Resurgence in pitching seen in New England
By Tristan Hobbes for D3baseball.com
|
With All-American Chris DiGoti sidelined with Tommy
John surgery, Ed Bernstein has picked up the slack, allowing no
runs in 13 appearances. |
It may be the bats or it may be the pitchers but either way,
team ERAs are down across the board this spring in Division III.
The final stats in 2010 had 20 teams with a sub-4.00 ERA. As of
April 17, 80 teams across the country currently sport ERAs under
4.00. New England region pitchers have benefited greatly; last year
just one team was sub-4.00 but this year the region features 11
teams (third-most of any region) with ERAs below 4.00.
GNAC: St. Joseph's (Maine) coach Will Sanborn
showcased his deep pitching staff last year during the New England
regional tournament. He's doing it again this year with a pitching
staff featuring 11 players that have thrown at least 12 innings.
Seven of those players have compiled at least two wins and an ERA
below 4.00. Chad Rafferty is 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA and Andrew
Devereaux (2.75) and Mason Roberge (3.25) are both 4-1.
While the Monks feature the best staff, several other pitchers can
hold their own on the mound. Most would agree that Suffolk's Alex
Torres could be the best arm in the conference. He is 5-3 with a
3.83 ERA in 54 innings. Torres has struck out 53 and walked just 14
over that span and has pitched five complete games, including two
shutouts.
Johnson & Wales reliever Marc Sommerhalter has put together quite the season as well. He's made 16 appearances, all out of the bullpen, and is 5-0 with two saves for the Wildcats. His 2.55 ERA tops the staff.
Lasell is having their best varsity season in history and freshman Eric Howard has a lot to do with it. He is 4-0 with a 3.62 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 37.1 innings. Teams are hitting just .214 off the righty, who's helped the Lasers to a 20 win season.
| Jim Schult had a string of three straight starts
with 10+ plus strikeouts in 2011. ECSU sports information |
LEC: Bevies of veteran hurlers lead the way in the Little East. Conference leader Eastern Connecticut features the best ERA with a 3.96 and two seniors and a junior are leading the way. Jim Schult (6-1, 3.54), Chris Wojick (5-0, 3.95) and Jim Dimon (5-1, 3.76) are a combined 16-2 on the year and Schult had a string of three straight starts with 10-plus strikeouts earlier this year.
Last year's New England representative in the World Series,
Mass-Boston, had a tough start to the season but thanks to James
Dalton they are clawing their way back. Dalton is 4-3 with a 2.86
ERA and 58 strikeouts in 50.1 innings. The Beacons have also been
aided by freshman Lucas Ilges. The righty has made 12 appearances,
four starts, and is 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA.
Pitching has always been a question for Keene St. but the staff is
answering those questions this year with a 4.32 ERA. Arguably New
England's most explosive reliever, Corey Vogt has been great this
year out of the bullpen. He's 3-1 with four saves and a 1.50 ERA in
13 appearances. Vogt has struck out 26 in just 18 innings. Helping
out is junior Jeff Pelkey, 5-0 in 11 appearances and a 2.56
ERA.
And you can't mention LEC pitchers without talking about Western
Connecticut's Billy Armstrong. The senior has done a little bit of
everything this year for the Colonials, making 11 appearances with
six starts. He's 5-1 with two saves and a 4.17 ERA.
MASCAC: Bridgewater State leads the conference
with a 3.69 ERA but it currently sits at 5-4 and fourth place in
the standings. On the other hand, conference-leader Westfield State
has produced a 4.78 ERA.
The Bears feature some of the top power pitchers in the region.
Corey Batista is 4-2 with a 1.40 ERA and has struck out 56 in 45
innings; 11.20 strikeouts per nine. Three other Bears pitchers are
also averaging a strikeout per inning; Dave Billotte has 27 in 27.2
innings, Brian Guillotte 27 in 26.2 and Jeff Puopolo 48 in
34.2.
|
Westfield State's Roman Mondalto has three shutouts
and is 5-0 in 2011. |
Despite their team ERA, the Westfield State Owls have dominated
in conference play, posting five shutouts in 12 games, including
shutout sweeps of Bridgewater State and Mass. Maritime. Roman
Mondalto is the ace of the staff, posting a 5-0 record, 1.67 ERA
and three shutouts. Bret Siflinger is right behind him at 4-2 with
a 3.16 ERA and two shutouts.
Westfield's biggest rival Worcester features the region's top
closer in Shaun Slattery. The closer is 3-1 with eight saves and a
1.42 ERA in 17 appearances. He's struck out 36 and given up just 12
hits in 25.1 innings. Teams are hitting just .140 off him. Chad
Kasik has been the Lancers best starter, posting a 4-2 record and
2.32 ERA in seven starts.
NAC: Husson has earned the right to host the East
Division playoffs of the NAC/NEAC tournament thanks to two work
horses. Senior Ryan Arsenault and junior Nate Adams have both
thrown 65 innings this year. Arsenault is 6-3 in ten appearances
with six complete games and a 2.91 ERA. Adams is 6-3 with seven
complete games and a 2.07 ERA.
Castleton St. lost their ace in Ken Cook but Seth Harrington is
doing his best job to fill the void. Harrington is 4-2 with a 2.20
ERA and teams are hitting just .234 against him. Tyler Erickson has
been a reliable starter for the Spartans as well, striking out 61
in 53 innings while posting a 4-3 record and 4.08 ERA.
| Ryan Arsenault and Nate Adams (pictured) have
Husson hosting the NAC playoffs. Husson sports information |
NECC: Now that the conference winner earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, one pitching staff will get a chance to display its stuff on a big stage. Every team features a pitcher that can dominate on any given day.
Mitchell leads the conference at 12-2 and John Apostolo is 7-1
with a 2.98 ERA as well as leading the nation is batting at .556.
He's struck out 56 in 48.1 innings. Paul Martinez has been good as
well, going 5-1 with a 4.12 ERA.
Newbury is having their best season in program history and
Christopher Ninteau has a 4-1 record as a starter and Shawn
Marcelle is 5-1 with a 1.67 ERA out of the bullpen.
Kory Kiro might be one of the best pitchers in the conference and
Daniel Webster will need him to be great if they want a chance to
earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. Kiro is 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA,
giving up just 11 earned runs in 40.1 innings.
NESCAC: Pitching in the NESCAC starts and ends
with Tufts. The Jumbos sport a 2.78 team ERA and have won 17 of
their last 18 games. Dave Ryan is 6-0 with a 3.08 ERA, Kevin
Gilchrist is 5-1 with a 2.54 ERA and Ed Bernstein hasn't allowed an
earned run in 13 appearances out of the bullpen. He has five saves,
29 strike outs in 19.2 innings and teams are hitting .091 off
him.
West division leader Amherst features their own 1-2 punch. Max
McKenna (2.15, .199 opp. BA) and Ryan Healy (2.59, .191 opp. BA)
are a combined 8-0 and have given up just 54 hits in a combined
77.1 innings.
Bowdoin's top two hurlers have been just as good. Oliver Van Zant
is 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA and Christian Martin is 4-1 with a 2.93 ERA
and both pitchers have over 50 strikeouts. Van Zant has 51 in 39.1
innings and Martin has 53 in 46 innings.
| MIT's ace, Aric Dama, had a scoreless streak of
27.1 innings going into the NEWMAC tournament. MIT photo by DSPics.com |
NEWMAC: Some of the region's best pitchers toe
the rubber in the NEWMAC. MIT leads the region in team ERA at 2.50,
good enough for fifth in the country. In total, three of the top
five ERA teams in New England are from the NEWMAC.
Aric Dama is the Engineers top hurler and he has been amazing this
year. Dama took a scoreless streak of 27.1 innings into the NEWMAC
tournament and on the year he is 4-1 with a 1.16 ERA. He's struck
out 47 in 46.2 innings and teams are hitting .195 against him.
Freshman Kiel Jindra is having a strong rookie campaign with a 3-1
record and a 2.53 ERA and relievers Chris Vaughn and Henry Zhu are
5-2 in 21 appearances out of the bullpen.
Babson's team ERA of 2.72 is second in New England and the Beavers
have two of top three pitchers in regards to ERA in the region.
Rookie Michael Bortolotti led the nation in ERA before a five-run
ninth inning in the NEWMAC tournament raised it to 1.12, still good
enough to lead New England. He's 5-1 and has given up just five
earned runs in 40 innings Babson has also excelled thanks to the
return of Dave Ahern and Andrew Aizenstadt. Ahern is 5-2 with a
1.19 ERA and Aizenstadt has returned from injury to go 4-1 with a
1.65 ERA and an opponent batting average of .181.
Right behind MIT and Babson is Wheaton. The Lyons are currently
awaiting the winner of the MIT-Babson game to decide the NEWMAC
champion and Frank Holbrook should get the ball. Holbrook is 6-0
with a 1.51 ERA and went 7.1 innings, earning a no decision in a
4-3 win over MIT in the winners bracket of the NEWMAC tournament.
Nolan Corr is 6-2 and the Lyons best weapon might be closer Ryan
Grant. In 16 appearances and 16 innings, Grant has not allowed a
run, earning seven saves.
| Zach Rafferty has a nation- leading 13.73 strikeouts per nine innings. Anna Maria sports information |
TCCC: Western New England was expected to have
a strong pitching staff and they have lived up to those
expectations. The Golden Bears have put together a 3.56 team ERA
and have a 228:62 strikeout to walk ratio. Matt Rogers is 6-1 with
a 3.55 ERA, including a win over the region's top-ranked team,
Eastern Connecticut on Tuesday. Evan Michaud is 5-0 and Mark
DiTommaso is 4-1 with a 3.03 ERA and was named National Pitcher of
the Week in early April. Mike Lawlor continues to be one of the
best closers in the region, picking up four saves in 17 relief
appearances.
Wentworth lost its top three pitchers but the Leopards have put
together a 21-10 overall record, including a 13-5 mark in
conference play. Nick Colanto is 4-0 with a 3.48 ERA and Doug
Papuga is 4-2 with a 4.68 ERA.
Battling for a top playoff spot, Roger Williams has been aided by
Josh Orosz, 6-0 with a 3.18 ERA and reliever Tyler Pogmore, 3-1
with six saves in 16 appearances.
Anna Maria will be a tough playoff opponent with two dominant
moundsmen. Zach Rafferty has 63 strikeouts in 43.1 innings, 13.73
strikeouts per nine innings, tops in Division III. Jared Tivnan is
5-1 with a 3.64 ERA, he won his first three starts and didn't allow
an earned run in three complete games.
