Skyhawks to make their season debut February 23rd against Mercy College in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Boen |
EASTON, Mass. (February 8, 2017) - The 2017 Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll has picked the Stonehill College's baseball team to finish fourth in the Northeast Division of the conference.
During their last season, the Skyhawks went 24-20 overall with a 9-12 NE10 record, just missing the opportunity to compete at the playoffs. Over the course of the past seven years, the team has played at NE10 playoffs five times, earning their spot at NCAA East Regionals two times as well.
While Stonehill was picked fourth in the East Region Preseason Poll with 77 points, the four other NE10 teams ranked before them carried only a few points ahead. Defending conference champion, Southern New Hampshire University ranked first receiving 109 points, and twelve first-place votes. Franklin Pierce University followed with 99 points and three first-place votes. Merrimack College was picked to finish third with 82 points. Trailing behind the Skyhawks, Assumption College ranked 17 points below with 60, Bentley University with 50, Saint Anselm College totalling 33 points, and Saint Michael's College with 22 points.
Monte |
Entering his 20th year as head of Stonehill's baseball program, three-time NE10 Coach of the Year Pat Boen will enter the coming season after clinching the 500-win mark, earning him the deserved title of the all-time winningest coach in Stonehill baseball history. Throughout his 20 years coaching, Boen has championed the Skyhawks to 14 NE10 tournaments and three NCAA appearances. Boen boasts an impressive 517-370-3 (.583) overall record, and a 310-215 (.590) NE10 mark.
Returning to the diamond from last year's squad are seniors Eddie Bowler (Hingham, Mass./Hingham) and Ben Monte (New Haven, Conn./Guilford). Last season, Bowler averaged a career best .264 batting average and recorded a .977 fielding percentage. Last season, Bowler launched 34 hits, eight doubles, and 23 RBIs. Classmate Monte made 44 game appearances and 150 at bats, averaging a career best of .273 to finish out the season. Monte was also ranked tied for third on the team stealing seven bases.
In their last year wearing their Stonehill jerseys, senior pitchers Jeremy Roberts (Reading, Mass./Malden Catholic) and Aubrey Solomon (Groton, Mass./Lawrence Academy) will come back to the field with plenty to offer. Ranking second in the NE10, Solomon tied his career best of nine saves, summing up his total to 18 over the course of three years. Solomon was able to strike out 34 batters during his 22.2 innings pitched. Roberts, the left-handed pitcher will open up his season following a previous 2.78 ERA and 52 strikeouts per his 71.1 innings pitched.
On February 23rd, the strong returning team and 12 promising freshmen will play in the Skyhawks' debut game against Mercy College in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
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Northeast-10 Conference Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Northeast Division -
1. SNHU - 109 (12)
2. FPU - 99 (3)
3. Merrimack - 82
4. Stonehill - 77
5. Assumption - 60
6. Bentley - 50
7. Saint Anselm - 33
8. Saint Michael's - 22
Southwest Division -
1. Adelphi - 84 (5)
2. Pace - 81 (5)
3. Le Moyne - 80 (4)
4. New Haven - 54
5. SCSU - 46
6. Saint Rose - 42
7. AIC - 26 (1)
() - first-place votes