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UMass Dartmouth Baseball Preview:
First-year UMass Dartmouth baseball coach Bob Curran
has eight returning starters back from last season's team
(Dartmouth, MA) - After 15 seasons as an assistant coach under Bruce Wheeler, Bob Curran is taking over as the UMass Dartmouth baseball coach for the 2005 season. In his first season filling out the starting lineup, Curran will enjoy the benefits of eight returning starters back from last season's 25-15 team which went 8-6 in the Little East Conference and advanced to the conference tournament's semi-finals.
Competing in the always-competitive LEC won't be easy for the Corsairs but Curran has a solid core of talented returning veterans and very few tough personnel decisions to make in his first season.
Although hindered in the early season with an ankle injury, UMass Dartmouth will be expecting big things from senior shortstop Bo Delduca (Methuen, MA). A Second Team LEC All-Star last season, Delduca returns the starting lineup for a fourth season, solidifying a talented Corsair infield. Sophomore Zach Schechter (Lawrence, MA) will return at third, while junior Dan Mancini (Marlboro, MA) (.303, 1 HR, 20 RBI) is back at first base. The only open spot in the infield will have to be filled at second base where senior Jeremy Robidoux (Charlton, MA), sophomore Jason Lamoreaux (Walpole, MA) and freshman Mike Anderson (Mansfield) are battling for the job. Backup freshman shortstop Kevin Narey (Lynn, MA) might be moved to second after spelling Delduca while he returns to playing full-time at short.
In the outfield, Curran has the kind of problem all coaches would like to have. He has five outfielders for three spots with one of them probably ending up as the designated hitter. Jim Peters (Taunton, MA) will return in left, while senior Chris Waymon (Wareham, MA) is back in center and senior Doug Hittinger (Middleton, MA) (.366, 5 HR, 34 RBI) will be in right. Also in the mix will be senior Ryan Sullivan (Chicopee, MA), who moved between the outfield and DH last season along with junior Rob Lomuscio (West Roxbury, MA) and senior Richard Whitney (New Paltz, NY).
The Corsairs will be solid behind the plate with the return of four-year starter senior John Macone (Stoneham, MA) and sophomore back up Mike Maclean (Spencer, MA).
"We should hit the baseball pretty well I think," said Curran, who will be joined by assistants Randy DeBrosse, Aaron Perron and newcomer John Pacheco. "The core of our lineup is back with players like Sullivan, Delduca, Mancini, Hittinger and Peters. My biggest problem is figuring out where everyone will play in the outfield. They are all about the same defensively so its going to come down to who hits."
The key to success in Curran's first season may rely on the development of UMass Dartmouth's pitching staff. Bolstered by returning veterans like senior Dan DeCosta (Somerset, MA) (5-4, 4.22 ERA) and sophomore Will Mahoney (Mattapoisett, MA) (4-3, 5.30 ERA), Curran also has three other returning starters but needs to develop what appears to be a young bullpen.
"DeCosta is in third season with us and Mahoney was effective as a freshman last season," said Curran. "Mahoney has the potential to beat anyone. He shut down Southern Maine in the LEC Tournament last year so that proves he has great stuff."
Among the other returning starters who will be looking for some innings are juniors Frank Cronin (Rockland, MA) (4-2, 5.44 ERA), Jason Thompson (Plymouth, MA) and junior Parker Harrington (Weymouth, MA).
In the bullpen, it looks like freshman Rob Gleavy (Braintree, MA) is going to get first crack at the closer's job. Curran hopes Massasoit Community College junior transfer Lee Marques (Fall River, MA) can be the middle inning reliever and the bridge to Corsair bullpen. Also working in relief will be junior Eric Griswold (Taunton, MA), who saw limited action a year ago, along with newcomers Brian O'Connell (Chelmsford, MA), Tom Therrien (Lawrence, MA) and Brian Vanasse (Sterling, MA).
"Gleavy was a starter in high school (Archbishop Williams) but he's going to get the chance to close for us," Curran said. "He throws hard and has a good sinker and slider. At 6-1, 187 he throws in the low 80's as a freshman and could blossom into a really special pitcher for us down the road. Marques spent two seasons as a starter at Massasoit and he's going to be very important to us coming out of the bullpen."
Curran said the development of his younger pitchers will be crucial to the Corsairs, especially during the nine-inning LEC games. As has been the case for several years, the LEC will be among the top three Division III leagues in the country, having produced recent national champions from both Eastern Connecticut and Southern Maine.
"The conference is very deep just like its been in past seasons," said Curran. "Everyone knows about Eastern Conn. and Southern Maine, but Rhode Island College in better every year and someone like Keene State or Western Connecticut surprises someone each season. The bar is set very high in the LEC."
"At least in the early going, until the pitching staff comes together, we are going to need our offense to carry us," Curran added. "We have a lot of experience and a pretty good lineup heading into the new season."
With an eye toward getting his team prepared for the always challenging LEC Tournament and the automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament that goes with it, Curran will continue the Corsairs' tradition of playing a very tough non-conference schedule. UMass Dartmouth will play eight games against five NCAA Tournament teams during the regular season. Curran has added Salve Regina, Roger Williams and Western New England to the schedule to go along with games against perennial NCAA Tournament teams from Wheaton College, Bridgewater State, Brandeis and Babson.
The only major change for the Corsairs this season belongs to Curran and his duties as head coach. After sitting along side Wheeler for so many seasons, this year it will be Curran who will be getting input from assistants before making all the final decisions.
"There's been plenty of work to do in the office, getting ready for the season," said Curran, a former Corsair player under Wheeler from 1985 through 1988. "I'm fortunate to have such great assistants to work with. We don't have an ideal set up during the pre-season but we make do with what we have. I'm looking forward to the baseball side of the job now that the season is ready to start."
One of the advantages Curran pointed to in his lineup is his team's combination of athletic and academic success. With 14 players from last year's team reaching the Dean's List and one on the Chancellor's List, Curran said he has enjoyed working with a very good group of players in his first season as head coach.
UMass Dartmouth will open its 2005 season with 10 games in eight days in California before returning to campus for the home opener set for March 22 against Wheaton College. The Corsairs will open LEC action on April 2 when they host the Beacons of UMass Boston.
Last Updated On: 9/1/06
