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The last three seasons have been among the most successful in Saint Joseph’s College Baseball history and the Monks are looking to continue that trend in 2008. In 2005 the St. Joe’s Baseball Team finished with a 32-10 record and captured their first NAC Championship and ECAC birth. The 2006 version of Monks Baseball took the program to new heights by posting a second consecutive thirty win season (34-10-1), second consecutive North Atlantic Conference Championship, and first ever appearance in the NCAA New England Regional. In 2007 Saint Joseph’s College established the program as one of the top in New England with a third straight 30 win season (30-10), third consecutive North Atlantic Conference Championship, and second straight trip to the NCAA New England Regional. With a change in conference affiliation and the move to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, Saint Joseph’s College Baseball looks to continue the program’s ascendancy to the top of New England Division III baseball by establishing the program as a GNAC contender and returning to the NCAA New England Regional Tournament.

Great Northeast Athletic Conference baseball looks to be very competitive in 2008. With quality teams from Suffolk University, Johnson and Wales College, Norwich University, Rivier College, Albertus Magnus College, Daniel Webster College, and Emerson College, the Monks will have all they can handle with a demanding conference schedule. If hard work, a positive attitude, and a competitive spirit are any indication St. Joe’s Baseball is poised to compete at the top of the GNAC with the goal being a third straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

St. Joe’s will open the schedule with a trip to Port Charlotte, Florida. The schedule looks challenging with strong opponents such as Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Thomas More College. Coach Sanborn on the 2008 southern swing, “This should be a great trip – the spring trip to Florida is always something to look forward to, but this year will be more challenging as the trip comes earlier (March 1) and the teams will be stronger. I am confident that our team will be focused on winning baseball games and getting our season off to a good start. We have been gearing all of our efforts in the early season toward making sure we are ready to compete on day one. This team has the veteran leadership needed to put together another run at the NCAA New England Regional”. Following the nine game Florida schedule the Monks will head for Maryland for a very challenging four game weekend with Catholic University and Salisbury University.

The New England portion of the schedule should be very challenging in ‘08. Coach Sanborn on the 2008 New England schedule, “I feel our schedule is the toughest we have played in several years. The Great Northeast Athletic Conference will be a new experience for us, but we have played several of the conference teams in the past. We have a very competitive non-conference schedule including teams like the University of Southern Maine, Keene State College, Bowdoin College and Amherst College. If we can compete with this schedule we should have a shot at not only getting back to the regional, but in winning it. We have strengthened this year’s schedule with the hope that it will better prepare us for the regional. We believe this team will exhibit a good balance of solid pitching, timely hitting, and outstanding defense. Since the Great Northeast Athletic Conference has an automatic qualification to the NCAA Regional – our conference schedule will certainly be the focus of our efforts in the month of April.”

Catching

The Monks will feature a talented group of catchers. Senior catcher Andrew Wood (pictured) will be the leading candidate behind the plate. Andrew boasts an impressive career batting average of .363 for the Royal Blue. Sophomore Travis Adams of Saco, Maine returns after an outstanding first year (.364). First year transfer (UMO) Ian Lee will also vie for time behind the dish and provide real punch to the order. Michael Hebenstreit and Stephen McKernan will add to the depth at this critical position.

Coach Sanborn on the importance of this group of catchers, “Everything starts with the catchers for this ball club. We have a young pitching staff who will feed off the leadership of the catching corps. Depth behind the plate will also help us in backup roles at other positions, and at times the catchers will fill into the designated hitters spot.”

Infield

The Monk’s infield should be a real strength of the ball club with veterans returning at every position except second base. It looks like sophomore Ben Grant-Roy (.327, 26 RBI) has found a home at first base for Coach Sanborn. Slick fielding freshman Ryan Murphy of Weymouth, MA will also vie for time at first base. Senior catcher Andrew Wood has also shown that he can play well at first base when needed and sophomore Ryan Carrier provides depth at first base.

The hot corner will feature a veteran SJC infielder – at a new position – Brian Schools. Brian, a career .307 hitter, will make the move to third base for his senior year and will also have a shot at being the Monk’s closer. Freshman Dan McFarland out of Marshwood High School will play third when Schools is on the mound.

The shortstop position will feature 2007 NAC Player of the Year Luke Enman (pictured) of Milan, New Hampshire (07 - .429, 50 RBI). Luke will anchor the infield and is certainly one of the top players in New England. As the season begins the second base job is wide open. Likely candidates will be first year players Chris Campbell of Rochester, New Hampshire and Nick Johnson of Yuma, Arizona. John Swasey of Berwick, Maine could be a strong contender at second base if he can recover from shoulder surgery. How the second base job shakes out will be perhaps the biggest question for the Monks as the ’08 campaign gets under way.

Coach Sanborn on the prospects for the infield, “It is great to have such talent and experience returning in the infield. If we can fill the second base job we should put a strong defensive squad on the field. They all have strong arms and should be able to really cover some ground. Look for us to experiment at second base early in the year, but the sooner we can find an answer the more solid our infield will be.”

Outfield

The Monks have a good mix of veterans and newcomers in the outfield for 2008. Senior Dustin Spiller (pictured) will return in center field and is looking to continue his consistent play. In the last two years Dustin has batted .344 in each of his last two seasons while playing a fine center field. Junior Wade Oliver returns after two stellar years for SJC. As a freshman in 2006 he was named North Atlantic Conference Rookie of the Year and NAC Tournament MVP. As a sophomore Wade hit .364 with 17 walks and 34 runs scored out of the leadoff spot. First year transfer (UMO) Pat Moran will provide some punch to the lineup when playing left field. Freshmen Joe Douglass of Poland, Maine, Eric LaBatte of Rochester, New Hampshire and Todd Keneborus of Hollis, Maine are also promising candidates to roam the outfield. Sophomore Rick Sarmento provides a left handed hitting option and solid defense for the SJC coaching staff. Junior Stephan Gorsun is a key player off the bench for the Monks as a defensive replacement or pinch runner.

Coach Sanborn on the outfielders, “We have several veteran outfielders who know how to play together. I expect the new additions to fit in quickly. We should have one of the top defensive teams around and I am confident we will have outstanding outfield play in 2008. I also look for these guys to be the offensive backbone of the team.”

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.
Saint Joseph’s College will have a good mix of returners and veterans available to “toe the slab” in 2008. Second year left handers Andrew Keirstead (pictured) and Kyle Dorr should play key roles for Coach Sanborn. As a freshman Keirstead showed potential to be a top of the rotation type of pitcher as he finished 4-2 with a 3.46 ERA. Dorr was equally impressive in providing some key wins at 4-1 with a 4.15 ERA. Another sophomore to look for is right hander Mike Burdin (2-2, 4.50 ERA). Mike certainly has the prescription for winning on the mound as he throws strikes, changes speeds, fields his position well, and is a real competitor on the mound. Second year right handers Craig Woodbrey, Chris Nanof, Billy Creed and Brandon Wyman also look to be in the mix as they showed great potential as freshman. Another sophomore who will add to this pitching-laden class is transfer Pat Moran. This tall right hander throws hard, has a curve ball that can really freeze right handed batters, and is well on his way to developing an excellent change-up. Look for Pat to pitch at the top of the rotation for Coach Sanborn.

The junior class features reliever Andy Pooler (2-0, 3.09 ERA). Andy led the team in appearances with 17 and provides Coach Sanborn with a veteran reliever. Left hander Cole Filosa (1-1, 3.66) was second on the team in appearances with 14 and gives the Monk’s skipper a reliable lefty for key situations.

The senior class boasts excellent leadership and a pair of pitchers who could be big contributors coming off arm surgery. David Doucette will captain the pitching staff in 2008. This hard working veteran will be a great example for the Monk’s younger pitchers. Both Miles Johnson (pictured) and Steven Stout are making come-backs after surgery and if healthy both could be key players in the Monk’s success in 2008. As a freshman and sophomore Miles Johnson was an impressive 6-0 on the mound. Steve Stout was equally impressive, going 8-2 before his injury! If these two can regain their earlier form they could really solidify the Monks staff for the upcoming season.

As always – new blood will also be important. The freshman class features several hurlers who should make an immediate impact. Right hander Mason Roberge of Franklin, New Hampshire could lead the pack. This tall right hander features a good fastball and outstanding change-up. South paws Bryant Lausberg of Somersworth, New Hampshire, Chris Dion of Lawrence, Massachusetts and Matt Mullen of Rockland, MA should also be in the hunt for significant innings. Right handers Kevin Chamberlain of Scarborough, Maine and Andrew Riotto of Somersworth, New Hampshire also show great potential.

Coach Sanborn on his pitching staff, “Pitching is the key and this group has a lot of unanswered questions, yet I am confident they will come along quickly and give us what we need. If we are going to contend for an NCAA bid we have to go 8-10 deep with our staff. With our competitive schedule we need quality starts and people we can count on in relief.”

Overall

Coach Sanborn with his thoughts on the upcoming season – his sixteenth year as the Monks skipper, “Expectations are extremely high for this group, but even more so within this group. After three 30+ win seasons, back to back NAC Titles and a trip to the NCAA New England Regional these veterans expect to win, and they know what it takes to win. Despite the successful tradition this program has had over the years, I think everyone feels we really have something to prove this year. Our first year in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference is a little bit of an unknown – for the first time in some time we will not be the favorite, but the underdog! 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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Season Review: Monks Make 2007 A Year to Remember

Standish, ME - The Saint Joseph’s College baseball team saw their season come to an end on May 17th at the NCAA New England Regional tournament in Harwich, MA. If you look a little closer at the Monks' season, however, you will see a great deal to celebrate.

On March 11th the Royal Blue opened their season in style with a 19-2 victory over Daniel Webster College in Orlando, FL. The Monks proceeded to run the table in the Sunshine State, returning to New England with a record of 7-0. St. Joe’s went undefeated in Florida for the first time since 2001. On April 1st, the Monks defeated Plymouth State University in their home opener to push their record to an amazing 12-0. The 12-0 start now stands as the best in program history.

On April 15th, the Monks swept a doubleheader against UMaine-Farmington to improve to 20-2 on the season. With the pair of victories, Monks baseball reached the 20-win mark for the tenth time in 15 years under head coach Will Sanborn. Just 10 days later, the team defeated Salem State College to improve to 25-5, and give Sanborn his eighth 25-win season. Perhaps the sweetest milestone, though, came when the Monks collected their 30th win of the season when they downed Husson College, 8-3, to capture the North Atlantic Conference championship and secure a berth in the NCAA tournament. It was the third consecutive 30-win season for the Monks and the fifth time that Sanborn had reached the prestigious mark.

On May 16th, the Royal Blue entered the NCAA New England Regional tournament for the second consecutive year. In the first round, the Monks squared off against national powerhouse Eastern Connecticut State University, dropping a 10-2 decision. The following day the Monks fell to Williams College by a count of 12-7, ending the 2007 campaign with a record of 30-12.

Several individual performances stood out for the 2007 Monks, led by NAC Player of the Year Luke Enman (Milan, NH). The junior shortstop put up monstrous offensive numbers while making things look easy in the field. Enman hit .429 (6th best in program history), blasted 7 homeruns, and posted 50 runs batted in (4th best in program history). Enman went 69-161 on the year, giving him the third highest totals in both categories in Monks baseball history.

Leading the way on the mound was senior ace Sam Tupper (Yarmouth, ME). Tupper posted an incredible 8-1 record, good for the third highest single-season win total in program history. Tupper struck out 35 hitters in 55.2 innings pitched to produce a 3.07 ERA.

Senior third baseman Mark Clapp (Blue Hill, ME) batted .302 with 22 RBI, including 9 doubles and 9 stolen bases. Classmate Keil Martin (Saco, ME) hit .343 and drove in 16 from the two slot in the Royal Blue lineup. Senior Dan Enman (Milan, NH) posted a .391 on-base percentage, appearing in 28 games. Chris Doughty (Westbrook, ME) pounded 2 homeruns and drove in 15 runs in his final season. Joining fellow senior Sam Tupper on the mound was Westbrook, ME, native Ben Cutter. Cutter posted a career-best 6-2 record. Cutter struck out 32 batters in his 38.2 innings of work while holding opponents to a .218 batting average.

Junior catcher Andrew Wood (South Portland, ME) hit .367 with 23 RBI, and classmate Dustin Spiller (Gorham, ME) hit .344 with 3 homers and 30 runs batted in. Junior Brian Schools (Gorham, ME) posted a .357 on-base percentage and swiped 11 bases for the Monks while playing second base.

Sophomore Wade Oliver (Owls Head, ME) continued to develop into one of the most feared leadoff hitters in New England in 2007. Oliver hit .364 with a homerun and 25 RBI. The Monks rightfielder was a perfect 13-for-13 in stolen base attempts and chipped in 4 outfield assists.

The Monks got numerous contributions from the pitching staff in 2007. Tupper (8-1) and Cutter (6-2) provided veteran leadership to a young and talented group of hurlers. Sophomore Andy Pooler (Southwest Harbor, ME) anchored the bullpen for Coach Sanborn; appearing in a team-high 17 games. Pooler went 2-0 with 1 save and posted a 3.09 ERA. Southpaw Cole Filosa (Milford, MA) pitched in 14 games for the Monks, going 1-1 with 2 saves and a 3.66 ERA.

A foursome of rookies made a significant impact on the mound in 2007, lead by lefty Andrew Keirstead (Westbrook, ME). Keirstead went 4-2 on the mound and collected 2 saves along the way. He pitched in 14 games (6 starts) and put up a 3.46 ERA en route to being named the teams “Rookie of the Year”. Southpaw Kyle Dorr (Berwick, ME) went 4-1 on the year in 6 starts, including a win in the season opener against Daniel Webster. Craig Woodbrey (Gorham, ME) went 1-1 on the season in nine appearances and Mike Burdin (Gardiner, ME) went 2-2. The highlight for Burdin came on May 5th against Castleton State College in the NAC tournament. Burdin allowed just one hit in 7.1 innings of work to earn the win and advance the Monks to the championship game.

Offensively, Travis Adams (Saco, ME) led the rookies with a .364 batting average. Adams started 13 games behind the plate for the Monks. Ben Grant-Roy (Biddeford, ME) hit .327 with a homerun and 26 RBI. Craig Persechini (Marion, MA) chipped in a .346 average in 16 games and Ricky Sarmento (Lowell, MA) posted a .367 on-base percentage.

As a team, the 2007 Monks hit an impressive .327 with 15 homers and 249 RBI. The team stole an amazing 106 bases in 129 attempts. The 2.55 stolen bases per game ranked them 16th nationally. On the mound, the Royal Blue pitchers posted a 30-12 record with 6 saves. The staff put up a 4.31 team ERA in 324 innings of work, striking out 197 batters and holding the opposition to a .257 batting average.

“I am very excited about the direction in which the program is going,” said Coach Sanborn. “We will miss these six seniors a lot; they have been a major part of our success both on the field and off, but I am excited about the young men who are coming in this fall. We should be very competitive in 2008.”

Let the record show: 2007 was yet another banner year for Saint Joseph’s College Baseball.

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2007 SEASON PREVIEW