2016 NECBL Preview: Upper Valley Nighthawks

Former Laconia general manager Noah Crane has branched off to start the Nighthawks, an expansion team in Crane’s hometown of Hartford, Vermont. Crane’s reputation as one of the top GM’s in the league is well-deserved, as the 37-year-old former baseball player has built a well-stocked roster. His teams are always competitive, and this year should be no exception. The pitching staff has several intriguing prospects, and a lot of offensive potential in the lineup. The Muskrats were perennial contenders, so it'll be no surprise if Upper Valley has a strong inaugural season.

Notable

UNCW's Brian Mims had a breakout season this spring, earning nationwide recognition.

Sophomore Cullen Dana (Seton Hall) had an excellent freshman season, earning All-Big East Second Team honors. The hard-throwing left-hander made 12 starts for the Pirates, striking out 66 and allowing just 52 hits in 72 innings of work. He posted a 2.75 ERA and a minuscule 1.06 WHIP...Crane brought junior Brian Mims (UNCW) with him from Laconia, where he hit .303 last summer. He exploded this spring for the Seahawks, and is in the running for the Dick Howser Trophy, which is given to the top player in college baseball. Mims slashed .370/.443/.614 with 16 doubles, 14 home runs, 63 RBIs, and 70 runs scored...Sophomore Walker Grisanti (Vanderbilt) earned kudos from coach Tim Corbin after launching a home run to lift the Commodores past Texas A&M in the SEC tournament. Grisanti only had 43 at-bats, but showed his talent by hitting .350 for Vanderbilt.

Pitchers
Cordes Baker - SO - USCL - Juco pitcher with 11.3 K/9 and a 3.56 ERA out of the bullpen
Mike Coss - JR - Marist - Second on team in appearances (21) with impressive 4.8 K/BB ratio
Cullen Dana - SO - Seton Hall - Made 12 starts with a 2.75 ERA while allowing just 6.5 hits per nine
Dakota Edwards - JR - Bridgeport - Had a 4.65 ERA, threw a no-hitter for North Adams last summer
Wes Engle - SO - Texas St - 10+ ERA over seven innings of work
Nick Jones - SR - Kansas St - Second on team in appearances (26) as a matchup reliever
Brian Lau - SR - St Josephs - Catcher/pitcher who had an ERA over 6 in 14 innings
Billy Layne - SO - Seton Hall - 37th round draft pick who didn’t pitch this spring
Joseph Levasseur - SR - St. Anselm - Made nine starts with a 2.1 K/BB ratio, 4.24 ERA over 57 innings
Bill Maier - SR - Iona - Strong reliever last year for Laconia, but had a 7+ ERA over 13 starts this spring
Luke Reilly - SR - La Salle - Power starter who made 12 starts with a 7.6 K/9 and 3.1 K/BB ratio.
Ryan Takacs - SO - Manhattan - Walked 31 in 33 innings, contributing to a shaky 9.62 ERA
Dylan Verdonk - SO - Seton Hall - Nine shutout innings this spring for the Pirates
Jarod Yoakam - JR - Cincinnati - Has made a team-high 49 appearances the last two years, but control issues

Catchers
James Morisano - JR - St. Louis - Hit .262 with six home runs, 19 RBIs, and 25 runs
AJ Walden - JR - Ala. Huntsville - Crushed 14 home runs, 12 doubles, and drove in 53 runs

Infielders
Sean Breen - SO - Iona - Aggressive hitter (.291) who struck out just 13 times in 175 at bats
Grayson Byrd - JR - Clemson - Transfer from LSU who sat out this spring, 39th round draft pick
Zach Canada - JR - UNCW - .303 average with 13 extra base hits and 28 RBIs
Charlie Concannon - SO - St Joseph’s - Piled up 19 doubles and 38 RBIs with a .282 average
Matt Maul - JR - St Joseph’s - Saw his batting average dip as a sophomore, but still hit .249 with five SB
Brian Mims - JR - UNCW - Talented second basemen in the running for the Dick Howser Trophy

Outfielders
Joey Denison - SR - Troy - Team-high .322 average with 14 doubles and seven stolen bases
Walker Grisanti - SO - Vanderbilt - Came off the bench for 43 at bats and hit .349/.481/.605
Alex Hanson - JR - St. Petersburg - Second on team with .370 average, team-best 37 stolen bases
Trent Leimkuehler - SR - St. Louis - Slugger who hit 13 doubles, 10 home runs and had a .502 SLG
Grayson Padgett - SO - Houston - Hit .300 in 20 at bats for the the Cougars

2016 NECBL Preview: Mystic Schooners

The reigning Southern Division champions came up just shy last season, and they’ll carry that status over as a team to beat. In 2015, the key was a stellar pitching staff that ranked first in ERA and strikeouts -- but the offense also ranked third in team average. Expect more of the same this year on the mound, but the lineup will be loaded. The Schooners are bringing in a talented group of hitters who led their respective teams this spring, including eight players who hit over .300.

Notable

Oklahoma State's J.R. Davis is a five-tool player who will slot in at the leadoff role. /NewOK

Senior J.R. Davis (Oklahoma State) had quite the spring campaign for the Cowboys, helping guide them to a super regional appearance. An All-Tournament selection at the Clemson regional, Davis hit .360/.441/.457 with 12 doubles, nine stolen bases, and a 1.3 BB/K ratio. Standing just 5-9, Davis is a sparkplug atop the Oklahoma State lineup, and is currently working on a 19-game on-base streak...Sophomore Tim Cate (UConn) was the AAC Conference Rookie of the Year, bursting onto the scene and establishing himself as a mainstay in the Huskies rotation. A southpaw, Cate held opponents to a .193 batting average against, piled up 101 strikeouts, and earned the nod to start the Huskies regional opener...Senior Zach Goldstein (SNHU) will be a force to be reckoned with, as he’s coming off a stellar spring. Goldstein slashed .345/.447/.528, slugged 17 doubles, five triples, and five home runs. He also was 26-of-27 on stolen base attempts, drew 30 walks, and scored 68 runs (15th in D-II)...A pair of returning infielders catch my eye. Richard Slenker (Yale) hit .325 in 29 games for the Schooners last year, then came back to New Haven and led the team with a .342 mark. Nick Mascelli (Wagner) was one of the hardest players to strike out in D-I, going 17.7 at bats in between each one. He finished with a team-high .374 average and drew threw more walks than strikeouts.

Pitchers
Matt Ardente - SO - Seton Hall - Dominant out of the bullpen, with 1.73 ERA and 23 K’s in 26 innings
Tyler Buffet - SR - Oklahoma St - 66 strikeouts in 67 innings over a team-high 34 appearances
Justin Cashman - SO - Hartford - Struggled out of the pen with an ERA just under five
Tim Cate - SO - UConn - Stellar starter, 5-1 record with 2.73 ERA over 13 starts
Ryan Connolly - SO - Nebraska - Didn’t pitch as a freshman in Lincoln
Kellen Croce - JR - New Haven - Struck out 44 over 45 innings and eight starts
Doug Domnarski - SR - UConn - Go-to matchup reliever with team-high 29 appearances
Kyle Dube - SR - Fairfield - Moved to the rotation and made 15 starts with a 4.09 ERA
Mason Kukowski - JR - Yale - Hybrid starter/reliever who posted a 5.89 ERA over 44 innings
Kevin Magee - JR - St. Johns - Went 1-5 in eight starts with a 4.72 ERA
Zach Ours - SO - Little Rock - Walked 13 batters in 11 innings with a 6.35 ERA
Willie Rios - JR - Miami - Transfer to FSW and had 64 strikeouts in 54 innings
Joe Rivera - JR - UConn - Posted a 1.93 ERA over nine relief appearances and 14 innings
Carson Teel - SO - Oklahoma St - Struck out 16 in 15 innings with a 2.93 ERA
Ryan Thomas - SR - Marist - Has 29 career saves for Marist, including 12 this spring (23rd in D1)

Catchers
Brett Bond - JR - Missouri - Hit seven home runs and five doubles, but had a subpar .219 average
Rob Sprafke - JR - UConn Avery Point - Hit .250 over 68 at bats
Zac Susi - SO - UConn - Jumped into a starting role as a freshman and hit .250 with eight doubles

Infielders
Scotty Bradley - SO - Indiana - Slashed .257/.313/.343 in 43 games as a freshman
J.R. Davis - SR - Oklahoma St - Offensive juggernaut atop the Cowboys lineup
Zach Goldstein - SR - SNHU - Dominated D-II, hitting .345 with 17 doubles and 26 stolen bases
Chase Lunceford - SR - La. Tech - Hit .311 with 11 home runs and 10 doubles
Nick Mascelli - SR - Wagner - Struck out just 11 times in 195 at bats, team-high .374 average
Richard Slenker - SR - Yale - Team-high .342 average with 18 doubles, 10 stolen bases

Outfielders
Casey Baker - SR - Stony Brook - Led team with a .314 average and drove in 31 runs
Martin Figueroa - SR - Rhode Island - Great season, hitting .327 with 43 RBI, 22 doubles
CJ Moore - SR - Grambling St - Hit .240 for Monroe College and will transfer to Grambling St
Pete Papcun - JR - Monmouth - Hit .309 but struck out almost a third of the time
Ryan Ramiz - JR - Seton Hall - Raised his average 18 points, swiped 13 bases
Taishi Terashima - SR - St. Bonaventure - Struck out just 12 times in 199 at bats, eight stolen bases

2016 NECBL Preview: New Bedford Bay Sox

All the way back to their Torrington Twisters days, the Bay Sox are still searching for their first championship in franchise history. New Bedford bounced back in 2015 after two straight losing seasons, but were swept out of the first round of the playoffs by Mystic. The Bay Sox strength this season comes from lower division talent, as a few impact players are coming from D-II and D-III. They have several returning players from last year’s 22-20 squad, so it’ll be interesting to see how they can come together.

Notables

St. Bonaventure's Brandon Schlimm had a strong spring. 

Junior Brandon Schlimm (St. Bonaventure) was one of the top pitchers in the Atlantic 10 conference, finishing with a 2.11 ERA (33rd in D-I), three complete games (37th), and a 1.00 WHIP (34th). He made 13 starts and totaled 94 innings, so his workload will be light in New Bedford this summer...Junior Dan Southerland (Wheaton) had a 2.60 ERA over eight appearances out of the bullpen for the Bay Sox last summer, and returns after a stellar spring. He finished with a 2.27 ERA and ranked near the top in D-III in several categories. An All-New England First Team selection, Southerland had a 0.77 WHIP (second in D-III), 1.14 BB/9 (24th),  and a 5.33 K/BB ratio (44th)...Outfielder Ryan Baldwin (Barry) was named an Honorable Mention on the D-II All-American Team, hitting a team-best .369 and he tied for 4th in the SSC in home runs, fifth in the SSC in walks, and eighth in the SSC in RBI.

Pitchers
Austin Cline - SO - Dayton - 2.11 K/BB ratio over 10 starts and 72 innings of work
Chris Cobb - SR - North Georgia - 8.7 K/9 with a 3.49 ERA as a starter and reliever
Dylan Collett - SR - St. Leo - Gave up seven home runs and had a 6+ ERA over 80 innings
Adam Fournier - SR - Franklin Pierce - Gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings this spring
Matt Leon - JR - Seton Hall - Reliable reliever with 3.1 K/BB ratio over 26 appearances
Evan McMahon - SR - Nevada - Team-high 25 appearances with six saves and 5+ ERA
Nick Miceli - SR - Wesleyan - Starter/reliever who went 6-1 with four saves and a 3.46 ERA
Derrick Pickvet - SO - North Georgia - Reliever who had a 2.03 ERA over 19 outings
P.J. Poulin - SO - UConn - Made 14 appearances and had a 2.00 WHIP with a 4.15 ERA
Darrien Ragins - JR - Delaware St. - Had an ERA just under seven but averaged 11.2 K/9
Gabriel Rodriguez - SO - Eastern Florida St - 11.7 K/9 with a 4.05 ERA over 20 innings of work
Brandon Schlimm - JR - St. Bonaventure - Stellar starter with a 2.11 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 2.78 K/BB ratio
John Sostarich - SR - Sacred Heart - Reliable starter who went 4-3 with a 3.98 ERA over 10 starts
Daniel Southerland - JR - Wheaton - Excellent starter for Wheaton, who went 7-2 with 2.27 ERA
Michael Young - JR - Stonehill - Followed up an excellent freshman season with a solid sophomore campaign

Catchers
Jacob Friar - SR - Sacred Heart - Hit just .136 last summer with the Sox, but hit .288 this spring
Andrew Penner - JR - LA Valley Col - Slugged .379 with 25 RBIs, 20 runs scored

Infielders
Chandler Debrosse - SO - CCSU - Only had 18 at bats this season, his first in Connecticut
Robbie Doring - JR - Dayton - Slugged 13 doubles and eight home runs, swiped 10 bases
Connor Hoover - JR - North Georgia - Extremely patient, with 45 walks in 51 games
Zach Perry - JR - Northeastern - Hit .275 with nine doubles and 19 RBIs over 100 at bats
Ted Shaw - SR - Sacred Heart - .256/.368/.338 for the returning Bay Sox, had .273 average last summer

Outfielders
Ryan Baldwin - JR- Barry - Team-high .369 average with 15 doubles, 13 home runs, 12 stolen bases
T.J. Dixon - SR - Samford - Returning Bay Sox hit .262 last summer, boosted it to .299 this spring
Keith Kelbart - SR - Sacred Heart - Played six games for Mystic last season, hit .250 this spring
Alex Mata - SR - St. Leo - Piled up 23 doubles and a team-high .388 average with nine home runs

2016 NECBL Preview: Danbury Westerners

Danbury enters the 2016 season searching for their first postseason appearances since 2012. The last few years, simply put, haven’t been pretty. In 2012, they went 23-18 and lost in the league finals, but they’ve gone a league-worst 43-84 since then, good for a .339 winning percentage. What doomed them last year was their pitching, as they finished last in the league in ERA (5.42), almost a point-and-a-half worse then the next-worst team. The bullpen will be a strength this season, but several incoming pitchers have struggled with control, so the Westerners could lead the league in walks and hits batsmen. Offensively, there are several standouts, so it’ll be interesting to see if they can provide enough run support. A .500 season would be a good place to start, as they’ve gone 13-29 and finished last each of the past two seasons.

Notable

Lafayette's Steven Cohen provides some pop in the Westerners order. /Lafayette Athletics

Starter/reliever Bryce Conley (Georgia State) either has overpowering stuff or shaky command. He finished third in D-I baseball with 23 hit batsmen in 59 innings, and 37th in strikeouts-per-nine with 10.68. It’ll be interesting to see what stuff he brings to Danbury....The Westerners lineup could struggle with putting the ball in play, as multiple players had very high strikeout rates...Junior infielder Steven Cohen (Lafayette) was a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American and followed it up with an excellent sophomore season, hitting .327 and earning All-Patriot League Second Team honors...Redshirt sophomore outfielder Frank Maldonado (Pitt) drastically improved on a rough freshman season. He raised his batting average 142 points to .330, showcased his speed with seven triples (good for seventh in D-I0, was hit 13 times, and didn’t commit an error in 96 chances...College teammates Justin Snyder (Bryant) and Ross Weiner (Bryant) will be a formidable duo in the back of the Westerners bullpen. Snyder will be a contender for reliever of the year, coming off a stellar spring where he led the Bulldogs with 10 saves and averaged 10.4 strikeouts-per-nine, while Weiner had a reliable 2.39 ERA over 15 appearances.

Pitchers
Jake Collins - SR - Mercyhurst - Held opponents to a .226 average over eight appearances out of the bullpen
Bryce Conley - SR - Georgia St - Finished third in D-I with 23 hit batters, but 70 strikeouts in 59 innings
Billy Devito- SO - Hartford - Compiled a 3.86 ERA over 23 innings out of the bullpen
Nick Gallagher - SO - Binghamton - Struggled with 6.53 ERA and and 1.63 WHIP in swing role
Will Jahn - JR - Northeastern - 7.16 ERA over 28 innings out of the Huskies pen
Randy Polonia - SO - UConn - Overpowering with 38 strikeouts in 25 innings
Justin Synder - JR - Bryant - Saved 10 games with a 2.35 ERA in a team-high 26 appearances
Dylan Stock - JR - Binghamton - Saved three games, but coughed up 12 earned runs in 18 innings
Ryan Testani - SR - Seton Hall - Had a strong freshman season but only threw nine innings as a junior
Alex Vargas - SR - Quinnipiac - Serious command issues with 43 walks in 29 innings
Ross Weiner - JR - Bryant - Two saves and a 2.39 ERA out of the bullpen
Tyler Zombro - SR - George Mason - 16th in BB/9 with 3.75 ERA over 14 starts

Catchers
Jason Agresti - JR - Binghamton - Slugged seven home runs and boasted a .484 slugging pct
Tyler Dietrich - SO - South Fla. - Second-leading hitter on S. Florida with .287 average
Nick Gatewood - SO - Georgia St. - Had limited at bats as a freshman and hit .171

Infielders
Shawn Blake - JR - Elon - Sat out this spring after transferring to Albany
Steven Cohen - JR - Lafayette- Had a tremendous spring, hitting .327 with 14 doubles
Coco Montes - SO - South Fla. - Struck out 25% of the time with a .218 average
Ryan Nelson - SR - Quinnipiac - Hit .291 in 100 at-bats for the Bobcats
Tyler Panno - SO - Bryant - Had four hits in 19 at bats as a freshman
Sebastiano Santorelli - SO - Seton Hall - Managed just two hits in 26 at bats as a freshman
Eddie Silva - JR - FIU - Hit 18 doubles and drove in 29 runs with a .293 average
Michael Van Degna - SO - Campbell - Struggled in limited at bats, hitting .152
David Villar - SO - South Fla. - Struck out 62 times in 55 games, hitting .239

Outfielders
Giovanni Dingcong - JR - St. Thomas Aquinas - Led team with a .356 average and six home runs
Kolby Follis - SR - FIU - Swiped 15 bases and hit .284 atop the order
Frank Maldonado - SR - Pitt - Finished seventh in country in triples (7), second on team with .330 mark
Jesse Uttendorfer - JR - NJIT - Third on team with .274 mark, 12 doubles, 13 stolen bases

NECBL champion Mountaineers kick off season Wednesday

Coming off of their first New England Collegiate Baseball League championship in six years, the Vermont Mountaineers once again figure to be a force to be reckoned with. Under the watchful eye of fourth-year manager Joe Brown, Vermont seeks a fourth straight appearance in the Northern Division finals behind a deep, talented roster. The first game is Wednesday.

“This team is very deep on pitching and speed and we have some guys with a lot of pop in their bats,” said Mountaineers General Manager Brian Gallagher. “We have a target on our backs after last year, but we’ll give our best effort to win it all again.”

Retaining Brown as manager was the pivotal first piece in reaching for the second back-to-back championship in team history, after Vermont won in 2006-07. One of the all-time most successful coaches in college baseball, Brown guided his top-ranked SUNY-Cortland baseball team to the Division III College World Series, coming up short of a national title. One of the league’s top managers, Brown is a savvy strategist who has two NECBL titles under his belt already, one with divisional rival Sanford in 2008.

“He’s an amazing coach and players really enjoy playing for him,” said Gallagher. “He always looks out for the best interest of the players and doesn’t overuse pitchers, which allows us to recruit from good programs that trust we’ll take care of their players. He’s also focused on having the players work hard and always give their best for the fans. And with that, winning comes.”

Last season the Mountaineers barged to 26 wins, negotiated the Northern bracket in exciting fashion and then topped the Mystic Schooners in the NECBL finals in three games. This season, along with Brown, they brought back a pair of pitchers while bringing in plenty of talent for a well-stocked roster. The prevailing objective? Repeat as champions.

The lineup

Last season, Vermont ranked third in runs scored and first in stolen bases. The aggressive style of Brown worked, culminating in the championship-clinching run coming off a squeeze bunt in the 10th inning of Game Three. Expect more of the same this year, especially with a strong-looking lineup.

It starts behind the plate, with the duo of Indiana University’s Ryan Fineman and University of Louisville’s Zeke Pinkham. Fineman enjoyed a stellar freshman campaign in Bloomington, boasting a slash line of .268/.342/.358, good enough for Big Ten All-Freshman honors. Pinkham, meanwhile, is a solid left-handed bat who was a key recruit for the fifth-ranked team in the country.

In the infield, a pair of rising seniors anchor the group in Seton Hall’s Mikael Mogues and Stony Brook’s Jeremy Giles. Mogues is a talented defensive first basemen, and has some pop to his bat. Standing 6 foot, 3 inches, and 260 pounds, Mogues had a .788 OPS this spring for the Pirates and showed patience at the plate with 40 walks in 56 games. Giles, meanwhile, was a leader for the Seawolves. He hit a walkoff RBI single in the America East semifinals, capping off a year where he hit a career-best .258 while manning the shortstop position.

Vermont also brought in a pair of switch-hitting freshman from top Division I programs in Arizona State third basemen Jeremy McCuin and Louisville’s David Little. McCuin hit just .154 in 91 at-bats for the Sun Devils this spring, but slugged a solo home run during a NCAA regional elimination game against Gonzaga on Sunday. Little didn’t see time for the Cardinals, but was recruited as a talented middle infielder. A scouting report in high school describes the 5-10 Little as an infielder “who shows soft hands, a quick exchange, and the ability to throw accurately on the move.”

Sophomore David Lett rounds out the infield, an Eastern Michigan shortstop with a long, lanky build who’s had early struggles offensively. Lett has hit just .201 over two full seasons with the Eagles, but is a talented bunter and swiped 17 bases.

Division II Le Moyne College sends its entire outfield to Vermont, with the trio of Donato DiNorcia, Gabe Levanti and JT Pittman all set to roam the spacious Recreation Field. Levanti, a Northeastern transfer, is arguably the best of the bunch. Also a catcher, Levanti hit .225 in two years with the Huskies, then surged to his best year yet, hitting .302/.368/.367 with five stolen bases and 25 RBIs. DiNorcia hit .259 with a team-high 18 stolen bases, while Pittman hit .262 and slugged 14 extra base hits.

They’re joined in the outfield by Arkansas, Little Rock’s Keegan Meyn, a top recruit out of Oklahoma. Meyn hit just .145 over 55 at bats with the Trojans. Fairfield’s Troy Sccocca hit .283 for the MAAC champion Stags, swiping five bases and driving in 35 runs.

The pitching staff

Vermont had one of the top pitching staffs in the NECBL last season, finishing first in the Northern Division in ERA (3.28), saves (15), and batting average against (.222). Look for more of that this season, with a deep group of pitchers that will be in good hands with Brown.

The southpaws of the group include Old Dominion’s Joey Benitez, who beat thyroid cancer to return to the mound. Villanova’s Woody Bryson, a dependable guy out of the bullpen, held opponents to a .220 batting average while piling up 48 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings of work. Manhattan’s Joe Jacques split time between the Jaspers rotation and bullpen, recording a 1.8 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 75 innings. Finally, Stony Brook’s Kevin Kernan had a stellar freshman season cut short by an elbow injury, but returned in 2016 to strike out four times as many batters as he walked with a save over 13 appearances.

The Mountaineers bring back a pair of right handers in Colchester High School graduate Sean Callahan, now at UMass Dartmouth, and Manhattan’s Joe Roccchietti, who threw five scoreless innings in the playoffs for Vermont, finishing with a 4.05 ERA over 13 1/3 innings. Callahan, meanwhile, threw 15 innings for the Mountaineers, posting a 4.20 ERA with eight strikeouts in 15 innings, primarily out of the bullpen.

A pair of towering right handers come from perennial Division I contenders: 6-foot, 9-inch player Fitz Stadler from Arizona State and 6-foot, 6-inch Sam Bordner from Louisville. Both threw out of the bullpen as freshman this spring. Stadler’s teammate Chris Isbell had a bigger role for the Sun Devils, posting a 2.84 ERA over 15 appearances.

Indiana right handers Chandler Sedat and Jonathan Stiever both join the lineup. Sedat only appeared in one game, but Stiever piled up 40 innings for the Hoosiers, striking out five times as many batters as he walked while finishing with a 2.47 ERA.

Rounding out the pitching staff is a group of right handers: Eastern Michigan’s Davis Feldman, Old Dominion’s Culver Lamb, Adelphi’s JT Santiago, and St. Louis’ Nick Vichio. Feldman held opponents to a .219 mark over 57 innings with the Eagles, while Lamb fanned 30 in 38 2/3 innings. Santiago was the ace for Adelphi this spring, striking out 78 in 74 innings while walking just nine. He made 10 starts, going 6-2 with a 2.54 ERA, and will be called upon for the Mountaineers rotation. Vichio was hampered by injury his first two years, but made 25 appearances out of the bullpen for the Billikens this spring.

Other notes

The Mountaineers open the season against the Upper Valley Nighthawks, an expansion team located in Hartford. The Nighthawks are run by former Laconia General Manager Noah Crane, a man with whom Gallagher and the Mountaineers are familiar.

“I’ve known him for five years and have a lot of respect for what he’s done with Laconia,” Gallagher said. “He’s now running a team from his hometown and is very involved. We work well together and it’ll be a great rivalry.”

Gallagher and Crane came up with the “Governor’s Cup,” which is an old milk can that will be engraved each year with the organization that wins the most games head to head. They face off on June 8 in the NECBL opener at Recreation Field, with first pitch at 6:30 p.m.

Crane’s former team, the Laconia Muskrats, changed its name to the Winnipesaukee Muskrats.

Not every player has arrived in Vermont yet, however, as the Mountaineers have multiple players who are playing in regionals during the NCAA tournament.

2016 NECBL Preview: Art of the Steal

A Mountaineer swipes second base during the 2014 season. Roger Crowley photo

At the start of the 2016 season, the Mountaineers are searching for a fourth straight appearance in the divisional finals and a second straight championship, all coming under the watchful eye of manager Joe Brown. Last season, Vermont was one of the top pitching teams in the league (3rd in ERA, 1st in BAA), but it was a different trend that lifted them to the cream of the crop. That particular brand of baseball? Aggressiveness on the basepaths.

Offensively, Vermont was a strong hitting team- fifth in team average- but they made the most of their chances. Look at this graph, for instance. This shows every NECBL teams number of stolen bases against their stolen base percentage over the past six years. Mountaineers seasons are highlighted in white.

The 2015 team swiped 100 bases, only the fourth team over the past six seasons to do so, and did it at an almost 80% success rate. Vermont’s success on the basepaths is only a continuation of prior seasons, as the Mountaineers of 2011 and 2012 broke the 100-stolen base mark also. Those two years ended in disappointment, but Brown’s management in 2015 lifted them to a championship.

They swiped 17 bases in the postseason, seven more than the Southern Division champion Mystic Schooners. It’s worth looking at the significance of these thefts, as they had seven in the championship series alone. In the decisive 10-inning win in Game 3, Vermont had five stolen bases.

One specific play that was huge at the time was a double steal. Holding on to a 1-0 lead in the fifth, Nick Ruppert was on first and Jack Parenty stood on second with two outs. They both took off, and Mystic catcher Lou Iannotti’s throw to third sailed by, allowing Parenty to hop up and score. At the time, it increased Vermont’s win expectancy by almost 11 percentage points, from 63.86% to 74.59%.

Manufacturing runs like that was evident throughout the year. They went on to win Game 3 via a squeeze bunt in the top of the tenth inning, and it was that type of productive smallball that gave them a championship. Of course, stolen bases don’t guarantee success. The Laconia Muskrats finished last in stolen base percentage (60.6%), two percentage points behind the Newport Gulls. Both teams made the postseason.

Looking at the Mountaineers success last season, what does that mean for this year? Going through their 2016 roster, two names jump out. Eastern Michigan infielder David Lett was a perfect 12-of-12 this spring, while Le Moyne outfielder Donanto DiNorcia has swiped 50 of 61 over his three years with the Dolphins. It'll be interesting to see if Brown and his new crop of players can top last season's mark of 100.

NECBL & the College World Series, Part I

The NECBL is regarded as one of the top summer collegiate leagues (not on the Cape), and the amount of talent coming this summer will only further that reputation. 70-plus incoming players are on teams in the D-I baseball tournament, from national seeds to underdogs. Some NECBL teams have more than others, but here's a rundown of each team's players they'll wait for.

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Danbury Westerners

Jesse Lepore (Miami)

Prospects: Nicholas Gallagher (Binghamton), Dylan Stock (Binghamton), Jason Agresti (Binghamton), Justin Snyder (Bryant), Ross Weiner (Bryant), Tyler Panno (Bryant), Randy Polonia (Connecticut), Jesse Lepore (Miami)

The Westerners, a year removed from a league-worst 13-29 record, have eight players competing in the postseason. Three come from Binghamton, the America East champion for the third time in the past four seasons. The top-seeded Bearcats were lifted in the conference tournament by the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Jason Agresti, who has a .291/.380/.503 slash line and went 3-for-4 in the championship game after hitting a clutch walkoff grand slam. Danbury also pulled in a trio of players from Bryant, the NEC champions for the third time in four years. Southpaw Justin Snyder led the Bulldogs with 25 appearances out of the bullpen, striking out 53 in 45 1/3 innings pitched. Ross Weiner has also been an important piece for Bryant, making 15 appearances and posting a 2.39 ERA over 26 1/3 innings of work. Randy Polonia made 24 appearances out of the bullpen for the AAC champions UCONN and had overpowering stuff. Polonia piled up 38 strikeouts over 28 innings while limiting opponents to a .233 batting average against. Finally, one of the top players coming for Danbury is Miami mid-week starter Jesse Lepore, who produced a sparkling 9-0 record with a 2.17 ERA over 12 starts. Lepore has thrown at least six innings in seven of his starts this season. The Hurricanes won the ACC and will host a regional.

Brandt Stallings (Georgia Tech)

Keene Swamp Bats
Prospects: Carmen Giampetruzzi (Boston College), Brandt Stallings (Georgia Tech), Derek Casey (Virginia), Tommy Doyle (Virginia), Daniel Lynch (Virginia), Bennett Sousa (Virginia)

The Virginia-Keene pipeline is alive and well, as the Swamp Bats reeled in four members from the defending champions. Daniel Lynch made his first appearance since April on Friday during the ACC tournament, retiring all four batters he faced, as he was sidelined with a back injury and untimely food poisoning. Tommy Doyle, who threw a scoreless inning in last years College World Series, made 20 appearances this year, finishing third on the team with 58 1/3 innings. Promising rising sophomore Derek Casey didn't pitch as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, while Bennett Sousa struggled with control out of the bullpen. Sousa struck out 23 in 25 innings, but also walked 19 and had opposing hitters bat .297 against him. Carmen Giampetruzzi only threw four innings this spring, as his Boston College squad made the tournament for the first time since 2009. Brandt Stallings has been a pivotal piece of Georgia Tech's outfield, appearing in 43 games. Over 143 at bats, Stallings posted a slash line of .308/.366/.569 with seven home runs and 33 RBIs.

Mystic Schooners
Prospects: Timothy Cate (Connecticut), Doug Domnarski (Connecticut), Joseph Rivera (Connecticut), Zac Susi (Connecticut), Chase Lunceford (Louisiana Tech), Ryan Connolly (Nebraska), Tyler Buffett (Oklahoma St), Carson Teel (Oklahoma St), Colin Simpson (Oklahoma St), J.R. Davis (Oklahoma St), Martin Figueroa (Rhode Island)

Tim Cate (UCONN)

Four players from the AAC champions UCONN are coming to Mystic, including reliable starter Tim Cate. Second on the Huskies in innings pitched (76.1), Cate posted a 2.71 ERA and struck out 95 while limiting opponents to a .190 batting average against. Joseph Rivera only made nine appearances for the Huskies, but was dominant, holding opponents to a .178 clip with a 1.93 ERA over 14 innings. Zac Susi is the Huskies everyday catcher, so Cate and Rivera will be familiar with him this summer. Susi's thrown out 11 of 43 runners stealing on him while hitting .257 at the plate over 45 games. Chase Lunceford has been a force at the plate for at-large bid Louisiana Tech, posting a .325/.400/.581 with a team-high 11 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 40 runs. Four more players come to Connecticut from Oklahoma State, a two-seed in the Clemson regional. Reliever Carson Teel has 16 strikeouts in 15 innings for the Cowboys, good for a 2.93 ERA. Right-hander Tyler Buffett leads the team with 33 appearances out of the bullpen, with 60 strikeouts over 60 1/3 innings. Buffett is 6-3 with a team-best nine saves, and has been a reliable option in the Oklahoma State pen. Finally, J.R. Davis has been one of the Cowboys best hitters this year. Boasting a .352/.439/.456 slash line, Davis has a 1.3:1 BB/K ratio to go with eight stolen bases. Finally, with the Atlantic 10 champions, Martin Figueroa of Rhode Island has enjoyed a strong spring. Figueroa hit .329 in 53 games, piling up 20 doubles while driving in a team-high 41 runs.

New Bedford Bay Sox
Prospect: P.J. Poulin (Connecticut, yet to register an at-bat this season)

Newport Gulls
Prospects: Denny Brady (East Carolina), Dwanya Williams-Sutton (East Carolina), Adam Wolf (Louisville), Devin Mann (Louisville), Remey Reed (Oklahoma St), Matthew McGarry (Vanderbilt), Connor Kaiser (Vanderbilt), Stephen Scott (Vanderbilt), Ben Breazeale (Wake Forest), Nate Mondou (Wake Forest)

Connor Kaiser (Vanderbilt)

It's no surprise that Newport, the winningest franchise in NECBL history, has quite a few players. First-team All-AAC selection Dwanya Williams-Sutton put together an excellent season for East Carolina, hitting .368/.465/.587 over 50 games. Williams-Sutton had 20 extra-base hits, swiped seven bases, and drove in five runs. Left-handed reliever Adam Wolf is the first of the two Louisville products. Wolf has a 3.5 K/BB ratio over 14 innings with a 1.38 ERA. Teammate Devin Mann hit .307 over 88 at bats in a utility role with nine doubles. Opposing batters are hitting just .202 against Oklahoma State's Remey Reed, a reliever with 23 appearances under his belt. Reed has 44 strikeouts over 35 1/3 innings pitched. Three more players come from Vanderbilt, a regional host who lost in the finals last year. Connor Kaiser has been a key part of the Commodores lineup on the left side of the infield, playing in 34 games while hitting at a .279 clip. Ben Breazeale has been the everyday catcher for Wake Forest for three years now, and is a career .244 hitter. He drove in 31 runs for the Demon Deacon's this spring, and had a 1:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Teammate Nate Mondou followed up his First Team All-ACC sophomore season with a similar campaign this spring, hitting .303/.385/.410 with 18 extra-base hits. Mondou has 20 home runs over three years with Wake Forest, driving in 113 runs. He's played at least 50 games in each of the past three seasons.

North Adams SteepleCats
Prospects: Daniel Holst (Southeast Missouri St U), Edward Haus (St. Marys Col)

Daniel Holst hit .322/.474/.507 for the Redhawks in the regular season, slugging 11 doubles and seven home runs. Holst also swiped 22 bases (out of 26 attempts), drew 53 walks to 48 strikeouts, and scored 59 runs. Edward Haus, the MVP of the Hamptons League last summer, hit .268 in 53 games for the Gaels. Haus legged out 13 doubles and drove in 26 runs.

Ocean State Waves

Brian Rapp (BC)

Prospects: Brian Rapp (Boston College), John Witkowski (Boston College), Gian Martellini (Boston College), Logan Lessard (Bryant), Nick Angelini (Bryant), Daniel Keating (Southern Miss), Tyler Keller (Stetson), Ben Onyshko (Stetson), Jack Perkins (Stetson), Dom Grillo (Rhode Island), Chris Hess (Rhode Island)

Reliever Brian Rapp got the win in Boston College's ACC championship game win over Georgia Tech, punching their ticket to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009. Rapp piled up 39 strikeouts over 26.1 innings of work, holding opposing hitters to a .235 average. Teammate Gian Martellini hit .233 with 14 RBIs over 26 games, while John Witkowski had 16 strikeouts in 14 innings of relief. Bryant freshman outfielder Nick Angelini has excelled, hitting .356 over 51 games, earning the NEC Rookie of the Year honor. Angelini played in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League last summer with Nashua, and the experience gained paid off. He has an almost-.500 on-base percentage along with nine stolen bases. Daniel Keating hit almost .300 for the C-USA champions Southern Miss, homering five times and stealing seven bases. Three more players come from Stetson, headlined by reliever Ben Onyshko, who's fanned 42 over 38 innings of work. Onyshko has split time between the bullpen and rotation for the Hatters, who are a .500 team that went on a run through the Atlantic Sun tournament. Dom Grillo, a reliable reliever, and Chris Hess, a talented hitter, both will come from the Atlantic 10 champions Rhode Island.

Plymouth Pilgrims
Prospects: Thomas Lane (Boston College), Blake Workman (Cal State Fullerton), CJ Dandeneau (Connecticut), Cole Gordon (Mississippi St)

Freshman Thomas Lane immediately had a place with the Eagles, making 11 appearances with seven starts- but he had a 6.83 ERA and gave up quite a few hits. C.J. Dandeneau, a redshirt freshman for the Huskies, made 20 appearances out of the bullpen. He posted a 21:5 K/BB ratio over 21 innings. Dandeneau was an All-Star last summer in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League with the Brockton Rox.

Sanford Mainers
Prospects: CJ Krowiak (Binghamton), Brendan Skidkmore (Binghamton), Joseph Orlando (Binghamton), Brandon Bingel (Bryant), Ryan O'Connor (Fairfield), Ben Wessel (Rhode Island), Jordan Powell (Rhode Island), Michael Landestoy (TCU), Dalton Brown (TCU), Tristan Chari (Vanderbilt)

Jordan Powell (Rhode Island)

The Mainers have an impressive 10 players in the tournament, starting with two key pieces of the Atlantic 10 champions Rhode Island. Jordan Powell led the Rams with a .348/.405/.429 slash line, as the starting centerfielder drove in 25 runs and swiped 13 bases. Starter Ben Wessel made 12 starts and continued his improvement, lowering his ERA by two points while striking out 54 over 76 innings. Binghamton's CJ Krowiak was on the America East Rookie Team and followed it up with a strong campaign, hitting .322 with 10 doubles and 16 RBIs. Teammate Brendan Skidmore also had a good spring, hitting .315 with a team-high nine home runs and 42 RBIs. Ryan O'Connor was Fairfield's go-to starter/reliever combo this spring, but struggled as opposing batters hit at a .312 clip. TCU's Michael Landestoy was used primarily off the bench, but made the most of his 48 at bats. He hit .313 with 11 RBIs and 11 runs scored.

Upper Valley Nighthawks
Prospects: Grayson Byrd (Clemson), Walker Grisanti (Vanderbilt), Brian Mims (UNCW), Zack Canada (UNCW)

Walker Grisanti (Vanderbilt)

Clemson's Grayson Byrd had to sit out this spring after transferring from LSU, but baseball is in his blood. The son of a former major leaguer Paul, Byrd is a slick-fielding infielder who emerged as a prep star in suburban Atlanta. Vanderbilt's Walker Grisanti has only had 42 at bats this year as a utility player, but he hit .357 with 10 RBIs and 15 runs scored. Grisanti hit his first career home run, a go-ahead solo shot in the ninth, to lead the Commodores over No. 1 Texas A&M in the SEC tournament. Two more players come from at-large bid UNC-Wilmington, both crucial pieces of the Seahawks lineup. Brian Mims, an All-CAA Conference selection, is hitting .367 with 13 home runs, 15 doubles, and 56 RBIs. Teammate Zack Canada has a .301/.376/.434 slash line with 25 RBIs and 30 runs scored as a member of UNCW's strong offense.

Valley Blue Sox
Prospects: Trent Astle (Xavier), Greg Jacknewitz (Xavier)- pair of relievers for the Musketeers

Vermont Mountaineers
Prospects: Jeremy McCuin (Arizona St), Christian Isbell (Arizona St), Fitzpatrick Stadler (Arizona St), Trevor Holmes (Connecticut), Troy Scocca (Fairfield), Daniel Little (Louisville), Sam Bordner (Louisville), Zeke Pinkham (Louisville)

The Mountaineers have several players coming from Arizona State, headed up by reliever Christian Isbell. The Sun Devil right-hander posted a 2.84 ERA over 15 appearances, striking out 10 over 19 innings. Teammate Jeremy McCuin struggled this spring, hitting just .161 over 26 games. Fairfield, making their first appearance in the tournament, is led by Troy Scocca, who hit .277/.373/.435 with five home runs, 34 RBIs, and five stolen bases. Louisville righthander Sam Bordner has been reliable in the bullpen, striking out 21 in 20 2/3 innings of work and even picking up a save.

Winnipesaukee Muskrats
Prospects: Anthony Maselli (Boston Col), Paul Campbell (Clemson)

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It's pretty cool to see all of these players on top teams will be coming to New England this summer, and if you took the time to read through all of the teams above, you'll know what to watch over the ensuing weeks. Some players might be quick outs, but other's will be with their teams through Omaha. 

An interesting study worth pursuing is how teams form connections with college programs, at least over the last few years. There's definitely players from Vanderbilt who routinely end up with the Gulls, and Keene has had a Virginia connection as I briefly talked about earlier. Overall, the teams sending players here are some of the best in the league.