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| Endicott's success on the field is catching, the Gulls opens the season at the end of February with a Top 5 ranking. d3photography photo by Steve Frommell |
By Joshua Kummins
for D3baseball.com
Good news for Eastern Connecticut State comes this year and they are now on the clock. They have a Championship in each city that has hosted and this year the East Lake era begins. While they are not a lock, there is a reason to think they could be flying to Cleveland, they are at the top of the Little East preseason poll. The usual suspects lurk in Southern Maine and UMass-Boston and a Johnny-come-lately in Rhode Island. We know it could be any of this quartet making the final round, or a team that finds the right combination in youth and experience.
Last year Endicott made the final eight and have a team that is able and ready to repeat. Their conference rivals will be looking to upset them but the Gulls will have it in their hands to be one of several teams with one appearance, or like Wheaton (Mass.) who continues to make the occasional trip. The MASCAC is unexpected to provide a World Series team with the last appearance of a MASCAC team in the World Series longer ago than most players in the conference.
New Faces
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| Ryan McIntosh has been with the Plymouth State program for the past 13 years and will continue for a 14th year. Plymouth State athletics photo |
Ryan McIntosh, Plymouth State - The "interim" tag has been removed for Plymouth State head coach McIntosh. McIntosh, who was named interim head coach at the conclusion of the 2022 season, was endorsed as the 10th head coach in the program's 76-year history. McIntosh has been involved with Plymouth State for over a decade, as a player from 2011-13, and as an assistant coach from 2015-22, before taking over the program after the resignation of previous coach Clay Jenkins following the 2022 season.""It has been a great honor and privilege to be involved with Plymouth State baseball for the past 13 years, both as a player and coach," said McIntosh. "I am excited about the opportunity to work on enhancing our program and consistently competing at the top of the Little East Conference and DIII baseball rankings every year. Furthermore, I am committed to developing our players and equipping them with the necessary tools to excel as students, athletes, and members of the community."
Cody Kauffman, Rhode Island College - Rhode Island College has named Kauffman as its new head baseball coach. Kauffman enters his first season as head coach at Rhode Island College after a brief stint as an assistant coach at UMass Lowell and two years as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Franklin Pierce. Prior to his time at Franklin Pierce, Kauffman spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Merrimack. With the Warriors, he served as the hitting coach and defensive coach, helping the team become a top-25 fielding percentage team in the nation. Kauffman has also spent time with USA baseball as the general manager for the U-12 national team, which he helped lead to a gold medal at the Baseball World Cup. "I'm incredibly grateful to Athletic Director Don Tencher and the entire committee for this opportunity to lead the baseball program at Rhode Island College," Kauffman said. "The Anchormen have a history of success that will help us build the future here. I'm excited to get to work."
Sean Trindall, Framingham State: Trindall brings a wealth of Division III coaching experience to the Rams, who are coming off their best season to date. He most recently served as the Co-Director of Baseball Camps and assisted with recruiting at Amherst College and had a stint as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Curry College. He has also worked at Clark and Brandeis, and coached at a pair of Boston-area high schools.
Seth Kaplan, Westfield State - Westfield State hired Kaplan to replace Nathan Bashaw who left the program in December. "Competing against the Owls in the past, you could see the passion the athletes had when they were on the field, for this place and for their jersey, and that was one of the biggest things that attracted me to it," said Kaplan. "Sitting down with the players and sitting down with the staff, you can see how they want to be here, and that jumped out right away, and I want to continue those traditions going forward." Kaplan has led the Lynx program for the last four years, helping the program to emerge from the pandemic shortened 2020 and 2021 seasons. The team advanced to the NECC Tournament and had four players named to the league's all-conference team in 2023. He previously served as the head coach at Dean College, and did stints as an assistant coach at both UMass-Dartmouth and Sacred Heart University.
Key Games
Endicott at UMass-Boston: On March 2 Endicott visits UMass Boston in an early-season showdown of New England powers. This is the only contest in the Gulls’ first four against a team with a winning record in 2023.
Bridgewater State at Framingham State: On March 28 the top two MASCAC teams from a season ago Bridgewater State and Framingham State, open conference play against each other. The move to BSC's home the next day to finish the three-game series.
Rhode Island at Eastern Connecticut: Rhode Island College visits Eastern Connecticut on April 6th in the lone regular-season meetings between the Little East’s best two teams from a season ago.
Conference Previews
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| The Hawks of Roger Williams is one of a number of teams that are looking to upset the Endicott Gulls in the CCC. Roger Williams athletics photo |
Commonwealth Coast Conference: With Salve Regina gone to the NEWMAC, all signs point to Endicott (45-9) continuing its CCC dominance after a historic season that finished with a second straight conference title and first-ever College World Series appearance. The Gulls have a balanced team that includes junior Preseason All-American Danny MacDougall (.426, 5 HR, 19 2B, 32 RBI, 14 SB) returning as the projected first baseman. Catcher John Mulready (.339, 5 HR, 14 2B, 37 RBI), outfielder Nic Notarangelo (.324, 9 HR, 20 2B, 50 RBI, 8 SB) and third baseman Kyle Grabowski (.329, 7 HR, 7 2B, 40 RBI, 10 SB) are all key senior leaders on the offensive side. Junior second baseman Robbie Wladkowski (.335, 10 HR,12 2B, 49 RBI) and sophomore shortstop TJ Liponis (.245, 4 HR, 8 2B, 37 RBI, 7 SB) were also All-CCC honorees at their respective positions. The Gulls also gained a huge graduate transfer in Drew Metzdorf (.344, 6 HR, 10 2B, 8 3B, 28 RBI, 26 SB), who was an All-New England third baseman at UMass Boston. Senior Nick Cannata (3-0, 3.51 ERA, 59 IP, 63 K) and sophomore Brady Stuart (5-1, 2.66 ERA) will be leaders in the rotation, while junior Chris Jenkins (7-1, 3.42 ERA, 27 IP, 56 K) should anchor the bullpen.
The second through fourth teams in the CCC standings were all tied in the loss column a season ago. Roger Williams (16-25) looks to remain in the thick of it with sophomore JT Gunzy (3-5, 4.36 ERA, 53.2 IP, 37 K) back as one of the league’s top aces. Senior catcher Jack Morin (.291, 2 HR, 11 2B, 26 RBI, 8 SB) and outfielder London Camelo (.312, 2 HR, 7 2B, 15 RBI) should make a big impact offensively for a Hawks team that lost several veterans. Nichols (15-25) has two reigning first-team performers back in senior shortstop Johnny Knox (.327, 4 HR, 13 2B, 22 RBI, 9 SB) and outfielder Brennan Hyde (.357, 8 HR, 9 2B, 34 RBI, 13 SB), both of whom helped the Norwich Sea Unicorns to the Futures Collegiate League championship last summer. Junior left-hander Richard Pignone (5-1, 4.50 ERA, 36 IP, 25 K) earned All-CCC second-team honors in relief last season.
Western New England (25-15-2) returns a quartet of All-CCC honorees, including the battery of senior starting pitcher Jared Kuryan (3-1, 1 SV, 3.44 ERA, 52.1 IP, 48 K) and catcher Kohtaro Shimada (.282, 7 2B, 22 RBI, 6 SB). The Golden Bears will also look to graduate second baseman Paul Vilecco (.303, 5 HR, 8 2B, 5 3B, 36 RBI, 13 SB) and senior third baseman Cody Waterbury (.338, 5 HR, 15 2B, 5 3B, 39 RBI, 3 SB), who were two of the team’s top three hitters and run producers last season. Suffolk (13-22) boasts 2022 D3baseball.com All-American Harry Painter (.347, 8 HR, 11 2B, 1 3B, 39 RBI, 10 SB) in its corner infield, while senior Garret Roberts (.277, 2 HR, 8 2B, 3 3B, 3 SB; 3-6, 5.36 ERA, 45.1 IP, 30 K) was the second-team All-CCC utility player. The Rams also welcome former All-MASCAC catcher Alex Sorenti-Burns (.303, 3 HR, 6 2B, 16 RBI, 4 SB) as a transfer from Worcester State.
Gordon (13-26), Curry (10-27) and Wentworth (4-27) all aim to keep climbing the standings. Second-year coach Tad Skelley’s Fighting Scots return key bats in junior infielder CJ Demers (.353, 5 HR, 8 2B, 1 3B, 30 RBI, 8 SB) and junior outfielder Andrew Hartman (.315, 3 HR, 12 2B, 2 3B, 31 RBI, 2 SB), while sophomore Tyler Sprince (2-3, 4.19 ERA, 53.2 IP, 43 K) anchors the pitching staff. The Colonels will rely on junior Tommy Marshall (.321, 2 HR, 7 2B, 23 RBI; 1-1, 2 SV, 8.20 ERA, 18.2 IP, 22 K) on both sides of the ball.
FAVORITE: Endicott
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ECSU is the clear favorite in the Little East to capture the conference title this year. |
Little East Conference: Following its second straight Little East tournament championship, Eastern Connecticut (35-12) enters 2024 as the preseason favorite. First-team All-LEC outfielder Jason Claiborn (.366, 2 HR, 6 2B, 5 3B, 27 RBI, 15 SB) and left-hander Dan Driscoll (8-4, 2.63 ERA, 75.1 IP, 87 K) – the reigning Little East Tournament MVP and a D3baseball Preseason All-American, respectively – lead the way on each side of the ball for the Warriors, but the cupboard runs even deeper. Second-team All-LEC senior shortstop Zach Donahue (.281, 4 HR, 10 2B, 7 3B, 35 RBI, 7 SB), junior outfielder Ray Leonzi (.358, 1 HR, 9 2B, 27 RBI, 15 SB) and senior first baseman Ryan Parent (.308, 2 HR, 9 2B, 1 3B, 40 RBI, 1 SB) are all back, while junior Matthew Wootton (6-1, 2.97 ERA, 63.2 IP, 70 K) will be another anchor in the starting rotation.
Southern Maine (18-21) has plenty of key pieces back from the 2023 team that turned it up at the right time of the regular season, going 12-4 in conference play. The pitching duo of senior Bryce Afthim (5-3, 2.42 ERA, 67 IP, 61 K) and junior lefty Clay Robbins (5-3, 4.61 ERA, 56.2 IP, 49 K) is a great place to start for venerable skipper Ed Flaherty’s Huskies. Sophomore Kyle Douin (.308, 5 HR, 9 2B, 4 3B, 31 RBI, 1 SB) also had an All-LEC season at third base. A three-time All-LEC performer like Afthim, power-hitting senior Cam Seymour (.250, 9 HR, 11 2B, 32 RBI) has made an impact on both sides of the ball throughout his career.
UMass Boston (24-18) keeps its offensive leader in first-team All-LEC second baseman Aidan Blake (.363, 6 HR, 14 2B, 3 3B, 41 RBI, 9 SB), but really appears in business on the mound. The Beacons will be able to run it back with an experienced rotation including junior Ross Dexter (4-3, 3.98 ERA, 61 IP, 70 K), senior Dillon Ryan (4-3, 5.01 ERA, 50.1 IP, 55 K) and graduate senior Tim Cianciolo (3-3, 6.25 ERA, 40.1 IP, 28 K). Outfielder Breon Parker (.277, 4 2B, 1 3B, 25 RBI, 9 SB) made a big impact as a freshman. Senior Sam Gray (2-0, 4 SV, 3.72 ERA, 19.1 IP, 17 K) was a third-team All-LEC pick in the bullpen.
New coach Cody Kaufmann looks to keep Rhode Island College (30-13) building upon its first-ever regular-season title and setting a single-season record for wins. The Anchormen return reigning Little East Rookie of the Year Lucas McElroy (.339, 2 HR, 16 2B, 1 3B, 40 RBI, 6 SB) at second base and first-team All-LEC designated hitter Cole Podedworny (.393, 4 HR, 8 2B, 1 3B, 34 RBI, 4 SB). Junior Daniel Trzepacz (.283, 3 HR, 14 2B, 33 RBI) was the third-team All-LEC first baseman while shortstop Izaiah Rivera (.224, 2 HR, 6 2B, 1 3B, 19 RBI, 3 SB) and right fielder Sean Helfrich (.258, 3 HR, 4 2B, 26 RBI) also carved out regular positions in the lineup a season ago. After the team’s top four innings eaters from 2023 graduated or transferred, Harrison Mansfield (0-3, 7.25 ERA, 22.1 IP, 23 K) and Liam Dailey (1-0, 7.90 ERA, 13.2 IP, 7 K) will be counted upon as top starting pitchers.
Coach Bob Prince believes its veteran cast and incoming classes will strengthen his UMass Dartmouth (19-19) squad. Third-team All-LEC second baseman Devyn Vezina (.330, 6 2B, 2 3B, 9 RBI, 6 SB) along with second-leading hitter and senior catcher/first baseman T.J. Keefe (.361, 8 2B, 16 RBI, 8 SB) will provide experience in the positional lineup. The Corsairs are especially strong on the mound, where junior Adam Maher (4-3, 3.43 ERA, 57.2 IP, 61 K) and senior Ryan Qualey (2-4, 3.99 ERA, 65.1 IP, 44 K) are returning starters. Sophomore Geordan Jackson-Murphy (3-2, 5.09 ERA, 23 IP, 13 K) saw action as a starter and reliever, while junior Andrew Steinhubel (4-4, 2 SV, 7.07 ERA, 14 IP, 17 K) leads the bullpen.
A number of returning players have Keene State (13-25) in the sixth position in the Little East’s preseason rankings. Graduate outfielder Brendan Eaton (.273, 1 HR, 6 2B, 1 3B, 21 RBI, 4 SB) is the Owls’ most experienced position player, but outfielder Tommy Ahlers (.301, 2 HR, 11 2B, 1 3B, 21 RBI, 10 SB) and Jonathan Chatfield (.274, 6 2B, 16 2B, 2 3B, 24 RBI, 8 SB) both made huge impacts as freshmen. The same was true for southpaw Jake Jachym (2-5, 4.89 ERA, 46 IP, 31 K) on the mound.
The big bats of Castleton (18-22) reside in the outfield with returning first-team All-LEC junior Jackson Cardozo (.386, 4 HR, 5 2B, 5 3B, 31 RBI, 7 SB) and graduate Hunter Perkins (.229, 4 HR, 11 2B, 25 RBI, 4 SB). Senior Aubrey Ramey (2-6, 7.36 ERA, 58.2 IP, 37 K) will be the leader of the Spartans’ staff. Plymouth State (11-21) has its lone conference performer back from a year ago in senior outfielder Luke Sokolski (.305, 2 HR, 5 2B, 2 3B, 23 RBI, 6 SB). Senior Eoin Hamell-Kelleher (2-6, 7.65 ERA, 37.2 IP, 35 K) and junior Jason Smith (0-2, 1 SV, 10.04 ERA, 37.2 IP, 25 K) are the Panthers’ top returning arms. WestConn (9-29) may have sat at the bottom of the standings last season, but junior designated hitter Nicholas Moeller (.295, 5 HR, 8 2B, 22 RBI, 6 SB) was a second-team All-LEC performer.
FAVORITE: Easterrn Connecticut State
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| In the last ten years only one team in the MASCAC won 30 games or more in a season and Bridgewater State has done it twice. Bridgewater State athletic photo |
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference: A third straight MASCAC title is the goal for Bridgewater State (33-13), which has put together consecutive 30-win seasons and earned a national tournament win over Endicott in 2023. The Bears return the first-team All-MASCAC pair of junior second baseman Scott Emerson (.341, 6 2B, 2 3B, 26 RBI, 30 SB) and senior outfielder Jay Wladkowski (.317, 6 HR, 12 2B, 3 3B, 45 RBI, 9 SB). Senior shortstop Kevin Lindsay (.328, 6 2B, 1 3B, 22 RBI, 25 SB) and graduate catcher Mathew Pigeon (.320, 2 HR, 5 2B, 1 3B, 16 RBI) rounded out last year’s conference honorees on the positional side. Graduate Matthew Seavey (4-3, 2.92 ERA, 61.2 IP, 55 K) will lead Bridgewater’s pitching staff.
Westfield State (19-19) trails only Bridgewater in the MASCAC’s preseason poll as it returns three .300 hitters including first-team All-MASCAC third baseman Dan Burnett (.360, 9 HR, 15 2B, 1 3B, 33 RBI). Two of the Owls’ top starters are back to the mound in seniors Ryan LaPierre (4-4, 3.96 ERA, 63.2 IP, 71 K) and Ryan Donahue (3-4, 5.01 ERA, 41.1 IP, 55 K). Mass Maritime (23-20) is predicted to jump up two spots from its fifth-place finish in 2023 and has senior third baseman Brett Velzis (.385, 9 HR, 10 2B, 3 3B, 37 RBI, 7 SB) in the middle of its plans once again. The Buccaneers return a second All-MASCAC performer in senior first baseman AJ Pietrafesa (.289, 4 2B, 1 3B, 25 RBI, 2 SB). Junior Hunter Dean (5-2, 3.85 ERA, 58.2 IP, 46 K) and senior Justin Brown (4-1, 2 SV, 5.55 ERA, 58.1 IP, 46 K) top the rotation.
Framingham State (26-15) was actually the No. 1 seed after tying with Bridgewater for the regular-season title in 2023. New coach Sean Trindall will benefit from the veteran presence of All-MASCAC senior outfielder Ryan Boyle (.384, 9 HR, 10 2B, 52 RBI, 2 SB) and junior shortstop Steven Burbank (.404, 12 2B, 2 3B, 28 RBI, 8 SB). Worcester State (17-22) will have the nation’s 2022 ERA statistical champion Ben Smith (1-5, 3.07 ERA, 44 IP, 48 K) back leading its pitching staff. Junior catcher/outfielder Tyler Smith (.299, 6 2B, 23 RBI, 20 SB) is the top offensive player returning.
With no seniors on its roster, Fitchburg State (19-21) looks to outfielder Jacob Hurrell (.362, 6 HR, 9 2B, 23 RBI, 18 SB) and his junior classmates to be catalysts on the offensive side. Second baseman Matt Smith (.319, 3 2B, 11 RBI, 3 SB), first baseman Nolan Hills (.311, 1 HR, 2 2B, 18 RBI, 3 SB) and outfielder Matt Kelly (.310, 3 2B, 19 RBI, 16 SB) also make an impact out of the third-year class. Joseph Hartnett (3-1, 3.54 ERA, 50 IP, 20 K) projects at the top of the rotation. Salem State (11-26) returns senior second baseman/pitcher Jake Boucher (.336, 2 HR, 4 2B, 2 3B, 19 RBI; 2-1, 2 SV, 3.55 ERA, 12.2 IP, 14 K) from last season’s second-team All-MASCAC, while senior outfielder/pitcher Clarence Givhans (.315, 3 HR, 9 2B, 4 3B, 23 RBI, 20 SB; 0-2, 1 SV, 7.50 ERA, 6 IP, 9 K) will be a leader for MCLA (10-28) as it looks to make a run up the table.
FAVORITE: Bridgewater State
University Athletic Association: Brandeis (7-29) lost a great deal of experience from last year’s roster, graduating 12 seniors and grad students. The Judges return an important pair on the infield in sophomore second baseman Alex Kim (.276, 9 2B, 1 3B, 9 RBI, 4 SB) and graduate third baseman Brian King (.262, 2 HR, 5 2B, 1 3B, 14 RBI, 3 SB). Senior Sam Decker-Jacoby (0-6, 10.70 ERA, 37 IP, 31 K) is the most experienced pitcher.