2013 Digital Publication
Weekly Notes

The Fairfield University baseball team opens up its 2013 campaign with a three-game series at Longwood University beginning on Friday. Possible inclement weather in the area has already changed the series schedule. The Stags and the Lancers will play a doubleheader on February 22 beginning at 1pm with the series finale on Saturday at 1pm.

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2013 Season Outlook

In his first year at the helm of the Fairfield University baseball team, Head Coach Bill Currier set a tone for the future. He guided the youthful Stags to 27 victories, the most in program history and a berth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament. The Stags pitching staff led the MAAC with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP and set program records for strikeouts (315). Defensively, Fairfield led the MAAC with 52 double plays.

Last year was about setting expectations. The 2013 season is about building depth with the 21 freshmen and sophomores on the roster to reach those expectations.

“The first five weeks before conference play is going to be important in fitting the right people into their roles. We'll see a lot of different lineups, to really figure out batting orders, defensive position, and pitching, which is similar to last year,” Currier said. “And like last year, we hope to have roles established and make a push in the second half of the season.”
While the biggest challenge Fairfeld will have to overcome is youth, especially in pitching and in the infield, Currier will be patient. He knows the Stags are hungry and the future is bright.

Pitching Staff: Fairfield lost nearly 270 innings of pitching to graduation and the Major League Baseball draft with the departure of Scott Warwick, Brett Shulick, and Mark Bordonaro, something which will be a challenge to overcome.

Sophomore EJ Ashworth is the only weekend starter to return. Ashworth was impressive as a rookie, notching five victories, while posting a 2.97 ERA with 46 strikeouts and just 21 walks in 57.2 innings of work. Classmates Tucker Panciera and Jeremy Soule will join Ashworth in the starting rotation. Panciera, a lefty, was used as a reliever last season while Soule was a weekday starter, posting a 4-3 record with a 4.53 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 55.2 innings.

Sophomore Andrew Gallagher and rookies Mike Wallace and Aaron Howell will also be used in a starting role. Gallagher was solid in relief last season, posting a 1.99 ERA in 18 appearances. Wallace, a 6-foot-5 right hander, is developing command of three pitches. Wallace, a native of New Jersey, posted a 1.78 ERA and a 9-2 record as a senior at Madison High School. Howell, 6-foot-6 right hander, went 3-1 with eight saves and a 2.17 ERA as a senior at Toms River North High School in New Jersey.

The closing duties will fall to senior Kyle Capaldo. Last season, Capaldo led the Stags with four saves while picking up two wins in 19 appearances. He posted a 2.51 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 28.2 innings of work.

Intertwined in the middle innings will be returnees Ian Tresser, Andrew VanEyck, and Christian Fox and newcomers Tim Duggan, Anthony DiMauro, and George Molner. Tresser, a sophomore Southpaw, made 14 appearances last season with a 2.45 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 14.2 innings. VanEyck and Fox saw limited action out of the pen last season. Duggan, a lefty from Norwood, Mass., was a Catholic Conference All-Star as a senior after helping Xaverian to a state title in 2012. DiMauro, a sophomore, will give hitters a different look as a low-throwing sidearmer. Molner, a freshman, spent last season at Mercersburg Academy where he helped the team to a league title.

Infield: The Fairfield infield defense has been at the top of the MAAC for the last few seasons, a place where Currier wants the Stag to stay. While the infield will be rather young this year, the goals are simple – solidify the defense and improve the offense.

The left side of the infield will be the greenest with four underclassmen looking to fill the gaps left by the graduations of All-MAAC shortstop Larry Cornelia and third base mainstay Mark Skrapits.

At third base, Currier will look to rookies Jake Salpietro and Brendan Tracy. Salpietro, who has power, hit .365 as a senior captain at Somerset-Berkley High School in Massachusetts. Tracy, who brings a left-handed bat to the lineup, earned all-league honors at the Hotchkiss School last season.

At shortstop, sophomores Dean Sadik and Sal Ciccone will both shift over 90 feet to new a position. The pair is also interchangeable at second base depending on the combination of hitting and defense Currier wants to use. Sadik, played mostly at third base last year, hitting .329 with 15 RBI in 33 games. Ciccone appeared in 50 games, starting 47 at second base. Ciccone was nearly flawless defensively committing just one error in 263 chances and turning 36 double plays on the season. The lone error came 45 games into his rookie season.

At second base, junior Rob LoPinto will move into the starting role after steadily improving last season. LoPinto appeared in 21 games, hitting .393 with nine runs and six RBI. Defensively, the hardworking, tough competitor committed just one error.

The one constant in the Fairfield infield over the last three seasons has been Anthony Hajjar. The senior has appeared in 144 games with 143 starts at first base. Currier will rely on Hajjar not only for his defense but for his offense in the heart of the order. Hajjar enters the season with 171 career hits which is good for eighth all-time and is approaching the Fairfield career top-10 in RBI (96), runs scored (84), and doubles (27).

Behind the plate will be sophomore Sebastian Salvo who saw extensive time behind the plate as a rookie. Salvo, who Currier calls the most improved player on the squad, has developed his hitting, his throwing, and his ability to handle young pitchers.

Backing up Salvo will be freshman Keith Skinner, senior Mike Bennett, and junior Brian Murphy. Skinner, who brings a left-handed bat to the lineup, was a two-time all-state selection at Governor Livingston High School in New Jersey. Currier will utilize Bennett's bat off the bench after Bennett hit .333 with eight RBI and six runs scored last season. Murphy, who saw limited action last season, is also an option.

Outfield: Fairfield's outfield is intact from last season and the Stags will carry just five outfielders at the start of 2013. Ryan Plourde will return to his spot in right field where he had an outstanding sophomore campaign. Plourde, an All-MAAC Second Team selection, appeared in 53 games with 52 starts, leading the Stags with a .328 batting average, six homers, and 32 walks while collecting 61 hits, 35 RBI, and 32 runs. He also had 17 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI games in the heart of the order for the Stags.

Sophomore Alex Witkus will resume his patrol of centerfield while junior Mike Maschi will also challenge for time. Last season, Witkus started off strong before an injury shut him down. He hit .220 in 32 games last season but his speed on the base paths accounted for 12 stolen bases and 21 runs scored. Maschi appeared in 31 games with 14 starts, drove in nine runs last season.

Senior Jack Giannini will return to left field. Giannini, who started the entire second half of last season, hit .307 with 25 RBI and 18 runs scored with 11 multi-hit games. Defensively, he recorded eight outfield assists. Sophomore Billy Zolga will also be used in left field and brings a solid bat off the bench. Zolga appeared in 37 games, driving in 10 runs.

Schedule: Fairfield opens the season with a three-game series with Longwood in Farmville, Va. The Stags return to Virginia next weekend, traveling to George Mason for a three-game series, March 1-3. Fairfield heads to Fordham on March 6 before going to Florida for their Spring Break trip the following week. In Florida, the Stags will face Illinois State, Miami (OH), Bucknell, and Indiana at the RussMatt Tournament. Fairfield will then drive up to Deland, Fla. to square off with Stetson for four games, March 15-17.

The Stags will travel to St. John's on March 19 before opening action at Alumni Diamond, March 23-24, by hosting Siena in their first MAAC series of the year. Fairfield also hosts MAAC foes Saint Peter's (April 6-7), Niagara (April 27-28), and Iona (May 4-5).

Other non-conference opponents include Quinnipiac, Hartford, NJIT, Yale, UConn, Northeastern, Sacred Heart, and Central Connecticut State.

The 2013 MAAC Tournament will be held May 23-26 at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J.