BROOKLYN - The LIU Brooklyn baseball team opens its 2013 season on Feb. 22-24 with a three-game series against High Point in North Carolina. The Blackbirds return 19 letterwinners and nine newcomers to a program that looks to take the next step in their quest of a Northeast Conference championship.
2013 SEASON PREVIEW
PITCHERS
The Blackbirds boast one of the deepest pitching rotations in the NEC, with three of its four weekend starters returning from last season. The staff will also get a shot in the arm from the return of junior Justin Topa, who missed all of last season due to injury.
Topa, one of the premier prospects in the Northeast, was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in last season's MLB Amateur Draft despite not throwing an inning for the Blackbirds.
“We win or lose games on the mound,” head baseball coach Don Maines said. “Our overall strength is the depth of our pitching staff, from top to bottom.”
Topa provides LIU with another legitimate arm in the starting rotation. Prior to his injury, the 6-4 righthander struck out 119 batters in 138.0 innings in two seasons at LIU while picking up 12 victories.
Senior Chris Franzese was an innings-eater last season, leading the team with 94.1 innings pitched in 16 appearances. Franzese tossed five complete games, accumulated 57 strikeouts and will once again be counted on near the top of the rotation.
Named the 2012 Northeast Conference Freshman of the Year by College Sports Madness, now-sophomore Jordan Wilcox is primed for a breakout campaign. In 11 starts, Wilcox compiled a 3-1 record with an impressive 2.81 ERA including eight shutout innings in a season-ending win over Fairleigh Dickinson.
Left-hander Matt McCormick earned six wins and tied with Franzese for the team lead in complete games a year ago, but will miss the entire 2013 season due to injury.
McCormick's injury opens the door for a number of players vying for the fourth spot in the rotation. One candidate, senior left-hander Brad Reimer, saw the majority of his action last year in relief, tossing 25.2 innings in 11 appearances.
Sophomore Chance Fuglistahler, a recipient of an NEC Rookie of the Week award last year, jockeyed between the rotation and the bullpen last season but did have an impressive 55 strikeouts in 59.1 innings. He'll also figure into the mix.
Senior Tito Marrero returns at the backend of the bullpen for the Blackbirds in 2013. Also the team's starting first baseman, Marrero compiled a 1.61 ERA with a team-high six saves last season.
Classmate Evan Zerff and sophomore Rafael Guerrero provide a one-two punch in the setup role. Zerff, a right-handed competitor, made 23 appearances last year and fanned 22 batters. Guerrero has the potential to be an impact player, and provides Maines with another option in relief.
Senior Emerson Morillo has shown tremendous improvement from last season, and a refined slider and changeup make him extremely effective. Junior Skye Freeman is another member of the pitching staff that Maines described to have a steady mound presence and can pound the strike zone. Classmate Bryan Saffelle also looks to make his return to the lineup after an injury-plagued first two seasons at LIU.
In addition to the returners, multiple newcomers will look to make contributions on the hill this season. Junior Kevin Needham, and freshmen Tyler Bender and Chas Lacko will grow into their new roles, with Needham and Bender also expected to see time in the outfield.
INFIELD
LIU Brooklyn lost a pair of quality middle infielders to graduation in Drew Walsh and Second Team All-NEC pick Brad Greve, as well as two-time First Team All-NEC selection Tyler Jones behind the plate.
But the Blackbirds return a number of experienced players and welcome a slew of newcomers looking to step into those voids this year.
In addition to Marrero at first base, Chris Untereiner returns for his final year in downtown Brooklyn. After seeing the bulk of his action at third base last year, he will mainly work behind the plate in 2013. In his first season as a Blackbird last year, Untereiner registered a .272 batting average with 26 RBIs in 53 starts.
Junior Diego Perez also returns after two seasons that saw him play in 65 games around the infield. His experience and versatility will prove valuable. Sophomore Jesse Brown, who saw action in 32 games in 2012, also returns and will see time at catcher.
Junior-college transfer John Ziznewski leads a group of four newcomers looking to make an impact in 2013. Ziznewski, who was an All-American at Rockland Community College under former LIU standout Joe Zeccardi, is expected to earn a starting middle infield role to begin the year. Fellow transfer Kyle DeMarco will look for playing time at second base, while freshman Evan Emerich and Nate Struss add two more options for Maines around the horn.
OUTFIELD
All-NEC First Teamer Pete Leonello returns to lead the LIU Brooklyn offense in 2013. From his leadoff position, Leonello led the team with a .327 batting average last season and has swiped 31 bases over his first two seasons with the Blackbirds to stand in a tie for 10th place on LIU's career stolen bases list.
Senior Albert Faz made 40 starts last season between the infield and outfield, and could see action in right field and at third base this year. After recording 12 multi-hit games last season, Faz should find a place in the top half of LIU's lineup.
Another senior, Mike Garcia, drove in 29 runs last season and will once again provide power, aggressiveness on the base paths and solid defense in the outfield. Local product Melvin Rios spent time at catcher and in the outfield last season, and will look for action in both positions again in 2013.
Freshman Tommy Jakubowski, brother of former LIU soccer standout and Academic All-American Steve, joins the baseball program this year and will give Maines another left-handed bat and adds additional depth in the outfield.
WHAT'S AHEAD
In addition to the three-game series with High Point, LIU Brooklyn will travel cross-country for a three-game stint against Cal State Bakersfield on March 1-3. The annual pilgrimage to the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on March 8-17 will see the Blackbirds square off against Illinois State, Navy, Miami (Ohio), Bucknell, Northwestern, Yale and Dartmouth.
The home opener for LIU on March 20 against St. John's will pit the Blackbirds against a Red Storm team that won 40 games last season and advanced all the way to the NCAA Super Regionals where it lost to eventual national champion Arizona.
A split home-and-home series with Lehigh on March 22-23 precedes the Northeast Conference opening series against defending NEC champion Sacred Heart in Connecticut on March 28-30.
Central Connecticut comes to downtown Brooklyn the following weekend for a four-game set at LIU Field. Additional home games against Mount St. Mary's (Apr. 19-21), Quinnipiac (May 3-5) and Wagner (May 10-12) dot the schedule. The Blackbirds will face Fairleigh Dickinson (Apr. 12-14), Bryant (Apr. 26-28) and Monmouth (May 17-19) on the road, with additional mid-week road games against Saint Peter's, (Apr. 3) Villanova (Apr. 10), Rider (Apr. 17) and Hofstra (Apr. 24) scheduled.