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The Briarcliffe seahawks received a lot of individual awards at the 2010 National Championships in Old Orchard Beach, Maine this week. DAVE DARCY was named player of the day on Thursday, as Darcy delivered five rbi to lead Briarcliffe to the National Championship. Junior REGGiE SMITH was named the MVP of the 2010 USCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT. Smith hit .500 for the tournament championship, and joins Frankie Reyes as the only two MVP's in Briarcliffe history. Freshman KEVIN LICUL, junior RICK DOHT, and senior LEE RANTA were all named to the All-Tournament team as well. Licul lead the team in hitting, batting over .500. Doht pitched a gem against Penn State- Beaver, leading Briarcliffe into the championship game. Ranta, who has won a game in each of the last four national championship tournaments, won two this year, including an extra inning affair against Southern Maine. The senior finishes his career at Briarcliffe at 24-8. SMITH AND RANTA NAMED ALL-AMERICANS, BRAVERMAN AND DOHT HONORABLE MENTION Reggie Smith, who has had a tremendous year for the Seahawks received his first ALL-AMERICAN Award from the USCAA. Smith was one of fifteen players named to the USCAA All-American team. Smith joins LEE RANTA, who was named to the All-American team for the second time in his illustrious four year career. Sam braverman and Rick Doht were named Honorable Mention. For both players it was their first Honorable Mention Award. Smith, who has hit near the .400 mark for most of the season, has also been stellar in the field, making one error the entire season. Ranta, of course, set a school record for wins this season, bringing his lifetime mark to 23-8. The senior was an All-American in 2007.
BRIARCLIFFE IS # 2 SEED IN PLAYOFFS
The Briarcliffe Seahawks will enter the tournament as the # 2 seed when the playoffs begin next Monday May 10. Apprentice, who beat Briarcliffe this past weekend, has reclaimed the # 1 seed. The remainder of the field includes Southern Virginia, Clark St, UCinn-Clermont, Penn State-Beaver, Penn State- Greater Alleghany, Central Maine, SOuthern Maine, and NHTI. BIDS TO COME OUT ON TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2010 Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 27, 2010 is a big day for the Seahawks, as the USCAA will announce the bids for the 2010 National Championship. The Seahawks are expected to receive a bid, having been ranked in the top three teams in the nation all season. It will be the Seahawks fifth straight bid if the expected happens, all under head coach Gary Puccio. The Seahawks were 13-29 the year before Coach Puccio arrived. Briarcliffe won the national championship in 2006 and finished in the final four in 2008. The Seahawks have never not won a playoff game and their worst finish has been fifth. Under Puccio during the past five years the Seahawks have a record of 84-64. SENIOR DAY NOW SET FOR MAY 1, 2010 The 2010 Senior Day festivities will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at the PAL COMPLEX against USCAA rival Apprentice School. The teams will play a single 9 inning contest with the senior day ceremonies expected to start at 12:45 pm. The game will follow immediately afterwards. Briarcliffe has three seniors leaving the program at the end of the year: Tom Locrotondo, Tim Coglietta and Lee Ranta. More details will follow, as the team plans a bar-b-q for both the Apprentice School and Briarcliffe. RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY! NE WEEKEND WASHED OUT FOR SEAHAWKS
The Briarcliffe baseball team, scheduled to play six games this weekend, will not take the field at all as the New England weather plays havoc with the schedule. Games vs. Central Maine and Fisher College (Massachusetts) were upended by a rain/snow storm to hit the area. The Seahawks hope to get back to playing baseball tuesday when they meet USCAA rival St. Joseph. The team then will travel toDallas for five games (3vs UD, 2vs Central Baptist) before returning home to finish their regular season. The playoffs (also in Maine) begin may 9. None of the missed games this weekend are expected to be made up. BRIARCLIFFE INKS 3 FOR 2010-2011
Head Coach Gary Puccio announced the signings of three players for the 2010-2011 school year. The Seahawks will be adding Brandon Rooney of Deer Park High School, Chris McCabe, a graduate of McArthur High School, and Anthony Ciaramitaro who attends Island trees High School. "Brandon Rooney is a second baseman for Deer Park. He is a solid fielder who plays the game the way it should be played. I think he has tremendous high side. Chris McCabe is a solid hitter and middle infielder who has played on teams that went to the County Championship. Anthony Ciaramitaro is a left handed pitcher who also can play outfield. I have known Anthony since he was 9 years old, so it is very special to now add him to our Briarcliffe baseball family." The head coach said that they were zeroing in on two other players, but nothing is done at this point. Rooney, McCabe and Ciaramitaro join Mike Fontana (who signed during the early signing period last november) as members of the 2011 Seahawks. Briarcliffe loses centerfielder and captain Tim Coglietta, captain and pitching leader Lee Ranta, and middle infielder/outfielder Tom Locrotondo.
WEATHER AGAIN PLAYING HAVOC WITH SCHEDULE The weather once again is playing havoc with the Briarcliffe baseball schedule. Six games scheduled for this weekend are in doubt. The Seahawks have already been rained out with Central Maine for Friday, and the forecast does not look promising for the 4 game series with NAIA rival Fisher College. Currently the forecast calls for 80% chance of rain on Saturday and 60% chance on Sunday. Should the Seahawks be cancelled out of all the games, they will try to reschedule some of them the week before the tournament. The next Seahawk home game is set for Tuesday April 20 vs USCAA rival St. joseph.
A FIRST FOR SEAHAWKS AS BRIARCLIFFE RANKED # 1 The Briarcliffe Seahawks are currently ranked # 1 in the latest USCAA poll, which came out on April 13, 2010. The Seahawks have never been ranked #1 in the polls (they were a # 5 seed when they won the National Championship in 2006). Briarcliffe, ranked # 2 last week, just swept a tough series from Apprentice, the # 1 ranked program. The Seahawks hope to keep their # 1 ranking as they continue their tough schedule, travelling to Maine, Massachusetts, and Dallas over the next few weeks. The National Championship Tournament will take place in Maine beginning May 9, 2010. The bids for the tournament should be received April 27, 2010. Should the Seahawks get a bid (which is expected), it will be the fifth straight year that the Seahawks have played for the National Championship. Briarcliffe has never failed to win at least round one in the national tournament, with their worst finish coming last year when they placed fifth. Coach Puccio was very happy at the news of being #1. "It is another great step for our program. Apprentice is an excellent team, and will always be one of the powerhouses of this league. Our games with them are always classics, no matter who wins. Though, I have to tell you, they were on a bit of a roll against us the past five or six games. It was nice to even things back up a little." Of course Apprentice is just one of the very good USCAA teams that will stand in the way of the Seahawks bid for another national title in 2010. "There is a lot of baseball yet to be played, and so much depends on timing. Remaining injury free of course is also big. It is way too early to cast anyone as the favorite, that is for sure."
GAME WITH ASA MOVED TO MAY The baseball game originally scheduled for April 14, 2010 has been moved to the first week of May (either May 4 or 5, update to follow). The game is against ASA. The Seahawks also announced that a doubleheader with Central Maine will take place on Friday. This is a USCAA doubleheader. SEAHAWKS AWAIT NEXT POLL: EXPECT # 1 RANKING IN USCAA
WIth the Seahawks going down to Virginia and sweeping the # 1 Builders of Apprentice School in a big three game series, Briarcliffe awaits with great anticipation the next poll due Wednesday from the USCAA. The Seahawks, who won the USCAA National Championship in 2006, have never held the # 1 spot in the rankings of the USCAA. Back in 2006, the Seahawks entered the NAtional Tournament as the # 5 seed and proceeded to win the title. WIth the Seahawks standing an excellent chance of now leading the country in the USCAA, head coach Gary Puccio had this to say: "Apprentice is an excellent ballclub, and to come away with the three game sweep in their ballpark says alot about the grit and determination of our ballclub. Yes, I do expect to be the # 1 seed this week when the rankings come out. I got to tell ya, it is a very good feeling. I am extremely proud of my entire team." Well, on Wednesday, APril 13 we will know if the Seahawks currently rule the USCAA rankings! SEHAWKS MOVE INTO #2 RANKING BEHIND APPRENTICE
The Briarcliffe Seahawks, fresh off a roll of 12 victories in 15 games, has moved up to the #2 spot in the rankings released today by the USCAA. Briarcliffe has jumped over Southern Virginia, who have lost six in a row. The #1 spot remains APPRENTICE. Coincidentally, the Seahawks will travel to Apprentice for a three game series this weekend at War Memorial Stadium, a series that will determine the #1 ranking in the next poll. RAIN WIPES OUT BRIARCLIFFE WESTERN TRIP The Seahawks managed to get in only one innning of play on SUnday on the start of their spring trip. Point Park University scored 4 times in the bottom of the first, but Briarcliffe had runners on first and second in the top of the second when the rains came. The Seahawks waited out a 35 minute rain delay before the game was called. A couple of hours later, UCC called and said their field would be unplayable for Monday. Having four of the five games cancelled, the Seahawks had no choice but to abort their trip and go home. This meant that the Seahawks would cancel the game with University of Ohio, Hamilton Campus. "It no longer became economically feasable for us to stay 3 more days, pay hotel costs, meals, and transportation to play only one more game. Had the forecast called for better weather, we would have tried to stay in Pittsburgh and play aUthree game series. Unfortunately, the weather was calling for more rain through Tuesday. I had to make a decision, and I decided we had no choice but to go home." The Seahawks are hoping to make up some games during this week, as they now would be open to local makeups on Wed and Thurs. The team is on a hot streak, having won 9 of 10. BRIARCLIFFE RANKED 3 IN USCAA
The Briarcliffe Seahawks are ranked # 3 in the USCAA NATIONAL POLLS this week, the first week that poll rankings have been announced. Briarcliffe is ranked behind # 1 Southern Virginia, and #2 Apprentice. Apprentice defeated Briarcliffe, 5-3, down in Virginia in February. RAIN WIPES OUT 5 GAME WEEKEND SERIES Baseball in the Northeast -- the weather is a major player, and again weather has wrecked havoc on the Briarcliffe baseball weekend. Scheduled to play five games, the team will end up playing none due to a horrific northeaster that has left over 2 inches of rain in the area. Since 4 of the games are USCAA games, they will likely be made up. Penn State - Abington, originally scheduled for Friday March 12, will now be played on Sunday March 21. This however causes Briarcliffe to have to move their two games with Post University (CT) to another date. No makeup dates have been scheduled yet for SUNY-OLD WESTBURY and Penn State - Brandywine. The team returns to action Tuesday against Suffolk West. APRANO NAMED TO START HOME OPENER
Vin Aprano, coming off the Seahawks lone win in Virginia last month, has been named the starting pitcher for the home opener on Sunday March 7 vs. Lyndon State. Aprano, who has been in the starting rotation since he attended Briarcliffe last season, got the win over LockHaven University, a PSAC NCAA Division II program. Lee Ranta, the senior captain of the Seahawks, will go for his 19th career victory at Briarcliffe in game 2. The Seahawks will be home for 8 of their next 10 ballgames. First pitch on Sunday is 12 noon. BURGOS MAKES BALLCLUB, PEREZ NAMED FIFTH STARTER As the season is about to get underway this Friday in Virginia, two players received good news this week. Richard Burgos, a walkon from the Patchogue campus, has made the team and will pitch out of the bullpen for the Seahawks this season. The Central Islip graduate has been consistent enough in his indoor outings that Coach Puccio informed the righthander that he will be a member of the 2010 squad. "Rich has a good idea of what he is doing out there as a pitcher. I think he will help us," the skipper said Monday. Puccio also announced the pitching rotation for the Builder Tournament. "Ranta will open us up, as he has done for the past two seasons prior to this. Vin Aprano will pitch the second game on Friday. Chris Brezinski will make his debut for us on Saturday and Rick Doht will pitch against Apprentice. I am also naming Rafael Perez to pitch the fifth game." Perez was the favorite to land the fifth starting spot, being the only lefty in the rotation. The opening day lineup is expected to be announced later today, Wednesday, February 17. You can follow the Seahawks LIVE on Apprentice's website during each and every Seahawk game in the tournament. 2010 SEASON OPENER IS FRIDAY, FEB. 19
The Briarcliffe College Seahawk baseball season will open in NEWPORT NEWS, VA at 9 AM on Friday February 19, 2010. The Seahawks will take on Bloomburg College, an NCAA Division II member of the prestigious PSAC conference. The Seahawks will announce their opening day lineup in a couple of days. Lee Ranta, 18-5 lifetime at Briarcliffe, is expected to be named the opening day starter. Earlier this winter, Coach Puccio named Ranta, Rick Doht, Vin Aprano and freshman Chris Brezinski as the first four starters in the rotation (in no particular order as of yet). The fifth starter has not yet been named, though sources close to the situation say Rafael Perez has the inside track. Some things are certain for the Seahawks: Reggie Smith will return to the top of the lineup, and will start at second base for the third straight year. Dave Darcy will be back at third base, and Tim Coglietta will man centerfield. WILL SEAHAWKS SEE FIFTH STRAIGHT BID TO USCAA NATIONALS?? Will the Seahawks be playing up in Maine in May of 2010? As the new season quickly approaches, head coach Gary Puccio says a fifth straight trip is dependent on "our ability to execute. Our offense needs to make the most of our situations and score runs. Our defense needs to make the everyday plays. Of course, most importantly, our staff needs to pitch at the level we expect them to reach. I feel very strongly that we have more depth than in any year here at BC. I can't wait to see the guys play." Puccio will get that chance soon enough, as the Seahawks will meet Bloomsburg College in Newport News Virginia later this month. SEAHAWKS ADD DEPTH WITH NEWCOMERS
The Seahawks added depth to their roster this week with the addition of three new players and the return of one of their former starters. The newcomers include catcher-first baseman Dave Hoskin, an all conference player at Seaford High School; Sean Graham, a middle infielder from Comsewogue High School, and transfer catcher Luis Santiago. Additionally, the Seahawks announced that Mike Rocco has returned to Briarcliffe. Rocco had been the starting shortstop for the Seahawks in both the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Head Coach Gary Puccio had this to say about the new-old comers: "The big thing this does is give us depth. We were not comfortable with just two catchers and only 5 infielders. This gives us more game options, and obviously protects us from injuries. I am very confident that these additions will add to our success this year." STETTNER NAMED CLOSER IRELAND TO BE SET-UP MAN...
Rich Ireland and Kurt Stettner, two newcomers this fall to the Briarcliffe baseball program, have been named to the two prestigious 8th and 9th inning roles for the Seahawks respectively. Ireland, who transferred to Briarcliffe from Suny Oswgo, had been quite impressive in the fall. In fact, the sophomore's fastball has consistently been clocked over 85 miles per hour. Stettner, a freshman, inherits the role Victor Mederos made so important during the Seahawks 2006 national championship run. In fact, head coach Puccio, after naming the two players to their new roles, had this to say. "I don't think we have been this strong out of the bullpen since the days of Perkowski and Mederos. I am extremely confident that we have returned our staff to a position of dominance late in a game. Our starters can pitch their hearts out early knowing that their bullpen will strongly support their efforts." It was Perkowski and Mederos who combined for an incredible stretch over three years where Briarcliffe blew only one lead from the eighth inning on. Last season, the Seahawks had 7 leads from the seventh inning on dissapate into losses. Puccio also announced that Jeff DeLuca will remain in the seventh inning role. No announcement on the fifth starter has been made, though the head coach indicated that that announcement will be made before the month is out. The Seahawks open their 2010 season in Virginia on February 19, 2010. KEITH KENNY NAMED ASSISTANT COACH AT BRIARCLIFFE Head Coach Gary Puccio announced today that Keith Kenny, former Molloy College standout, will be joining the Briarcliffe coaching staff when the fall season kicks off on September 8, 2009. Kenny, a former Division I player at Iona before transferring to Molloy for his final two seasons, brings a solid background in conditioning as well as infield play to the Seahawks. In addition, Keith has been coaching at the NY Tech camps for a few years, working under Head Coach Bob Hirschfield and asst. Butch Caulfield. "Keith will have big shoes to fill replacing Mo. I am confident he is up to the task. I have been impressed with Keith since the first day I met him, and he brings a youthful vigor of energy to our program. The recommendations I received about Keith were all outstanding. This is a young coach with a bright future, and I am happy to start him on that road."
TENTATIVE 2010 SPRING SCHEDULE PUBLISHED The 2010 schedule, still a work in progress, has been posted on this website. As stated earlier this year, the schedule includes games in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Massachusetts and is highlighted by a four to six game stint at the University of Dallas. The schedule currently lists about 35 games, with approximately 10 more games to be scheduled. The Seahawks will open their home schedule with an unusual doubleheader-- facing two different opponents in two nine inning contests -- Penn State Brandywine and SUNY-- Old Westbury. Penn State Brandywine will stay over and play a doubleheader the following day as well.
SEAHAWK SCHEDULE IN 2010 TO INCLUDE TRIPS TO DALLAS AND OHIO Head Coach Gary Puccio announced today that the 2010 schedule will include an aggressive six games in four days at the University of Dallas. The Seahawks will play UD four games, and will also play a college from Arkansas at the UD Campus. Briarcliffe will also travel during their spring break to play games in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Included in the Ohio trip is a doubleheader with UC-Clermont, the team that eliminated the Seahawks from the USCAA National Championships last season. These trips are in addition to the usual Apprentice games in Virginia and Fisher College in Massachusetts. The team hopes to rebound from last season's disappointing 11-16 record.
RANTA AN ALL STAR IN HAWAII Lee Ranta, Briarcliffe's ace, is having a terrific summer season in Hawaii. The junior has made 8 appearances, and has yielded just one earned run during that time. Ranta, who continues to shine, has now been named an ALL-STAR for the Hawaii College League. The game will be played this saturday. RANTA, GELORMINO IMPRESSIVE IN HONOLULU DEBUTS
Playing in their debuts for their respective teams in Hawaii, Lee Ranta and Matt Gelormino made the Seahawks proud. Gelormino recorded a ninth inning save, inducing a ground ball double play to end the ballgame. Ranta pitched a 1-2-3 inning for his club. Both will pitch more innings on Monday, June 15. You can follow the two Seahawks on the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League website. LICUL DECIDES TO PLAY FOR SEAHAWKS Kevin Licul, known affectionately as "Moose" to his teammates, has decided to sign with the Seahawks. Coach Puccio called the signing of Licul, "another major player for our program. Kevin can flat out hit, and plays a very good first base. He comes from one of the most elite high school programs around, and I am thrilled to have him. I expect Kevin to come in and contribute immediately." Licul is a power hitting lefthanded bat while playing defense righthanded. In a series against Island Trees this year, Licul was instrumental in Levittown Division's wins,hitting a home run as well as a game tying triple. The starting position at first base is open next year, as both Dan Rodriguez and Andrew Raschen have graduated. Rafael Perez also saw action at first base and will compete for the position as well.
ITS OFFICIAL: THE CAN-AM CONNECTION TO LEAD SEAHAWKS iN 2010 COACH NAMES COGLIETTA, RANTA NEW CAPTAINS FOR 2010 In an announcement that surprised many, head coach Gary Puccio announced the captains for the 2010 season. Lee Ranta, entering his senior year as a member of the starting staff, was the obvious choice. The second announcement, however, brought cheers from both the players and the crowd as centerfielder Tim Coglietta accepted the role of captain as well. Many players afterwards expressed great satisfaction in the selections. Puccio said his decision was based on a few factors. He calls Coglietta a natural leader, who plays the game the way it is supposed to be played. "When Tim made that catch in the playoffs against St. Catherine with us down a bundle, I was positive in my mind that the decision I was about to announce was the right one. No one plays the game harder. Tim is one of those guys who makes the same effort whether we are up 15 or down 15. We need more players to buy in to that mentality. I am very excited to have Tim lead us on the field next year." Asked about Ranta, Puccio just smiled. "One of the fierciest competitors I have ever known. When he is on, he is maybe the best I have ever seen. How incredible was he in the bases loaded no out situation in the second inning vs. UCC? The kid has all the tools, and despite an off year, he will be a major force next season. Also, he is not afraid to speak his mind. I know he will communicate to me how the players are feeling about certain things. I think Tim and Lee complement each other very well. The team remains in good hands." FOURTH STRAIGHT BID COMES BRIARCLIFFE'S WAY For the fourth straight year, Briarcliffe College has received a bid to play for the national championship of the USCAA. The playoffs are held May 11-15, 2009 in Newport News, Va. Seedings for the tournament have not yet been announced. Though the record for the Seahawks has not been up to their usual standards, the strength of schedule has given the Seahawks a shot at the National title. Saturday's big win vs. Adelphi College helped the Seahawks become an alternate bid candidate. Briarcliffe was USCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS in 2006. This year's team holds the only USCAA win over #1 ranked Apprentice. Puccio calls the bid "a surprise, but a welcomed one". The team did not receive one of the original eight bids sent out, but was added when other schools were forced to withdraw due to eligibility issues. "It is always a good thing to play for the title. I look forward to seeing what we can do. Over our last ten games or so, we have been playing much better ball." The veteran skipper is the only coach in Briarcliffe history to coach in the USCAA Nationals. In fact, since taking over Briarcliffe, Puccio has taken the team to the National Tournament in all four of his seasons at the helm. WEINER, MELE SIGN ON WITH SEAHAWKS Eric Weiner of Deer Park High School and Anthony Mele of Island Trees High School are the latest players to sign on to play with the Seahawks in 2009-2010. Weiner, a catcher-infielder with the ability to play other positions as well, is a hard-nosed old fashioned type player. Weiner is the first Deer Park graduate signed by Puccio. "Eric is a kid you just enjoy watching play,"the coach added. Mele, who has had a terrific offensive season at Island Trees, is an outfielder with quick hands at the plate. The youngster has been batting second in the IT lineup. "He has excellent hands at the plate, a good glove, and solid arm. Of course, because he is an Island Trees player, I know him a long time. I am happy to have him." In fact, this is the fourth straight year that the Bulldogs have sent a player to Briarcliffe. The players join Joe Solomeno, the outstanding catcher at Sachem, as future Seahawks. "There are still more signings to come," Puccio says. The team will graduate 5 seniors this year. NEW CAPTAIN TO BE ANNOUNCED SENIOR DAY With senior captains Jason Castillo and Drew Raschen leaving the program this season, head Coach Gary Puccio has announced that a new captain will be named at Senior Day on Saturday. Puccio has stated that he intends to have more than one captain, but has left open the possibility of naming only one new captain at this time. The need for a captain now comes from recruiting over the summer, so that future Seahawks can have someone to speak with during the recruiting process. BIDS TO BE ANNOUNCED BY APRIL 29, 2009 The Seahawks will know if their streak of playoff appearances will continue by Wednesday, April 29 when the 2009 bids to the National Championships are announced. Coach Puccio is hopeful of a fourth straight appearance under his reign. However, weather certainly has hurt the Seahawks chances. "We have some very impressive wins against Apprentice, Fisher and Adelphi. Unfortunately we only have played 23 games so far -- that doesn't help. We do play a much tougher schedule than most people, so we will see what they decide. It certainly can go either way." FRESHMAN CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPACT THIS YEAR One of the bright lights in this rain-shortened season has been the outstanding play of the freshman. Catcher Steve Shea continues to lead the team in hitting at .361 and Dave Darcy is not far behind at .333. Vin Aprano has been nothing but solid on the mound, leading the starters in ERA with a 3.49. Opponents have hit only .235 against Clarke graduate Jeff DeLuca. Julio Rodriguez has been a solid addition both as a pitcher and a bullpen catcher. Gabe Ermmarino earned his first save against Fisher, and drove in a run to boot in the 3-1 win. Briarcliffe's last two recruiting seasons have been outstanding, and the hope is that the Seahawks can match that once again in 2009. RAIN CONTINUES TO CLOBBER SCHEDULE Briarcliffe College continues to get washed out, as rain causes many cancellations to the schedule. Coach Puccio takes the blame for the amount of cancelled games this season. "As most people know, schedules are done a year in advance. When we did this schedule, our eye was more on going to Division II status. Because of that, the emphasis was on that level of game. Next year, our schedule will return to a more balanced format. I believe that will help guarantee a lot more games played." The Seahawks appear headed to play less than 30 of the originally scheduled 45 games. Senior Day Set for May 2 vs. Fisher The 2009 Senior Day has been announced. The team will honor its graduating seniors on Saturday, May 2, 2009 between games of the doubleheader with FISHER COLLEGE. Seniors Matt Antonacci, Jason Castillo, Drew Raschen, Scott Rader, and ALL-AMERICAN Dan Rodriguez will be honored. All are expected to have family members present for this special occasion. This is Coach Puccio's first graduating class (his original recruits), and the coach has said that it will be "an emotional day for all. I have been blessed and honored to coach all five of these guys -- they are all graduating from college as well. It will truly be a bittersweet day." SCHEDULE CHANGES ANNOUNCED There are some changes in the schedule for the Seahawks in the upcoming weeks. All the changes have been posted on the 2009 schedule. On Friday, the team will play in Virginia and try to avenge the losses to Apprentice College. The May 2 opponent, originally scheduled to be GLOBE, will now be FISHER COLLEGE. The Globe rescheduled date will be MAY 4 @ 4 pm. The team will try to play over 20 games in the final three and a half weeks of the season. With weather playing havoc this year, it is becoming increasingly important that the Seahawks put together a playoff run soon. COGLIETTA NAMED USCAA PLAYER OF THE WEEK Newcomer Tim Coglietta, who has been nothing but solid both in the field and at the plate, received the USCAA Player of the Week Award for his solid performances against NYU and Queens College. Coglietta was 7-13 with a couple of walks, 3 stolen bases, 5 runs scored and a hit by pitch. Defensively, Tim was flawless in centerfield. The junior is hitting over .340 so far this season. CONGRATULATIONS, tiM!!
VIRGINIA GAMES RESCHEDULED FOR APRIL 10 The baseball games with Apprentice School has been rescheduled for Friday, April 10, 2009 at War Memorial Stadium in Newport News, Va. The doubleheader will begin at 11 AM. The team will come home immediately after the game, and play at Concordia College the next day.
WEATHER PLAYS HAVOC WITH SEAHAWK SCHEDULE Bad weather has curtailed the early part of the Seahawk baseball season, as Briarcliffe has failed to play a game since returning from South Carolina on March 1. The final game in South Carolina also succumbed to the weatherman. In all, five straight games have been either postponed or cancelled. The Seahawks hope to get the season going with a game on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 @ 4 pm @ Queens College. Senior Matt Antonacci is the scheduled starter. VIRGINIA TRIP GAMES ANNOUNCED
Briarcliffe baseball will play three games next weekend in Newport News, VA at the home of the 2009 USCAA playoffs (War Memorial Field). The team will play 2 games on Saturday March 14 beginning at 1 pm vs. Castleton State. The second game is tentatively scheduled to begin at 4 pm against 2007 USCAA National Champion, Apprentice School. The Seahawks will conclude their trip with a game Sunday morning at 11 AM also against Apprentice. APRANO NAMED USCAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK FOR FEB 24 - MAR 1
Freshman Vin Aprano sure has started his collegiate career off right. The righthander, who threw a one-hitter over five innings against Dowling and gave up no earned runs, was named the USCAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK! Aprano's own throwing error allowed Dowling to score their only run against Aprano. The Seahawks eventually lost, 2-1. Congratulations, Vin! GELORMINO PEGGED TO OPEN '09 Sophomore MATT GELORMINO has been tabbed to throw the first pitch of the 2009 baseball season. Gelormino, who in his freshman season defeated four division 2 rivals, finished with a 5-6 record in 2008. Matt will face Briarcliffe nemesis Molloy College down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Friday, February 27. Head Coach Gary Puccio had this to say regarding his opening day choice: "It was Gelo's turn when things went awry last season. I want Gelo to pick us back up and point us in the right direction. I am confident that Matt will have a superb year for us. He had an outstanding season as a freshman last year." JULIO RODRIGUEZ MAKES ROSTER The Briarcliffe baseball team added a new member to its roster today, when Head Coach Gary Puccio announced that JULIO RODRIGUEZ, a freshman from Freeport High School, has made the 2009 squad. Rodriguez has the ability to play third, catcher or even pitch. Puccio called Julio "a hard working young man who deserves to be with us."
COACH ROCCHIO RETURNS LOPEZ'S RETURN EXPECTED SOON AS WELL Matt Rocchio, who left the program due to the presidential election and his job at the Board of Elections, has returned to the coaching ranks this spring. Rocchio will once again man the bullpen for the Seahawks. Last year the bullpen recorded 8 saves in 8 chances, and only blew a lead once after the seventh inning all year. Puccio gives a lot of that credit to Matt. "Our pitchers were always ready to go. Matt deserves a lot of credit for that. I am happy to have him back on board, even in a limited role." Enver Lopez, injured seriously in a car accident back in September, is also expected back to work real soon. The Seahawks added Justin McKay as a coach this season, and also return John "MO" Mehling, the first base and catching coach. Head Coach Gary Puccio enters his fourth season at the helm, taking over a 13-29 team in 2005 that, after a 2-8 start, went on to win the USCAA National Championship in 2006. The skipper has a .602 winning percentage with the Seahawks. ROCCO BACK, O'MALLEY SIGNS Great start to 2009 season Mike Rocco returns to active status as the baseball season is about to begin. Puccio calls Rocco and Reggie Smith "the best DP combo I have ever coached". Last year, the duo turned many double plays, including some dazzlers. Rocco's return to shortstop allows Tom Locrotondo to move to the outfield, a move Locrotondo welcomes. "Mike Rocco playing shortstop helps give us a better shot at winning it all. I am happy to move to the outfield and also help our team win." Puccio calls Locrotondo's statement an example of how much this team has unity. "Tom is a class act. He is an integral part of our team, and I expect him to be a factor in our success this year." The team also announced the signing of SEAN O'MALLEY of Nassau Community College. "I have been trying to get Sean since summer. He is an exceptional outfielder and I expect good things from him." Puccio has not yet said who will be playing where, but he does say that his options have increased "dramatically" with Rocco and O'Malley. Is a fourth straight bid to the USCAA Championships a possibility? "I will be disappointed if it doesn't happen," the head coach said. "It is what we play for." The team will begin that play in a little over a month, when they head to South Carolina to take on local foes Molloy, Dowling, Queens, and Mercy. SHEA LEADS TEAM TO 3.0 GPA
Steven Shea, a freshman from East Islip High School, led the Briarcliffe baseball team to a GPA of 3.0 for the fall semester. Shea, a business major, took 18 credits and got all A's -- a 4.0!! Besides Shea, Scott Rader (3.71) and Dave Darcy (3.5) also had terrific semesters. In fact, 12 of the 20 active players had GPA's over 3.0. The team gets back to work for their upcoming spring season on January 15. Opening day is February 27 in Myrtle Beach, SC. SOLEMENO SIGNS WITH SEAHAWKS
Joe Solemeno made it official last week, signing a scholarship to attend Briarcliffe College and become a member of the prestigious Seahawk baseball team. The Sachem product has shown outstanding catching skills behind the plate. Add this to Joe's potent bat, and the Seahawks have landed another bonafide ballplayer. Solemeno will join Anthony Megias and Steve Shea as other catchers. Head Coach Gary Puccio says "Solemeno shores up our catching positions. I am very confident in all three of our future catchers," a reference to the fact that Scott Rader will graduate at year's end. Sachem Coach Kevin Schnupp added, "It's a great fit." Schnupp and Puccio go back to their days at Dowling College in 1998, when Schnupp was a lefty hitting outfielder and Puccio a pitching coach.
"We hope to sign somewhere between 7 and 10 players this year, including a couple of outfielders, " Puccio said. "Joe gives us a great start to our next recruiting class." McKAY NAMED COACH Justin McKay has been named as the new assistant coach for the Briarcliffe baseball team. McKay replaces Matt Rocchio, who resigned in September due to work responsibilities at his full time job. McKay, currently an education student at Queens, is very familiar with the Briarcliffe roster and coaching staff. McKay began his college playing career at Briarcliffe, where he was an integral part of the 2006 National Champions. Justin also served as the Seahawks captain in 2007, before moving on to Queens college to pursue a career in education. The 23 year old is expected to graduate next December. McKay's responsibilities will include working with the hitters and recruiting. Puccio calls McKay "a player extraordinairre and a quality leader. He had tremendous respect as a captain for us, and as a member of our National Championship team. If he brings those qualities to his coaching style, he will be a major plus for us." McKay is not expected to coach the lines, though that could change depending on the extent of the injuries to Enver Lopez. "We hope to have Enver back in January. I would like to get back to a full staff as soon as possible." Puccio has also said that Matt Rocchio might still have a more limited role in the program. "Nobody wanted to see Matt leave. Working for the board of elections in a presidential election year made it very difficult for him to keep up with his coaching responsibilities. We are going to talk and see what comes of it." Assistant Coach John Mehling will continue to coach first and handle the catchers. "Mo has done a very good job here, and maybe the best catching coach I have ever known," Puccio adds. APRANO NAMED TO STARTING ROTATION Freshman Vin Aprano was named the fifth starter today for the upcoming 2009 season. Aprano, a North Babylon graduate, had a big fall for the Seahawks. Vin's most impressive fall outing was a three inning shutout stint of CW Post, where he struck out four, walked none and gave up just one hit. The starting spot in the rotation opened when Sam Braverman underwent surgery to repair a tear in his elbow. Braverman will be out the entire 2009 season. Puccio calls it a great opportunity for Vinnie. "He's shown great poise and composure on the mound. The experience he will gain by doing this should help him big time over the next four years of his college career." The coach also points to Mike Rocco, who was forced into a starting role at shortstop last year when Francis Santos went down. Aprano joins Lee Ranta, Matt Gelormino, and Matt Antonacci as starters. The other spot in the rotation will belong to Rick Doht and/or Drew Raschen. Both are coming off injuries, but are expected to be healthy by spring 2009. JEFF DeLUCA MAKES BALLCLUB Freshman walkon pitcher Jeff DeLuca has made the 2009 roster, head coach Gary Puccio announced today. DeLuca was actually informed privately of the decision over a week ago. Puccio says DeLuca has shown "solid stuff, the ability to throw strikes, and a consistency in his outings". DeLuca appears to also have a leg up on the 7th inning job, a position held last season by Jonathan Kim. Jason Castillo, the team captain, is already the 8th inning guy. The all-important closer role has yet to be announced. The starting rotation has also not been announced for 2009, though Ranta, Gelormino, and Antonacci are definites in that rotation. Drew Raschen, Rick Doht, and Sam Braverman are all nursing injuries at the present time, and their status as pitchers for 2009 is unknown at this time. Freshman Vin Aprano has had a good fall, and could also slide into a starting position in the rotation. Dave Darcy, Rafael Perez, Tom Guarini, and Gabe Ermmarino are also in the mix. COACHING VACANCY TO BE FILLED SOON Head Coach Gary Puccio announced today that he hopes to be able to name a new assistant coach within the next two weeks. As reported here, a vacancy occured last month when Matt Rocchio left the program. Puccio has said he wants to bring in someone to help with the hitters, and possibly keep the bullpen in order as well. Several names have been floated about for the position, but the head coach remains mum on his decision.
RANTA TO TOSS ON FRIDAY, OCT. 10 Briarcliffe College ace Lee Ranta will make his final fall appearance this Friday at home vs. Suffolk West. Ranta, who is 16-2 in his two years as a Seahawk, should draw attention from the scouts this year now that he is a junior. The Canadian was named an All-American in the USCAA last year. ROCCHIO LEAVES PROGRAM Assistant Coach Matt Rocchio announced his resignation from the Briarcliffe baseball coaching staff today. His resignation is effective as of September 25, 2008. Rocchio spent last season as the bullpen coach and LI recruiter for the Seahawks. In his resignation, Rocchio stated his full time job, working for the Board of Elections, demanded too much of his time in this a presidential election year. Rocchio also thanked head coach Gary Puccio for the opportunity. "Matt was very well liked by all the players here, and his presence will be missed. He did a fine job handling the bullpen for us, " Coach Puccio stated. Puccio also left the door open for a reduced role for Rocchio. "People's schedules change. You never know what tomorrow brings. I am sure he can contribute in some way in the future," Puccio added. Puccio said a search would begin immediately and hopes to announce a new assistant before the end of the fall season.
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