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Baseball Picked First In NECC Preseason Poll
ATTLEBORO, Mass. - Becker College, the 2009 Inaugural New England Collegiate Conference Champions, has been chosen as the preseason favorite to capture the NECC baseball championship, it was announced today by Commissioner Del Malloy. Voting for the preseason poll was conducted among the NECC's head baseball coaches.
Six of the nine NECC members sponsor baseball.
The Becker Hawks (18-15-1, 7-3 NECC) received two of the six first-place votes in the 2010 NECC preseason poll. Head coach Mike Sarno returns nine players, three of whom were starters. Sarno returns for his 18th season with a 257-322 record. The Hawks will be led by first team All-NECC junior hurler Errick Maddern (West Haven, Conn.), 2009 Rookie of the Year sophomore Joe Corey (Billerica, Mass.) and sophomore catcher Weston Meehan (Thomson, Ga.).
CCRI transfer Jeff Dilorenzo (Coventry, RI) will help add experience to a young pitching staff. Freshmen Jheremy Brown (Agawam, Mass.), Joe Franchi (Millbury, Mass.) and Joe Spero (Glastonbury, Conn) are three solid south paws that will have an immediate impact on the pitching staff. Freshman pitcher Mike Schoen (Yorktown, NY) could also earn his way into the starting rotation.
Offensively the Hawks will look for two freshmen from the West Haven High School State championship team to help replace the loss of six starters. Tony D' Addio (West Haven, Conn) and Todd Tompkins (West Haven, Conn) have a great opportunity to start for the Hawks immediately. Sophomores Donnie Ballsieper (Bolton, Conn), Ben Keough (Attleboro, Mass) and freshmen Justin Nowak (Albany, NY), Eric Lajoie (Oakham, Mass.) and Daniel Ramos (Winthrop, Mass.) will battle for two open outfield positions. Becker will be looking to get some pop and leadership from fifth year senior tri-captain Ryan Sczerbinski (Cranston, RI).
Elms College received 38 points and two first place votes to notch the second-place spot. Mitchell College and Southern Vermont College tied for third place each with 26 points. The Mariners earned one first place nod.
Daniel Webster College and Newbury College rounded out the poll with 5th and 6th place respectively. The Eagles received 17 points, while the Nighthawks had six points.
Teams received ten points for every first place vote received, eight points for second place votes, six points for third place votes, four for fourth place votes down to one point for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.
2010 NECC PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL
TEAM, POINTS (1st Place votes)
Becker, 42 (2)
Elms, 38 (2)
Mitchell, 26 (1)
Southern Vermont, 26
Daniel Webster, 17
Newbury, 6
