WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Hartford baseball team opens its 2010 season on Wednesday when it visits the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils at 2:30 p.m.
Hartford will be looking to improve upon a 15-32 season last year and advance to the America East Championship. The Hawks finished 7-15 in the league last season in a year plagued by injuries, especially to the pitching staff. Head coach Jeff Calcaterra returns 18 letterwinners from last year's squad, including standout catchers Mike Amendola and Andy Drexel. Amendola's .475 on-base percentage led the team last year, while Drexel finished tops on the team in batting average (.363), home runs (7) and RBIs (49).
“We are returning the majority of our starting lineup, minus Ben Sobocinski and Brady Stouffer,” Calcaterra pointed out. “Weston Syzmanski is the only pitcher that we've lost from last year's staff. We feel like we have the ability to be a better ballclub than what we were last year.”
Despite the injuries which riddled last year's staff, the Hawks are confident that they have developed the depth and talent to improve the rotation for 2010, headlined by the return of redshirt junior Chris Greiner from injury. Junior college transfer Vinny Fiore, redshirt junior Steve Sobocinski, sophomore Cory Beahm and freshmen Brian Rice and Tyler Corsi are expected to form the core of the staff. Coach Calcaterra expects 12 pitchers to see time on the mound for the Hawks in the early going as the team more carefully defines roles for the hurlers and identifies a focused group who can carry them through conference play.
Joining the staff for the 2010 season is Jerry Shank, who will serve as a full-time pitching coach. His experience, as well as the addition of Brian Stasaitis and the return of Inaki Ormaechea, has helped nurture a talented group of athletes, giving reason for optimism heading into the season in West Hartford.
“With the additions of Coach Shank and Coach Stasaitis, we now have a full-time pitching coach,” Calcaterra said. “We also have Coach Ormaechea here full time, so our staff dynamics leave me very comfortable about where we are as a staff.”
The Hawks, who last season finished second in the America East in fielding percentage at .964, are excited about their defensive strength heading into 2010, especially in the middle of the diamond.
“One of the things we've taken pride in is our ability to be solid defensively, and I think we have the opportunity to be even better defensively than we have been the last two years,” Calcaterra emphasized. “We're pretty solid up the middle. Simon Kudernatsch as a junior at shortstop and sophomore Cory Beahm at second base will make up the middle of the infield. Andy Drexel and Mike Amendola, as well as Alex Bulger are all good catch-and-throw guys who can manage the game behind the plate. Andrew Siano is coming back for his sophomore year in center field. With his speed, we feel that defensively, up the middle, we are going to be pretty solid. We have a group of guys that can fill the corner spots, but there is going to be a lot of competition during the spring for those positions.”
Hartford opens its season at home on Wednesday before heading south to Florida. In the Sunshine State, the Hawks will take on Central Florida for three games March 12-14 before meeting Akron for a single game in Winter Haven on the 15th.
After returning from Florida, 11 of the Hawks' 15 games leading into conference play will be at home. These include two double headers with Yale, twin bills with Harvard and Sacred Heart, and single games with Fairfield, Connecticut and Bryant. The Hawks will visit Boston College, UMass, Bryant and Holy Cross before opening America East play by welcoming UMBC to Fiondella Field for doubleheaders on April 10-11.
In all, 28 of the Hawks' 50 games will be played on the familiar turf of Fiondella Field.
Hartford is hoping to conclude its season May 26-28 at the America East Championship. The top four teams in the six-team league advance to the tournament. Hartford was picked to finish fifth by the America East preseason poll released last week, but with the return of so many players whose presence was sorely missed last season, the Hawks expect to do better than that.
“Those injured guys from last year are on the mend, and should hopefully be at 100% with the season getting underway,” Calcaterra assured. “So guys like Chris Greiner are going to return healthy. Andy Drexel should be at 100%. Simon Kudernatsch should be at 100%. We are returning the majority of our starting lineup, minus Ben and Brady. Weston is the only pitcher that we've lost from last year's staff. We feel like we have the ability to be a better ballclub than what we were last year.”
