Baseball

BENNINGTON, Vt. - The Southern Vermont College baseball team may have been voted last in the preseason polls by the New England Collegiate Conference but it does not stop them from getting national recognition. Junior shortstop Brett Pawlak and sophomore captain catcher Dan Cook were listed in the national publication Collegiate Baseball this January as players to watch in Division III baseball.

Pawlak put up solid numbers last season batting .328 and only striking out 7 times. Defensively he led the team with 96 assists at shortstop. Cook led the team with a .351 batting average, 22 RBI's, and 20 walks while starting all 33 games as a freshman.

"Being recognized in college baseball news is a big honor it caught me somewhat off guard," said Pawlak. "It just goes to show that having a great squad and a great coach along the way helps you to accomplish dreams that were once thought unattainable."

In Head Coach Don Schaffer's second season at Southern Vermont College, he will try to improve upon last season's 8-25 record. Last year's win total equaled that of the previous 6 years combined, the most for an SVC baseball team in 20 years. An excellent recruiter, Schaffer has revamped the face of the Mountaineer program. Only one player remains from the previous era. With many speed threats the team will run the bases aggressively. Pitching is much improved. Schaffer's recruits will help team defense go from a weakness to a strength.

"I am looking forward to starting the season, and I know that the guys have been chomping at the bit to get out of the gym and onto the field," said Coach Schaffer.

The most competitive position in 2009 for the Mountaineers will be catcher. Newcomers Eric Wells (Athens, Pa.) and Keith Diotte (Cambridge, N.Y.) will challenge incumbent starter sophomore Dan Cook (Watervliet, N.Y.). Cook garnered Second-Team Independent All-American honors in 2008 and possesses a strong arm, is a solid blocker, and is a natural team leader.

Dan Cook

Brett Pawlak

Cook was named captain at the end of last season after leading the team in many offensive categories, and will likely be the designated hitter (DH) when not poised behind the dish. When Cook is catching Wells will fill the DH slot with his smooth left handed stroke. He looks to take advantage of the short-porched Bill Epstein Field.  Diotte will also get innings behind the plate and will be able to use his great athletic skills to help bolster the outfield and third base at times.

The pitching rotation features strong right handed returners Tim Johnson (Bernardsville, N.J.) and Adam Northup (Richmond, R.I.). Competing for the other rotation spots will be tall righty Ben Naaktgeboren (Cambridge, N.Y.), Wells, freshman Andrew Morin (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.), and recent transfer Will Warner (Waterford, Conn.).

"The addition of pitching Coach Todd Herrington to the coaching staff will be a great bonus for our pitchers," Coach Schaffer said. "Todd brings the same type of insight and enthusiasm to the pitching staff that Coach Ethan Kipnes does for the hitters. It certainly makes my job easier when I have two great baseball minds like them to lean on."

The bullpen is upgraded from last year with Eric Gardner (Thompson, Conn.) and Pete Metzler (Lawrence, Kan.) in middle relief roles and three strong arms at the back end. The set-up / closer roles will be filled by location specialist Dave Gage (Gloversville, N.Y.) and the hard throwing tandem of junior Brett Pawlak (Ansonia, Conn.) and freshman Hank Blethen (Enfield, Conn.).

Most of the Mountaineers' strong infield from last year returns, as sophomores Johnson and Northup will share time at first base and DH when not pitching. Both are extremely smooth glove men with outstanding arms and athleticism not ordinarily found in first basemen. The middle looks solid as Second-Team Independent All-American Gage will start at second and lead-off. Gage will be backed up by the capable freshman Ian Valentine (Newfield, N.Y.).

Brett Pawlak returns at shortstop, hoping to improve on an injury plagued sophomore season which still saw him garner Third-Team Independent All-American honors. Pawlak has one of the strongest arms on the team at shortstop and routinely makes plays that many other shortstops would not attempt. Metzler will provide solid back up when Pawlak pitches or needs a rest. The hot corner is a wide open race with Rob Murawski (Franklin Square, N.Y.), Roger Manning (Southbury, Conn.), and Metzler dueling it out for the starter's job. Valentine, Diotte, and Warner may help out there as well.

The outfield has seen the biggest upgrade with three very talented freshmen set to start. Pat Warrington (Folcroft, Pa.) will start in center and be able to cover a ton of ground. He swings a great bat and is solid all the way around. Strong armed Blethen will patrol right field with a center fielder's range, while Andrew Morin gets the nod in left. Eric Gardner will also see time in the outfield, as well as the speedy Diotte.

Wells will hit in the five hole (designated hitter), and will share duties with Cook, Northup, and Johnson. All are capable power threats with the ability to use the whole field and will offer Coach Schaffer a lot of flexibility with the lineup.

"Although we were picked last in the conference this year, I am expecting much better things out of this crew of fine young men," added Coach Schaffer.

The Mountaineers season kicked off last Saturday in a doubleheader against Southern Virginia. They lost both games 6-0 and 6-5 to fall to an 0-2 start and look to improve this Saturday in Fort Myers, Fla. when they kickoff their 10 game Florida trip. Warrington went 3-7 in the series while Diotte had two runs batted in with a single in the second game.