2022 Northeast Conference College Baseball Preview

Can Central Connecticut State end the Bulldogs regular-season run?

If there’s a team to end Bryant’s prolific run of regular-season titles, it’s likely the team that’s beaten them in the last two NEC Tournaments: Central Connecticut State. The Blue Devils are replacing three regulars in the lineup and two-thirds of the weekend rotation but return enough to have the potential to end the Bulldogs’ reign. They earned two of seven first-place votes in the preseason NEC poll. They rebuilt quickly after an uncharacteristic 2018 when they finished sixth, finishing second in each of the last two seasons.

Righthander Jake Neuman, last year’s NEC rookie of the year, moves from the bullpen to lead a staff that also returns Anthony Mozzicato (5-2, 5.09). Two more relievers—Dominic Niman (0-2, 3.76) and Randy Reyes (0-0, 3.38)—are expected to make a similar move to the rotation. The bullpen will feature Dylan Benton—who posted a 10 K/9 across 11 outings last season—in the closer role, and Logan Macaluso, a transfer from Division II Assumption (Mass.), figures to appear in high-leverage situations as well.

Offensively, Central Connecticut brings back a lot. Buddy Dewaine and Dave Matthews are gone, but three of the top five by OPS return. The infield features the trio of slugging first baseman Noah Martinez (.305/.396/.503, 7 HR), on-base machine Jay DeVito (.333/.498/.378), and second baseman Dan Covino (.295/.395/.453). Mike Torneiro (.324/.370/.380) is a talented hits-for-average outfielder, while big things are expected from Jeff Nicol (.306/.393/.408) as he racked up 15 hits in just 56 plate appearances last year. Catcher Sam Loda (.247/.371/.340) was second on the team in RBIs (34) last year, too. The Blue Devils led the league in walks in 2021, utilizing a patience approach that serves them well. The team trailed only Bryant in runs scored and will be a fitting challenger once again.

Will Bryant return to the NCAA Tournament?

Of course, Bryant topping Central Connecticut in the standings wouldn’t be that unexpected. The Bulldogs storming their way to a conference title almost feels inevitable at this point, having gone 212-58 (.785) in the NEC over the nine-year run. The big question facing them in 2022, though, is if they can get it done at the end of the year. In the last four NEC Tournaments, Bryant has come up short. In the last two, the Bulldogs have fallen in the final round. Both seasons ended thanks to back-to-back losses to Central Connecticut—despite needing just one win to advance. Before that, Wagner was Bryant’s kryptonite, knocking them out in 2017 and 2018. Bryant’s gone 79-23 in the NEC over the last four regular seasons but is still searching for a return to the NCAA Tournament.

To earn the conference’s auto-bid, however, Bryant must overcome quite a few key losses. NEC player of the year Liam McGill is gone, as is all-NEC first team outfielder James Ciliento. The departures loom larger on the mound, with the entirety of the weekend rotation—NEC pitcher of the year Tyler Mattison, Tyler Schoff and Vito Morgese—gone along with closer Kevin Gould.

Of course, Bryant hasn’t been this consistent in the league without deep rosters and strong recruiting classes. The Bulldogs return plenty in the lineup, including second baseman Jake Gustin, catcher Damaurys Rodriguez, and outfielder Derek Smith. They also added Stony Brook’s John Tuccillo—who had an excellent career with the Seawolves in the America East Conference—through the transfer portal. Third-year head coach Ryan Klosterman also bolstered his pitching staff through the portal, bringing in three pitchers from Hartford alone alongside several others. The name to know on the mound is righthander Austin Wainer, who posted a 27:8 K/BB ratio as a true freshman across 22-plus innings. Another key piece is Liam LeVangie (0-1, 6.62), who figures to make an impact in the rotation after a strong summer with the New England Collegiate Baseball League’s Newport Gulls—he had a 3.71 ERA and 11.5 K/9 across nearly 30 innings.

Who might snap Bryant’s other streak—that of pitcher of the year winners?

Austin Wainer stood out as a freshman while Liam LeVangie could develop into yet another Bryant ace, but will either of them—or someone unheralded—rise to claim the Bulldogs’ eighth straight NEC Pitcher of the Year award? Bryant’s dominance on the mound has been nothing short of impressive, including the likes of Kyle Wilcox and James Karinchak. This year is more wide-open than usual, however. Mattison earned the honor last year after a pair of all-NEC selections the two years prior. Bryant doesn’t have a returning all-NEC pitcher this year, though, so let’s consider the rest of the field.

One clear choice is Central Connecticut’s Jake Neuman after his rookie of the year nod. The southpaw previewed his impending move to the rotation while playing for Keene in the NECBL this past summer, making five starts and posting a 4.09 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 22 innings. The most exciting part was his improved control—he walked just seven, cutting his BB/9 in half from his first year with the Blue Devils.

Other candidates include a pair of rotation mates—Sacred Heart’s Jake Babuschak and Chase Jeter, or Long Island’s Alec Huertas and Josh Loeschorn. Jeter, a former Dartmouth transfer, had an impressive summer with the Cape Cod League’s Falmouth Commodores, posting a 19:5 K/BB ratio across eight starts. Babuschak had a strong debut season with Sacred Heart, settling in quickly while splitting time between the rotation and bullpen. Huertas had a strong summer in the MLB Draft League and was one of the league’s most consistent starters a season ago, making 10 appearances and posting a 3.90 ERA. Finally, Loeschorn is arguably the top returning starter, despite having made just seven starts a season ago. The righthander didn’t allow an earned run across 15 innings in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, then went 2-1 with a 3.34 ERA and an 11.4 K/9 across seven starts last spring. If he can replicate his numbers across a larger workload, Loeschorn could be a top choice for the honor.

How will the new coaches fit in?

Not one, not two, but three programs hired new coaches this offseason.

Merrimack made the surprising move to fire Nick Barese after he successfully transitioned the team from D-II to D-I, with reports citing disagreements over the school’s baseball facilities. Barese landed on his feet, joining Massachusetts-Lowell as a pitching coach, but the decision was surprising as the Warriors went 19-22 in their first full season at the D-I level. Merrimack didn’t go far from home to find a replacement, hiring William & Mary’s Brian Murphy—who hit .328 as a senior team captain with the Warriors in 2003. Murphy’s an exciting hire as he posted four 30-plus win seasons with the Tribe and took them to the NCAA Tournament in 2016. He inherits a roster that lost quite a bit from the lineup, but returns starting pitchers Vin Zappulla (4-4, 5.40) and Wyatt Villella (2-4, 5.33) as well as outfielders Michael Golankiewicz (.262/.364/.310) and Bryant Skurbe (.239/.325/.384).

Longtime Wagner head coach Jim Carone—who was a two-time NEC coach of the year—resigned and his assistant Craig Noto will take the reins in 2022. Noto joined the Seahawks in 2017 as an assistant coach after nine years at LIU, so he’s no stranger to both Wagner and the NEC. Wagner finished tied for third in the conference last season but lost starters Ryan Lauk and Kevin Wiseman as well as outfielders Jared Gillen and Griffin Schneider. Still, the Seahawks have an intriguing group of returnees as well as newcomers. The infield of second baseman Cody Bey (.325/.414/.425), third baseman Ethan Valdez (.284/.414/.309), and shortstop Mike Ruggiero (.258/.351/.288) form a strong core aided by transfers Griffin Selby (Santa Ana (Calif.) JC) and Dante Ficchio (Irvine Valley (Calif.) JC). The pitching staff is more of a question mark, but Wagner is only a few years removed from finishing second to the Bulldogs.

Finally, Mount Saint Mary’s found a replacement for interim head coach Jeff Gergic, who took over right before opening day in 2021 after Scott Thomson resigned. The Mountaineers hired Frank Leoni—another former William & Mary head coach. Leoni spent the last eight years with Division III Marymount (Va.), starting the program from scratch, and will be asked to help rebuild a program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2007. The Mount’s record over the last 14 years of sub-.500 seasons has been a woeful 199-439, so it’ll likely take time for Leoni to have a big impact.

Could Sacred Heart or Long Island make a run?

The other two teams that claimed tournament titles during Bryant’s nine-year run of regular-season titles are Sacred Heart and LIU, which both finished below .500 in conference play in 2021 (and in 2019 as well). There are reasons to believe either of these teams could make an impact with strong rotation arms and key returning hitters.

LIU features Alec Huertas and Josh Loeschorn in the rotation but also has intriguing new arms in Jalen Wade (Cincinnati) and Kurt Lange (Northern Kentucky). Righthander Ryan Neuweiler split time between the rotation and bullpen last season and is one of the more experienced returnees. Offensively, second baseman EJ Exposito (.286/374/.442, 6 HR) and first baseman Chris Wasson (.354/.462/.472, 19 SB) are a talented duo while outfielder Giovanni Ciaccio (.265/.378/.429) could be poised for a big season.

Sacred Heart, meanwhile, returns its entire rotation and earned a first-place vote in the NEC’s preseason coaches’ poll. Jake Babuschak and Chase Jeter are joined by fifth-year righthander Ryan LaMay (3-4, 6.54). That’s an experienced trio and one—with a step forward—that could be the best rotation in the league. Star closer Brendan Coffey will be missed, but the Pioneers bring back Tyler Briggs (4-5, 3.93 ERA), who fanned 49 in 34 innings. In the lineup, Sacred Heart brings back all-NEC first team selection Robert Farruggio (.298/.383/.447, 4 HR) alongside outfielder Justin Jordan (.271/.418/.342). The Pioneers might not be returning as many higher profile hitters but has a strong support cast of players that could take a step forward and help them make a run.

Top Five 2022 Draft Prospects

1. Tom Ruscitti, OF, Fairleigh Dickinson
2. Chase Jeter, LHP, Sacred Heart
3. Josh Loeschorn, RHP, Long Island
4. EJ Exposito, 2B, Long Island
5. Collin Lowe, RHP, Bryant