February 19, 2006
Le Moyne Baseball 2006 Preview
For a program that has appeared in postseason play 16-of-18 seasons at the Division I level, earned 15 total NCAA tournament berths, and was coming off back-to-back league titles a league record with 25 wins in 2004, even a middle of the pack finish can be labeled as a disappointment. Le Moyne finished 2005 season at 25-22 overall and 14-11 in the MAAC – keeping a string of 25-win seasons active at six straight, the program's winning seasons streak active at eight straight and it completed its 15th MAAC season without a losing record. However, since joining the MAAC in 1991 it marked only the second time that the MAAC contested its four-team tournament without the Dolphins.
"Whenever you have a good season, you do a lot of things right but as much talent and hard work that's involved – there's some luck with things going your way," Owens said. "Last year, we had a lot of obstacles. We lost five players to professional baseball from 2004 and overcame injuries to three of our top players. If players stay healthy and we continue to work hard, we should be a very good club this year."
For the fifth consecutive season, Le Moyne saw a member of its team selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. This season, Le Moyne will have to replace a pair of draftees as pitcher/third baseman Andre Enriquez (Miami, Fla./Belen Jesuit) was picked in the 13th round by the Washington Nationals and senior center fielder Aaron Bulkley (Port Byron, N.Y./Port Byron) went in the 16th round to the Houston Astros. Enriquez hit 27 home runs and knocked in 119 runs in three seasons, including 23 round-trippers and 105 RBI over the last two seasons. Bulkley led the Dolphins with a .377 batting average and 11 stolen bases last season.
"We have good pitching back, a talented infield and a good catching core," Owens said of his team that returns eight position starters and 10 total pitchers. "We're just a little bit young in the outfield."
Le Moyne opens its 54-game schedule with eight games over a 10-day stretch in South Carolina and Georgia, starting Feb. 24 at Citadel. The Dolphins open their home slate on April 5 against St. Bonaventure – one day after meeting the Syracuse SkyChiefs in an exhibition at Alliance Bank Stadium. Le Moyne will look to return to the MAAC tournament for the 14th time May 25-27 in Fishkill, N.Y.
PITCHING
At the top of his rotation, Owens is comfortable handing the ball to junior Bobby Blevins (Briarcliff, N.Y./Briarcliff). Blevins, a second-team all-conference pick last season (7-4, 4.12 ERA) and the MAAC Rookie of the Year in 2004, has made 27 starts in his first two seasons with the Dolphins. After two seasons, Blevins is 13-8 with a 3.52 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 176.1 innings of action.
"He should be the top pitcher – the guy we can put our hat on for getting a quality start each weekend out and going deep into the game," Owens said. "Last year he was thrust into the No. 1 position and was lights-out at times and okay at times. This year we need him to be a No. 1 pitcher following along the lines of Matt Scherer and Brian Mattoon who each won game one of every conference weekend for two years straight."
After starting the season in the bullpen, junior southpaw T.J. Sheridan (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) burst into the Dolphins starting staff. To assert himself as one of the team's top hurlers, he opened the season with four consecutive appearances out of the bullpen in which he did not allow an earned run. When the MAAC season got underway, Sheridan moved into the starting rotation and did not allow an earned run in his first two starts. Sheridan, who finished the season 6-2 with a 2.52 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 50 innings and was named second-team all-conference, carried an ERA under one run per game until his final two starts.
"T.J. came out of the bullpen and did a super job becoming a starter for us," Owens said. "We look for T.J. to be a real quality starter for us this season. We want him to get ahead of guys as he's got good enough stuff to go right after hitters. He's somebody who has a chance to win every time out for us."
Owens has pegged another lefty, senior Michael Falasca (Sicklerville, N.J./Gloucester Catholic), as his third starter in the preseason. Falasca went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA last season, but also spent part of the season as the team's primary designated hitter where he hit .222 with four home runs and 15 RBI. Falasca has made 12 starts and appeared in 30 games throughout his career.
"Going into the beginning of our season, our No. 3 pitcher will be Mike Falasca. We consider him to be really poised and polished, ready for a really good senior year," Owens said. "We've had some pitchers that have come out and pitched really well for us in their last years. We have confidence in Mike and believe he's worked hard to become a real solid starter for that role."
Out of the bullpen, Owens points to senior A.J. Lindsey (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) and freshman Eric Beaulac (Troy, N.Y./Troy) as his top two options. Lindsey, a 6-foot-7 lefty, made a team-high 21 appearances in 2005. He posted a 1-1 mark with one save and 29 strikeouts in 27 innings.
"Those two guys are the two that are going to pitch meaningful innings in meaningful games," Owens said. "A.J. Lindsey will be leaned upon heavily to be good every time out. When he gets ahead of hitters, he does not get hit. With two left-handed starters and our top lefty out of the bullpen, it should really limit team's ability to run against us. We're extremely excited about bringing Beaulac out of the bullpen. He's a freshman throwing extremely hard with the best breaking ball on the team. We'd like to run him out there as much as possible on the weekends. He has enough stuff to be a top three starter."
Freshman Brian Pullyblank (Caledonia, N.Y./Caledonia-Mumford), the 2005 New York State Class C Player of the Year, enters the season as the team's fourth starter. Senior Mike Lewis (Webster, N.Y./McQuaid) will likely make midweek starts for the Dolphins. He is 11-6 with a 4.46 ERA in 143.1 career innings.
Owens is excited about his bullpen in 2005. He also expects sophomore Adam Leduc (Beaconsfield, Quebec/Loyola), senior Ryan Toth (Massena, N.Y./Massena), senior Craig Soja (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro), junior Ryan Woods (Jacksonville, Fla./Englewood) and freshman Brandon Otto (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) to play a big role out of the bullpen. Toth tossed a no-hitter against Cornell on May 4 - his only start of the season. Woods was called on 18 times and posted a 2.37 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 19 innings, while Soja was 3-2 in 17 appearances last season.
"I think we're pretty deep with a bunch of veteran guys who have been in different roles," Owens said. "I'm relatively excited about the combination of pitching we can throw out there at teams. If things come into place, we could have a really strong bullpen and good pitching in the middle of the week, also."
Others who will supply depth to the staff in 2006 include sophomore Travis LaRock (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg) who made two scoreless appearances in his rookie season and side-arming freshman Al Ondrako (Cortland, N.Y./Cortland).
"We think we got away from pitching inside a little bit last year," Owens concluded. "It's been a focus for us to pitch to both sides of the plate, be aggressive with our fastball and more so than in my time here, we have a variety of pitchers here with strong breaking stuff. We have some guys with pretty darn good second and third pitches."
CATCHER
Owens expects a pair of veteran backstops and a freshman to handle the deep pitching staff in 2006. As the Dolphins like to split the catching duties over the course of a doubleheader, senior Brian Hansen (Endicott, N.Y./Chenango Valley) and sophomore Phil St. Amant (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) are expected to share time behind the plate. When they are not behind the plate, Owens believes their bats could find their way into the lineup at the designated hitter spot.
"Brian is an excellent receiver and a great blocker who handles the pitching staff well," Owens said of the 2004 MAAC Championship MVP who enters his senior year as a career .326 hitter with seven home runs and 59 RBI. "He's proven to be a solid power presence, RBI guy in the middle of our lineup for three years. Even hurt last year, he hit .314 so I think he has a chance to put together a very good year."
In 19 starts and 27 total appearances, St. Amant hit .145 with 11 RBI.
"Phil has improved tremendously. He has gotten bigger and stronger, and is swinging the bat well," Owens said. "He's got a really strong arm and is still coming along with his catching skills."
Freshman Chris Haynes (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) should also factor into the catching equation. An all-CNY performer at Fayetteville-Manlius, Owens calls Haynes a good thrower who is learning the pitching staff and how to run the team.
FIRST BASE
At first base, the Dolphins will feature Keith Connors (Jamesport, N.Y./Commack). Connors, a second-team all-conference selection, hit .321 with a team-high 60 hits in 2005. He smacked six home runs, 17 doubles and drove in 34 RBI. For his career, Connors has hit .312 with 15 home runs and 79 RBI. His 147 career hits rank 14th on the program's all-time list.
"Keith's the best defensive first baseman that I've ever coached," Owens said. "We need Keith to be not just a good hitter, but a dominant force for us who drives in lots of runs and continues to hit for power. I think he's going to have a big year for us."
Sophomore Corey O'Neill (Pittsford, N.Y./McQuaid) made 15 starts in his rookie season, appeared in 25 games and hit .154 with two home runs and seven RBI. As a left-handed hitter with power, he will backup defensively at first and could play a role as the designated hitter.
SECOND BASE
Sophomore Andy Parrino (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport), a second-team all-MAAC selection in his rookie season, will hit at the top of the lineup for the Dolphins. Owens calls Parrino a tremendous defensive player.
"Our infield is blessed to have talented shortstops playing third, short and second base," Owens said. "Andy will be the next shortstop in the program. Right now he's got to play with Mike in the middle. Together they should give us the best middle infield in the conference."
Freshman Jason Monforte (Purchase, N.Y./Iona Prep) could also see time at second base. Sophomore Chris Murphy (Laurel Hollow, N.Y./St. Dominic's), a starter in two games last season, will miss the season due to injury.
SHORTSTOP
Senior Michael Affronti (Dix Hills, N.Y./Commack) battled through injury to hit .343 in 26 starts last season. Over his career, Affronti enters the season tied for 12th on the program's all-time list with 148 hits. A starter in 122 career games, he is also ninth all-time with 35 career doubles.
"Mike Affronti would be a pro player right now if it weren't for some injuries," Owens said. "Mike is back hitting in the middle of our lineup and playing as hard as a person can possibly play to lead our team. He's a very good pressure player and we look at him to be among the top players in the Northeast."
THIRD BASE
With Enriquez pitching out of the bullpen in the Washington Nationals organization, Le Moyne will look to a fresh face at third base. Sophomore Stephen Crawford (Webster, N.Y./Eastridge), the Region III Player of the Year at Finger Lakes Community College last season, and freshman Matt Nandin (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse), the CNY Player of the Year, enter the season in competition to gain the one open infield spot. Owens believes each could also play second or short as well.
"With those two, we'll have one extra really good infielder who may not be on the field every day," Owens said. "Stephen is a contact hitter who is fast with doubles power and a really strong arm. Matt has worked very hard and we think he'll hit at the college level early in his career."
OUTFIELD
Three returners are the early favorites to play the outfield spots for the Dolphins. Junior Ben Gaal (Manlius, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) has been slotted in left field, sophomore Robert Perez (Miami, Fla./Belen Jesuit) will move into the vacant center field position and sophomore Jamie Rose (Hornell, N.Y./Hornell) opens the season as the club's right fielder.
Gaal, a second-team all-MAAC selection in 2005, hit .310 with five home runs and 29 RBI in his first season as an everyday player. Perez appeared in 39 games, started 27 and hit .232, while Rose hit .206 with four home runs and 22 RBI in 41 starts (45 total games) at right field and second base.
Junior Matt Bennage (Penfield, N.Y./McQuaid) can play all three outfield positions. He hit .163 with two home runs and eight RBI in 31 games last season.
Others who could fit into the mix include freshman Mike Brown (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) who Owens has seen hit for power in the fall, sophomore left-handed hitter Aaron DiFruscio (Nepean, Ont./Merivale) and freshman speedster Brett Joy (Milford, N.H./Milford).
