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Saint Joseph's College Baseball produced another record
setting season in 2006, finishing Coach Sanborn's latest campaign with
a 34-10-1 record, another North Atlantic Conference Championship, and
St. Joe's first-ever bid to the NCAA Northeast Regional Tournament in
Harwich, Massachusetts. Over the last two seasons (2005 record of 32-10)
the Monks have posted one of the top winning percentages in the nation
at .758 with an incredible 66-20-1 record.
Saint Joseph's season started on March 12 at the Tampa Bay Invitational
Tourney in Florida. Highlights of the Florida trip included:
- Charlie Furbush posting a 7-2 victory over the University of Rochester
in the first game of the season.
- A double header sweep on day two over Defiance College featuring solid
pitching performances by Ben Cutter and Sam Tupper. Dustin Spiller and
Chris Doughty each had three hits in game one to pace an 18-hit attack.
Third baseman Mark Clapp provided key hits in both games with 4 hits
and 5 RBI on the day.
- An exciting double header sweep of in-region opponent Rhode Island
College - again Tupper and Cutter picked up the wins! Hitting stars
included Dustin Spiller with 4 hits (3 doubles) and Andrew Dvilinsky
with a 3-run home run.
The Monks returned from Florida with a respectable 5 win-4 loss record
looking to hit stride in the Northeast Region.
The Monks returned to New England and went on a tear, compiling a 29-6-1
mark in the Northeast, highlighted by winning streaks of 7 and 14 games.
A few of the many highlights of the Monks regular season included:
- Taking two out of three games from Endicott College at Perdue Stadium
in Salisbury, Maryland in late March. Charlie Furbush earned his first
shutout of the season for a 3-0 victory in the first game. His high
school teammate, Andy Wood, led the way offensively with 2 RBI and 1
run scored. After dropping game two the Monks rebounded in game three
behind the stellar pitching performance of Jack Hughes for the 8-2 win.
Dustin Spiller added 3 hits and Luke Enman 2 hits including a triple.
- A conference double header sweep of Husson College on April 6. Jack
Hughes pitched one of the best games of the season for the 1-0 victory
in game one. Hughes struck out 9, giving up just 4 hits for the shutout.
The Monks scored their only run in the 6th inning on a safety squeeze
when Wade Oliver raced home from third on Luke Enman's bunt. In game
two Charlie Furbush posted the 7-4 win for his fourth victory of the
season. Andrew Dvilinsky had 3 hits and 2 RBI and Chris Doughty had
2 hits, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored and the Monks swept a key conference
double header from the Eagles.
- A double header sweep of #1 ranked Keene State College on the road
in Keene, N.H. In game one Sam Tupper pitched 5 2/3 innings to pick
up the win and Charlie Furbush came into the game in relief to shut
the door on the owls. In what might have been the most exciting win
of the regular season, Keil Martin was 3-4, including a three-run home
run to tie the game late. A Ben Muniz home run and the stellar relief
of Charlie Furbush (6 k's) again provide the key win.
- A 7-4 victory over the University of Southern Maine at USM. Trailing
4-2 in the eighth, the Monks rallied for 5 runs. Jack Hughes improved
his record to 4-0 as he notched the win in relief by fanning 3 out of
the 4 batters he faced. Charlie Furbush came in to seal the win by striking
out 4 of the 5 batters he faced. Dustin Spiller led the offense with
three hits for SJC.
- A double header sweep of conference opponent Becker College - winning
two 1-run games. Once again the pitching combination of Hughes and Furbush
was the key. In game one, Hughes struck out 10 batters and Andrew Wood
supplied the walk-off home run the eighth inning. In game two, freshman
Chris Leger pitched four outstanding innings and Charlie Furbush notched
the save.
St. Joe's moved on to host the North Atlantic Conference Tournament at
Larry Mahaney Diamond. In the opening game, SJC defeated Thomas College
4-0 behind the dominant performance of Charlie Furbush. Furbush struck
out 15 batters allowing only two hits (both in the first inning) for the
complete game victory. Furbush was also the hitting star - going 2-3 with
a solo home run.
Game two of the NAC Tournament pitted the Monks against rival Husson College
in what turned out to be an epic battle. Clutch hitting was the key, as
Monks sophomore Dustin Spiller homered in the eighth inning to give SJC
the lead. Husson tied the game and sent things into extra innings, but
Mark Clapp's two-run home run gave the Monks the margin of victory. Freshman
Wade Oliver was 3-6 with 1 run scored and 3 RBI and Brian Schools went
3-5.
The NAC Championship game featured St. Joe's in the winners' bracket and
Husson in the losers' bracket. It was all St. Joe's, as the Monks pounded
Husson's pitching for 17 runs en route to the 17-6 victory. Sophomore
Steve Stout notched the pitching victory as St. Joe's won their second
NAC Championship in two years.
Saint Joseph's College baseball was rewarded for an outstanding season
with the #2 seed for the New England NCAA Division III Regional in Harwich,
Mass. Saint Joseph's faced #7 seeded Bowdoin College in their first game.
Bowdoin jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and things did not look good for
the Royal Blue early on, but Coach Sanborn's team responded to tie the
game in the fourth. Luke Enman hit a solo home run in the 7th to put SJC
ahead, and Brian Schools followed with a two-run home run in the eighth
to cap the victory. Monks ace Charlie Furbush overcame early troubles
to strike out 10 for the complete game victory.
The second game of the regional proved to be a hard-fought loss as Saint
Joseph's rallied several times to force extra innings with Western New
England College, only to loose a heart breaker in 10 innings. Forced to
start their third game at 10:00 p.m. later that same day, Saint Joseph's
was eliminated by the University of Southern Maine.
Although elimination from the NCAA Division III New England
Regional was disappointing, Saint Joseph's Baseball took a big step forward
with another NAC Championship - finishing with a remarkable 34-10-1 record.
INDIVIDUAL HONORS
NCAA III New England Pitcher of the Year - Charlie Furbush
NCAA III All-Region First Team - Charlie Furbush
NCAA III New England Region All-Tourney Team - Charlie Furbush
New England Intercollegiate Baseball Coaches Association
All New England First Team - Charlie Furbush
North Atlantic Conference All-Tournament Team
Wade Oliver - MVP
Charlie Furbush
Brian Schools
NAC All-Conference Team
First Team
Luke Enman
Charlie Furbush
Jack Hughes
Brian Schools
Second Team
Wade Oliver
Andrew Wood
NAC Player of the Year - Charlie Furbush
NAC Rookie of the Year - Wade Oliver
Team Honors
Robert R. Doyle Award - Corey McCarthy
Most Dedicated Player - Jake Rodden
Pitcher of the Year - Jack Hughes
Rookie of the Year - Wade Oliver
Hitter of the Year - Andrew Wood
Most Valuable Player - Charlie Furbush
Saint Joseph’s College baseball did not disappoint
in their first campaign in the North Atlantic Conference. In 2005, the
Monks finished an incredible 32-10 and captured their first NAC Championship
and ECAC berth. The 2006 version of Monks Baseball looks to compete again
for the conference championship and take the next step into the NCAA tournament.
With one more season before the North Atlantic Conference will get an
automatic qualification into the NCAA tournament, SJC will have to have
an outstanding season in ’06 in order to garner an at-large NCAA
bid. St. Joe’s coaching staff and players seem equal to the task
and excited for the upcoming season.
Once again, North Atlantic Conference baseball will be very competitive
in 2006. With quality teams from Husson, Thomas, University of Maine at
Farmington, Castleton State, Becker and Elms, the Monks will have all
they can handle with a demanding conference schedule. There is an unprecedented
excitement on campus as Saint Joseph’s College looks to build on
their 2005 conference record of 14-1. If hard work, a positive attitude,
and a competitive spirit are any indication, St. Joe’s Baseball
is poised to take the next step into the NCAA tournament.
The first task at hand will be to begin the season with a good start in
Florida. Coach Sanborn on the team’s 2006 southern swing, “We
had a nice start last year in Florida, returning to New England with a
5-4 record. Although we were pleased with that start, we would like to
improve upon it this season. If you look back on the 2005 season, it may
have been the two one-run losses to College of New Jersey on the spring
trip that kept us out of the NCAA tournament. We would like to return
a few games above .500 in 2006, but we will certainly be focused on taking
them one game at a time.”
The New England portion of the schedule should be very challenging in
‘06. Coach Sanborn on the 2006 New England schedule, “I feel
our schedule has the right balance for the upcoming season. We have a
solid in-region schedule and if we do the job, we should have a shot at
an NCAA bid. The secret will be the pitching. We will need to save enough
pitching for the weekend conference schedule, so it is the guys who pitch
those mid-week games who will help us get the non-conference wins we need
to get an NCAA bid. I feel our defense will be solid and we will score
some runs; pitching will be the key to getting a shot at the NCAA tournament.”
CATCHING
The Monks will feature talented group of young catchers led by graduate
student Jake Rodden. After a fine senior year, Jake is back to fulfill
his final year of eligibility as a graduate student. Jake is an excellent
receiver and a quality left-handed hitter whose leadership will be a real
key for the pitching staff.
Sophomore catcher Andrew Wood of South Portland, Maine, will look to expand
his role after hitting .324 in only 34 at-bats in 2005. First year sophomore
Harrison Hines out of George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill, Maine, and
freshman Sean O’Brien from Arlington, Massachusetts, will provide
talented depth at this most important position.
Coach Sanborn on the importance of this group of catchers, “Everything
starts with the catchers for this ball club. With the graduation of McIntosh
and Cieslak, we lost some experience behind the plate – it will
be great to have Jake Rodden back to provide some stability and extend
that experience behind home plate.”
INFIELD
The Monks infield should be a real strength of the ball club with veterans
returning at every position for the first time in several years.
First base features one of the Monks top hitters – left-handed hitting
Ben Muniz. Ben is a line-drive hitter with occasional power who can be
relied upon to give the coaching staff quality at-bats. At first base,
Ben is slick around the bag, makes great decisions, and is adept at picking
low throws. In 2004, Ben was Saint Joseph’s leading hitter(.360,
39 RBI), but unfortunately, in 2005, Ben cracked his right ankle in Florida
and missed almost the entire regular season. Ben will be looking to make
up for lost time in 2006.
Charlie Furbush (.392, 32 RBI) will also see a great deal of time at first
base when he is not on the mound. One of the top two-way players in New
England, Charlie will continue to contribute both on the mound and at
the plate.
The hot corner will see some changes, as veteran SJC infielder Mark Clapp
moves to third base for 2006. Mark has been a steady force in the Monks’
infield during his first two years – seeing time first at shortstop,
then at second base. Mark was an All-Conference Selection in 2005 as he
hit .320 with 29 RBIs. Vying for time at third with Mark is sophomore
Andrew Dvilinsky.
The middle infield will feature two sophomores, as Luke Enman (.333, 6HR,
29 RBI) takes over at second base and Brian Schools (.314, 30 Runs) returns
at shortstop. With increased outfield depth, Coach Sanborn has been able
to move the versatile Enman back into the infield – this should
give the veteran skipper one of the quickest double play combinations
in New England. Second semester transfer David Lutz, out of Edward Little
High School, Auburn, Maine, will provide depth at the shortstop position.
Coach Sanborn on the prospects for the infield, “This could be the
best infield to play at Saint Joseph’s College in quit some time.
They all have strong arms and should really be able to cover some ground.
Last year we were talented, but young, in the infield. This year we have
some veterans and this should result in more consistent play. Look for
these guys to turn some double plays and be very fun to watch.”
OUTFIELD
With the loss of 2005 grads Andy Exley in center field and part-time outfielders
Aaron Cieslak and Derek McIntosh, Monks fans will see the biggest changes
in the outfield corps for 2006.
Sophomore transfer Dustin Spiller (Eckerd College) should vie for the
center field job. This talented left-handed hitter should add a great
deal of punch and leadership to the Monks’ lineup. Junior Keil Martin
missed most of 2005 with a broken wrist, but is looking to make up for
lost time in left field this season. Junior Chris Doughty is back with
the ball club for ‘06 with more enthusiasm than ever. Doughty could
be the most pleasant surprise addition to the SJC lineup in 2006. Junior
pitcher Dan Enman will also see some time in the outfield, along with
freshman Wade Oliver from Rockland, Maine. Don’t be surprised to
see Charlie Furbush roaming the outfield occasionally for the Royal Blue.
Coach Sanborn on the outfielders, “This will be a very interesting
part of our defense. We have some outstanding talent out there –
but none of them played any significant time for us in 2005. If they come
together, our conference opponents will see we have rebuilt very quickly
in the outfield.”
PITCHING
Once again the Monks possess a great deal of potential in this the most
important aspect of the game. If the young pitchers on the staff can develop
quickly, the Monks could have one of the strongest pitching staffs in
New England again this year.
At the top of the St. Joe’s staff is one of the most dominant pitching
forces in the nation at the Division III level, Charlie Furbush. As a
freshman at Saint Joseph’s, Charlie burst onto the scene with a
7-1 record and a 1.75 earned run average. Most incredibly, Charlie posted
70 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched with only 11 walks. Yet Furbush is
only a piece of the pitching depth that should carry the Monks in 2006.
Veterans Steve Lambert (3-1, 3.38), Ben Cutter (3-1 4.23), Steve Stout
(5-0, 4.13) and Jack Hughes (2 saves, 2.04) give Saint Joseph’s
a fine group of talented arms to rely on. Sophomore Miles Johnson (3-0,
1.62) may be returning after shoulder surgery to provide yet another quality
starter. Senior knuckle ball artist Bill Chapman, junior right-hander
Dan Enman and sophomore Dave Doucette provide veteran experience and could
add key innings.
The freshman class also has some outstanding arms led by right-handers
Chris Leger out of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, and Andy Pooler from Mount
Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor, Maine. Transfer Sam Tupper could
be the surprise of the year after making the move from Division II Southern
New Hampshire University.
Coach Sanborn of the pitching staff, “Pitching is the key and this
group could come together to be something special. If we are going to
contend for an NCAA bid, we have to go 8-10 deep with our staff. The weekend
conference games are important, but it will be the guys who pitch the
weekday games that will determine if we have a shot at a bid. Many of
these guys have pitched in the shadow of Furbush; I think they have something
to prove in their own right.”
OVERALL
Coach Sanborn with his thoughts on the upcoming season, “Expectations
are extremely high for this group, but even more so within this group.
The veterans are not satisfied with our 2005 accomplishments. These guys
are hungry to prove that they belong in an NCAA regional tournament in
2006. One of the things that may set this group apart is the team chemistry.
We have strong leadership and the guys really pull together. The work
ethic is outstanding and they are very competitive. I look for this to
be an extremely exciting year.”
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