FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The 2016 MAAC Coach of the Year, Bill Currier announced the Fairfield baseball Class of 2020 which will feature eight pitchers and four position players for the reigning MAAC Champions. The 12-member class features local talent, and skilled players from throughout the Metropolitan Area. The signings will also include a graduate transfer Mike Yerina, son of Fairfield basketball Hall of Famer Pat Yerina, transferring from Southern Connecticut State University. Tristan Amone, Josh Arnold, Nick Carlucci, Eric Cerno, Steven Franzese, Ian Halpin, Brett Morrison, Eli Oliphant, Austin Pope, Dylan Reynolds, and Justin Wazaney will also make their way to Stags Country.
Tristan Amone – LHP Patchogue-Medford High School
One of the highest ranked left handed pitchers in the state of New York, Amone comes to Fairfield after earning All-Suffolk League honors at Patchogue-Medford High School. After a senior season that saw the left hander compile a 1.10 ERA in 52 innings, Amone was ranked the 16th best prospect in Long Island on the 2016 Blue Chip Long Island Top Prospect List and was listed as the 17th best left handed pitcher in the state of New York by PerfectGame.org. A Northeast Region Honorable Mention, Amone helped the Raiders to the playoffs all three seasons while he was on the varsity team.
Josh Arnold – RHP/INF Ocean City High School
Arnold is coming an historic senior season at Ocean City High School where he helped lead an impressive Raiders' pitching staff to a Sectional Title and an appearance in the NJSIAA Group 3 State Final. As a senior, Arnold came up clutch for the Raiders, posting a 3-0 record in the state tournament. A Third Team All-Group 3 selection, Arnold's career game came on May 11 when he threw a complete game one-hit shutout against St. Augustine Prep, surrendering his only hit with two outs in the final inning, coming as a slow-rolling single to the shortstop. Arnold struck out 13 batters in that game. The Northeast Region Honorable Mention was also ranked the 11th best right handed pitcher from New Jersey on PerfectGame.org.
Nick Carlucci – C/OF Neshoba Regional High School
Carlucci can play a versatile role for the Stags as he saw time as a catcher, outfielder, and pitcher for Neshoba Regional High School. As a junior, Carlucci took part in the 18U WWBA National Championship as part of the New England Baseball Jaxx and helped the team to a 5-2 record in the national tournament.
Eric Cerno – INF Danbury High School
A slugging infielder from nearby Danbury, Cerno was a career .344 hitter for the Hatters, with 96 hits in his four-year career. Cerno was an All-West FCIAC selection three times, including during a breakout junior campaign when he hit .459 with two home runs in 21 games.
Steven Franzese – LHP Valhalla High School
The lefty collected many awards for his pitching performances during his stay at Valhalla. The 15th ranked left hander from New York by PerfectGame.org, Franzese was named his League's Pitcher of the Year as well as being named to the All-State and All-Section squad twice during his four seasons. During a breakout junior season, Franzese recorded two shutouts during his first three outings of the season.
Ian Halpin – RHP/1B Glastonbury High School
Halpin will give the Stags a new look when he comes to campus, as an occasional right handed sidearm thrower. That delivery helped Halpin to be named to the Central Connecticut Conference (All-CCC) squad three times during his career and a Connecticut Baseball Senior All-Star. On the mound, he recorded a 1.40 ERA during his junior season and a 3.00 ERA during his final season. He showed the potential to strikeout hitters, fanning eight batters in a three-inning span in a complete game shutout against Southington. Also a talented hitter, Halpin batted .491 in his junior campaign and .430 in 2016.
Brett Morrison – INF Hopkins Academy
An infielder from Hopkins Academy, Morrison batted .379 in 2015 to go along with a .514 on-base-percentage and was named to the All-Western Massachusetts Division IV Second Team. Morrison will also bring defensive versatility to the squad after playing second base and shortstop during his time at Hopkins. He also helped his squad to a State finals appearance in 2014 and was named All League Second Team during his sophomore season.
Eli Oliphant – RHP Amity Regional
The New Haven Register Area's Most Valuable Player, was perhaps one of the top pitchers in the state of Connecticut, posting a unblemished 9-0 record with a 0.40 ERA, allowing just four earned runs in 69 innings while striking out 83 batters. Oliphant was one of those arms who was not afraid of the spotlight, recording a perfect 8-0 record and a save during his postseason career, helping Amity to four-straight state championships. His one save came this season in the semifinals against New Milford, striking out the side. Oliphant came back to record the win in the state finals for the second-straight season.
Austin Pope – RHP Tuckahoe
Another pitcher to toe the rubber at Alumni Diamond will be Tuckahoe's Austin Pope. Coming off a season where he earned a 2.35 ERA, Pope was the 31st ranked right hander in New York by PerfectGame.org. His most memorable outing came last season, when he retired the first 13 hitters he faced and threw six scoreless innings against Solomon Schechter to win the Class C Title.
Dylan Reynolds – OF Notre Dame West Haven
Reynolds was an all-around player for Notre Dame West Haven, who won the CIAC Class L state title twice during his four years. A three year starter, Reynolds led the team with a .452 average during his junior season, making him one of the Top-25 players to watch by GametimeCT. Also a left-handed pitcher, Reynolds was the winning pitcher for the Green Knights in their semifinal win over Avon. For his efforts, Reynolds was named a Class L All-State team member.
Justin Wazaney – RHP Pompton Lakes
Wazaney was a major key to the Cardinals appearance in the county finals in May of 2015, posting a 1.45 ERA and a 4-1 record during his junior season. He would be recognized for his accomplishments by being named to the All-Passaic County First Team that season.
Mike Yerina – RHP Southern Connecticut State
The name 'Yerina' might be familiar to some Stag fans, that's because his father Pat Yerina was a 1,000 point scorer and Hall of Fame basketball player for the Stags. Now his son will also be attending Fairfield as he will be a transfer from the Southern Connecticut State Owls. A three-time Northeast-10 Honor Roll selection, Yerina struck out 53 batters in his 61.2 innings of work in 2015, following his All-Northeast-10 conference selection in 2014. During that sophomore season, he finished the year with a 4-1 record and a 1.21 ERA.
The Stags graduate six seniors after an historic 2016 season which saw them win their first-ever MAAC Tournament title and advance to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament Regional.
