Posted: Feb 25, 2016

All-Around Depth Has SJC Baseball’s Eyes on the Prize

Written by Joshua Soto (SJC-LI Sports Information)

Patchogue, NY| Nearly a year removed from its Skyline Conference Championship defeat to Farmingdale St., the St. Joseph's baseball team enters the 2016 season with one goal: to capture its first Skyline Championship since 2004.

In 2016, the Golden Eagles return a bevy of starters from last season's squad that went 20-17 (13-1 Skyline) and earned the #1 seed in the conference tournament.

Leading the way for the Blue and Gold will be reining Skyline Conference Player of the Year Nick Girardi (OF/P), who batted .383 a year ago. The senior also drove in 23 runs and was second on the team in hits (44), doubles (11) and triples. In addition, the Syosset, NY native made five starts on the mound in eight appearances, posting a 2-1 record with two saves and a 2.70 ERA.

Also expected to make an impact offensively is Skyline All-Conference Second-Team selection Joseph Lynn who is coming off a solid 2015 season in which he hit a team-high .402 in 97 at-bats. Lynn will be joined in the outfield by Anthony Bonilla, who returns after a sophomore campaign that saw him bat .351 on the year with a conference-best 13 doubles and a team-best three triples. The Massapequa Park, NY native also drove in 25 runs and scored 33 times.

Rounding out the outfield is Senior Ryan Walsh, who looks to end his Golden Eagles career on a high note after posting a career-best .310 batting average in 2015.

"Last year, the team's starting nine combined for an average above .300, and this year's starting lineup is even more packed with offensive production," said head coach Richard Garrett, who returns for his third year at the helm. "Offensively we're going to be solid with the core run producers back."

Brendan Sullivan and Joseph Calabrese each look to build off of solid 2015 campaigns in which they both received Skyline All-Conference First-Team nods. Sullivan drove in 25 runs, was third on the squad in doubles (9) and batted .384 at first base. Calabrese had a solid junior year at third, batting .368 while recording nine doubles and driving in 26 runs. Senior James Nakashian, who scored 32 runs a year ago, will return at shortstop for the Golden Eagles.

James Terry and Sean Balsam are expected to work tandem behind the plate for Garrett. Terry recorded 15 hits, including three doubles and a triple, a season ago.

At second base, Garrett will look to freshmen Andrew Libertelli and Tyler Crafa to replace Anthony Andreano, who drove in 14 RBIs as a senior last season.

On the mound, the Golden Eagles return three of their core starters and will be led by 2015 All-Conference First-Team member Josh Outsen. In his junior campaign, Outsen recorded a conference-leading 1.32 ERA (top-10 in the nation) on the year in 10 appearances. The Lindenhurst, NY native struck out a team-high 44 batters and compiled a 5-2 record, earning him D3baseball.com Third-Team All-NY Region honors. Outsen threw SJC's first-ever perfect game last season, striking out a career-best 12 batters in an 11-0 win over Yeshiva University on April 24.

Girardi and Ryan Aloise are also expected to return to the starting rotation. Alosie posted a solid 3.73 ERA last year, compiling a 5-1 record in his 50.2 inning of work. Steven Szobesky and Matt Hess will also fill spots in the rotation in 2016, having both come off injury-ridden seasons in 2015.

Senior Frank Trionfo and sophomore Michael Catanzaro will see pitching work as closers, and newcomers Brandon Lubrano, Nick Clemente and Nick Mannarino are set to compete for starting and relief appearances.

With so many pieces returning from last year's team, which was crowned Skyline regular-season champs, Garrett and his staff believe their 2016 goals are within reach.

"Realistic expectations are to win the conference," said Garrett. "We have the depth at every position to sustain a highly competitive and successful season."

The Golden Eagles team finished second in the Skyline Conference Coaches' Preseason Poll, which was released by the conference on last Friday afternoon.

The Golden Eagles received one first-place vote (1), but trailed the Panthers with 56 points in second.

2015-16 Skyline Conference Men's Baseball - Preseason Coaches Poll

Place. Team (first-place votes), voting points (2015 record / Skyline record)

1. Old Westbury (26-13, 10-4) - 63 (7 first-place votes)
2. St. Joseph's-Long Island (20-17, 13-1) - 56 (1)
3. Farmingdale State (19-17, 8-6) - 51 (1)
4. Maritime (12-18, 7-7) - 39
5. St. Joseph's-Brooklyn (24-18 overall) - 37
6. Mount Saint Mary (11-18, 6-8) - 29
7. Purchase (9-17, 5-9) - 22
8. Mount Saint Vincent (10-25, 7-7) - 19
9. Yeshiva (2-22, 0-14) - 8

St. Joseph's opens its season at home against Plattsburgh St. on Saturday Feb. 27, with the first pitch scheduled for 12:00 PM.

After their 11-game home stand to open the season, the Golden Eagles will fly down to the Dominican Republic to play six games against the Dominican Summer League teams of the Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks from March 18-22.

SJC begins its Skyline campaign on Saturday, March 26 against SUNY Old Westbury on the road in a rematch of the 2015 conference championship. The team's full schedule is available here.