Nashua, N.H.- The hot stove season may be over for the major leagues, but it's still warm on the local collegiate baseball scene.
The Daniel Webster College baseball program announced the establishment of its first DWC "Hot Stove Dinner" today, which will take place on Saturday, January 29th at the Nashua Country Club beginning at 5:00 p.m.
The keynote speaker of the event will be Brian Butterfield, currently the third base coach of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Tickets for the event, which includes memorabilia auctions, raffles and prizes, are $35.00 per person.
"We are all very excited about this event," said Eagle Head Coach J.P. Pyne, who recently completed his third season as skipper of the Eagles' program. "The Hot Stove Dinner will provide us with the opportunity to recognize all that was accomplished in 2010 and begin to focus our sights on 2011."
All proceeds benefit the DWC baseball program. More information is available by contacting Pyne at pyne_jp@dwc.edu or 603-577-6104.
"We hope that this becomes an annual celebration of Eagles baseball," Pyne added. "We have received a great deal of support from parents and alumni and we expect it to be a first-class event."
Pyne was particularly excited to welcome Butterfield as keynote speaker. Butterfield is a highly regarded coach. Baseball pundit and MLB.com commentator Peter Gammons recently noted on the appointment of John Farrell as manager of the Blue Jays that "Toronto could not have done better than John Farrell, especially while retaining Brian Butterfield, who may be the single best coach in the business."
"We are especially excited to welcome Brian Butterfield to the event," Pyne said. "Brian is one of the most respected coaches in Major League baseball and he has seen it all in his 15-plus years at the highest level of the game. He is a very good friend and I know that he will be a perfect addition to the evening."
Under Pyne's direction, the last three years have seen a remarkable revival of the Eagle program culminating in last season's greatest season in its history.
The 2010 Eagles shattered almost every offensive and defensive single season record on the way to a 21-17 overall mark which included an 11-4 record in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) play. The Eagles won the NECC regular season crown – the first in program history - and finished as co-champions of a rain-shortened conference tournament. It marked only the second post-season title in program history and the first since 1996.
The Eagles went on earn an invitation to their first ever ECAC New England Championship tournament where they bowed to eventual in the quarterfinals.
The 2010 squad saw three Eagles earned spots in the NECC's Spring All-Academic Team while a record four earned all-conference selections.
The program was also honored with two major conference awards as Darrik Marstaller of Spofford, N.H. was named NECC "Rookie of the Year," while Pyne earned his second NECC "Coach of the Year" award. He was also named the NECC's top coach in 2009. Marstaller went on to earn the first New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association all-star selection.