MCLA Baseball 2008 Season Preview

- February 25, 2008

North Adams - The MCLA Baseball Team is currently preparing for the 2008 season. The team will be looking to improve upon last year’s third place MASCAC regular season finish, as well as a disappointing 14-18 record. The team earned the third seed in last year’s postseason tournament, but lost two heartbreaking games to Fitchburg and Salem respectively.

The 2008 team should be positioned for a good run as the team only lost one senior from a year ago. The core strength of the squad will undoubtedly be the pitching staff. The staff led the MASCAC in ERA in 2007. The staff returns sophomore James Greeley (Newton, MA) to anchor the rotation. Greeley had a solid rookie campaign, leading the league in ERA at 1.65. Solidifying the rotation will be Dean College transfer Cyrus Curtis (Bourne, MA). Both should provide the Trailblazers with a solid one-two punch. Competing for the remaining spots in the rotation are Senior Captain Anthony Bruno (Queens, NY), junior Andrew Gaines (Holyoke, MA), and sophomore Sean Kelly (Staten Island, NY). The bullpen should be deeper with sophomore Andrew Kelly (Dalton, MA), Cory Burtman (Norwood, MA), Derek Gibbons (Rochester, MA), Duncan MacDonald (Hartford, VT), and freshman Bobby Beauchesne (Lowell, MA).

The 2008 team will look to add firepower to a squad that struggled to score runs in 2007. Returning to the lineup is two year All-MASCAC selection Anthony Bruno. The third baseman was the team leader in RBI’s while posting a .370 average. Complementing Bruno will be junior Pat Negrini (West Stockbridge, MA). The Centerfielder came on strong late last season. He drove in 16 runs from the leadoff spot while swiping seven bases. Rounding out the key returnees will be junior outfielders Cory Burtman, Steve Sullivan (Wareham, MA), and junior infielder Anthony Russo (Marcy, NY). All three have been two-year starters for MCLA. The speedy Russo stole 11 bags last season, while Sullivan and Burtman will be asked to drive in runs from the middle of the order. Other returnees looking to make their mark in 2008 will be sophomore infielder Tim Burns (Pittsfield, MA) and sophomore catcher Ken Recore (Averill Park, NY).

The 2008 freshmen class promises to be one of the deepest in recent memory. The talented bunch will vie for playing time in numerous areas. Looking to make an impact this season are: shortstop Paul Procopio (Pittsfield, MA), outfielder Joe Parillo (West Springfield, MA), first basemen Bobby Beauchesne (Lowell, MA) and Joe Harrington (Pittsfield, MA), and utility man John Ripepi (Amsterdam, NY).  

The 2008 season will open with the annual spring trip to Orlando, Fl (March 14-21). The trip is highlighted with a match up against perennial power Rowan University as well as tough opponents Endicott College and Greenville College. A total of nine games are scheduled in Orlando. The northern schedule promises to be demanding as five NCAA tournament teams from 2007 appear on it. Rounding out the tough non conference schedule are games against Keene State, WNEC, RPI, and Williams. Conference play will begin on March 29, as MCLA will head to Salem State for a doubleheader. The team is scheduled to host its home opener on March 26 against Southern Vermont College. Their first home weekend is set for April 5th when the host Framingham State College in a doubleheader. All home games are played at the Joe Zavattaro athletic complex.