Jan. 12, 2001

Stony Brook, NY - The Stony Brook Seawolves made quite a splash into the Division I baseball waters in 2000, posting a 30-11 record. Matt Senk, head coach, will be challenged to put up the same kind of numbers in 2001. Afterall, the Seawolves were the nation's batting and slugging percentage champions and finished second in homeruns and fifth in runs scored. More than 50% of that offense is gone with the loss of seniors Gregg Foster, Craig Ansman, Phil Bouchard, Chris Manna and CJ Lutz. Senk is optimistic that Stony Brook can have that same type of success with a different formula.

" We'll have a different look, no question," said Senk. "Losing those guys certainly hurts. However, we'll be more balanced in that we may come down a run or two offensively, but our solidification of the pitching staff will more than make up for it."

CATCHER/DESIGNATED HITTER

Alex Trezza leads the list of 15 returners to this year's field players. A junior, Trezza hit a team-high 15 homeruns and had 53 RBI. In two seasons, the Middletown, NY native already has 32 homeruns and 108 RBI. Trezza will make the switch from designated hitter to the field this season. He will handle some of the catching duties and could see time at first base.

Joe Fernandez, Ed Kull and Jason Allen will see time behind the plate as well. Fernandez hopes to rebound following a sub-par sophomore season that saw him hit .222. Kull was a pleasant surprise as a freshman, hitting over .357 in his 15 appearances. Jason Allen is one of the hardest working players on the team and it appears he is ready to see time as catcher or designated hitter. Any one of the four players could see time as the DH.

INFIELD

A relief to Senk is the return of the middle infield where senior Ed Murillo mans the shortstop spot and Matt Salmon takes care of second base. Murillo struck out just four times in 129 bats and his off-season workouts should help shoulder some of the power-hitting load that departed. Salmon - also a senior- led the squad in hitting for a good part of 2000 and finished with a .390 average. Both are better than average infielders and were a great tandem in turning 35 double plays last season. Sophomore Jimmy McCurdy is a more than able backup and his defensive versatility makes him a very valuable commodity. McCurdy hopes to improve upon his .222 average from last season.

OUTFIELD

George Kearnes was supposed to be done and gone by now, but a knee injury in the preseason last year forced him to red-shirt and come back in 2001 for his senior year. Kearnes threatens many of the Stony Brook record books and will take care of captaining the outfield in center and will also see time on the mound. A career .354 hitter, Kearnes has 32 homeruns and 109 RBI.

Sophomore Lee Lipschutz will see time in right field. Lipschutz had a solid freshman year, hitting .310 with three homeruns and 24 RBI. His power-hitting potential is needed in the lineup and his playing time will depend on his consistency at the plate. Tommy Maroon possesses an outstanding stick - evident in his .389 average as a freshman. Maroon will need to improve his defensive skills if he is to be an everyday player.

ON THE MOUND

The Seawolves will be much deeper on the mound. The return of several key players has a lot to do with that. Junior Chris Flinn's sophomore season was one of the very best in Stony Brook history. Thus, he is once again the ace of this year's staff. Flinn posted an 8-3 mark with a 4.26 ERA. His 114 strikeouts set a new single season record and pushed him to the top of the career strikeout pile. He now has 201 strikeouts in two seasons, 14 better than the previous mark of 187 by Tim Loyal.

Kevin Willi was Mr. Everything for the Seawolves in 2000. He started inn five games, relieved 10 others and actually made five plate appearances. The junior posted a 4-3 record with a 5.44 ERA in 46 innings pitched.

"Kevin has worked hard in the off-season and we expect him to continue to do the type of things he did last season. If he does, we're going to be in good shape," said Senk.

According to Senk, Lee Reynolds was a "steady force" last season. In nine appearances, Reynolds went 4-1 with an ERA of 5.26 and 25 strikeouts. Chris Tuthill - was also 4-1 - had an ERA of 4.63. He had off-season surgery to repair his right arm and redshirt his junior season. Senk is looking for Nick Poltrack to have a big season following a disappointing 2000 campaign that saw him post an 8.66 ERA in 17 2/3 innings pitched.

THE NEWCOMERS

"I feel we've brought in a strong class of newcomers that could have an immediate impact right away," said Senk.

Bobby Ziolkowski will help replenish the Seawolves' offensive reservoir. A strong power-hitter, Ziolkowski will fill the shoes of departed CJ Lutz at first base. The right-hander was an All-County and All-State player as a senior, hitting .500 with nine homeruns while collecting 32 RBI's.

Dave Mischo is another of the new players that could be a key right away. Along with Alex Trezza, Mischo gives the Seawolves' line-up a pair of potent left-handed bats. A two-time All-County and also All-State player at Bayport High School, Mischo collected seven round-trippers and 84 RBI's during his seasons as an upperclassman. He also has a flair on the mound as well, winning nine games in his final two years.

Garrett Renner and Rich Graham are two of numerous newcomers that gives Senk great flexibility. Renner played shortstop at Suffolk Community College - playing in the junior college world series. He can play a few positions in the infield. Senk recruited Graham out of high school and expects the sophomore to have an impact in the infield this season.

"These two guys gives us great flexibility with our veterans in that we can move guys around the infield and still remain strong defensively. You may see four guys play two positions or more in the infield this season," said Senk.

Rookies Michael Hamilton and Andrew Zielinski will be vying for a starting spot in the outfield. Hamilton - a freshman - was one of the top hitters in Suffolk County last season. A 6'2", 200 pounds, he provides good size and power. Zielinski comes to the Seawolves after playing at UMBC for two seasons. He brings great versatility to the Seawolves as a switch-hitter. Dwayne Whitaker will also be gunning for a starting position in the outfield. A 6'0" junior from St. James, NY - Whitaker has impressed Senk with his offensive abilities. Junior Rich Etzel is another Suffolk Community College transfer that will help the Pack in the outfield. Senk describes Etzel as an "offensive force." Etzel had off-season surgery in the summer and hope to be ready for the spring.

Jeremy Carle, Jason Brock, Anthony Stutz, and Graham Wildt are four juniors that transferred to Stony Brook after playing junior college ball. Stutz and Wildt both come from Erie Community College in Buffalo, NY and are strong right-handers. Stutz was 9-4 with a 3.21 ERA last season, holding his opponents to just a .183 average at the plate. In two years at Erie, Wildt posted a 25-5 record on the mound. Jeremy Carle played two seasons at Ulster Community College. Carle fired 166 strikeouts during his pair of seasons there and won eight games. Brock posted a 9-0 record and a 1.26 ERA during his sophomore season at Nassau Community College. All four will help solidify a staff that returns all but one starter from a season ago.

THE SCHEDULE

The Seawolves will be challenged by their toughest schedule in the history of the program. For starters, 37 of the team's 53 scheduled games are on the road. Meetings with Big East powers St. John's, Seton Hall and Connecticut outline a rigorous schedule. Stony Brook will play 20 of its first 24 away from home - travelling to Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and South Carolina. The Seawolves have also joined the New York State Baseball Conference and will face interstate rivals CW Post, Pace, Albany, Binghamton and New York Tech. A playoff in the second weekend of May will decide the conference champion.