BASEBALL READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN 2008 

CHICOPEE, MA, March 5, 2008 - When Elms College head coach Don LaValley helped launch the school's first-ever baseball team in 2005, he had 16 players.

Although the road to success has proven a bumpy one for the Blazers during that time, Coach LaValley is quick to note the mark that the four remaining players from that first season have made during their time at Elms College.

"This season needs to be dedicated to the hard work and loyalty they have shown to this school and our baseball program during the last four years," Coach LaValley said of seniors Joe Sawa (Chicopee, MA), Scott Netkovick (South Hadley, MA), Ted Roback (Manchester, CT) and Joe Ferry (Palmer, MA).

"They have been through a lot for this program, and without them, we wouldn't be at the point we are at today."

Last season proved just how far the Blazers have come since that first season.

The team, which finished 8-21-1 in 2007, finished tied for fourth in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) and earned notable wins over New England regional powers Husson and St. Joseph's (ME), as well as victories over Hamilton, Worcester State, Becker, Bates and Thomas.

"We lost six games by three runs or less, and for a third-year program, that says a lot about how far we've come in such a short time," Coach LaValley noted.

The Blazers return 16 players, including four starters and seven pitchers. The addition of several talented newcomers, including four transfers has Coach LaValley optimistic his team will compete for a bid into the season-ending NAC Tournament.

INFIELDERS

Sawa and Netkovick, both Second Team All-NAC selections last season, return to anchor the infield at catcher and first base, respectively.

Sawa recorded a .333 batting average and 23 hits, including five doubles and 11 RBI, while Netkovick led the team with a .378 batting average. The two combined to commit just eight errors all season.

"Joe has grown with the program and has been a tremendous asset for us with his hitting and how well he works with our pitchers," Coach LaValley explained. "Scott holds down first base for us and he's worked hard to adapt to the changes we made in his swing to add more power."

Sophomores Brian Marrero (Kendall Park, NJ) and Justin Jacobs (Springhill, FL) will split time at third base. Jacobs, who batted .320 in 21 starts, will also see playing time as the designated hitter this season.

The middle infield has four new faces, as freshmen Brendan Cordeiro (Berkley, MA) and Hector Roche (Bronx, NY) will vie for the starting shortstop position, while freshmen Albert Betances (Haverhill, MA) and Mike Bedson (Moriches, NY) both look to secure the starting role at second.

OUTFIELDERS

Ferry, the team's starting center fielder the past three seasons, returns to anchor an outfield that possesses speed, athleticism and versatility.

"Joe has great speed and is a very important part of what we are looking to do this season," Coach LaValley said of Ferry, who stole a team-best 12 bases in 2007.

Freshman Robert Reyome (Westfield, MA), a transfer from Holyoke Community College, junior Chris Santos (Jackson, NJ), a transfer from Division I St. Peters (NJ), junior Joe Esile (Milford, CT), and juniors Nick Mackowiak (Dudley, MA) and Billy Dupre (Chicopee, MA) will all look to earn playing time in the outfield this season.

PITCHERS

A total of 12 players will vie for playing time on the mound - the most in the program's brief history.

Those 12, however, bring not just quantity, but quality.

Sophomore Dan Ingraham (Granby, MA) will vie with sophomore Mike Bieber (Calverton, NY) for the role as the team's number one starter to begin the season. Ingraham returns to pitch after playing shortstop last season due to a leg injury the year before.

Bieber, meanwhile, went 2-1 for the Blazers in his freshman year last season and should provide the team with quality innings in a starting role.

Junior RJ Vassallie (Long Branch, NJ) returns after missing the 2007 season to an arm injury.

"These three will bring us a lot of wins," Coach LaValley said of Ingraham, Bieber and Vassallie.

Roback, a four-year starter, won a pair of games last season, and will work primarily as the team's fourth starter along with freshman Matt Wood (Feeding Hills, MA).

Freshman Mike Andrews (Greenfield, MA) transferred in from Worcester State and is expected to split time on the mound and at third base. Andrews also brings power to the Blazers' lineup and will likely be placed in the middle of the lineup by Coach LaValley.

The Blazers core of relievers features left-handers James Kosiorek (Springfield, MA), Pat Moreau (South Hadley, MA) and Nick Cordeiro (Berkley, MA), as well as right hander Fran Arment (Lee, MA).

Arment registered a team-best 3.18 ERA in 11 appearances last season, while Kosiorek and Moreau combined for 17 strikeouts in 33 innings of relief in 2007.

"We have a nice balance of matchups between lefties and righties this season," Coach LaValley noted.

WRAP-UP

When asked, Coach LaValley explained the two goals the players and coaching staff have set this season.

"After every practice, we need to ask ourselves if we gave 110-percent," he said. "The other goal that we've talked about is to get into the NAC Tournament. If we do those two things, a lot can happen for us this season."

"Our pitching and team defense are key because I project our team batting average to be 80 points higher."