answer this one but we still have two league teams that I’ve never seen and that have never seen me so I’d love to keep as much of an element of surprise as I can before facing them. Lets just say the knuckleball.

My conclusion: Gavin had to take a role that most freshman don’t take as a key starting pitcher for Hamilton. He has rose to the challenge. He stunned Wesleyan last weekend with only one earned run through seven innings. Wesleyan’s lineup is nothing to joke about, but he made the Cards anemic at the plate.

Brooks Parker, Colby College:

1-3; 9.00 ERA; 11 Ks; 2017 Stats: 0-6, 3.31 ERA, 40 K’s; Roster picture evaluation: This guy doesn’t hide in the bushes in Fortnite.

AM: How do you plan to beat Tufts this weekend?

BP: Tufts is a very good baseball team and it will take a strong team effort on both sides of the ball to win against them. On the offensive side, we need to put more pressure on the defense and force them to make plays. Our pitchers need to throw strikes, keep the ball down and minimize hard hit balls. We can’t afford to give up free bases by walking batters as Tufts will take advantage of those opportunities. I’m confident in our defensive ability to make the plays behind our pitchers.

AM: What’s the mentality you take to the mound when you’re not getting run support?

BP: When I’m not getting run support I try to stay focused on what I can do to help the team win. For me, my mentality is very similar whether we’re up by a lot of down by a lot. I just try to make my pitches, hit my spots and keep the game close to give us an opportunity to win the game. I know that if I do my part on the mound, the runs will eventually come. Our team has some great hitters and although we’ve been slumping in conference games this season, I’m confident that we will find a way to score runs if our pitchers and defense can keep us in the game.

AM: What has been your best pitch this season and why?

BP: I’d say my best pitch this season has been my curveball. When everything’s working, my best pitch is my changeup, but I’ve had some trouble locating that pitch this season, which is something I’ve been working on. I love going to my curveball early in the count because most batters will not swing at it unless they have 2 strikes on them. I can generally locate my curveball very well and it allows me to get ahead in the count to come back with a fastball or changeup just out of the zone to hopefully get a swing and miss or softly hit ball.

My conclusion: Colby hasn’t been good all season; the road doesn’t get any easier this weekend against Tufts. I know there have been injuries and sickness up in Waterville, but the Mules have to figure it out at this 1-5 record. It all starts with solid pitching. With Brooks’ ERA coupled with his 0 wins, it’s clear that he hasn’t gotten the run support he needs. I love his answer to question two because it’s clear that he’s mature enough to bring a positive attitude to the mound inning to inning when the Mules’ bats are silent. That’s the attitude of a winner. If Colby can take two from Tufts, they really hurt Tufts’ chances at a playoff bid. I’m sure the Mules would love that.

Who’s Coming in Second? NESCAC East Baseball Preview

East Division Preview:

Bates:

Head Coach: Jon Martin, 2nd Season, 16-18 Career Record

Projected NESCAC Record: 4-8

Key Losses: 2B/SS Brendan Fox (.270 AVG, 27 H, 17 RBI)

OF Ryan McCarthy (3 HR, 13 RBI, 7 SB)

RHP Anthony Telisca (49.2 IP, 3-2, 3.26 ERA)

1B Brendon Canavan (.257 AVG, 1 HR, 12 RBI)

Returning Starters:

3B Dan Trulli ’19 (.282 AVG, 2 HR, 14 RBI)

C Jack Arend ’20 (.271 AVG, 1 HR, 18 RBI)

SS Asher MacDonald ’18 (.241 AVG, 21 H, 12 RBI)

INF Kyle Carter ’20 (.217 AVG, 20 H, 12 RBI)

OF Will Sylvia ‘20 (.287 AVG, 1 HR, 23 H)

RHP Connor Speed ’18 (54.1 IP, 1-7, 2.98 ERA)

LHP Connor Russell ’18 (8 APP, 33.0 IP, 3.27 ERA)

Biggest Series: March 31^st vs. Bowdoin

Everything Else:

The Bobcats enter the 2018 season as a team that could finish, realistically, anywhere from 1^st to last in the East division. They finished second last year at 7-5, but limped into the NESCAC tournament, winning their first 7 games but losing their last 5, wrapping up the year by losing both of their postseason games to Middlebury and Amherst, respectively. If you include their “non-conference” games against Williams, they dropped their final 9 games against NESCAC opponents. Bates stayed in games with their pitching (3.51 ERA, 2nd in the league) and their defense (league-best .966 FPCT) but combined to hit for an abysmal .234 as a team, with a .294 slugging percentage, both comfortably last in the NESCAC. They return two of their top three pitchers in innings pitched in seniors Connor Speed and Connor Russell, who will be tasked with keeping this team in games until they can figure out how to hit. They also return their three leading hitters in Will Sylvia ’20 (.287), Dan Trulli ’19 (.282), and Jack Arend ’20 (.271). Much of their success will be determined by whether those three underclassmen can take the jump up and become difference makers, but they need to get off to a good start. Their opening NESCAC series against Bowdoin is my series to watch for them because after finishing their season the way they did, they’re going to need to find the confidence earlier rather than later in the league schedule. They boast the best defense in the league, which is generally something that is not hard to replicate, and if their pitching can be in the sub 4 ERA range, even the slightest improvements to their hitting could make a difference.

Bates needs to wake up the bats this season as they were last in the league in offense in 2017.

Bowdoin:

Head Coach: Mike Connolly, 19^th Season, 352-290-1 Career Record

Projected NESCAC Record: 4-8

Key Losses:

IF Evann Dumont-LaPointe (.270 AVG, 2 HR, 18 RBI)

IF Sean Mullaney (.240 AVG, 24 H, 12 RBI)

Returning Starters:

C Colby Joncas ’19 (.276 AVG, 27 H, 13 RBI)

1B Sawyer Billings ’18 (.313 AVG, 12 XBH, 14 RBI)

P/UTL Brandon Lopez ’19 (.333 AVG, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 44.2 IP, 4-1, 2.62 ERA)

OF Jack Wilhoite ’20 (.268 AVG, 3 HR, 10 RBI)

IF Cody Tedesco ’19 (.347 AVG, .418 OBP, 4 XBH)

IF Eric Mah ’20 (.232 AVG, 16 H, 7 RBI)

P Max Vogel-Freedman ’19 (41.2 IP, 2-3, 4.10 ERA, 7.34 K/9)

P Colby Lewis ’20 (32.0 IP, 4-3, 3.94 ERA)

Biggest Series: March 31^st vs. Bates

Everything Else:

Dropping all three to Bates to open league play last season put the Polar Bears behind the 8 ball and although they were able to get to 6-6, it was too little too late to have a chance to make some postseason noise. But their season this year will mostly come down to how they perform against Bates, and the parallels between the two are quite strong. Like their in-state rivals, the success of their season will be determined by how many guys can take the jump up this year—for them both on the mound and at the dish. All-NESCAC selection Brandon Lopez is only a junior and will hope to continue to do his best Shohei Otanei impersonation, but he’s going to need some help. Colby Lewis ’20 and Max Vogel-Freedman ’19 combined to log nearly 73 innings pitched last season, but they’re going to need one of them to step up and perform as a consistent number 2. They have guys like Jack Wilhoite ’20 (.268 AVG, 3 HR, 10 RBI) and Sawyer Billings ’18 (.313 AVG, 14 RBI) to set the table with Lopez at the plate, but they’re going to need some depth at the bottom of the order and an improvement from their .259 average as a team last year (9^th in the NESCAC) if they want to see consistent success this year. Their opening series vs. Bates might as well be the NESCAC quarterfinals, and they’re probably going to need to take 2 out of 3 if they want to make the playoffs. They would be much better off playing those games in April, as it would give them more time to sort out their order and rotation, but they’re going to be tested early instead. They’re going to win most of the games that Lopez pitches in and they need the same to be true when Lewis and Vogel-Freedman take the mound. If they can do that, they have the talent to play into May, but they need to show it in March first.

Colby:

Head Coach: Dale Plummer, 12th Season

Projected NESCAC Record: 3-9

Key Losses:

OF Ryder Arsenault (.285 AVG, 1 HR, 13 RBI)

C Andrew Della Volpe (.286 AVG, 6 XBH, 11 RBI)

Returning Starters:

OF Matt Treveloni ’18 (.333 AVG, 39 H, 6 SB)

OF Matt Garcia ’18 (.259 AVG, 2 HR, 14 RBI)

INF Tyler Mulberry ’19 (.304, 10 2B, 17 RBI)

INF Jackson Ward ’19 (.239, 22 H, 10 RBI)

3B William Wessman ’20 (.209 AVG, 7 RBI)

P Taimu Ito ’20 (50.2 IP, 2-3, 2.84 ERA)

P Brooks Parker ’19 (49.0 IP, 7.35 K/9, 3.31 ERA)

P Emery Dinsmore ’20 (33.2 IP, 2-3, 4.01 ERA)

Biggest Series: April 13^th-14^th vs. Trinity

Everything Else: The Mules return in 2018 looking to improve on their 3-9 record from last year. For Colby it starts in the field. Their pitching staff’s 4.22 ERA was 4^th best in the league, but their fielding percentage was dead last at .949, no thanks in part to their league leading 65 errors. When you put those two things together it should be no surprise that although they allowed 205 runs (second last), only 133 of them were earned. The pitching was really good all year, especially when you consider their three-headed monster was comprised of two freshmen in Taimu Ito and Emery Dinsmore, and a sophomore, Brooks Parker. That trio will now be one junior and two sophomores, and we all know what a difference the jump from freshman to sophomore year can make in this league. But they have to cut down on the errors, and they have to find a way to hit. The bottom three in the league in hitting looked a whole lot like the 2017 football standings: Colby, Bowdoin, and Bates. All three of these teams have other strengths, but they need to hit. Colby’s ability to go three deep in their rotation will give them to compete in all three weekend games. Hopefully Ito can take the jump into the top tier of NESCAC pitching, because they’re going to need someone that can match up with the aces in this league, and he’s my pick for most likely candidate. Parker and Dinsmore bringing up the rear means there shouldn’t be a lot of 0-3 weekends as long as they cut down on the mistakes in the field. It’s going to be an uphill battle in the league for Colby this year, but they have room to improve and there’s no reason to think they shouldn’t.

One of the key necessities for the Mules is improved defense.

Trinity:

Head Coach: Bryan Adamski, 5^th year, 69-72 Career Record

Projected NESCAC Record: 9-3

Key Losses:

INF Nick DiBenedetto (.354 AVG, 1 HR, 30 RBI)

Returning Starters:

C Alex Rodriguez ’20 (.342 AVG, 11 XBH, 23 RBI)

INF Ben Reinsch ’19 (.282 AVG, .401 OBP, 35 H)

INF/OF Matt Koperniak ’20 (.310 AVG, 1 HR, 20 RBI)

INF Cooper Mooney ’18 (.300 AVG, 1 HR, 29 RBI)

1B Johnny Stamatis ‘19 (.311, 24 RBI, 33 H)

UTIL Brendan Pierce ’19 (.275 AVG, 5 HR, 18 RBI)

P Eric Mohl ’19 (53.0 IP, 7-2, 2.55 ERA)

P Alex Shafer ’20 (44.2 IP, 3-1, 4.23 ERA)

P McLane Hill ’18 (35.1 IP, 3.57 ERA, 8.92 K/9)

P Chris Speer ’18 (32.0 IP, 3-0, 0.84 ERA)

P Alex Herbst ’20 (30.2 IP, 2-1, 4.70 ERA)

Biggest Series: April 20^th-21^st vs. Bates

Everything Else: Well to say this team returned a lot would be a gross understatement. Of the 301.2 innings they pitched last year, they return all 301.2 of them. A senior-less pitching staff a year ago is now a pitching staff with 5 pitchers returing having logged 30 or more innings, including junior ace Eric Mohl and his 2.55 ERA, as well as senior stud reliever’s McLane Hill (8.92 K/9) and Chris Speer (0.84 ERA). The Bants and their 22-14 overall record were the second-best team in East, but a disastrous 0-3 weekend in Brunswick against Bowdoin, highlighted by a walkoff loss in 12 innings, did them in and they finished 5-7 and in 4^th place. But this team was second in the league in runs scored, and return a lineup that includes co-Rookie of the year C Alex Rodriguez (.342 AVG, 23 RBI), INF/OF Matt Koperniak ’20 (.310 AVG, 1 HR, 20 RBI), Brendan Pierce ’19 (5 HR, 18 RBI), and like 4 other guys that I don’t have time to mention because there is so much good college basketball on. Another thing about this Trinity team is that they can flat out run. I mean, RUN. Their 104 stolen bases were almost 50 more than the next closest team (Hamilton), and when you combine their baserunning prowess with the bats in their lineup, they have the firepower to win every league game they play. The key for them is keeping the poor pitching performances to a minimum and giving their offense a chance to win them the game. They had a couple games against league opponents that they gave away due to some self-destruction on the mound (15 runs allowed in an inning against Tufts, anyone?), and if they don’t shoot themselves in the foot like that they have the depth both on the mound and at the plate to be contenders for a championship.

Tufts:

Head Coach: John Casey, 35^th year, 699-394-4 Career Record

Projected NESCAC Record: 10-2

Key Losses:

OF Oscar Kutch (.315 AVG, 2 HR, 24 RBI)

IF Tom Petry (.289 AVG, 2 HR, 23 RBI)

OF Harry Brown (.261 AVG, 30 H, 21 RBI)

P Speros Varinos (77.1 IP, 8-1, 1.98 ERA)

P Tim Superko (54.1 IP, 6-1, 3.98 ERA)

P Rory Ziomek (14 APP, 1.04 ERA, 12.98 K/9)

Returning Starters:

3B Nick Falkson ‘18 (.373 AVG, 2 HR, 37 RBI)

INF Tommy O’Hara ’18 (.351 AVG, 4 HR, 46 RBI)

IF/OF Mike McLaughlin ’18 (.304 AVG, 2 HR, 20 RBI)

IF Casey Santos-Ocampos ’19 (.278 AVG, 1 HR, 22 RBI)

IF Will Shackleford ’19 (.368 AVG, 1 HR, 28 RBI)

OF Malcolm Nachmanoff ’18 (.182 AVG, 2 HR, 15 RBI)

P R.J. Hall ’20 (58.1 IP, 3-4, 3.39 ERA)

P Brad Marchetti ’20 (36.1 IP, 2-2, 2.97 ERA)

Biggest Series: March 30^th-31^st vs. Trinity

Everything Else:

The reigning NESCAC champions appear to be reloading this year. The loss of OFs Oscar Kutch (.315 AVG, 2 HR, 24 RBI), Harry Brown (.261 AVG, 30 H, 21 RBI), and IF Tom Petry (.289 AVG, 2 HR, 23 RBI) would be crippling to most teams attempting to repeat, but not the Jumbos. Tufts returns reigning player of the year Nick Falkson ’18 (.373 AG, 2 HR, 37 RBI) and I would like his chances to win that award again, if not for the additional return of IF Tommy O’Hara, who managed to hit .351 to go along with 4 HR and 46 RBI last year. He has a legitimate gripe over being snubbed for POY, but it went to his teammate instead. This lineup is loaded up and down with guys who can hit for both power and contact, and if Falkson, O’Hara, and co. manage to all improve on their numbers from last year then the rest of the league is in way bigger trouble than they already were. The loss of pitcher of the year Speros Varinos (77.1 IP, 8-1, 1.98 ERA), and number 2 Tim Superko (54.1 IP, 6-1, 3.98 ERA) mean that their pitching staff will certainly not be as dominant as they were last year, but RJ Hall and Brad Marchetti (94.2 IP combined) will be forced to take the step up and anchor this rotation in just their sophomore seasons. The top end starting pitching will decline, as will the depth in the lineup, but as long as the batting order features the names Falkson and O’Hara, I think Tufts should be just fine. Trinity appears ready to give them a run for their money, but the Jumbos are still the class of this division, and it will stay that way unless otherwise noted.

America’s Pastime Returns to the NESCAC: Baseball Season Preview

Tim Superko ’17 and the Jumbos look to defend their NESCAC title in 2017 (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics).

Editor’s Note: At this point, pretty much every NESCAC baseball team has had a chance to get out on the field and play some games (aside from Williams, who plays their season opener tonight). Devin Rosen is joining us for our NESCAC baseball coverage this spring, which is perfectly timed since we lose a couple writers, Colby and Rory, due to their roles on the Middlebury and Tufts baseball teams. The beginning of the NESCAC baseball season is always a mess for coverage since teams always try to cram as many games as possible into their spring breaks. Once NESCAC games roll around, we will be much more organized with our content. Until then, enjoy this preview of the NESCAC baseball season that Devin put together!

East

Bates

Bates opens the season with new coach Jon Martin who comes from the head coaching position at Vassar College. He looks to turn last year’s 14-21 record (4-8 in conference) into a more productive season in 2017. Helping his transition at the leadership helm are senior captains Ryan McCarthy and Brendan Fox. McCarthy has been a three year starter in the outfield for the Bobcats, and 2016 Second-Team All-NESCAC shortstop Fox looks to continue his success after hitting .377 last season. The Bates rotation and bullpen returns most of its staff and is led by Connor Speed ‘18 who looks to open the season as Bates’ number one starter. Anthony Telesca ’17 adds to the returning rotation as well providing depth in the rotation. After a break out year last season, Connor Russell ‘18 aims to round out the Bates rotation. The strong core of returning players for Bates gives the Bobcats the potential to put up a strong fight in the NESCAC this year. In his first season in Lewiston, Coach Martin will have to use his returners to help him achieve a successful season. If Fox can lead the bats, then the solid pitching staff can keep Bates in contention in the competitive NESCAC East.

Bowdoin

Brandon Lopez ’19 (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics).

Bowdoin had a decently successful 22-14 campaign last spring, but looks to avenge their 4-8 in conference record this season. To do so, however, their pitching staff must fill in the spots of two now-graduated starters who combined for over 93 innings last season. Sophomore Brandon Lopez ’19 looks to be the number one guy for the polar bears after a solid freshman season as a starter. After him, however, it seems that Coach Mike Connolly will have to find a few arms out of the large junior class to eat up innings. Sean Mullaney ’17 aims to maintain his position as the team’s consistent top hitter after having a .304 average in 115 at bats last spring. Similar to the pitching staff, the young talent on this offense will have to step up in order to compete with the rest of the NESCAC. Bowdoin showed promise in their overall record last year and aims to replicate it both in and out of conference.

Colby

Brooks Parker ’19 (Courtesy of Colby Athletics).

Colby looks to turn their luck around after a disappointing season last spring. This task is made even tougher after graduating a First-Team All-NESCAC first baseman, Soren Hanson ’16, and a Second-Team All-NESCAC third baseman, Zach Ellenthal ‘16. Sophomore Andrew Currier looks to lead the way in doing so after posting a solid freshman spring which included 20 RBIs. The rest of the lineup will depend on hitting from other lower classmen. On the mound, the Mules graduated their number one starter, Hanson, and most reliable reliever, Tommy Forese. However, just like the lineup, young pitchers such as Brooks Parker ’19 and Will Cohen ’19 gained valuable experience in just their first spring. Look for Coach Dale Plummer to ride these young arms throughout the season while also depending on the more experienced juniors Dan Schoenfeld ’18 and Bobby Forese ‘18. Colby’s lineup and pitching staff took a hit from the most recent graduating class, but look for the young Mules to step up their game. Despite a smaller presence from the senior class, the underclassmen have the potential to compete with the top teams in the NESCAC after gaining a year of valuable experience.

Trinity

Trinity enters the season having lost high caliber seniors from last spring including First-Team All-NESCAC catcher Scott Cullinane and Second-Team All-NESCAC outfielder Nick Pezzella, as well as their most reliable reliever Sam Jordan, all of whom contributed to a 7-5 conference record. The Bantams’ success in the NESCAC East earned them a playoff appearance, and they advanced to the NESCAC Championship game before losing to in-conference rival Tufts. Despite the talent lost, first baseman Johnny Stamatis ’19 is back after hitting .309 and earning a Second-Team All-NESCAC nod in his first college season. Another key returning bat is NbN writer and Trinity infielder Nick DiBenedetto ’17, who posted a .357 average last spring. On the other side of the roster stands Anthony Egeln Jr. ’18. He is the only returning consistent starter, but after posting a 4-2 record last spring, Egeln Jr looks to take over as the number one starter in the program. In order to keep up with the tough NESCAC East, Trinity’s young talent must replace last year’s seniors with some fluidity. The rotation’s consistency will make or break Trinity’s season as long as their bats heat up.

Tufts

The Jumbos are coming off a dominating performance after achieving the best season in school history. With an 11-1 in-conference record and 35-8 overall record, Tufts returns the core of its team. 2x First-Team All-NESCAC third baseman Tommy O’Hara ‘18 leads this stacked line-up along with captain First-Team All-NESCAC outfielder Harry Brown ‘17, who hit a team leading .397 average in 2016. Behind the plate, sophomore catchers Harrison Frickman and Eric Schnepf have a year under their belt after being thrusted into a timeshare of the starting role behind the plate as freshmen last season. In addition to a powerful line-up, Tufts returns most of its dominating pitching staff. Led by captains Speros Varinos ’17 and Tim Superko ‘17, the rotation looks to remain the best in the conference after posting a team ERA of 3.25, over a full run less per game than the second-best ERA in the league. Varinos, the reigning pitcher of the year, looks to best last year’s All-American performance, which included a 2.15 ERA and league-leading 79 strikeouts. He also tied fellow teammate, RJ Hall ’19 with a league-leading 7 wins. Additionally, our very own, Rory Ziomek adds depth to the staff. Tufts has the fire power to maintain their status as the best team in the league, and has their sights set on not only a NESCAC Championship, but a NCAA Regional Championship as well after coming up just short last spring.

West

Amherst

Amherst looks to stay atop the NESCAC West this upcoming season, and the will jump on the back of First-Team All-NESCAC pitcher Jackson Volle ‘17, who had a league leading 1.79 ERA. The pitching staff aims to maintain its status as one of the best in the league, but we will have to wait to see who joins Volle atop the staff after losing a few arms to graduation. At the plate, Amherst returns two Second-Team All-NESCAC selections: shortstop Harry Roberson ’18 and outfielder Anthony Spina ‘17. Roberson had an impressive .336 average while Spina tied the league lead in homeruns with 6. Joining them in this impressive lineup are Ariel Kenney ‘18, who had a team leading 52 hits, and infielder Max Steinhorn ‘18. Outfielder Yanni Thanopoulos ’17 rounds out the lineup that hit a remarkable .316 as a group last year. Amherst has the potential to not only compete in the NESCAC, but to compete for its top spot. Volle gives them a consistently dominant starter while their lineup can hit any arm in the league. If Amherst plays up to their potential, look for them to stay atop the Conference.

Hamilton

Hamilton’s ferocious lineup from last season returns its top hitters, including First-Team All-NESCAC outfielder Ryan Wolfsberg ’17, who led the conference in slugging percentage (.645) to go along with a .418 batting average. Adding even more power to the lineup is Andrew Haser ’17, who was tied for the league lead with 6 homeruns last spring. The Hamilton pitching staff is forced to replace now-graduated pitcher Cole Dreyfuss, and first in line to do so are Spencer Vogelbach ‘18 and Dan DePaoli ’18. Look for these two juniors to eat up significant innings for Coach Byrnes. Rounding out the staff is Max Jones ’19, who threw 35.2 innings with a 3.53 ERA in his freshman campaign. Hamilton’s success will depend on its lineup and rotation performing up to their potential. The experienced pitching staff will have the chance to prove they can compete with the best of the NESCAC, and the returning Continental bats have the power to hit any arm in the league. If this occurs, Hamilton will be considered a force to be reckoned with in the competitive NESCAC West.

Middlebury

Colby Morris ’19 leads the Middlebury staff in 2017 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics).

Middlebury enters the year looking to replace its key seniors from last season. However, plenty of now-sophomores including OF Sam Graf and SS Spencer Tonies, now have a year of experience to potentially improve their campaign from last season. Junior Brendan Donohue will also look to build off his .316 season in contribution to the Panthers season. Pitching, on the other hand, seems to be a plus for the Panthers both now and in the future. Sophomore starters Colby Morris (legendary NbN writer) and John Bunting led the team in innings last season, but with Bunting having transferred, Morris will be looked to to handle even more of the load. Seniors Dylan Takamori and Tucker Meredith additionally look to contribute to the strong staff. Last season Middlebury had a 6-6 in-conference record and aims to stand over .500 this season. To do so, Coach Mike Leonard will have to depend on his pitching staff, comprised of mostly returners. If the Panther bats can stay consistent, the rotation and bullpen can keep Middlebury relevant in the NESCAC West.

Wesleyan

The Cardinals look to repeat last year’s impressive 23-12 record along with winning the NESCAC West. Despite losing three senior bats hitting over .330, including the Player of the Year Marco Baratta, Wesleyan returns a dangerous lineup. Leading the way are two-way player Nick Miceli ’17, who is coming off a Second-Team All-NESCAC performance, and the Roxbury Latin groomed shortstop Will O’Sullivan, who hit a remarkable .370 last spring. Andrew Keith ‘19 proved his potential last season as well and looks to build on the success he enjoyed in 2016. On the mound, Wesleyan returns a solid core of three pitchers, including Miceli, who is joined by Ethan Rode ‘17 and Asher Young ‘17. These seasoned veterans should consume many of the season’s innings. Coach Mark Woodworth will ride his senior leaders throughout the season after they dominated the NESCAC West last spring. As long as his upperclassmen take charge, Wesleyan has the lineup and the rotation to compete for the NESCAC crown.

Williams

Luke Rodino ’17 will be in the running for NESCAC Pitcher of the Year once again this spring (Courtesy of Williams Athletics).

Williams aims to get over the .500 hump in NESCAC play this season, and if they do it, their efforts will be led by Second-Team All-NESCAC pitcher Luke Rodino ‘17. He is joined by fellow senior Tyler Duff ’17 as the leaders of the pitching staff. These two seniors look to guide Tom Benz ‘19, Jack Bohen ‘19 and Will O’Brien ‘19, all of whom contributed heavily during their freshman campaign. At the plate, Kellen Hatheway ’19 looks to build on a stellar first year in which he earned the NESCAC Rookie of the Year award after hitting .331 with 21 RBI’s and 24 runs scored. Joining him in the lineup are Adam Regensburg ’18 and Doug Schaffer ’18, as well as Jack Cloud ‘17, who all hit over .300. The freshmen, now sophomore class proved to have the potential to compete against the top teams in the NESCAC. This year for Williams baseball will be about how these sophomores, along with their other key returners, can perform after having last season to rebuild and come together as a group. Williams will use last year’s experience to give them a chance to improve on their record in the NESCAC.