Last year, the RPI baseball team won its eighth UCAA Championship and appeared in the NCAA tournament for the 12th straight year. Many of the players on last year’s team have graduated, but the remaining players still have their sights set on winning another UCAA Championship and returning to the NCAA tournament. The team is practicing hard as it prepares for a 10-game training trip to Florida.
Even with the loss of the team’s three leading hitters and five pitchers, Head Coach Karl Steffen believes the team’s goal of reaching the World Series is a realistic one. “We still have a lot of good players,” he stated.
The team’s three best hitters—Matt Faraone, Pat Hughes, and Seth Shuket—as well as pitchers Hughes, Ryan McGough, Thomas Obermeyer, Justin Pappas, and Aaron Seibert graduated last year, leaving gaps in the lineup for the remaining Red Hawks to fill.
In a change from last year, Coach Steffen decided to not name captains this year. Senior Flynn Cochran doesn’t feel that the team needs named captains. “There are still leaders on the team,” he commented. According to Cochran, the seniors, including himself, need to step it up on the field to help encourage the younger players. He also enjoys being on the team. “It’s one of the winningest programs at RPI,” he commented, “It’s a great group of guys. They know how to have fun and be dedicated.”
While the starting rotation is still not set, there are many talented pitchers available this season. Returning to the mound this year are Brian Brzek, Max Miller, Brian Rickert, and Erik Thunell. Other returning pitchers for RPI are Chris Sullivan, Charles Yarnold, Rich Mundy, Ryan Ool, and Dan Walker.
Behind the plate will be Brian Marine and Jason Pollard. Pollard, a freshman, has a strong throwing arm that will help strengthen Rensselaer’s defense.
Power-hitter Dan Quinn will once again be manning first base, with Collin Adalian backing him up. At second base this year will be Cochran, and backing him up will be Rickert. Third base will be played by Joe Ihnatolya. He will be backed up by John Olson, a transfer from Navy. The shortstop position will be patrolled by Marc Shumsker.
In the outfield, Ryan Meron will be stationed in left field, Mike Passante will be in center field, and Nick Parenteau will be playing right field. Backing up Meron, Passante, and Parenteau will be BG Porter and Peter Neylan.
The team also has a good group of new players to help fill the voids left by graduation. Pitcher Luke Calzone, Pollard, and Olson are all players that could have an immediate impact for the team.
The Red Hawks will have some tough competition ahead of them. According to Steffen, “The league is very challenging this year.” Clarkson University, University of Rochester, St. Lawrence University, and Vassar College each has a team that could contend for the UCAA Championship this season.”
After the training trip, the Red Hawks will play games at Stevens and William Patterson before their home opener March 24 against Oneonta State. The Red Hawks play their games at Robison Field, and admission is free.
