March 7, 2001

LOCAL COLLEGES

Title Hopes Buoy Stony Brook

Steven Marcus

Stony Brook University baseball has been all about winning and all about disappointment. The tediously long transition from Division II to Division I had left the team without a conference and no clear path to the NCAA Tournament. A 30-11 record last season, the 11th-best winning percentage in the nation, went unrewarded for the first-year Division I independent.

The transition and conference search is over. Stony Brook joins the America East next season. That does not mean this season will be another exercise in futility. Head coach Matt Senk has put together a strong schedule and Stony Brook will compete in the New York State Baseball Conference, where it will finally have a chance to win a trophy if it can top the likes of New York Tech, Post, Pace, Albany and Binghamton.

Matt Salmon, a senior second baseman who started his career in Division II and will end it one year short of playing in the America East, will take any postseason award or tournament he can get. "To someone like me it holds a lot of interest," he said of the NYSBC.

"It's my last year. I'd like a conference title. The ultimate goal is making the [NCAA] Tournament if we go out and win 30 to 35 games. But why not go for a conference win? At least that would give us something." Senk will keep the players interested with a schedule that for the first time includes St. John's, Seton Hall and Connecticut.

"Why not put us to the real test, see if we're the real deal," Salmon said. "We feel we're able to play this competition." Senk said the better competition is reward for last year's effort.

"The foundation we laid gave us credibility to some Big East schools," he said. But those games will be on the road, as will all but 16 of the 53 scheduled. Twenty of the first 24 games are away from Stony Brook. "I love playing on the road," Salmon said. He'd better.

In 10 seasons at SBU, Senk has a record of 233-119-3. The transition has handcuffed the program for postseason play. In 1999, the team was 36-12 but was not permitted to contend for the Division II tournament under transition rules.

There is no automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the winner of the NYSBC, but Stony Brook's schedule is strong enough to gain at-large consideration if the team's record warrants it.

Catcher-first baseman Alex Trezza said everyone is excited about the competition Stony Brook will face. "I was very pleased, we'd like to play against the best so we can judge our abilities. It's awesome." Freshman DH Robert Ziolkowski takes it as a challenge.

"[Senk] wants to see how good he can make us," he said. "I was expecting a normal schedule. He's really moving it along." But has Senk over-scheduled his team? "I think there is the potential this could be a rebuilding year, much as I hate to say it," Senk said. "But I feel like we have brought in some real talented kids." Ziolkowski is considered the blue chip hitter among the newcomers.

Senk projects Trezza as the next Seawolf to sign a pro contract. Last year's group included Craig Ansman (Arizona Diamondbacks), Gregg Foster (Philadelphia Phillies) and C.J. Lutz (Ducks). Giants pitcher Joe Nathan is the only Stony Brook graduate to have made the major leagues.