Baseball Team Has High Hopes for 2008

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The American International College baseball team is looking to take a giant leap forward in 2008 after posting a 9-31 record a year ago. The 29-man roster features a solid core of returning players and features 12 freshmen, several of which could make an immediate impact with the team.

"I really like the group of players we have this year," said fifth-year head coach Nick Callini. "We have good core of returning players and this is the best freshman class we've recruited since I've been here."

AIC's strength will be its pitching this season, with two potential No. 1 starters and a group of newcomers that will give the Yellow Jackets a potent rotation and a true stopper in the ninth inning. Leading the way is graduate student Brett Cooley (Somers, Conn.), who stared seven games last season.

Senior Uchon Yi (Windsor Locks, Conn.) also returns at the top of the rotation after posting a 2-3 record in six appearances with two complete games. Sophomore Nick Noblit (Westfield, Mass.) made seven starts a year ago with a team-best 27 strikeouts, a 3.76 ERA and a .236 opponent's batting average.

Billy Thompson (Brookfield, Conn.) will be moved into the closer role this year, which Callini believes will be a good move for the sophomore. Graduate student Terry Loh (Milford, Conn.), who is one of AIC's two captains, will likely occupy the fifth starting spot as he works his way back from injury.

Freshmen Zach Bunszell (Medford, Mass.), Dillon Fontaine (Amenia, N.Y.) and John Shivo (Ayer, Mass.) will each battle for a spot in the rotation and could see addition innings out of the bullpen.

Senior Jeff Rustico (Plantsville, Conn.), a captain and two-time all-conference selection, returns behind the plate to handle the pitching staff after starting all 40 games last season. He led the Yellow Jackets with a .309 batting average last season with 47 hits, 20 RBI and 19 runs scored. Classmate David Dest (Orange, Conn.) is a four-year starter at second base and was second on the team a year ago with a .277 batting average in 30 games played. He was second on the team with nine extra base hits and connected on a team-best three home runs.

Senior Jason Rustico (Plantsville, Conn.) will start at short stop this season and could also see time at third base and junior Kevin Farrell (Wilbraham, Mass.) returns at first base.

AIC will have three freshmen crack the starting lineup from day one. Herb Coggeshall (Coventry, Conn.) will start the season left field and will bat leadoff for the Yellow Jackets, Kyle McNiff (Westford, Mass.) will start in right field and Dan Mooney (Bennington, Vt.) will start at the hot corner.

Three players, sophomore Brendon Blashke (Southington, Conn.) and freshmen Anthony Arrichiello (Yonkers, N.Y.) and Corey Ketterer (Plymouth, Mass.), will also make appearances as the DH and serve as backup catchers could see at bats as the designated hitter this year.

Junior Dan Fey (Plymouth, Mass.), who Callini said is "one of the most fundamentally sound outfielders I've been around," will start in center field.

"I think we have a good pitching staff and that we'll be a solid defensive team, it's just going to be a matter of will we be able to score enough runs to win ball games." said Callini. "Last season was a tough one for us in a lot of ways, but we still had a chance to win a lot more than nine games."

AIC will open the season with seven games in Florida, starting with a non-league game against Saint Anselm March 8 and will open its home schedule March 18 against Bentley.