Gotta love this atmosphere, and the Cardinals are going to bring it in Middletown.
NBN 2018 projected record: 7-2
Projected offensive starters (*5 returning):
QB: Mark Piccirillo ‘19*
RB: Sean Penney ‘21
WR: Evan Hull ‘19
WR: Hallvard Lundevall ‘20
TE: Ryan Earle ‘19*
OL: Bryce Jenkins ‘21
C: Joe Wilson ’19*
RG: Jacob Edlebeck ‘21
LT: Ryan Schutta ’20*
RT: Terence Norton ‘19*
Projected defensive starters (*6 returning):
DB: Ben Thaw ‘20*
DB: Eli Blair-May ‘20
S: AJ Lanton ’22
S: Pat Leone
LB: Brandon Morris ‘19*
LB: Will Kearney ‘20
LB: Malcolm Fox ’21
DL: Jude Lindberg ‘19*
DL: Taj Gooden ‘21*
DL: Grant Williams ‘19*
DL Bobby Nevin ‘19*
Projected special teams starters (*2 returning):
K: Pat Wolfe ‘21*
P: Sam Han ‘20*
Offensive MVP:
Mark Piccirillo ’19
Mark Piccirillo ‘19
If you study the most successful college quarterbacks from the past decade, who do you have on your list? I have Tim Tebow, Baker Mayfield, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Marcus Mariota, and Lamar Jackson just to name a few. What do all these quarterbacks have in common? They’re all incredible athletes who ran option plays in college. After Eagles coach Doug Pederson introduced the world to the run-pass option (RPO) last season, RPO has established itself as common lingo. Mark Piccirillo, Wesleyan quarterback, has been running one of the most successful offenses in the NESCAC for the past three seasons. Even though he doesn’t amaze spectators with size, he makes up for it will intelligent reads. The offense is run fast, which is predicated on great conditioning and understanding what the defense is giving you. Piccirillo led the league in both yards per game and touchdowns; however, he threw ten interceptions. With a touchdown to interception ratio of two to one, Piccirillo slipped behind the likes of Sonny Puzzo (Trinity) and Jared Lebowitz (Middlebury) in that statistical category. As his offensive counterparts become more comfortable with Piccirillo, the turnovers will likely be cut down. Piccirillo’s meager 8.0 yards per attempt shows that the offense is comfortable taking what the defense gives them. Exploiting linebacker on slot receiver matchups underneath and in the flat is a major reason for all of Piccirillo’s passing yards a season ago. Piccirillo noted the following about his mental state entering his final season at Wesleyan: “I’d say personally to prepare for this season I’ll be watching a lot of film on opponents early into game weeks to really get enough mental reps on what I have to do and go into practices with the mindset that every day is game day. Also just really get a lot of reps with my receivers every day to have the chemistry to make plays on Saturdays. And the number one thing is playing with high confidence every place. This year I see our team going out on game days with a lot of energy flying around and being positive. I love what I see from the younger guys on the team that’ll have a big impact on bettering the team.”
Piccirillo is a front runner for NESCAC POY in 2018
Piccirillo’s mental state is what you want in a quarterback and leader. So much of sports is failing, moving on, and responding in a positive way. Piccirillo’s interceptions last year is a source of losing confidence. As a leader, nevertheless, he seems to have taken charge of the offense. One of the most important pieces of Wesleyan’s offense graduated last year. Wide receiver Mike Breuler invigorated fans with his flying catches in traffic and overall dependability. Breuler had a phenomenal junior campaign, leading the team in catches, yards, and receiving touchdowns, and earning first team all NESCAC honors. The wideout ended his senior year by earning NESCAC offensive player of the year, breaking Wesleyan and NESCAC single season records in yards and catches, and finished second in the country in yards per reception and third in total yards per game. It’s clear that losing Piccirillo’s top target from the past few years will hurt Wesleyan’s offense. The question for Coach DiCenzo and the coaches is who is going to fill Breuler’s void. There won’t be one guy who can possess the chemistry that Breuler and Piccirillo shared. It’s going to take multiple players to fill Breuler’s shoes. Joe Scancarella is a sophomore receiver to watch this year. He doesn’t have the size that Breuler has, but he great hands. He made an impact as a freshman with one touchdown. He’s quick, and is a matchup nightmare for bigger, slower linebackers.
Defensive MVP:
Brandon Morris ’19
Brandon Morris ‘19
Wesleyan is returning some core pieces on defense. Senior linebacker Brandon Morris led the NESCAC in tackles per game. Defensive linemen Taj Gooden and Jude Lindberg return as well to an interior presence, which will wreak havoc for opponent offensive linemen. Besides Wesleyan’s loss of Breuler, play on the road has to be another point of concern. A perfect record at home coupled with a sub five hundred record on the road is something the Cards will desperately look to correct. Whether it’s mental or physical, the Cards will travel to play Tufts and Williams on the road, both hostile environments. Wesleyan dominated the time of possession, leading the league. As John Madden would say, without the ball, it’s hard for the team to score points. Wesleyan has to continue to emphasize winning the time of possession this season if they want to succeed. I think that Mark Piccirillo will be the ultimate difference maker for the Cards. He will bring them over the top to bring them a NESCAC championship.
Biggest game: 9/15 vs Middlebury:
The first game of the season is Wesleyan’s biggest. Middlebury beat them last year, so a 1-0 record to start the season is a necessity to win a NESCAC crown. Wesleyan isn’t such a young team anymore with Morris and Piccirillo leading the team. Wesleyan can prove to the league with an opening day win that they’ll here for the long haul.
Who else is looking forward to seeing this glorious field next Saturday?
As the dog days of training camp come to an end, and the strange combination of jubilation for another year of a college social life and fear of problem sets, exams, and papers churns in our stomachs, we have to remember what we’ve waited for since February: football. NESCAC football fans have waited even longer, however, too see their alma mater on the gridiron. There are many question marks that come to my mind as both a writer and a fan when considering how teams will perform this season: will there be two poles like last year with Trinity, Middlebury, and Amherst at the top, while Colby and Bowdoin rounded out the bottom? Will young teams like Wesleyan, Williams, and Tufts dethrone Trin at the top? Wesleyan, Williams, and Tufts all showed promise last season, but only one team is returning a four year playmaking starter at the quarterback position. Only one team was second in the entire conference, behind Middlebury, in total offense; only one of those teams had a 65% touchdown efficiency in the red zone, ranking second in the league behind Trinity. The team that I keep referring to, and will make the leap from a successful 6-3 2017 season to an outstanding 8-1 2018 (one more win than Colby and Cam gave these boys) is the Wesleyan Cardinals.
With only a few weeks left in the spring semester, NESCAC weekends are even more critical to a team’s playoff aspiration. The leading teams coming out of the west are the usual candidates: Amherst and Wesleyan. The teams coming out of the east right now, in a somewhat shocking manner, are Bates and Tufts. The three seeds in each division are poised to become two seeds if they play strong these next few weekends. In this weekend edition, I will preview the most important matchups this weekend, and how the outcome will affect the entire league.
The East: Tufts University @ Bates College:
This series will be exciting for a number of reasons. Firstly, both teams were underachieving midway through the season. Once sitting at 3-3, the Bos’ have become hot quickly. As last season’s champs and perennial contender, it wasn’t hard to predict that Tufts’ wasn’t going to receive the stellar starting pitching that it had the year before. I could never predict 3-3, though. You have to understand that Coach John Casey’s Tufts will never be in the bottom of the league. Whether it be the way they recruit, practice, or the tradition that Tufts Baseball has under Casey, the ‘Bos will simply never be bad.
Can Coach John Casey really push Tufts to victory every season? You bet he can.
Bates, on the other hand, under the regime of Jon Martin, has exceeded expectations. Even though some attribute Bates’ playoff appearance last year to luck, the Bobcats still played in the tournament while every non-tournament team was golfing. Bates simply wasn’t good earlier in the year—especially at the plate. Personally, I ripped on and even written off Bates earlier in the year. This weekend is crucial for Bates to establish themselves as a perennial contender. If Bates takes at least two on its home field against Tufts, I will consider them a legitimate team. Hitting is still a problem, though. Starting outfielder Will Sylvia is only hitting .227. Bates’ pitching right now is one of the best in the league, so if the hitters throughout the lineup can figure it out at the plate, Bates could be considered a favorite in the tournament. The .247 average really isn’t helping the Bobcats.
Tufts’ bats exploded against Colby last weekend—putting up run totals in the teens and twenties. Even though Colby is no Amherst, the Mules are still a NESCAC team. The demolition that Tufts put on Colby is truly remarkable. Tufts is either first or second in all major hitting statistical categories; they can definitely mash. Like it always is, Tommy O’Hara, Nick Falkson and Malcolm Nachmanoff are leading the charge with 17 combined dingers and an average just below .400 for O’Hara and above .400 for Nachmanoff. Pitchers are scared to face these guys, and I don’t blame them. With a swing of the bat, they can turn the game around.
This is a series that I doubt anyone predicted would be one of the most critical of the season; dominant hitting against dominant pitching is fun to watch. Normally pitching wins at the highest level, but that could be underestimating how well Tufts swings the bat. Regardless, it’s going to be a fun series.
Prediction: Tufts wins the series two games to one.
The West: Wesleyan University vs. Williams College:
Mike Stamas ’20 made his first pitching start last weekend, showing that he is a versatile diamond in the rough for the Ephs.
Here’s a hot take: Williams isn’t bad. They’re good. How good? We’ll see this weekend against Wesleyan. Wesleyan is coming into this series with a 2-4 conference record these past two weekends. It hurts me to say this: I definitely overvalued Wesleyan after its dominant sweep of Middlebury. I completely overlooked the lack of real relief pitching. Yes, Sosa, McCaffery, and sometimes Olmstead will put together a quality start, but who do you really trust with the ball in their hand in the eighth or ninth on the road with men on base? I definitely trust Pat Clare, but Dan Lombardo has been inconsistent in giving up extra base hits. Jake Alonzo and Ryan Earle are quality right handers as well, but if you want to get a lefty-lefty matchup against a big power guy, who do you go to? Doug Hartshorn can provide a good matchup with offspeed and other secondary pitches, although he spiked a ball during game one against Amherst last weekend that got past C Chase Pratt, which led to a critical Amherst run. Even though I love what smaller southpaws like Hartshorn bring to the table with late movements on fastballs, loopier breaking balls, and changeups that are incredibly hard to sit back on and read, pitchers have to throw strikes at the end of the day. Coming back from that long tangent, I’ve realized that the reason I overvalued Wesleyan is because of the bats against Midd. When the bats were hot– that means Cappitelli through Walek were stringing together quality at bats, the relievers faced no pressure. When you know what hit the fan at Hamilton, I first saw Wesleyan’s relatively weak bullpen. It’s inevitable that a lineup will ebb and flow. For Wes to be successful with its thin pen, everyone has to hit.
Williams supringly isn’t as bad as I thought they were going to be. Sitting at 4-5 in conference play, if they take two against Wes, the Ephs have a serious shot at making the playoffs. 4-5 really isn’t a bad record. People forget that last year’s breakout star Johnny Lamont is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Similar to Bates, it seems that Williams’ achilles heel is its lack of production at the plate. Kellen Hatheway, the guy who’s getting the most AB’s, is barely hitting is weight (full disclosure, I don’t know his true weight. He’s hitting .209, so I assume he’s between 180-220). The pitching doesn’t seem stellar either. No pitcher is below a 3.50 ERA with a minimum of one innings pitch. What picture do these numbers paint? Williams is average at best numbers wise? How’d they win four elusive league games so far? They haven’t been swept yet. The Ephs have won some close games against quality teams. They took one against Amherst, one against Midd, and one against Bates (non-league), and two against Hamilton. They’ve beaten some quality teams, which makes me think that they have clutch at bats and get outs when they need them.
With all this said, I’m not saying Wes is a bad ball club or that Williams will win it all. Wesleyan at the end of the day will win ball games. Remember Dennett’s clutch hit against Tufts’ in 2014 to score Cimino and Yin to jump ahead against Tufts. That was when Wes won its first ever NESCAC title. Guys like Jeye, Andrews, Coppola, Ferrara, and Howard remember that bus ride back to Middletown with the feeling that they accomplished something no Wes baseball player ever did. The pride of stepping off the bus outside of Freeman Athletic Center knowing that you wore that W on your chest, represented the school, and won is a feeling that is indescribable. These guys know how to win under pressure, but let’s see if the rest of the squad can do it. Williams be up to the challenge if Wes can’t come through in the clutch. This is a little three game, so I know it’ll be a great series.
It’s been a great start to the MLB season. The Red Sox are unbelievable, dominating the Yankees on the field and in a Fenway Park WWE fight. Baseball brawls are essential to the baseball identity. In no other sport do you have an individual with a wooden weapon or people hauling in from the other end of the playing field. In this edition of my weekend update, I’m going to compare two teams, one from the east and another from the west, to see who would hypothetically win in a bench clearing brawl. While we know this isn’t as informative as a normal weekend preview, the weather brought all of the games into question (Midd v. Amherst was moved to May 4th and 5th), so we wanted to mix it up in the wake of some angry behavior in MLB games (Red Sox vs. Yankees; Padres vs. Rockies).
Let’s start out with the east:
The Colby Mules wouldn’t be your first guess on a team who would be interested to brawl. Mainers are such down to earth, empathetic people. But let’s not forget about the swagger the Mules possess.
2017 Colby Baseball Team
The first attribute that the Mules possess that could give them an edge in any fight is their roster pictures–particularly their facial hair. These guys are scary. Cameron Garfield looks like Billy the Kid on his way to rob a train in the Wild West. Let’s just say the next time I’m on the T, I’m not sitting anywhere near Garfield. He would probably whip out a weapon, and ask me how much gold I have. He’s clearly reached his peak as a freshman in the facial hair department; I don’t see how he could one up his roster picture. In all seriousness, Colby has a big weekend coming up. Their pitching has been solid with a 3.96 ERA in conference. Their hitting, on the other hand, isn’t helping out the pitching staff. A .228 average in conference won’t win any ball games, no matter who’s on the bump.
Another guy’s facial hair that has evolved over the years is junior pitcher Will Cohen. I’m not giving him airtime because he’s a former teammate and friend, but I actually respect his facial hair. It’s well trimmed, which is a major improvement from his freshman year photo. Unlike Garfield’s roster picture, Cohen’s freshman year picture makes me slightly nauseous (the picture can’t be found, the college took it down due to complaints). Cohen came into Colby as a freshman, and contributed to the cause. He pitched five scoreless innings in 2015 against the potent Tufts Jumbo offense. He hasn’t really been the same since. As a pitcher who relies on masterful control, he hasn’t been able to locate quite the same as before.
The Mules dropped two out of three against Bates last weekend, which is concerning because the Mules clearly have the talent advantage. Trinity won’t be an easier opponent to face this weekend, but if the Mules can right the ship by taking two out of three, they’ll find themselves in the playoff hunt. Right now, they just need to figure it out at the plate.
If not, I definitely think they can intimidate opponents in a bench clearing brawl. Cohen and Garfield will lead the charge in the fight.
The West:
Wesleyan 2017 Baseball Team
I have to pick Wesleyan. I’ve only seen Wesleyan’s games live, so I don’t pretend to have a feel for the entire NESCAC’s character. However, the Birds definitely have the swagger right now with a 3-0 conference record that could help them win a fight. Let’s see why:
We have to start off with Ryan Earle and Chase Pratt. These guys are thick and bulky. I’m sure they could put up thirty plus reps of two plates on the bench, and be pictured chopping wood on the cover of a Carhartt magazine with husky jackets and their yellow labs. These guys are also mashing at the plate. As big guys, they’re incredibly short to the ball which allows them to barrel up inside fastballs. They use the whole field, which shows how well they’re seeing and timing up the baseball. Both are hitting well in the .300’s with low strikeout numbers. That says a lot for big, powerful guys. These bash bros are like Chad and JT advocating for southern California house parties: they have swagger, confidence, and are the power of the Wesleyan lineup. But of course, two guys can’t beat twenty other guys in the fight. Kevin Walek, Wesleyan’s shortstop, is their version of Baker Mayfield on the diamond. He wears a red bandanna, and blares Straight Outta Compton as his walkup song. He hits towards the bottom of the lineup, but has been an important piece towards Wesleyan’s success. He hit .600 last weekend against Middlebury, and plays stellar defense shortstop.
Wesleyan dominated Middlebury last weekend in all aspects of the game; it was quite obvious as a spectator that Wesleyan had the emotional edge. Any foul ball to the backstop was corralled by Nick ‘Val’ Valicenti. Obviously, there’s no stat in the book that illustrates hustle. Val’s not an everyday player, but his hustle on each foul ball is indicative and is a microcosm of the Wesleyan baseball team: they’re gritty.
This grit is apparent in close games. In game one against Middlebury, they edged out a win by scoring their only run on a walk. They fought and clawed for that win, which gave them the momentum for the rest of the series.
In a non-league game on Wednesday, freshman pitcher and #4 on NBN best roster pictures took a line drive straight to the dome. The play stopped, and the whole squad was genuinely concerned for Reddy. Taking line drives to the head builds character that helps in a bench clearing brawl.
Kidding aside, Wesleyan needs to bring that same character, energy, and swag into their games against Hamilton this weekend. If they keep an emotional edge, given their superior talent, the Continentals will be on their heels all weekend.
Wesleyan’s temper getting tested in 2015
In conclusion, if Cameron Garfield and Will Cohen came toe to toe with Ryan Earle and Chase Pratt in a bar, I would be intimidated by the rocking facial hair of the Mules. However, the Mules would run away when the clean version of Straight Outta Compton came on, and 160 pound Kevin Walek from Minnesota walked out with his bandana on. Yeah, sportsmanship is cool and all, but who doesn’t love watching a good fight?
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
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.
Trinity’s starting pitching carried them to a series win over Tufts and should lead them to the playoffs.
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.
Editor’s Note: As the new editor of NBN, I will try to be much less biased than Pete (sorry, Panther fans, and you’re welcome, Amherst fans). This not only pertains to my own articles, which will be on hiatus during baseball season, but also all of NBN’s articles. And I’ll start this era of free speech with Andrew’s well written and well researched season preview which doesn’t exactly provide such a great outlook for my Panthers.
Don’t let the blizzard fool you, northerners. Spring is coming. Barbeques, darties with friends, ‘studying’ outside, and a nice seventy-five degrees. And the men of NESCAC baseball will be trotting out to their respective positions; catchers will shake blue’s hand; pitchers will kick around the dirt around the mound to their liking; outfielders will play catch with each other before the catcher throws down to second. The batter will nod to the umpire, and the catcher will lay down a finger. The pitcher will nod, take a large inhale, and deliver a pitch. Indeed, baseball is here. The NESCAC is a competitive as ever. The East division has been dominated by Tufts for some time, but the West always seems to have new representatives in the playoffs each year. Here is a preview of NESCAC west baseball:
The Amherst vs Wesleyan baseball rivalry is as storied as they come in the annals of history. The 2015 NESCAC championship game may still haunt some current Amherst players. Like Al Pacino said in “Any Given Sunday,” “Life is a game of inches.” Marco Barrata’s diving catch to keep the game tied, Andrew Yin’s hit and run RBI double to tie the game, and Guy Davidson’s nuke down the left field line to seal it all were key plays that came down to inches. Amherst was so close to another NESCAC championship then, but the team just couldn’t defeat the Cards. Nevertheless, 2015 is a long time ago, but the rivalry is still there. Both teams will be above .500 for sure in conference play. Each game of the three game series is crucial. One loss could be devastating to one team’s playoff hopes. If you love a good rivalry and close games, definitely tune into this series.
Everything Else:
I had a chance to ask a few questions to senior and Belmont Hill grad, Harry Roberson:
AM: What are your goals for yourself and the team this season?
HR: Our goal every year starting out is to be the best version of our team that we can be. Ultimately, we want to win a NESCAC championship. I know that’s something that as a senior class we haven’t accomplished yet so that is definitely an overarching goal for our team this season. May is a couple months away though so day-to-day we’re just looking to improve and build upon each practice. We’re excited to go down to Florida and see how we stack up against other teams.
AM: Which teams will be the toughest to knock off?
HR: Our entire side of the NESCAC is pretty strong. Obviously Wesleyan is always a tough series, we have a great rivalry with them that’s a ton of fun to compete in. Amherst-Williams is one of the oldest rivalries in sports so that series means a lot as well. Middlebury kind of came out of nowhere last year so that will be a great challenge for us too. Coach Leonard has done a great job with that program. And then Hamilton is a dangerous team too so there’s no time for let downs on the West side so we’re really looking forward to the opportunity to get out there and play against these guys.
AM: In one word, describe the team.
HR: Family
Amherst will always put an incredibly competitive product on the field year in and year out. However, losing a big bat like Yanni Thanopoulos hurts. He was one of Amherst’s go to guys during his entire career. Look for a guy like Severino Tocci to play a bigger role. He transitioned to catching last year, and actually started. He’s got a powerful bat from the right-handed batter’s box. I can see him being Amherst’s x-factor on the offensive end. I’m predicting that Amherst will make the playoffs again because they’re such a well-coached team. With the leadership and talent that Roberson has, and the development of younger players, I can see Amherst being a force to be reckoned with deep in the NESCAC tournament once again.
Wesleyan:
Head Coach: Mark Woodworth (17th season)
Projected NESCAC record: 9-3
Key losses:
IF Ellis Schaefer (.289 avg, 14 RBI)
IF Will O’Sullivan (.328 avg, 24 RBI)
P Asher Young (2-2, 5.33 ERA)
P Dylan Millehouse (0-1, 6.10 ERA)
C/P Nick Miceli (.237 avg, 18 RBI, 2-2, 3.55 ERA)
P Ethan Rode (3-4, 4.78 ERA)
Returning starters:
IF Jake Alonzo (.091 avg, 4 RBI)
IF Johnny Corning (.258 avg, 4 RBI)
IF/OF AJ Ferrara (.229 avg, 6 RBI)
IF/P Alec Olmstead (.245 avg, 3 RBI)
OF Matt Jeye (.285 avg, 29 RBI)
Biggest series: Middlebury (April 7th-8th):
Wesleyan will have a great season if the Cards can get past Midd with at least two wins. The Cards’ other biggest series is against Amherst later in April, but it’s crucial for Wesleyan to get off to a hot start. Midd came out of nowhere last year to win the west. Wesleyan can run the table in the west this season if the squad has a winning record against Midd. That’s tough to ask, but it’s possible.
Everything else:
I spoke with senior captain Matt Jeye who was a member of the 2015 NESCAC championship team and was named to the DIII players to watch list:
AM: Obviously you played on some great teams in your underclassmen years. How does this team compare to those championship teams?
MJ: This team is gritty. We don’t have any preseason All-Americans, but we’re a tough group who put in a lot of hours focusing on the little things. This is the most dedicated group I’ve ever been around and I’m excited to see how much our younger guys grew in a year.
AM: What are some of the strengths of this year’s team? Do you think any younger guys will have a serious impact?
MJ: I think one major strength is our communication. This is one of the closest teams I’ve ever been a part of and I think that shows when you see us out on the field picking each other up and talking throughout every pitch. I’d personally run into Tilted Towers (Fortnite reference) with nothing but impulse grenades to save any one of them.
We have a lot of younger guys this year that got to play a lot last year so we are counting on them a lot. We have a good mix of experience and new faces and I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people.
AM: Are there any teams that you’re especially looking forward to playing?
MJ: I’m always looking forward to playing purple, whether it be Amherst or Williams. It’s a different atmosphere against those guys. Everyone wants to get ahead and then rub it in so emotions are always high.
First off, Matt’s Fortnite reference makes me want to run through a brick wall for this squad. Wesleyan has been in transition ever since that 2015 season, in my opinion. To lose guys like Guy Davidson, Andrew Yin, Nick Cooney, Jonathan Dennett, Sam Goodwin-Boyd, Gavin Pittore, Donnie Cimino, and Marco Barrata all within a year can devastate a team. However, that’s college sports; there’s turnover. The fact that Wesleyan wasn’t sub .500 these past two years is something to be proud of because they’re such a young team. Now it comes down to pitching. There are a lot of young wings, but I’m not entirely sure that they’ll be able to go the full season without getting shelled a few times. The lineup may not be as scary as 2015’s, but it needs to provide run support for these pitchers. Rest assured, I don’t think Wes will have much trouble scoring runs.
Middlebury:
Coach: Mike Leonard (second season)
Projected Record: 7-5
Key losses:
C Ryan Rizzo (.301 avg, 11 RBI)
IF Jason Lock (.354 avg, 31 RBI)
Returning starters:
MIF Brooks Carroll (.274 avg, 16 RBI)
MIF Justin Han (.319 avg, 20 RBI)
OF Sam Graf (.323 avg, 30 RBI)
IF Andrew Hennings (.393 avg, 9 RBI)
IF Kevin Woodring (.281 avg, 13 RBI)
OF Alan Guild (.288 avg, 12 RBI)
Biggest series: Wesleyan (April 7th-8th):
I’m projecting Middlebury to have a sophomore slump of sorts. Coach Mike Leonard, in his first season with the Panthers last year, fostered a fairytale journey for his team. The NESCAC west had been so competitive in previous years that Midd always seemed to be left out of the conversation with the likes of Amherst and Williams. Leonard and the young squad showed everyone how dangerous the Panthers are. On paper, Middlebury could go 10-2 or 11-1 if the frosh from last year keep swinging the stick. However, I can’t see 1-9 all having great years at the plate like they did last year. Wesleyan is a big series. Midd’s first test is their first road NESCAC series in enemy territory. Both teams will put up runs, but if Middlebury can sweep or win two, then I think they can really win the NESCAC crown.
Justin Han ’20 is one of many Midd hitters that will need to prove that they can replicate last year’s performance.
Everything else:
I corresponded with pitcher (and colleague) Colby Morris. He was a stud last year on the bump, and I’m interested to see if he can still keep hitters off balance this year:
AM: How does this team compare to last year’s team? In what ways have you guys improved/regressed? What are some of the strengths of this year’s team? Do you think any younger guys will have a serious impact early on? Are there any teams that you’re especially looking forward to playing?
CM: The biggest similarity to last year is in our starting lineup, returning six of eight position players. We also have a similar team chemistry, which was electric last season and probably pissed off every opponent. We are a power centered offensive team with the same rotation as last year, but a deeper bullpen. It definitely hurt to lose Ryan Rizzo and Jason Lock, but that just means some of us upperclassmen need to step up in their place. We have a stronger bullpen with a lot of good young arms, and should compete better in mid-week games because of that. Our strengths would be offensive and defensive depth as we have so many lineups we can roll out to put a competitive team on the field. I think that Henry Strmecki will have a big impact either in RF or in CF and should be a powerful leadoff hitter, and the same goes with some of our frosh pitchers, although not exactly sure yet which ones will make the biggest contributions. I’m definitely locking in on that Williams weekend…we got swept by them last year and want revenge.
Midd should be the most interesting team to follow this year. The Panthers almost won it all last year, but came up just short. They didn’t lose many seniors; their lineup is stacked with talented sophomores and juniors. If Colby’s right about improved relief pitching, Middlebury can take jump over that hump to be a championship team. However, they must start out strong against Williams. For if they don’t, it’s very possible that they fall into a sophomore slump.
Williams:
Coach: Bill Barrale (11th season)
Projected Record: 4-8
Key losses:
OF Jack Cloud (.375 avg, 16 RBI)
IF Jackson Parese (.255 avg, 12 RBI)
IF Nate Michalski (.216 avg, 14 RBI)
P Luke Rodino (3-1, 4.02 ERA)
P Johnny Lamont (injury) (4-1, 1.80 ERA)
Returning starters:
IF Kellen Hatheway (.362 avg, 25 RBI)
IF Jack Roberts (.368 avg, 27 RBI)
OF Adam Regensburg (.295 avg, 28 RBI)
IF Doug Schaffer (.218 avg, 13 RBI)
C Adam Dulsky (.262, 9 RBI)
Key Series: vs. Amherst (4/6-4/7)
Amherst vs. Williams is one of the most historic rivalries in sports. A Wesleyan student myself, I love to say that all three schools are in the Little Three, but I have to admit, Amherst vs Williams is a whole separate rivalry (that doesn’t mean that my obsession to defeat both schools doesn’t exist; it does). Williams needs to break out of mediocrity. To be quite honest, I don’t see them doing that this year. The Ephs best pitcher, Johnny Lamont, is gone for the whole season due to Tommy John. In this early series, however, if they can take all three or even two games against their arch rival Amherst, then I think Williams can gain some momentum, and possibly make the playoffs. It all starts with this series.
Everything else:
I talked to Williams pitcher and Groton School alumnus Johnny Lamont on what he thinks his squad can do without him this season:
AM: What are your goals for yourself and the team this season?
JL: Our goal is to win the NESCAC championship, and that isn’t some lofty goal we don’t expect to achieve. We felt that we underperformed last year, but a lot of the talent we had last year is back, and we’ve learned from those moments where we played ourselves out of the playoffs. I’ve pitched against our lineup in squad scrimmages and practice, and it is the best lineup I’ve faced at any level in any league. The staff is gonna do our job, get our guys back on offense, and then it gets real fun to watch.
AM: Which teams will be the toughest to knock off?
JL: We learned from last year that every team in the NESCAC deserves respect, even if we are the most talented team. We swept Midd, and then they went to the championship game. We outplayed Wesleyan, but lost that series. The only thing that we’re focused on this season is how we play, and if we play up to our potential, we’ll win the West no matter who the opponents are.
AM: In one word, describe the team.
JL: Hungry for that W. (Not sure if he understood the question).
Johnny was one of the best pitchers in the NESCAC last year; he was one of the major reasons why Williams got to six wins. As a teammate and competitor, it’s incredibly hard to sit out. You feel a sense of helplessness. However, it gives you a new perspective on your team. Instead of focusing on individual goals, guys like Johnny can use a wider lense of how the team operates. While I don’t think Williams will make much noise next year, expect Johnny and the Ephs in 2019 to be a powerhouse in the West because not only will Johnny have regained his strength that made him a freshman sensation, but he will have the mental toughness to know what it’s like to fight through an injury
Kellen Hathaway ’19 is one of the top hitters in the league and will need to lead the Ephs along with Jack Roberts ’18.
Hamilton:
Coach: Tim Byrnes (11th season)
Projected Record: 2-10
Key losses:
OF Ryan Wolfsberg (.400 avg, 23 RBI)
C Brett Mele (.284 avg, 27 RBI)
IF/P Andrew Haser (.320 avg, 20 RBI)
OF Kenny Collins (.313 avg, 12 RBI)
IF Chris Collins (.346 avg, 9 RBI)
OF Robert Morris (.282 avg, 6 RBI)
P Finlay O’Hara (3-2, 2.60 ERA)
Returning starters:
IF Dean Rosenberg (.227 avg, 8 RBI)
IF Jordan Northup (.266 avg, 9 RBI)
P Max Jones (0-4, 4.43 ERA)
Key series: Wesleyan (April 13th-14th):
Hamilton has always had trouble with Wesleyan. Last year there was a game at Wesleyan were Hamilton thoroughly outplayed the Cards. Somehow, the Cards took it to extras, and Ryan Earle hit a walkoff single. Hamilton played so well, but they got sloppy down the stretch in the field. If Hamilton wants to breakout of being in the middle of the pack in the West, they must beat the leaders like Wesleyan.
Everything else:
I asked senior Dean Rosenberg a few questions about the team and the season:
AM: What are your goals for yourself and the team this season?
DR: We have a super young team after losing a lot of upperclassman who were big contributors for us last year. Our goal this year is to work hard, compete every day, and improve every practice and throughout the season. Personally,
I want to continue to improve as a leader and as a ball player and enjoy my last season playing the game I love.
AM: Which teams will be the toughest to knock off?
DR: The NESCAC is an extremely competitive conference, every conference weekend is a grind. We learned last year that everybody can beat everybody, so I wouldn’t necessarily say any team is the team to beat in the West.
AM: In one word, describe the team.
DR: Together
Like Dean says, the team is very young this year. Hamilton has proved over the past few seasons that there’s no talent game between them and the other NESCAC teams. What separates the likes of Tufts, Amherst, and Wesleyan from Hamilton is winning close games down the stretch. There are only twelve conference games a year, so each one is crucial. There’s no doubt that the Conts will compete their tails off this year, but they’ve lost so many bats that I think it will be hard for them to match the output of the other West teams. They can and will compete every day, however.
