FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Twenty members of the Fairfield University Baseball team will continue competing on the diamond as they take part in various collegiate summer leagues across the area. The twenty players comprise of 13 different teams in four leagues. The experience over the summer will give the group more opportunity to hone their skills for the 2024 season.
"The coaching staff has placed these players at the various summer leagues to give them a great experience playing along side other college players and to receive more at bats or innings pitched so they return in the fall more confident and better skilled," Head Coach
Bill Currier said.
Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL)
Ten Stags will take to the field in the PGCBL, a mainstay for Stags' student-athletes throughout the years.
Four Stags will compete on the same team as
Bo Buckley,
Aidan Colagrande,
Kevin Kell, and
Nick Sturino all lace up for the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs. Colagrande leads the trio of pitchers with 7.1 innings in his two appearances while posting a 1.17 ERA with 12 strikeouts. He also has recorded a win and a save during his stay.
Sturino is the lone Fairfield hitter in Mohawk Valley and has notched a .474 batting average with nine hits in 19 at-bats. His .474 average ranks second in the league.
The Albany Dutchmen has three Stags on their roster with:
Tyler Kipp,
Jake Memoli, and
Grant Smeltzer all suiting up for the squad.
A pair of Stags take the field for the Jamestown Tarp Skunks with
Paul Catalano and
Evan Berta getting the nod. Berta ranks second in the league with three appearances while tallying a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings.
Finally,
Ryan Taffe will take the hill for the Amsterdam Mohawks, who currently leads the league with a 9-0 record as he threw a scoreless inning in relief in the team's win over Albany.
New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Six more Stags will compete in the NECBL, featuring some of the best talent in New England. Teammates
Blake Helmstetter and
Jack Erbeck will both take the mound for the Ocean State Waves in Rhode Island. All-MAAC Tournament Team selection, Helmstetter leads the duo with 7.0 innings pitched and one start as he has comprised a 2.57 ERA with six strikeouts and no walks.
Another pair of teammates will share the dugout again for the summer as
Peter Ostensen and
Emmett Tolis will compete for the Bristol Blues. The duo has combined for nine strikeouts and just one walk in 6.2 frames.
Another standout from the MAAC Championships, Baker will get innings for the Mystic Schooners, playing their games at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn. Baker has continued his hot stretch with five scoreless innings in two appearances with seven strikeouts and no walks during that span.
To round out the group, slugger
Matt Bergevin will get in the batter's box for the Valley Blue Sox. Also a MAAC All-Tournament Team selection, Bergevin has had 20 at-bats during the young season and is hitting .350 with nine hits, three runs scored, and two RBI.
Futures Collegiate Baseball League
Three Stags will gain experience in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, a wooden-bat summer league in the Northeast.
Rookie slugger
Matt Bucciero and rising junior infielder
Dean Ferrara are both suiting up for the Norwich Sea Unicorns. Bucciero has tallied three extra base hits in four games with a pair of triples. Ferrara has posted a .308 average (12-for-39) with five runs scored, seven RBI, and two stolen bases.
Payton Wawruck earned a spot on the New Britian Bees and has tallied five hits, including a home run and two RBI.
Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League
To round out the list of Stags, rising sophomore infielder
Luke Nomura will compete for the Shelter Island Bucks, with the league beginning this weekend.
The Stags are coming off third-straight MAAC Regular Season Championship, becoming the first MAAC program to win three-straight regular season titles outright. Fairfield also won 30 games for the fourth-straight season, winning 34 regular season contests, the most in program history.
