2011 Season Preview
Season Preview
The 2011 Southern Vermont College baseball team is looking to be the first New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) member to make the NCAA tournament in baseball. This year marks the first season that a NECC team will make the NCAA’s with an automatic qualifier for the team that wins the conference tournament. In the two years the NECC has been in existence SVC baseball has made the post season both years along with a regular season conference championship in 2009. Coach Don Schaffer will return 22 players from a team that finished fourth in the NECC a year ago. The Mountaineers will begin the 2011 campaign February 26th at Roanoke College with the first pitch slated for noon.
Pitchers
The Southern Vermont College pitching staff will be the key to success in 2011 as the Mountaineers return 12 pitchers along with newcomers Kurt Kowalczyk, Devin Rhodes, and John Larrabee. Sophomore Dave Northup will also join the pitching staff in 2011 after having Tommy John Surgery in 2009 limiting him to playing just outfield last season. Timmy Johnson also returns to the 2011 staff after missing the 2010 season. In 2009 Johnson went 3-4 for the Mountaineers. Senior Adam Northup also looks to bring back the success he had a season ago, 3-1 in NECC action. Greg Gilmore, Ben Naaktgeboren, and Rhodes will also compete for starting jobs in 2011 along with Dave Northup, Adam Northup, and Johnson. Gilmore a 2010 reliever has shown much improvement in the off-season; coupled with good outings against Williams, Skidmore, and MCLA gives Coach Schaffer confidence he will be successful in 2011. In the bullpen the Mountaineers look to have one of the deepest staffs in the NECC. Closer Dave Gage recorded five saves in 2010 setting a SVC record. Will Warner, 1-1 5.71 ERA, also will see innings in long relief and spot starts this year. Max Ginter and Corey Armstrong both move to the bullpen after starting in 2010 to get more reps at the corner infield spots. Joel Defedele, Jake Foster, Corey D. Briggs, and Kowalczyk will add previously unseen quality depth to the Mountaineers bullpen.
Catchers
Behind the dish the Mountaineers return four year starter and senior captain Dan Cook. Cook will look to rebound on his 2010 stats where he hit .271 in 28 games. Cook has a career .318 batting average for the Mountaineers, and is the Mountaineers all time leader in walks. Cook needs 11 hits in the 2011 season to break the all time hits record by 2010 graduate Brett Pawlak. Junior catcher Corey D. Briggs will share duties with Cook after spending most of his 2010 season in right field. Briggs stabilized the bottom of the lineup last season with a .460 on base percentage in 19 games. “Although we are not as deep behind the dish as I would like to be, the two young men we have form an outstanding duo that I would stack up against anyone’s. I definitely see our catching, as a strong suit. “ said Coach Schaffer.
Outfielders
SVC will return five outfielders this season, all who have played significant roles in their career. Junior Pat Warrington will roam center field for the third straight season. Warrington a career .330 hitter is the Mountaineers all time leader in career batting average. Left fielder Keith Diotte started 32 games in 2010 hitting .264 and drawing 21 walks. With Briggs moving behind the plate and the other 2010 starter Dave Northup moving to short stop the Mountaineers will look to Joel DeFedele, Andrew Morin, or Ian Valentine to fill the void. Morin a 2009 starter played in 23 games compiling a .269 batting average. DeFedele looks to get back to form after he got off to a hot start in the 2010 season. DeFedele had 16 RBI’s in the teams first 13 games a season ago. Valentine will also be competing for time in the outfield this season, as he returns from an injury in the 2010 season. Valentine broke his hand in 2010 while making a game saving catch for the Mountaineers first win. Recent transfer Corey B. Briggs looks to be backing up Diotte in left and fighting for playing time. Coach Schaffer said “With our talent and athleticism, our outfield really needs to step forward this year. We have the talent to have one the best outfields around, and as hard as these guys are working in practice, it shows that they realize it and want to do everything they can to make it happen. “
Middle Infielders
At second base the Mountaineers return senior captain and four year starter Dave Gage. Gage has been sure handed in all three seasons with the Mountaineers with a .952 career fielding percentage. Gage has also been the pace setter for SVC leading off in all 98 games played. Gage is the Mountaineers all time leader in career on base percentage and hit by pitches with 50. On the other side of the bag the Mountaineers will have to replace three year starter Brett Pawlak. Dillon Desiderato will move to short stop after eight of his nine starts came at third base a year ago. Desiderato brings a solid bat to the 2011 team and will be relied on to drive in runs for SVC this year. Also, competing for the starting spot in 2011 at short stop will be sophomore Dave Northup. Northup played in 14 games last season all in right field. Northup’s innings at short will need to be closely monitored by the coaching staff as he also stands to be a key starting pitcher this year. Sophomore Mike Larsen will receive time at both positions in 2011 after starting two games at shortstop a season ago. Larsen who also posses good speed was used in 11 games last season to pinch run. “Dave Gage is a proven veteran who anchors our infield this year. It should be a great competition to see with each of the sophomores bringing something different to the position. It will, by necessity be some sort of platoon with Dave Northup seeing time as a starting pitcher.“ Schaffer stated about the 2011 middle infielders.
Corner Infielders
One of the strongest assets to the 2011 Mountaineers is the corner infielder spots. SVC returns four players who started 12 or more games a year ago. Adam Northup a senior captain provides the most versatility at the corners as he can play at either position. Northup a career .310 hitter will be a major part of the SVC lineup in 2011. Bennington native Corey Armstrong will also be an impact in the Mountaineers lineup this season. Armstrong hit .291 in 16 games a season ago and will see time at both first base and DH this year. Pitcher Tim Johnson could also help at first especially on defense. At third base sophomores Dan Vardaro and Max Ginter shared duties in 2010 starting 13 games each. Vardaro who started the 2010 campaign hot finished the year with a .217 batting average while Ginter finished the season with a .220 average. Ginter and Vardaro will each compete for the starting job again in 2011 along with Northup. Junior Rob Murawski played in six games in 2010 and will also see time at third. Schaffer said “I am very happy with First Base, where Adam Northup, Armstrong and Johnson all play the position extremely well. After settling in at third base last year, Ginter committed only one error after we returned from Florida, which is outstanding for a third baseman. Vardaro had a bit of any injury plagued season, which hindered him from finding any kind of a rhythm last season. Rob Murawski is a great kid, who will have to fight for playing time this year. A lot of it will come down to who is swinging the bat.“
