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| The Beacons have a lot to be excited about as Mass-Boston repeats as the top seed in the Harwich Regional. Mass-Boston athletics photo |
By Joshua Kummins
for D3sports.com
Mass-Boston is hoping that history repeats itself as regional action returns to Harwich, Mass. The Beacons, who began their first Division III World Series run since 2010 at Whitehouse Field a year ago, are one of four New England clubs in this year’s New England Regional bracket. The back-to-back Little East champions are set to open this postseason against an eighth-seeded Penn State-Berks club that is headed on its second consecutive Cape Cod business trip, this time following a 17-1 showing in NEAC play that ended with another title.
The second seed will be SUNYAC champion and Oswego State, which joined UMass Boston at its first-ever College World Series in Appleton, Wisc., last year. Ten-time CSAC champion Keystone is the No. 3 seed and crosses regional boundaries with a power-hitting lineup that has sent out 30 home runs on the season.
The No. 5 seed, Ramapo is this bracket’s lone at-large team after it lost twice to Rowan in its quest for the NJAC title. The Roadrunners top the regional field with a 2.94 team ERA.
A trio of New England programs round out the field. Western New England won all five of its postseason games to return to the CCC winner’s circle for the first time since 2012. Mitchell has won four NECC crowns in five years, while Suffolk returns to the national tournament as GNAC champions for the fourth time in as many seasons under head coach Anthony Del Prete.
Harwich Regional schedule
All times Eastern
Keep an eye out on our schedule pages for updates due to rain.
Thursday, May 17
Game 1: No. 4 Western New England (31-13) vs. No. 5 Ramapo (32-13), 9:30 a.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Mass-Boston (34-8) vs. No. 8 Penn State-Berks (25-10), 1 p.m.
Game 3: No. 3 Keystone (32-10) vs. No. 6 Mitchell (30-8), 4:30 p.m.
Game 4: No. 2 Oswego State (26-12) vs. No. 7 Suffolk (25-17), 8 p.m.
Friday, May 18
TBD
Saturday, May 19
TBD
Sunday, May 20
TBD
Favorite
Mass-Boston had little trouble emerging from a Little East Conference that boasted five 20-win teams, including more than one that received NCAA at-large consideration over the final weeks of the season. With Dave Murphy and Chris Fowler mashing in the middle of the order and eight-game winner Fernando Burgos leading the pitching staff, the Beacons are yet again deep, and they’re battle-tested. It’s baseball, but there is no reason why history can’t repeat itself.
Most likely to disappoint
While its seven competitors head to Harwich off the high of winning a conference championship, Ramapo had to wait and see if its body of work was enough to return to the postseason for the sixth time in eight years. The Roadrunners scored just over five runs per game during the regular season, so it could be a short week if its pitching staff doesn’t hold up against five .300-hitting lineups.
Cinderella
Mitchell has the second-best team batting average (.342) and ERA (2.97) among the eight teams slated to play in Harwich. Some may bat an eye at the Mariners’ weaker schedule as compared to the rest of the field, but they should be talking about the team’s impressive numbers and the likes of its game-changing infield duo, Kyle Hartenstein and Garret Griffin.
Players to Watch
C Ryan McCormick, UMass Boston (.353, 36 R, 55 H, 12 2B, 36 RBI, 6 SB)
C Lukas Olsson, Oswego State (.308, 29 R, 32 H, 6 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 17 RBI)
1B Chris Fowler, UMass Boston (.377, 41 R, 57 H, 19 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 43 RBI)
2B Kyle Hartenstein, Mitchell (.408, 52 R, 60 H, 11 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 11 SB)
2B Dave Murphy, UMass Boston (.333, 44 R, 52, 11 2B, 11 HR, 42 RBI)
SS Garret Griffin, Mitchell (.405, 46 R, 62 H, 7 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 51 RBI, 21 SB)
SS Alex Loparco, Western New England (.379, 51 R, 58 H, 9 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 35 RBI, 19 SB)
3B Toby Welk, Penn State-Berks (.504, 52 R, 57 H, 14 2B, 5 3B, 13 HR, 57 RBI)
3B Vincenzo Sita, Ramapo (.346, 29 R, 54 H, 16 2B, 1 3B, 3HR, 29 RBI)
OF Mohammed Hussein, Keystone (.425, 53 R, 62 H, 16 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 23 RBI)
OF Mike Dellicarri, Oswego State (.372, 49 R, 55 H, 8 2B, 5 3B, 6 HR, 47 RBI)
OF Brady Chant, Suffolk (.350, 35 R, 57 H, 12 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 22 SB)
DH Joe Cassella, Western New England (.377, 45 R, 57 H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 38 RBI, 21 SB)
DH Kyle Boudrias, UMass Boston (.323, 36 R, 51 H, 8 2B, 2 HR, 32 RBI)
UTL Tyler Comport, Penn State-Berks (.407, 37 H, 2 HR, 29 RBI; 7-0, 2.10 ERA, 56 K, 51.1 IP)
SP Troy Terzi, Keystone (9-1, 2.04 ERA, 5 CG, 1 SV, 89 K, 83.2 IP)
SP Bob Hamel, Western New England (6-0, 1.08 ERA, 4 CG, 4 SV, 44 K, 50 IP)
SP Cory Heitler, Ramapo (8-2, 2.50 ERA, 4 CG, 103 K, 75.2 IP)
SP Robert Donnelly, Oswego State (5-3, 1.39 ERA, 7 CG, 48 K, 64.2 IP)
SP Jakari Pellegrini, Mitchell (5-0, 2.39 ERA, 2 CG, 53 K, 52.2 IP)
RP Bobby Tramondozzi, UMass Boston (4-1, 2.08 ERA, 9 SV, 24 K, 30.1 IP)
RP Kevin Foulds, Ramapo (2-2, 3.94 ERA, 9 SV, 24 K, 16 IP)