| Forrest Chadwick is one of
five Huskies with 35 or more RBI. Southern Maine athletics photo |
Follow this regional
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By Tristan Hobbes
for D3sports.com
The New England Region has had a different champion each of the past three seasons and it could see its fourth this weekend. Last year, Wheaton (Mass.) claimed the title over Western New England and advanced all the way to the Division III national championship game against Marietta.
The Lyons were the first team from New England to advance to the final game since Trinity won it all in 2008. This year’s regional returns to Harwich, Mass., and Whitehouse Field after it was played on the campus of Eastern Connecticut State in 2012.
Sixteenth-ranked Southern Maine is the top seed in the regional and No. 15 Wheaton is the second seed. They are the only two ranked teams in the region and are joined by third-seeded Endicott, fourth-seeded Western New England, fifth-seeded MIT, sixth-seeded St. Joseph’s, seventh-seeded Salem St. and eighth-seeded Daniel Webster. The region features its share of fresh faces as Endicott and Salem St. are both appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006. MIT is back in the tournament for the second time in three years and Wheaton, Western New England and St. Joseph’s are all in the tournament for the fourth year in a row.
New England Regional schedule
Wednesday, May 15
Game 1 - Western New England vs MIT, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 - Southern Maine vs Daniel Webster, 1:00 p.m.
Game 3 - St. Joseph's (Maine) vs Endicott, 4:30 p.m.
Game 4 - Wheaton (Mass.) vs Salem State, 8:00
p.m.
Thursday, May 16
Game 5 - MIT vs Daniel Webster, 9:30 a.m.
Game 6 - St. Joseph's
(Maine) vs Salem
State, 1:00 p.m.
Game 7 - Western New
England vs Southern
Maine, 4:30 p.m.
Game 8 - Endicott vs
Wheaton (Mass.), 8:00
p.m.
Friday, May 17
Game 9 - St. Joseph's
(Maine) vs Western New
England, 9:30 a.m.
Game 10 - Daniel Webster
vs Wheaton (Mass.), 1:00
p.m.
Game 11 - Southern Maine
vs Endicott, 4:30
p.m.
Game 12 - Winner Game 9 vs Winner Game 10, 8:00 p.m.
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Saturday, May 18
Game 13 - Winner Game 12 vs Loser Game 11, 12:00 p.m.
Game 14 - Winner Game 11 vs Winner Game 13, 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 19
Game 15 - Repeat of Game 14 (if needed), 12:00 p.m.
Favorite
Southern Maine -- the Huskies have been one of the most explosive teams in the region all season long. Southern Maine currently leads the country in scoring (10.0) and runs (398) and are second in the country in hits (516), home runs (36) and slugging percentage (.528). The Huskies are currently 27-3 since returning from their spring trip and just cruised through the Little East tournament last weekend.
Most likely to disappoint
Wheaton -- the Lyons advanced all the way to the national championship game last season but are a different team this year. They are having another outstanding season but have shown spurts of being human this year and just eked past first-round opponent Salem State earlier this year.
Cinderella
St. Joseph's -- the Monks are in the tournament again and they may be the best sixth seed in the country. They’ll have ace Chad Rafferty going in game one and that gives them a great chance to knock off third-seeded Endicott and start their tournament right.
Players to Watch
OF - Tucker White, Southern Maine (.432 avg., 12 2B, 9 3B, 9 HR,
53 RBI, 69 R, 35 SB)
P - Frank Holbrook, Wheaton(Mass.) (8-1, 2.18 ERA, 78.1 IP, 12 BB,
40 SO)
P - Tyler Hitchcock, Endicott (8-1, 1.65 ERA, 5 CG, 65.1 IP, 13
BB, 36 SO)
IF - Mike Rubino , Western New England (.401 avg, 14 2B, 44 RBI,
40 R, 5 SO)
P - Aric Dama, MIT (7-2, 2.18 ERA, 66.0 IP, 20 BB, 53 SO)
IF - Mike Pratt , St. Joseph's (Maine) (.331 avg., 12 2B, 6 HR, 46
RBI, 29 R)
OF - Steve Buitkus, Salem State) (.308 avg., 6 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 15
RBI, 39 R, 16 SB)
UTL - Rich Lizotte, Daniel Webster (.363 avg., 9 2B, 21 RBI, 27 R,
13 SB, 9 SV, 13.1 IP)