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Fitchburg State Gears Up For 2010 Season

The Fitchburg State baseball team enters its 2010 campaign with high aspirations after advancing to the semifinal round of the ECAC Playoffs a year ago. Under the tutelage of third year, head coach Todd Lynch, the Falcons are determined to maximize their potential on both sides of the field and make a name for themselves in the highly regarded MASCAC Conference.


Like any other, this off-season was very active for the Fitchburg State baseball coaching staff as the Falcons added 14 players to its 14 man veteran roster. "We are continually looking to get better," said Lynch. "We added four transfers and ten freshmen to our team this season, all who are expected to make an immediate impact."

This season, the Falcons will boast one of the top offenses in the conference as they did last year, but with a different style of play. In 2009, the Falcons were known for the long-ball after breaking a program record with six homeruns in one contest. This year, Fitchburg State will turn to the small ball, using both its power and speed to produce and manufacture runs.

While its offense will rank among the top of the conference, Fitchburg State will look to turn around its pitching staff from last year as the Falcons ranked last in the conference. With a team ERA of 7.55, opponent batting average of .331 and 135 walks, pitching was a point of emphasis in the off-season.  "We entered the pre-season with two goals in mind, lower our team ERA and make the post-season," said Lynch. "If we achieved our first goal, the second one should be in sight."

OFFENSE


JOHN PHELAN

Last season, Fitchburg State possessed one of the most explosive offenses in the MASCAC, ranking among the top teams in batting average (2nd), slugging percentage (2nd), hits (3rd), and RBI (3rd). This year, things look to remain the same as the Falcons return a healthy lineup of veterans, including junior John Phelan (Walpole, Mass./Walpole), classmate Ricky Graham (Walpole, Mass./Walpole), and sophomore Michal Mericer (Townsend, Mass./Saint Bernards).

Phelan returns as Fitchburg State's lone MASCAC honoree, earning All-Conference first team honors a year ago. Phelan will pace the high-flying Fitchburg State after hitting a team-best .393 last season with ten doubles, three triples, three homeruns and 24 RBI. In the midst of his career season, Phelan etched his name in the Fitchburg State record books, breaking the all-time single season hits mark (55) with 59 hits throughout the year.

Graham will join his fellow Walpole native this season as one of the Falcons top offensive threats after working on his ability to hit the long ball during the off-season. Throughout his 2009 campaign, Graham hit .339, registering 40 hits with seven doubles, one triple, two homers and 20 RBI. Mercier will also add to the offensive mix with his versatility of speed and power (.293, 2 2B's, 20 RBI), while junior Nick Rocheleau (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) (.315, 3 2B's, 1 HR) and transfer David Alexander (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) look to spark the Falcon bats.

INFIELD


MATT MORRISON

The Fitchburg State infield will see many new faces patrolling the diamond after the Falcons lost three infield starters from last year. Anchoring the Falcons up the middle will be Phelan (SS), who ranked first on the squad with 103 assists and a .949 field percentage. Graham (1B) joins Phelan across the diamond, making the transition from right field to first base, while junior Brian Ware (Beverly, Mass./Beverly), newcomer Andrew Foster (E. Bridgewater, Mass./E. Bridgewater) and transfer Eric O'Reilly (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) will all compete for the vacant second base and third space spots.

 Leading the Falcons behind the plate this season will be junior Will Comerford (Ayer, Mass./Ayer). Comerford settled in nicely last year as a Falcon, earning the starting catchers role after transferring in from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He started 26 games behind the dish for Fitchburg State, gunning down 18% of all base runners (8-of-44), while hitting .253 with 22 hits and seven RBI.

Junior Eric DiMauro (Foxboro, Mass./Foxboro) will battle Comerford for the starting catcher's role after seeing action in ten games last season. In seven starts, DiMauro batted .310, posting nine hits in 29 at-bats with one double and five RBI. He threw out 13% of all base-stealers, totaling 35 put-outs and a .973 fielding percentage.

OUTFIELD

The outfield seems to be Fitchburg State's strongest area even though the Falcons lost two starters from last year's squad. With the loss of graduate Andy Sauer and Graham moving to the infield the Falcons will turn to veterans Matt Morrison (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick), Mercier and Rocheleau to graze the outfield. Morrison will lock down his centerfield post after totaling 60 putouts and four outfield assists last year, while Mercier (RF) and Rocheleau (LF) will secure the corners. Newcomers Bobby Ewing (South Dennis, Mass./Dennis Yarmouth), Nicholas Guido (Peabody, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) and Alexander will also vie for starting roles in just their first season in a Falcons uniform.

PITCHING


MARSHALL MILLER

On the mound, Fitchburg State has worked hard in the off-season to boast one of the top rotations in the MASCAC. The Falcons have a solid five-man rotation this year with plenty of the depth within its pen.  Sophomores Perry Russo (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) and Michal Mercier will anchor the staff, while veteran Nick Ryan (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) will be in the hunt for one of the top spots in the rotation.

Last season, Russo enjoyed a successful rookie year, totaling a team-best, 3-1 record with a 6.39 ERA, 17 strikeouts and one complete-game shutout. Mercier was also strong in his first-year for the Falcons, sporting a team-best 4.13 ERA over 28.1 innings pitched with 23 strikeouts and only seven walks.

Ryan will add some veteran leadership to the Fitchburg State staff with 61.2 career innings pitched and 20 appearances, while freshman Alexander Teal (Malden, Mass./Malden) and Dylan Smith (New London, Conn./New London) will look to crack the top five with their sure-fire command from the hill.

In the pen, junior Steve Donah (Agawam, Mass./Agawam), senior Corey Donovan (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) and classmate Marshall Miller (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield) will spearhead the Falcons reliever core as Fitchburg State has added a wealth of depth to its staff. Last season, Miller emerged has one of the top relievers for Fitchburg State, notching a team-best 12 appearances en route to a 5.27 ERA, 18 strikeouts and 28.1 innings pitched. Donovan and Donah also add experience to the Falcons pen after combining for 31.1 innings and 13 K's in 2009, while junior Mike Scaramellino (Dover Plains, N.Y./Dover Plains) and freshman John Chase (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) round out the relieving core.   

SCHEDULE

The Fitchburg State 2010 schedule will come in waves this year with the Falcons first test coming down in Winter Haven, Fla. The Falcons will open their 2010 campaign with nine games in six days, facing a strong caliber of teams, including McDaniel, Rhode Island, Ramapo, Stevens, Curry and Amherst College.  Fitchburg State will then return home to battle Anna Maria  (3/23), Newbury (3/25), Becker (3/27) and WPI (3/29), before opening conference play with a Friday afternoon doubleheader vs. Westfield State (4/2).

"We open the season with a very tough Florida schedule and our leagues games are always a battle," said Lynch. "But if we show up the way we are suppose to every game, there is no reason why we shouldn't be at 20-25 wins and in the hunt for the MASCAC playoffs!"