Feb. 11, 2004
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Fairfield University baseball team opens the season on March 6, to start a three-game series at UMBC. Practice has already begun for the Stags, and thanks to a break in the weather, the team even had the chance to get outside to get some work in. With a little over three weeks to go before the season opener, here is a look at the 2004 version of the Fairfield baseball team.
With only one senior on its roster, the 2003 Fairfield University baseball team suffered through frustrating growing pains, finishing out of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) playoff hunt. Bolstered by experienced players at key positions, this season, this Stags have worked hard in the preseason to make sure last season's woes; do not carry over into the 2004 campaign.
Head Coach John Slosar enters hits 20th as the Stags skipper, and is optimistic about the possibilities for the Stags in 2004.
"We have virtually everyone back, from a group that was inexperienced, last year, and have a year of Division I experienced under their belts," Slosar said. In the off-season and in the fall members of the team have been diligently working to improve their skills, and show improvement. "They've learned from the previous off-season, and this year, are showing much more maturity and cohesion."
The 2004 outlook has been strengthened by the recent announcement of seniors Antuan Barnett (Bronx, N.Y./Rice), Tom Maisano (Farmingdale, N.Y./Chaminade), Pat Quinn (Paterson, N.J./Passaic Valley), and Pablo Tamayo (Miami, Fla./Ransom Everglades) as the team captains. All four will equally share the responsibility of guiding the team back to winning ways.
"They are all guys who have contributed to the program significantly since walking through the door here," Slosar said of his captains. "All four of them will take their role seriously in providing leadership in the team."
Below is a position-by-position breakdown of the 2004 Fairfield University baseball team.
Starting Pitchers
Maisano enters the season as the number-one starter for Slosar. Already the Chaminade High graduate, has his named etched in the Fairfield record book. He is one strikeout behind Rob Elinskas (1994-97) for fifth-place on the school's all-time strikeout list with 140, through his Fairfield career. As a sophomore, he recorded 76 strikeouts witch is the fourth-best in school-history.
"Tom has been the ace of the staff for the past three seasons," Slosar stated. "He is a very tough competitor, and is a good example for our younger pitchers."
The 2002 season, was his finest season for the Red and White, posting a 6-4 record and a 4.70 ERA in six complete games. Last season, the 6-foot-1 right-handed pitcher struggled a bit, finishing the season with a 3-5 record and a 5.38 earned run average. He led the team with 60 strikeouts, including 11 in an 8-5 win over Canisius College.
Tamayo will look to rebound and revert to the form his displayed as a sophomore. He was hit with hard luck last season, and despite the wheels falling off a few times, he finished the season, fourth on the team in strikeouts with 26. Over the course of his career he has displayed effective control striking out 92 hitters, while walking only 54 batters, including 13 in 2003.
"Pablo has outstanding work habits and at times in the past has had key pitching performances for us," Slosar stated. "He is very calm and steady on the hill, and is great at sharing his experiences with some of the pitchers."
As a sophomore against Hofstra, he pitched six innings of three run ball, in a 10-3 win over the Pride, while striking out six hitters. Although he was on the short end of a 3-2 loss to Villanova, he allowed only two runs and four hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Senior Matt Young (Berlin, Conn./Berlin) looks to be back to form missing part of the last two season due to an injury. However, this season he appears to be healthy, and will give Slosar some added depth in the starting rotation. Last season, he made three appearances pitching 3.1 innings of work, while recording two strikeouts, and two walks. In 2001, he pitched in 16 games for the Stags, garnering three starts.
Junior Tim Dugan (Cedar Grove, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) has split his career, between the starting rotation and the bullpen. In 2003, he recorded a 1-3 record with a 7.27 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 43.1 innings of work. Against Fordham last season, he scattered five hits on one unearned run, and only two walks while striking out four hitters.
Rounded out what shapes to be the starting rotation before the team breaks preseason camp is sophomore Steve Tyburski (Feasterville, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep). Last season, he split time in the starting rotation, and the bullpen for six appearances. He was given the ball for three starts, and struck out 12 hitters in 16.0 innings of work. Tyburski will be valuable for Slosar, as he can be effective out of the bullpen, along with his starting duties.
Bullpen
The backend of the Fairfield bullpen is anchored by Quinn who as Slosar describes him, as a "hard throwing power pitcher." Last season, the New Jersey native was 1-1 with a 3.71 earned run average in 17.0 innings of work. He struck out 23 batters, and opposing teams batted just .206 against him. In 2002, he had two of the team's four saves.
"Pat is a solid individual and is competitive day in and day out, and is willing to do anything for the betterment of the team," Slosar said. "He is an outstanding example for all of our players."
To get to Quinn, Slosar will have plenty of options, sophomore Sean Keegan (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperang), senior second baseman Nick Hudyma (New Britain, Conn./New Britain), sophomore Dan Breen (Troy, N.Y./Troy), and freshman Ed Kamintzky (Astoria, N.Y./Regis).
Keegan, was 0-1 last season, and pitched in 13.2 innings in nine games in 2003. He recorded nine strikeouts, including three against Rhode Island. Hudyma, who is the starting second baseman for the Stags, pitched in high school, and recently over the summer as part of the Ithaca Classics in the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL).
Breen, has worked hard in the off-season to improve, and is projected to be a valuable asset coming out of the bullpen for Slosar. Last season he made seven appearances with two strikeouts. Kamintzky is a lefty who will be asked to contribute in the bullpen this season.
Catchers
Senior Mike Wray (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) returns as a starter for his senior season. Last season, the New York native, hit .255 with two homeruns, and 19 runs batted in. In 106 at-bats he had 27 hits, including four doubles. He hit safely in 21 games, in his first season as the starting catcher, and recorded six multi-hit games.
Slosar has a pair of back-ups for Wray, as sophomore Tom Arpino (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian), and junior David Soucy (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) will fill in when needed.
Arpino should see more starts this season, as he has improved his skills in the off-season playing in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League (ACBL) for the New York Metro Cadets. In the summer he hit .292 with 13 RBI, and 19 hits starting in 20-of-24 games. Last season for the Stags, the Brooklyn, native appeared in 21 games for the Red and White, and finished the season with three hits, three runs scored, and six runs batted in.
Like Arpino, Soucy improved dramatically over the summer, and in the fall season. Although he saw limited action last season, he is projected to see time as a back-up at catcher, and first base. He will also see some at-bats as the designated hitter.
Infield
Sophomore John Scaife (Ansonia, Conn./Ansonia) will look to contribute even more this season at first base for the Stags. In his first collegiate season he started all 42 games for the Stags, and hit .252 with three homeruns and 14 runs batted in. Was sixth on the team with 31 hits and finished the season with a .328 on-base percentage. At one point last season the Ansonia, Conn., native had a six-game hitting streak, in which he went 10-for-23 with five runs batted in, four runs scored and four doubles.
Hudyma, will split time between second and the bullpen this season. According to Slosar he could see significant time in the bullpen. He has been a regular in the lineup the past two seasons. Last year, he started 40-of-41 games, finishing the season with a .243 batting average. The New Britain High School graduate had 34 hits, nine doubles, two triples, and three homeruns.
When Hudyma is on the hill, junior Mark Geanuleas (Glenside, Pa./Academy of the New Church) will back him up. In the fall Geanuleas was the best defensive infielder. Last year, he appeared in 24 games, earning starts in 13 games. He had eight hits on the season, and led the team being hit by a pitch on eight occasions.
Also sophomore Jim Girolamo (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) could see some time at second, as Slosar described him as a, "Capable back-up at that position." The Massachusetts native will also see time in the outfield as a defensive specialist. Last season he had five hits and three runs batted in, while playing in 21 games for the Stags.
At shortstop the Stags are in the capable hands of sophomore Doug Anderson (Randolph, N.J./Delbarton). "Doug is a very polished defensive shortstop, and should improve his offensive numbers, possible moving to the middle of the lineup," Slosar said.
In his first collegiate season in 2003, Anderson started all 42 games; batting .276, with one homerun and 10 runs batted in. He was second on the team in hits with 43, and was second on the team in on-base percentage with a .352 average.
Geanuleas could also see time at shortstop, as he has the versatility to play either of the middle infield positions equally well.
At third, senior Sal Mancuso (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage) has been a fixture in the Fairfield lineup. He can provide the offensive punch the Fairfield offense needs. Mancuso is coming off a 2003, where he batted .267 with four homeruns and 18 runs batted in. He had 36 hits, and led the team with 14 doubles. At one point last season he was ranked eighth in the NCAA in doubles per game. In the last series of the season, against Manhattan, he went 3-for-9 with three homeruns. He finished the season with a .459 slugging percentage, and a .373 on-base percentage.
Outfield
Senior Andy Lynn (Montville, N.J./Delbarton) will fill the leftfield position, as the returning starter. He started all 40 of the games he played in last season. The New Jersey native, was second on the team with a .282 batting average, and had two homeruns and 11 RBI. Of his 40 hits on the season 12 were doubles, and one was a triple. Also a threat on the base paths he led the Stags successfully stealing 6-of-9 stolen base attempts.
In centerfield, senior Jim Sherdian (Carle Place, N.Y./Carle Place) saw his first extensive action for the Stags in 2003. He hit .282 with 11 hits and three RBI, in 39 at-bats. He registered a .359 slugging percentage, and a .326 on-base percentage. Sherdian moves to center after spending most of his time in leftfield, in 2003.
Girolamo will back-up Sherdian as a late inning replacement in centerfield. The Wayland High graduate's, versatility will be a valuable asset for the Stags as he can play either the infield or the outfield.
In right field, Barnett will anchor the outfield. He smacked a team-high seven homeruns, and was second on the squad with 21 runs batted in. In 2003, he started all 42 games he has played in and had 10 multi-hit games. He had a .430 slugging percentage, and a .368 on-base percentage.
"Antuan is a vocal leader," Slosar said. "We are looking for him to be the catalyst offensively with his big bat in the middle of the lineup."
Junior Greg Leaver (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) will also see time in either of the corner outfield positions. He will also look for at-bats in the designated hitter slot. Leaver started 14-of-27 games, hit .318 with three doubles and seven runs batted in. He had a .357 on-base percentage, and had hit safely in 14 games while registering five multi-hit games.
Schedule
Fairfield opens the 2004 season on the road for a three-game series with UMBC March 6-7, and will then head to Bradenton, Fla., to play five games between, March 14-18. On March 14 the Stags will face Northern Illionis, and will then square off with Miami (Ohio) on the 15th. Fairfield will then face Bucknell of the Patriot League on March 16, and Columbia of the Ivy League on St. Patrick's Day morning. Fairfield wraps up its southern swing with another Ancient Eight opponent Dartmouth on March 18.
When the Stags return north they will play 18 of the next 19 games, at the friendly confines of Alumni Diamond. On March 20, Fairfield hosts Stony Brook, in a doubleheader for the 2004 home opener. The next day the Stags face the University at Albany in their second twin bill in as many days.
Fairfield begins its MAAC schedule with Marist College on March 27, at home. This season Fairfield will have Canisius, Rider, and LeMoyne, along with the Red Foxes at Alumni Diamond. They will hit the road for tilts with Siena, Niagara, Iona, Saint Peter's, and Manhattan.
