BIG EAST Champion Baseball Team Begins 2012 Season This Weekend
2/14/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The success of last season did nothing to temper the expectations of the Seton Hall University baseball team. If anything it made the team hungrier and eager to build on the foundation set a year ago.
The Pirates won nine of their last 11 games, sweeping through the BIG EAST Tournament to capture the third conference title in school history, and winning their first game at the NCAA Regional in College Station, Texas.
While several key members of that team graduated last spring, Seton Hall is flush with returning talent for 2012. Winning the BIG EAST title last season and advancing to the NCAA Tournament only made this year's team yearn to accomplish even more.
"We have high expectations, we always do, but this year the guys really understand what it takes to have a successful season," said head coach Rob Sheppard, who is entering his ninth season as the Pirates' skipper. "Having a number of guys that return makes it a little easier in that regard because they have a taste. We don't have to talk about it because they've been there. It makes it a lot easier to bring the younger guys along because you have the older guys to kind of share their experience."
With seasoned upperclassmen that have playoff experience and a solid base of young talented players thanks to another strong recruiting class, Sheppard sees the team taking on the mentality of a perennial contender.
"I think the identity that they want to have and the identity that we're trying to establish is that we're there to compete for a championship every year," Sheppard said. "I can't say enough about the senior and junior class, of how hard they've continued to work and really raise the bar, not only for the team but for themselves as well."
INFIELD
Seton Hall's infield should feature a mix of established veterans and newcomers vying for playing time. Senior Michael Betz will start at first base after seeing action in 32 games and making 22 starts a year ago. Freshman Sal Annunziata is also expected to see time at first.
"Michael did a really nice job for us in the postseason last year with a high on-base percentage; his ability to extend innings was tremendous," Sheppard said. "He is always finding a way to get on base and has a lot of quality at-bats."
Junior Mike Genovese returns to second base after starting 51 games in 2011. He ranked third on the team with a .279 average and was second with 31 RBIs. Junior Chase Gray should provide depth at second base and middle infield, appearing in 26 games with 13 starts last season.
Junior Giuseppe Papaccio primarily played third base last year, but will transition to the role of full-time shortstop for 2012. Papaccio demonstrated speed and power at the plate, churning out 10 extra-base hits, including a pair or home runs in addition to converting on 11-of-12 stolen base attempts.
"Giuseppe was a natural shortstop in high school and played some short over the summer and had a really good fall," Sheppard said. "So we are looking forward to seeing him move over to the shortstop position."
With Papaccio's move over to shortstop, Sheppard believes a number of players will be competing for time at third base and in the infield, including sophomore Chris Selden, Junior Connor Delepine, freshman Kyle Grimm and freshman D.J. Ruhlman.
"As far as the infield is concerned, we are solidified at some sports but there are others that we are waiting to see who steps up and gets the job done."
CATCHER
After seeing some time behind the plate as a freshman, sophomore Dillon Hamlin is expected to step in as the Pirates' primary catcher. Hamlin hit .237 in 15 appearances last year and started all three games in a crucial series with St. John's in addition to seeing playing time against Arizona in the NCAA Regional.
"Dillon stepped in for our series against St. John's and did a very nice job as a freshman behind the plate," Sheppard said. "He caught a little bit at the regional last year, so he's got some experience that I think will help us."
Freshmen Alex Falconi and Tyler Boyd should also get some opportunities for playing time at catcher.
OUTFIELD
On a team with a large number of returning starters, Seton Hall perhaps boasts the most depth in the outfield. The Hall returns all three starting outfielders in senior left fielder Dale Anderson, sophomore center fielder Zach Granite and senior right fielder Will Walsh.
Granite was the only Pirate to start all 59 games last year and was named to the BIG EAST Championship All-Tournament Team. He ranked second on the team with a .290 average, while scoring a team-high 47 runs and swiping a team-best 12 bases.
Anderson started 48 games, smacking seven doubles and 20 RBIs. Walsh, another BIG EAST Championship All-Tournament selection, started 45 games and emerged as one of the Pirates' most consistent power threats. He ranked second on the team with a .378 slugging percentage and had 13 extra-base hits, including a team-high four home runs.
Seton Hall also has three returners in junior Ryan Sullivan, junior Scott Kalamar and redshirt-freshman John Beaubien to bolster the outfield.
"We have some depth in the outfield and probably the most experience on the team is in the outfield," Sheppard said. "I think we have a good mix of some veterans that have some valuable playing time under their belt as well as some capable underclassmen that will have an impact."
PITCHERS
Seton Hall ranked amongst the best in the nation last year with a 2.68 earned run average, which led the BIG EAST and was the eighth-lowest mark in the country. While the Pirates lost ace Joe DiRocco to graduation, every other key component of last year's deep rotation returns for 2012.
Sheppard said the success the pitching staff experienced last year was thanks in large part to the ability of each player to accept their role and excel at it, a trait he sees carrying over to the new season.
"It didn't matter how much work they got or what role they were in," Sheppard said. "When they got the ball they did their job and I think that was important. It was basically the cliché that they passed the baton. The starter did his job, whoever came in for short relief or middle relief did their job and then whoever closed out just shut the door."
Junior Jon Prosinski led the team with a 1.91 earned run average last season and ranked second on the team with seven wins and third with 56 strikeouts. He ended the year with a complete-game shutout win over Arizona in the first game of the NCAA Regional.
Junior Ryan Harvey was a dominant reliever last year, but may find his way to the starting rotation this season. He fanned 73 batters in 26 appearances, posting a 5-2 overall record and a team-high seven saves.
Junior Rick Mangione, junior Frank Morris, junior Greg Terhune and sophomore Brian Gilbert are also expected to fit into Seton Hall's starting rotation. Mangione had a 2.75 earned run average in 24 appearances mostly in relief and junior Frank Morris submitted a 2-2 record in four starts and 18 overall appearances.
Gilbert started eight games with a 2-4 record and a 3.80 earned run average in 2011 while Terhune made 10 starts, winning four of his eight decisions.
Seton Hall's talented pitching staff will also feature senior Henry Warner, senior Benny Mejia, junior George Fernandez, junior Ed Ras, sophomore Josh Prevost and sophomore Billy Ralston. Sheppard and his staff also brought in freshmen Anthony Elia, Chris Carroll, Jose Lopez, Dan Ditusa and Conor Krauss to compete for innings on the mound.
"We have some high expectations and the pitching staff is a good example of what we are talking about," Sheppard said. "They're not just content with what we did last year they want to improve upon it. A lot of the guys that are returning are ready to show what they can do."
SCHEDULE
Sheppard has put together a challenging non-conference schedule that is sure to provide a number of early-season tests before BIG EAST conference play begins in earnest toward the end of March.
SHU opens the season at the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge where it will face Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State and Northwestern, followed by a three-game series at Tennessee.
The Pirates will battle NCAA Tournament teams Wright State and Virginia on March 2-4, before heading home for the 2012 home opener against Manhattan College on Wednesday, March 7.
"Our first four weeks are going to be challenges," Sheppard said. "We are playing some pretty good teams over the first four weeks which will be a little bit like a measuring stick to see where we're at early in the season and where we want to be in time for conference play."
Seton Hall opens its BIG EAST schedule with a three-game home stand with Rutgers on March 23-25. The Pirates will also host Notre Dame, Villanova, West Virginia and Pittsburgh, with road series against Connecticut, Louisville, Georgetown and St. John's.
The 2012 BIG EAST Championship will be held Tuesday-Sunday, May 22-27, in Clearwater, Fla.
