2016 Regional Tournament Preview - Part One

This is part one of our regional preview capsules before tournament play begins on Thursday. In this first post, we give a very short preview for each team in four of the eight regions, beginning with the Atlantic, East, South and Southeast regions.


** ATLANTIC REGION **
Host: Millersville
Site: Owls Field at Ted Palka Park, West Lawn, Pa.
Regional Tournament Page

(Reg. Rank. Team (D2 Record), Conference, SOS, SOS Rank, Notes)
1. Millersville (47-5), PSAC, .526, 89th, PSAC Regular Season/East Division Champions
2. West Chester (36-12), PSAC, .560, 27th, PSAC Tournament Champions, PSAC East Division 2nd Place
3. Mercyhurst (39-12), PSAC, .537, 60th, PSAC West Division Champions
4. Shepherd (37-13), MEC, .480, 211th, MEC Tournament Champions
5. Seton Hill (38-16), PSAC, .545, 46th, PSAC West Division 2nd Place
6. East Stroudsburg (36-16), PSAC, .529, 85th, PSAC East Division 3rd Place
7. Chowan (26-24), CIAA, .467, 229th, CIAA Tournament Champions

We are not ones to make predictions when it comes to results in baseball, but when it comes to Millersville, they are the overwhelming favorites on paper. They have one of the top starting pitchers in the country behind Brandon Miller (10-1, 1.67 ERA, 5 CG, 80.2 IP, 89 K, .165 BAA), and they have by far the best offense in the region with a .359 (!) team batting average. The Stoltzfus', including Mitch (.435, 17 2B, 10 HR, 61 RBI, .681 SLG) and Dan (.415, 20 2B, 6 HR, 66 RBI, .621 SLG), lead the way for one of the best offenses in the country.

West Chester doesn't have the obscene numbers that some of their PSAC brethren do, but they have been on a tear as of late, obviously evident by their PSAC tournament title. Their offense has been led by Drew Diehl (.378, 18 2B, 8 HR, 36 RBI, .638 SLG, .470 OBP), and the pitching staff doesn't have the dominating player like most of the teams here do, but Nick Stallings (5-2, 3.20 ERA, 45.0 IP, 43 K, .234 BAA) and Andrew Gernert (8-1, 4.03 ERA, 58.0 IP, 51 K) are a more than serviceable top two, while Josh McClain (1-0, 2.85 ERA, 8 SV, 41.0 IP, 32 K, .265 BAA) is the top guy out of their bullpen.

The reason Miller isn't the runaway top pitcher in this region is because Mercyhurst made it. And they have maybe an even better pitcher in Colin McKee (10-1, 1.69 ERA, 6 CG, 85.0 IP, 131 K, .157 BAA), and probably have the best rotation in the tournament with Cam Knott (8-3, 2.24 ERA, 68.1 IP, 80 K, .214 BAA) and Joe Gnacinski (7-1, 2.97 ERA, .235 BAA) holding down the top three spots. Offensively, the Lakers are no slouches themselves. Austin Alonge (.424, 19 2B, 6 HR, 38 RBI, .673 SLG, .517 OBP) and Hank Morrison (.422, 15 2B, 10 HR, 52 RBI, .705 SLG, .497 OBP) might be the top offensive duo in the tournament.

A surprising rival to Millersville's offense, Shepherd is a big proponent of the long ball. As a team, the Rams have blasted 70 home runs this year and batted .336 as a team. They have three guys with double digit home runs, led by Tre Porter (.385, 7 2B, 5 3B, 19 HR, 45 RBI, .822 SLG, .500 OBP), who is one of the top deep threats in the nation. JJ Sarty (.382, 10 2B, 11 HR, 60 RBI) and Daniel Heleine (.324, 14 2B, 14 HR, 51 RBI, .638 SLG) are both candidates to deposit the ball over the fence at any point, as well. On the mound, the Rams leave a bit to be desired, particularly in the bullpen, but Sam Crater (9-0, 3.12 ERA, 4 CG, 52.0 IP, 40 K) was named the MEC's Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season.

Seton Hill actually has hit 76 homers this season and have *four* guys with 10 or more round-trippers on the year, and even more impressively, they have slugged an absurd 127 doubles. SEVEN guys have at least 11 doubles this year, and the leader of this extra-base offense this year has been Zac Heide (.428, 16 2B, 3 3B, 16 HR, 63 RBI, .832 SLG, .545 OBP), who has drawn 12 more walks (38) than he has strikeouts (26). Chris Miller (.380, 13 2B, 13 HR, 54 RBI, .663 SLG, .470 OBP), Matt Malacane (.357, 14 2B, 14 HR, 60 RBI, .643 SLG) and Mark Colella (.324, 10 HR, 32 RBI, .588 SLG) have also surpassed the double digit home run mark. Not to mention the team has stolen 127-of-172 bases compared to allowing only 28 stolen bases in 41 attempts this year. Perry DellaValle (8-1, 1.98 ERA, 5 CG, 81.2 IP, 79 K, .227 BAA) and Mike Bittel (8-2, 3.59 ERA, 7 CG, 77.2 IP, 81 K, .240 BAA) are two of the better strikeout artists in the region, while Tyler Morder (6-2, 2.83 ERA, .209 BAA) adds on to create a very good top three for the Griffins.

You might remember East Stroudsburg from such early-season claims as "best offense in the country"...and that didn't change too much as the season wore on, either. The Warriors finished the year with a .354 team batting average, led by Robert Bennie (.413, 19 2B, 10 HR, 53 RBI, .670 SLG, .477 OBP) in nearly every category. Not only does he have power, but he also stole 19 bases (in 22 attempts), making him an all-around threat on offense. ESU is a prime candidate for a first-round upset, mostly thanks to the ace they can roll out against Mercyhurst in the opening round, Matt Festa (11-1, 2.14 ERA, 8 CG, 80.0 IP, 95 K, .203 BAA). While the Lakers will roll out quite an ace of their own, any time you have a top flight pitcher on the mound, you have a chance to win.

Without sugarcoating it, Chowan has an awfully tough uphill climb here to compete in the region. The CIAA tournament champions have some decent numbers, batting .328 as a team, but their schedule has left a lot to be desired, ranking by far the worst in the region. Zach Cooper (.400, 19 2B, 5 3B, 42 RBI, .442 OBP) and Connor Arcobasso (.370, 17 2B, 39 RBI, .603 SLG, .448 OBP) are a more than capable duo at the plate for the Hawks, while Cody Smith (9-2, 2.48 ERA, 3 CG, 62.0 IP, 74 K, .178 BAA) is a bonafide ace. All three of those guys were First-Team All-CIAA selections.

** EAST REGION **
Host: Franklin Pierce
Site: Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field, Rindge, N.H.
Regional Tournament Page

(Reg. Rank. Team (D2 Record), Conference, SOS, SOS Rank, Notes)
1. Franklin Pierce (45-6), NE-10, .499, 168th, NE-10 Regular Season Champions
2. Southern New Hampshire (45-5), NE-10, .488, 196th, NE-10 Tournament Champions
3. St. Thomas Aquinas (35-15), ECC, .460, 237th, ECC Regular Season Champions
4. Felician (33-19), CACC, .509, 142nd, CACC Regular Season/Tournament Champions
5. Bridgeport (27-22-1), ECC, .515, 120th, ECC Regular Season 4th Place
6. Molloy (31-21), ECC, .505, 153rd, ECC Regular Season 3rd Place
7. Dowling (27-23), ECC, ..519, 105th, ECC Tournament Champions, ECC Regular Season 2nd Place

The top team in the East region for most of the season and one of the best in the country, Franklin Pierce features one of the top hitters in the country in Jay Jabs (.376, 11 2B, 3 3B, 14 HR, 60 RBI, 16 SB, .688 SLG, .485 OBP), although they really shine when it comes to the pitching staff. Anthony Matarazzo (10-0, 1.49 ERA, 2 CG, 78.1 IP, 68 K), Paul Covelle (9-1, 2.03 ERA, 4 CG, 84.1 IP, 86 K) and John Amendola (6-1, 2.21 ERA, 77.1 IP, 62 K) all have ridiculous numbers across the board to form one of the best starting rotations in the country, even if the conference and regional competition are taken in to account.

If you want to take in an impressive offensive number from any of these impressive offensive numbers that are being shared, it might belong to Mike Mastroberti, he of *13* triples on the season. He is batting .365 with 15 2B, 4 HR, 58 RBI a .607 slugging percentage, as well. He forms a formidable trio with Manny Cruz (.377, 13 2B, 35 RBI, .492 OBP) and Carson Helms (.373, 19 2B, 8 HR, 50 RBI, .649 SLG) at the plate for the Penmen, On the mound, SNHU actually goes four deep pretty effectively, led by a couple strikeout artists in Justin Valdespina (9-3, 2.72 ERA, 2 CG, 76.0 IP, 86 K) and Tim Viehoff (8-1, 2.77 ERA, 2 CG, 81.1 IP, 100 K). Not to mention Alex Person (9-0, 2.99 ERA, 69.1 IP, 53 K) and last but not least, Ben Criscuolo (8-0, 3.09 ERA, 3 CG, 67.0 IP, 47 K), who twirled a no-hitter earlier this season.

Contrary to the staggering offensive numbers elsewhere, St. Thomas Aquinas is on another level of the spectrum, with a team batting average of only .280 and a team leader of only .317 in Nicholas Gargan (.317, 13 2B, 5 HR, 21 RBI, .583 SLG). Nobody on the team has driven in more than 34 runs, but they are consistent across the board, with still seven of their starters batting over .300 on the season. Like every other team in this region, STA also has quite an ace to roll out on the mound in Matt Kostalos (7-0, 1.41 ERA, 3 CG, 89.2 IP, 105 K), the leader of a very potent three-headed monster that will start for the Spartans.

For Felician, they are on the train of consistency on offense as well, with all nine regular starters having driven in at least 22 runs, led by Andrew LaMura (.352, 14 2B, 8 HR, 54 RBI, .546 SLG) and his 54 RBI. And again, like every other team in this region, Felician has a very good duo of pitchers to roll out for the first two games of the tournament if they choose to do so in Jason Polgano (7-1, 2.15 ERA, 2 CG, 62.2 IP, 49 K) and Matt Blandino (8-4, 2.53 ERA, 3 CG, 92.2 IP, 92 K).

It is much the same story for Bridgeport, which put together a huge run in the ECC tournament to cement their spot in the regional. The Knights' offense is led by Casey McCone (.368, 10 2B, 5 HR, 36 RBI) and Alnaydo Rodriguez (.331, 14 2B, 9 HR, 40 RBI, .597 SLG), while the pitching staff doesn't really have the ace-caliber pitcher that some of the others in this region do. They have a part-time starter in Rob Anderson (4-1, 2.03 ERA, 9 APP., 6 GS, 40.0 IP, 41 K, .185 BAA) who leads the team in ERA, as well as Matt Van Riper (5-2, 2.52 ERA, 15 APP., 7 GS, 50.0 IP, 32 K, .253 BAA) who is third on the team in ERA. They do have one of the best full-time relievers in the region in Adam Thayer (1-1, 2.18 ERA, 17 APP., 33.0 IP, 18 K, .213 BAA).

Molloy is yet another team that shows consistency across the board on offense, with seven guys batting over .300 and six who have driven in at least 26 runs this season. For the Lions, their starting pitching staff can do some damage as it is led by Ronald Bauer (7-2, 1.92 ERA, 2 CG, 79.2 IP, 51 K, .186 BAA) and Bobby Kelly (6-2, 2.91 ERA, 2 CG, 65.0 IP, 43 K, .218 BAA) can take down any opponent at any point if they are on their games.

The ECC Tournament Champions Dowling needed their tournament victory to get in the regional, and they did just that with a spectacular run. In terms of numbers, Dowling doesn't compare well to the other schools, considering they have a team batting average of only .261 and two regulars batting over .300 (Michael Rizzitello, .336 AVG, 6 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 32 RBI and RJ Going (.319, 16 2B, 3 3B, 23 RBI), but they have a very consistent pitching staff led by John Parisi (5-4, 2.59 ERA, 59.0 IP, 50 K), who tops a starting staff whose top three all carry an ERA below 3.50.

** SOUTH REGION **
Host: Tampa
Site: UT Baseball Field, Tampa, Fla.
Regional Tournament Page

(Reg. Rank. Team (D2 Record), Conference, SOS, SOS Rank, Notes)
1. Tampa (41-8), SSC, .579, 9th, SSC Regular Season Champions
2. West Florida (33-15), GSC, .572, 13th, GSC Regular Season Champions
3. Nova Southeastern (34-14), SSC, .555, 31st, SSC Regular Season 2nd Place
4. Delta State (35-15), GSC, .530, 83rd, GSC Tournament Champions, GSC Regular Season 2nd Place
5. Lynn (27-20), SSC, .592, 3rd, SSC Regular Season 4th Place
6. West Georgia (39-14), GSC, .506, 151st, GSC Regular Season 4th Place
7. Claflin (20-27), .481, 208th, SIAC Tournament Champions

There isn't much to say about Tampa that hasn't already been said. They are the defending national champions, the top team in by far the best conference of Division II baseball, and are almost an unstoppable force at any point in the year. They are batting .350 as a team with too many notable numbers to point out, though I will mention that they have three guys batting over .420 (!) and there is not a single easy at-bat in the entire lineup. There's no superstars, just a 1-9 of spectacular players. If you want a chance to beat the Spartans, it usually has to be with a lucky game on the mound, and not missing mistakes while you are at the plate. Their top full-time starter still has an ERA north of 4.00, which leaves the door open a little bit, but they are still throwing heat. Good luck.

For the Argos, their offense doesn't have a lot of extra-base power, with only three players north of five home runs and only one guy who has 10+ doubles. They don't have steal many bases, either, but they are just a solid team all around. In the offense they do have, Justin Ambrosino (.367, 9 2B, 26 RBI), Kyle Hamner (.349, 6 2B), and Jean Figueroa (.305, 8 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 33 RBI) lead the way, while Nic Strasser (.297, 16 2B, 8 HR, 44 RBI) is the lone real power source in the UWF lineup. What the Argos lack in pop at the plate, however, they more than make up for in their pitching staff. JT Granat (8-3, 2.38 ERA, 72.0 IP, 54 K, .247 BAA) and Walker O'Connor (8-2, 3.63 ERA, 79.1 IP, 55 K) are a good starting duo, but the bullpen is where they really shine. Jarrod Petree (6-2, 1.64 ERA, 20 APP., 44.0 IP, 42 K, .180 BAA) and Steve McClellan (2-0, 2.02 ERA, 9 SV, 21 APP., 26.2 IP, 26 K, .252 BAA) are the two go-to guys, who can shut down a game in the final two innings with the best of them.

The Sharks of Nova Southeastern got off to a bit of a slow start this season, taking a fall in the rankings in the early going, but got back on track in a big way once the conference season started. NSU has a potent offense led by one of the best power hitters in the country in Brandon Gomez (.345, 13 2B, 3 3B, 19 HR, 68 RBI, .731 SLG) and he is joined by a host of table-setters that includes Dylan Woods (.348, 6 2B, 5 HR, 27 RBI) and Kevin Suarez (.341, 11 2B, 26 RBI). On the mound, NSU's 1 and 2 are about as good as they come in Alex Mateo (7-4, 3.18 ERA, 87.2 IP, 80 K, .249 BAA) and Julian Loret de Mola (6-2, 2.59 ERA, 62.2 IP, 54 K, .226 BAA), and they also have one of the best relievers in the country in Devin Raftery (0-1, 1.17 ERA, 11 SV, 22 APP., 38.1 IP, 66 K (!), .179 BAA).

Delta State couldn't claim the regular season GSC crown, but they ran roughshod through the GSC Tournament with an incredible offense. The Statesmen hit .352 as a team this year, led by a trio of guys hitting over .400 in Will Robertson (.426, 27 2B (!), 8 HR, 71 RBI, .676 SLG, .492 OBP), Erick Santiago (.407, 6 2B, 3 HR, 26 RBI, .454 OBP) and Trent Giambrone (.403, 21 2B, 9 HR, 50 RBI, .646 SLG, .451 OBP). Dalton Moats (10-3, 2.97 ERA, 5 CG, 97.0 IP, 101 K) and Tre Hobbs (12-1, 3.07 ERA, 8 CG, 91.0 IP, 65 K) are two of the best bulldog inning-eaters in the nation for DSU's rotation.

Speaking of offense, this region begins and ends with the most dangerous hitter in the region, which belongs to Lynn and John Silviano (.411, 13 2B, 30 HR, 73 RBI, .535 OBP, .958 SLG). Silviano is 2nd in the nation in home runs, and leads a Fighting Knights offense that has hit 101 home runs as a team. And they need that offense, too, considering their pitching staff carries a team ERA of 7.22.

West Georgia doesn't have a huge power threat in the lineup, but they do have a lineup that consists of six guys who are in double digits for two-baggers, all of which are batting over .300, as well. Cade Marlowe (.420, 12 2B, 26 RBI, .491 OBP) and Caleb Lopes (.409, 16 2B, 8 HR, 49 RBI, .624 SLG, .515 OBP) are the two guys in the lineup north of .400 and leading the team in batting average, while Matthew Norton (7-1, 2.86 ERA, 3 CG, 78.2 IP, 49 K, .255 BAA) and Brandon Goldsmith (9-1, 3.45 ERA, 3 CG, 88.2 IP, 67 K, .256 BAA) hold down the top two spots in the rotation.

In another case of not being able to sugarcoat the uphill battle they have, Claflin is going to need some luck and huge performances to compete in this regional. They don't have a powerful offense, but they do have a speedy one, as they have stolen 127 bases in 144 attempts, led by Jabari Brown's 33 swipes in 35 attempts. Jesse Minter is hitting .337 with 25 stolen bases in 29 attempts, while the biggest power threat in the lineup is Rashad Bivens (.315, 11 2B, 6 HR, 45 RBI). On the mound, it is going to be a tournament of limiting the damage for Claflin, as the pitching staff carries a team ERA of 8.44.

** SOUTHEAST REGION **
Host: Columbus State
Site: Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field, Columbus, Ga.
Regional Tournament Page

(Reg. Rank. Team (D2 Record), Conference, SOS, SOS Rank, Notes)
1. Columbus State (40-12), PBC, .531, 78th, PBC Regular Season and Tournament Champions
2. Lander (38-14), PBC, .536, 62nd, PBC Regular Season 2nd Place
3. Belmont Abbey (38-14-1), Conf. Carolinas, .498, 173rd, Conference Carolinas Regular Season 3rd Place
4. USC Aiken (37-16), PBC, .534, 67th, PBC Regular Season 3rd Place
5. Tusculum (36-16), SAC, .536, 63rd, SAC Regular Season 2nd Place
6. Catawba (34-19), SAC, .587, 6th, SAC Regular Season Champions
7. Mount Olive (30-19), Conf. Carolinas, .566, 22nd, Conference Carolinas Tournament Champions

When it comes to extra-base power, there aren't many better in the country than the Cougars of Columbus State. CSU blasted 128 doubles and 80 home runs as a team in addition to batting at a .346 clip. Mike McClellan (.415, 12 2B, 18 HR, 70 RBI, .726 SLG, .500 OBP) is one of the top hitters in the nation, while Ryan Ihle (.416, 19 2B, 5 HR, 49 RBI, .470 OBP) has been one of the best table setters a team could ask for. They have a pair of players with at least 20 doubles in Blake Edwards (.391, 21 2B, 8 HR, 51 RBI) and Jackson Oliver (.370, 20 2B, 8 HR, 59 RBI), and two more guys with at least 13 home runs in Christian Miller and Matt Nettles. That offense has been needed all year with the pitching staff carrying a team ERA of nearly 5.50, but the Cougars do have two very good relievers in Robert Hayes (2-1, 3.28 ERA, 19 APP) and Kolton Ingram (2-3, 3.46 ERA, 19 APP).

The Bearcats had a spectacular comeback season after a disappointing 2015, and they did it with a solid combination of both hitting and pitching. Colby Lusignan (.402, 18 2B, 12 HR, 60 RBI, .679 SLG, .500 OBP) finished the year over .400, while Thomas Berry (.333, 12 2B, 13 HR, 56 RBI, .608 SLG, .484 OBP), Matt White (.306, 11 HR, 39 RBI) and Zach Daly (.303, 21 HR, 71 RBI, .633 SLG) are all in double digits for home runs. On the mound, their best starter this year has been Will Jones (8-2, 3.51 ERA, 92.1 IP, 87 K), but the bullpen is where they shine, led by Brandon White (3-2, 0.84 ERA, 10 SV, 27 APP., 32.0 IP, 45 K, .169 BAA).

Like the typical baseball team, Belmont Abbey has a good combination of on-base guys and power guys in the lineup. Everyone is capable of hitting for extra bases, as the Crusaders have 135 doubles on the year, led by Colin Rosenbaum (.400, 22 2B, 43 RBI, .485 OBP) and Weston Clarke (.383, 21 2B, 6 HR, 36 RBI)...after they inevitably end up on second base, it is Nick Beinlich (.340, 13 2B, 12 HR, 43 RBI) and Nick Nunziato (10 2B, 18 HR, 56 RBI) waiting there to drive them in. The Crusaders don't have any eye-popping numbers on the mound, but Blake Waldren (6-3, 2.97 ERA, 72.2 IP, 63 K) has been their best starter all season, while Tyler Byrnes (7-3, 3.62 ERA, 92.0 IP) has been the top innings man for the team by a healthy margin.

For the Pacers of USC Aiken, it is a spectacular contact hitter in Max Schoen (.412, 15 2B, 6 HR, 41 RBI, .470 OBP) followed by a trio of incredible power hitters in Zach Moon (.367, 14 2B, 16 HR, 66 RBI, .480 OBP), Mitchell Price (.333, 13 HR, 56 RBI) and Brian Parreira (.318, 11 2B, 13 HR, 39 RBI, .437 OBP). For the pitching staff, it has been a bit of a patchwork for the Pacers, with a host of guys toeing the rubber for at least five starts this year. Their best on the season has been Erik Davis (4-2, 3.20 ERA, 70.1 IP, 81 K) thanks to a boatload of strikeouts.

Ah, Tusculum. One of my favorite teams to talk about, almost exclusively because of one guy. The offense has one huge power threat in Kevin Victoriano (.316, 14 2B, 17 HR, 41 RBI, .684 SLG), the only guy on the team with more than eight home runs, but the top player on this team, and maybe in the whole region, is taking the mound for the Pioneers. Placido Torres (10-0, 0.67 ERA, 6 CG, 107.0 IP, 150 K, .149 BAA) has been an incredible force all year and *should* be the National Pitcher of the Year when the time comes. His *lowest* strikeout total in a start this year was seven, and he cleared the double digit strikeout mark eight times in his 13 starts, his high water mark being 17 in a 9-inning, 1-hitter against Stillman back in February.

Catawba, last year's national runners-up, are still a force to be reckoned with thanks to one of the top hitters in the country in Will Albertson. An MLB draft pick last season, Albertson came back to school and did not disappoint, batting .416 with 16 doubles, 15 home runs, 59 RBI, a .710 slugging percentage and a .508 on-base percentage. He led the team in most offensive categories, but also had a lot of help from Chance Bowden (.328, 31 2B (!), 5 HR, 47 RBI), Dylan Richardson (.321, 16 2B, 11 HR, 53 RBI, .576 SLG), and Malachi Hanes (.301, 11 2B, 13 HR, 50 RBI, .602 SLG), a number of which were significant contributors in last year's D-II Finals. The pitching staff is thankful for that potent offense, considering the team carries a team ERA just shy of 6.00.

Mount Olive needed a tournament championship to earn their spot in the regional and did just that. The Trojans usually have a couple All-American candidates on their team, but this squad was a little different. UMO used a balanced offense rather than a couple superstars to score their runs, led by Zak Orrison (.392, 14 2B, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 35/39 SB), Stephen Wallace (.314, 11 2B, 12 HR, 35 RBI) and Joe Koehler (10 HR, 37 RBI). What possibly makes them the most dangerous is that they have a potent three-headed monster in the starting rotation, led by high-strikeout guys Austin Hutchison (6-3, 3.18 ERA, 3 CG, 93.1 IP, 90 K) and Bruce Zimmerman (9-2, 3.23 ERA, 5 CG, 92.0 IP, 102 K) to go along with a very economical Brighton Hudson (7-3, 3.18 ERA, 76.1 IP, 37 K), none of whom are seniors. The Trojans actually didn't have a single senior pitch in more than six games this season, which bodes well for 2017 and beyond, but even for this season, they are a dangerous team to want to face as a low seed.