ENC Takes Battle of the Lions

Tuesday March 26, 2013.  In the battle of the Lions, Eastern Nazarene walked off victoriously, sweeping Emerson 6-1 and 5-4.  Game one started well for Emerson, when Johnny Hasney singled to right and stole second base with one out.  Cal Ciarcia lined a single to left and Hasney slid in just ahead of the throw from the left fielder to score the game’s first run.  Unfortunately, that would be the only run the visitors would score all game.  ENC starter Matt Jayne settled down and let up just two more hits, walking only two, and striking out five en route to a complete game, 87 pitch performance. 

 

Emerson starter Nick Kelly was the unlucky losing pitcher in game one, throwing 4.2 innings and allowing just two earned runs.  Freshman Jack Capotorto threw the last 1.1 innings allowing two hits and no earned runs.

In game two, it would be ENC who got on the board first.  After a scoreless top of the first, Emerson starter Sammy Evers walked the first two batters and then gave up 4 consecutive singles.  One of the batters was thrown out at second trying to advance on the throw home.  The inning ended on a bases loaded ground ball to Hasney at second who stepped on the bag and threw to first for the double play, limiting the damage to two runs.

The visiting Lions did not role over though; Jesse Francese led off the second with a walk and promptly stole second.  Kolby Woodfield doubled down the left field line, easily scoring Francese.  Malcolm Kelner laid down a sacrifice bunt that the catcher threw into right field, allowing Woodfield to score and Kelner to reach third.  Conor McDonough knocked Kelner in with a hard hit groundout to first.  With two outs, James Sullivan and Hasney both singled up the middle, and Sullivan scored when Zach Dean reached on an error by the shortstop.  The four run second inning would be all the offense Emerson would provide in game two.  In the bottom half of the second, Jack Capotorto was called upon again, relieving Evers after back to back singles.  Capotorto retired the next three in order to get out of the jam. 

 

Capotorto would pitch brilliantly for the next 4 innings, allowing just one unearned run on four hits while striking out two.  In the bottom of the 7^th, ENC shortstop Jeremy Wagner singled to right center after fouling off a tough  0-2 pitch.  Capotorto struck the next batter out with the runner going, and catcher Zach Dean threw a bullet to second which beat the runner, but the ball was dislodged from Hasney’s glove when the runner slid into the bag.  Wagner moved to third on a groundout.  With two outs, ENC third baseman Anthony Berroa came through with his fourth hit of the day, knocking in Wagner from third.  Junior Andy Brightman was called upon to get the final out of the 7^th, but after Berroa stole second, he moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored when the 2-2 pitch found its way past Dean and went to the backstop. 

Offensively for Emerson, Hasney was 3-6, while Woodfield and McDonough each had 2 hits and an RBI on the day. 

Although Jack Capotorto was pinned with the loss in game two, he had a great day on the mound.  In the two games, he threw 7 innings, allowing 8 hits, just 2 earned runs, struck out 2, and walked no one.  In his last 3 outings, Jack has now gone 10.2 innings while allowing just 3 earned runs, striking out 5, and walking no one. 

Emerson takes on the Newbury College Nighthawks on Thursday night at 8pm at Victory Field in Watertown, MA before opening GNAC conference play against Suffolk University on Saturday.

Class of 2013 Recruiting Update

Thursday March 14, 2013 – More good news on the recruiting front, as Mitch Moormann verbally commits to Emerson College!  Moormann (Chaminade-Madonna Prep, FL) is a switch-hitting shortstop with great hands and incredible footspeed.  Mitch was named 2^nd team All-Broward County after his Junior season last year.  Broward schools contributed ten draft picks to the 2012 MLB draft, including a record three first round picks.  Moorman plans on majoring in Media Production at Emerson, and he joins a very solid group of previously verbally committed recruits: 

Clint Fontanella (Bishop Guertin HS, NH) is a fleet-footed outfielder and right handed pitcher who is expected to pull double duty at Emerson.  He is planning to major in Marketing Communications. 

Josh Kaplan (Glenbrook HS, IL) is a middle infielder with gap to gap power, great hands, and a good arm. He is planning to major in Journalism. 

Cal Laird (Fenwick HS, IL) is a left handed pitcher who works in the high 70s - low 80s and has a tall, wiry frame. He is planning to major in Film. 

Kyle Becker (Jericho HS, NY) is a middle infielder with a very short, quick swing, and runs very well. He is planning to major in Media Production. 

All five verbal commits are going to make a tremendous impact on the team right away in 2014, the Lions' first year in the NEWMAC conference. We are still waiting on verbal commitments from another 4-6 recruits. We will provide updates as we hear from them.

Spring Trip Recap

Well an 0-9 start to the season was certainly unexpected, but we learned a lot about the young squad this week.  The Lions looked like a different ball club on Friday and Saturday, losing close games to quality opponents Virginia Wesleyan and Gallaudet.  Senior Brandon Topp threw a gutsy and much needed complete game on Friday against a very good Virigina Wesleyan team who opened up their season against four top 25 teams.  The Lions and Marlins traded leads four times through the first five innings, with Virginia Wesleyan pulling away to a 6-3 lead after the sixth.  Emerson did not roll over though, as they scored one more in the 9^th and got the tying run up to bat before the last out. Topp finished with just 5 earned on 8 hits with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.

 

Looking to get the first win of the season on Saturday, the Lions traveled north to Washington DC to take on the Gallaudet Bison.  The field and weather that day were beautiful, and things looked good early.  Freshman Johnny Hasney singled up the middle in the top of the first, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and then moved to third on an infield single by Cal Ciarcia.  With two outs, the Lions successfully completed a double steal as Ciarcia beat the throw to second and Hasney scored easily without a play.  The 1-0 lead was short-lived though, as Gallaudet took a 4-1 lead into the fifth inning.  Junior James Sullivan started the inning off with a rocket to the shortstop that he could not handle, and he was moved over by a sac bunt by Hasney.  Zach Dean tripled, scoring Sullivan, and then scored two pitches later on a sac fly by Ciarcia.  Brightman would take over for Sammy Evers after another solid start, going 4 innings, walking no one and striking out one.  Evers was removed from the game after a would be base hit found his ankle and bounced directly to Dean at first base for the out.  

The score remained 4-3 until the top of the 8^th, when Zach Dean led off with a double to left center.  Cal Ciarcia hit a groundball to second to move the tying run to third, and Jesse Francese knocked Dean in with a single.   Woodfield was hit by a pitch and Jim Cain pinch ran for him.  With two outs, Senior Conor McDonough hit a sky high pop up that was misplayed by the second baseman.  Francese scored easily, and Cain never stopped hustling and scored from first to give Emerson the 6-4 lead.

Brightman threw 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball on one day’s rest before running into trouble in the bottom of the 8^th.  After retiring the leadoff man, he gave up a single and a double before issuing an intentional walk to load the bases.  Junior Nick Kelly was called upon to get out of the jam, and he did just that, inducing a popup and a groundout to strand all three runners.  After a scoreless top half of the 9^th, with Emerson still leading by two, Kelly walked the first hitter of the inning, but settled down and got two fly ball outs.  With two strikes Gallaudet first baseman Jeremy Adams fouled off three pitches and then hooked a low fast ball down the line for the game tying home run.   

McDonough showed off the wheels in the top of the 10^th, legging out a two-out infield hit and then stealing second, where he was unfortunately stranded.  Gallaudet pinch hitter Tyler Crace walked to lead off the bottom half of the inning, and after he advanced to second on a wild pitch, the next hitter was intentionally walked to set up the force.  The Bison gave Emerson a little hope when they ran into an out on the next pitch when Crace got too big of a secondary lead on a wild pitch and was gunned down by catcher Steve Cameron.  The next batter was retired on a lazy fly ball to right field, but centerfielder Will Bissell was able to get a ball through the left side of the infield with two outs, scoring the run just ahead of a great throw by Sullivan from left. 

Although the Lions went winless, a lot of necessary experience was gained that will be valuable in our last year of the GNAC. 

A statistical summary of the week:  

Junior James Sullivan scored 7 runs and stole 4 bases without being caught, hitting .308.

Freshman Steve Cameron is 3 for his last 6 and finished with a .370 OBP for the week, walking 6 times and being hit by a pitch.

Ciarcia, Dean, and Woodfield are pacing the run production, combining for 13 RBI on the young season. 

Freshman Johnny Hasney has had a good start to his collegiate career, averaging a hit a game, while knocking in 3 runs, scoring 3, and stealing 2 bags. 

Sophomore Sammy Evers had the most impressive week on the mound, throwing 13 innings, allowing just 7 earned runs, walking only 3, and striking out 4. 

Sophomore Zach Dean is currently on an 8-11 tear, including 3 doubles and a triple, contributing to his .467 average, .568 on base percentage, and .700 slugging percentage!

Rough Start for Young Lions

The 2013 season is certainly not off to the start that Emerson had hoped for.  The lack of experience and some scattered injuries have led to an 0-6 start for the Lions.  Despite the poor record, there have been some bright spots during the week.  Junior James Sullivan is hitting .435 with 10 hits and 4 runs scored. Sophomore Zach Dean and Junior Cal Ciarcia are hitting .316 and .304 respectively.  Through his first six college games, Freshman Johnny Hasney is sitting at .368 and playing great defense at second base.  On the mound, Sophomore Sammy Evers has thrown 9 innings over two games, allowing just three earned runs while recording three strikeouts.

Tuesday night, the coaches went to dinner with baseball alumnus Pete Hall (2010).  We went to the site of Emerson Baseball's first team dinner in 2007 -- the Giant Crab.  It was nice to recall the last six seasons and all of the characters that have come through the program.  Drew Sumner will be happy to hear that we did not see Kent Anderson going back for more crab legs.

Opening Day 2013

The 2013 Lions' first game is in less than 5 hours.  Emerson College takes on Mount Aloysius at 6:30 PM at The Ripken Experience's Ebbets Field.  The game will be the Mounties' fourth game this season, as they are currently 0-2 and play Catholic University this afternoon at 3:00 PM.

Emerson will start four Freshmen -- Cameron, Francese, Hasney, Cain-- and a transfer Junior -- Johnson-- in their first collegiate games tonight alongside returners Sullivan, Ciarcia, Dean, Woodfield and Kelly.

Tonight's game is the first of 11 that the Lions will play in the next eight days.

The lineup card is pictured to the left.  Click on the image to open in larger window.