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2/12/07 BASEBALL - Baseball Looks To Erase Runner-Up Taste |
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The 2006 season was, in many ways, the best in the seven-year history of the Felician College baseball program. The Golden Falcons set a school record for wins with a 29-27 overall record, and hit .310 with a program-best 35 homeruns. They made their first postseason appearance beyond the conference tournament level with a third-place finish in the ECAC Division II Tournament.
However, according to fourth-year head coach Chris Langan, the motivation for many of the returning players this season will be an accomplishment that did NOT take place. After reaching the 2006 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament as the fourth and final seed, Felician advanced through the winners’ bracket, needing one win in the championship round to capture the league title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Regional. But the Golden Falcons lost twice on May 13 to Dominican (N.Y.) College.
“That’s a tough way to end a season,” Langan said. “Every one of our kids sat around last summer and couldn’t wait for Sept. 1 to get back on the field. We were excited for the first day of workouts, and we’re equally excited about opening day. We expect to be in that position again.”
Felician lost 11 players off of last year’s team, including the program’s all-time leading hitter, Mike Rooth . However, Langan is excited about his coaching staff’s recruiting efforts, feeling that the pitching staff is deeper and that Golden Falcons fans can expect something different each game.
“We’re a team that can win games any way we have to,” Langan said. “We can hit the long ball, if we have to steal a base we can do that, and our pitching staff is as talented as any year I’ve been here. We set our goals based on the previous season, and just want to keep getting better and better.”
BATTERY: Returning all-CACC performer Scott Van Es (7-2, 2.69 ERA in 2006), now a junior, will head the starting pitching rotation, and sophomore William Senna (1-4, 4.76, 42 SO in 34 IP) will once again figure prominently. The coaching staff expects transfers Nick Riker and left-hander Al Jardine to make immediate impacts, and freshman Danny Conti, another southpaw, is the leading candidate for the No. 5 spot. Freshman Kevin Ernst will begin the season as a spot starter and long reliever.
While Langan has not always relied on a single reliever to close games, he will begin 2007 by handing that role to sophomore Anthony Spina (5-3, 3 SV, 1.41). “He’s not a classic hard-throwing closer, but he’s deceptive, comes from different angles, and isn’t afraid of pressure situations,” Langan said. Junior John Brady (1-0, 5.24) and freshman John Calise will anchor the left side of the bullpen, while senior Kevin Barrett (2-2, 4.44) and freshmen Jeff Calabrese and Greg Spatz represent the right side.
Senior Chris Flynn (.315, 1 HR, 12 RBI) has the unenviable task of replacing Rooth as the starting catcher. Sophomore Jordan Noval (.100, 1 RBI), like Flynn a left-handed hitter, is competing with highly-regarded freshman Marcos Torres for the No. 2 spot.
INFIELD: Frank Quintana (.315, 8 HR, 44 RBI), the program’s all-time homerun leader with 19, returns for his senior season at first base, and is one of three returning starters in the infield. Sophomore Mike Buckelew (.312, 1 HR, 6 RBI) has won the starting second base job. The left side of the infield returns intact in the form of sophomore shortstop Albie Sanguiliano (.241, 10 RBI) and sophomore third-baseman Dave Schoer (.319, 1 HR, 20 RBI).
Torres, redshirt freshman Joseph Espinoza, and Senna can spell the starters at the corner positions, while sophomore Mike Stahl (.444, 2 RBI) and freshman Richard Melendez will serve as utility infielders.
OUTFIELD: The 2006 starting outfield returns and should prove to be an exciting offensive and defensive unit. Senior centerfielder Kenny Vanderhee (.307, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 25 SB) is flanked by sophomore Vinnie DiBenedetti (.299, 2 HR, 24 RBI) and senior Ray Rose (.297, 3 HR, 23 RBI). Sophomore Jonathan Del Franco (.400, 1 RBI in 2005) and transfer Ryan Iannelli should put pressure on the starters. Barrett, junior Angel Roman (.250, 1 RBI), sophomore Mike Libretta (.176, 3 RBI) and freshmen Thomas DiPietro and Mike Urcioli provide depth.
Torres and DiPietro are the leading candidates at designated hitter.
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