Home  Baseball Baseball - 2010 Season Preview
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Baseball - 2010 Season Preview |
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 Ryan Milligan, who hit .281 last year, is the top returning hitter for the Bears.
Coast Guard was 7-23 overall last season and 2-10 in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). The Bears returned home from Florida with a 4-4 record, but would win just three more games the rest of the season, including dropping all 11 home games.
The Bears will look to finish over .500 for the first time since 2002 and head coach C.C. Grant in his fourth season, will count on the one-two pitching punch of junior tri-captain Jesse Karr (2-4, 6.79) and freshman Derek Petty to lead the way.
“I’m very happy with the top of our rotation in Jesse and Derek, who will get the ball each weekend in conference play. Jesse finished very strong for us last year and Derek, if he develops each year, has the ability to be as good as any pitcher that we have had,” said Grant.
The Bears allowed ten or more runs in 13 games last season, had a team ERA of 7.58 and allowed 79 unearned runs last year, but with the addition of five freshman pitchers, the team is deeper than it has been in the past few seasons.
Juniors Mike Ahlin and Ben Barrett are both back as veteran pitchers and will be joined by freshmen Riley Beecher, John Diddell, Nolan Gallagher, Nate Toll and Tyler Vieira.
“We have some depth on the mound this season and we are going to need one or two of those guys to step up and give us quality innings, either as a starter or out of the bullpen,” said Grant.
Senior tri-captain Ryan Milligan (.281) is the top returning hitter from last season and he will again start in right field. Senior Steve Arguelles, who did not play last season, hit .302 in limited action as a sophomore and will start in left field this season. The center field job is up for grabs with junior Tom Morrow along with freshmen Ed Sella and Gallagher competing for the job.
Senior tri-captain Doug Piper, and Ahlin will split time at first base. Piper had just seven at-bats last season while Ahlin makes the move to the field this season after being used primarily as a pitcher the last two seasons.
Senior John Jeffares, who started 27 games and hit .265 last season, and sophomore switch-hitter Mike Salerno (.250) will split time at second base while junior Graham Sherman and freshman Mike Massaro will also battle for time at second base.
A pair of freshmen will start on the left side of the infield as Tyler Babkiewich will start at shortstop and switch-hitter Eric Gerken will start at third base. Sherman and Beecher will backup at shortstop while sophomore Chris Izurieta, the fastest player on the team, and freshman Jacob Boross will also see time at third base.
Freshman Cameron Carroll will handle the catching duties while classmate Jed Daleiden and junior Mike Martineau will backup behind the plate.
“We have a lot of guys who can play more than one spot, which will give us plenty of different looks throughout the season and the hot hitter will serve as the designated hitter,” said Grant. “Everyone is going to get a chance to see what they can do to help this team and whoever steps up and has success is going to play.”
The Bears open the season on March 6th vs. Elms at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Florida.
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