Garnet Baseball Ready to Rock and Roll
The Garnet baseball team is prepared to take a giant step forward in 2008. Swarthmore returns all but two members from last year's squad and have added some fresh faces that will contribute right away. With a new line-up and team dynamic, the team turns to their seniors for leadership in a quest to for the program’s first berth in the Centennial playoffs.
The Swarthmore baseball squad begins the season with two non-conference games before heading south to Tampa, Fla. for the annual spring-training trip. During the seven-game road trip, the Garnet face Division-III teams such as SUNY-IT, Beloit, Cazenovia and Daniel Webster.
Leading the Garnet offense will be third baseman Conor Casey ’09 (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) (pictured left), who hit at a .316 clip last season and had a .857 stolen base percentage. Sophomore right fielder Jimmy Gill (Lewes, Del. / Cape Henlopen) (pictured lower right) posted a solid freshman campaign, leading the team in both runs batted in (22) and total bases (37), starting in all 29 games.
Senior captain Scott Dalane ’08 (Vernon, N.J. / Vernon Township) is one of the top defensive outfielders in the Centennial, using speed to cover gap to gap stealing extra base hits from opponents. Dalane also showed pop at the plate, highlighted by a 4-for-6 effort, with a three-run home run and four runs scored, in a 14-8 win at Haverford on April 21.
Defensively the Garnet are strong up the middle, led by Dalane in centerfield. Shortstop Thomas Nakamura ’10 (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) and second baseman Kevin Kooi ’09 (Lafayette, Calif. - College Preparatory School [Oakland, Calif.]) are a talented double-play combination while Matt Corso ’10 (Paramus, N.J. / Paramus) and James Beall ’11 (New York, N.Y. / The Collegiate School) are both solid options at first base.
Experience will be key behind the plate. The Garnet will employ seniors Travis Allen (Suffield, Conn. / Loomis Chaffee) and Ben Mendelson (Lewiston, Maine / Lewiston). Wiley Archibald ’10 (Berkeley, Calif. / The College Preparatory School) moves from the infield to catcher and should provide much-needed depth to the Garnet catching corps. Archibald’s bat was potent in 2007 – the sophomore hit .340 in Conference play with a .426 on-base percentage.
The Garnet pitching staff has its work cut out and the Swarthmore coaches will mix in new arms with veterans in hopes of neutralizing some of the best bats in the Conference. Sophomore Zach Sinemus (Short Hills, N.J. / Milburn) is the top-returning starter, having won consecutive starts against Centennial-foes McDaniel and Haverford. Senior Justin Chen (Media, Pa. / Penncrest) is a versatile right-hander with the ability to pitch in different situations—he made 13 appearances in 2007, including six trips in from the bullpen. Junior Dylan Smith (Patchogue, N.Y. / Patchogue-Medford) is back for his third season out of the bullpen, having made 19 appearances while converting both of his save chances in 2007. Smith was particularly effective against left-handed batters, allowing on four hits in 16 at bats in such situations.
Second-year Swarthmore head coach Stan Exeter sees his young team finding its way in the competitive Centennial Conference, “This is a season where our players can see what it means to compete day-in and day-out, during both practices and games. The Swarthmore players are a dedicated group wanting to take the program to the next level—I am excited for the challenge that lies ahead.”
Swarthmore takes Clothier Field in the season opener on March 2 facing Vassar in a double header at 1:00 p.m. The Garnet return from Florida for another home twin bill against City College of New York on Sunday, March 16. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.