MCLA, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, MA.

"MCLA not only gave me a great education in the classroom, it also gave me a chance to learn outside of the classroom. Whether it was on the baseball field, in the community, or working with different clubs and organizations MCLA gave me the chance to grow as a person. I use both my classroom and non-classroom education every day that I’m at work. I have to learn in every situation that presents itself, day after day. The meetings I attend are just like the small classroom settings at MCLA and allow me to feel comfortable. I prepare for those meetings just like I did for a test or a baseball practice. MCLA made me a better person. I feel more confident as a person with my MCLA degree."

Shaun Richards ’03
Operations Assistant, Miami Dolphins

Baseball: This is the season to watch!

Henry Schrader

Last season the MCLA baseball team put forth an impressive season, honing there skills with a tough Florida schedule and then coming back north to make a splash in conferences play. After an 8-6 regular season MASCAC record team was able to land the third seed in the conference tournament but unfortunately was unable to advance any further.

This season the squad is back and looking to bring a MASCAC championship to MCLA with a line up that’s looking strong. Gone is three year caption and 2005 all MASCAC select Joe Belmosto. Belmosto, the teams catcher, played and started in 30 games last season while also batted over 300 for the year. His contributions will be missed but this year’s team should be able to recover as most of the teams core is returning. Anchoring the team will be two time MASCAC first team selection and last seasons team most valuable player (MVP) third baseman Anthony Bruno of Queens New York. Bruno lead the team in batting hitting .370 for the season his slugging percent was .454, Bruno also lead the team in RBI’s, doubles, and overall hits while starting 30 games for the Trailblazers. Another important hitter in this year line up will be senior outfielder Pat Negrini (West Stockbridge MA), who really stepped it up at the end of last season. Negrini batted .330, drove in 16 run and stole seven bases for all while hitting from the leadoff position in the line-up.

In order for the Trailblazers to make a MASCAC championship run it will be important for the 2005 recruiting class, now juniors with two full season under there belts to continue to play well. Since the 2006 season Matt Burke (Middleboro MA), Cory Burtman (Norwood MA), Anthony Russo (Marcy NY), and Steve Sullivan, (Wareham MA), have been consistent starters providing good hitting and fielding and making very solid contributions to the team. In order for MCLA to win the MASCAC’s and play in the national tournament this spring they will all need to continue to progress as players and do solid work this season at the plate in and the field.

Joining this group of juniors will be a pitcher catcher duo transferring in from Dean College Cyrus Curtis (Bourne MA) and Andrew Hobin (Beverly, MA). Curtis is coming in and adding to the already deep pitching staff that may be the best in the league lead by sophomore James Greeley (Newton MA) and junior Andrew Gaines (Holyoke MA). Last season Greeley was nearly un-hittable as his overall ERA at the end of the season was 1.65. Greeley was also named to the conferences Honor roll once on the week of April first and another time later in the same month he was named pitcher of the week in the MASCAC. Andrew Gaines another example of the great recruiting class of 2005 is returning after a season where he was also named MASCAC pitcher of the week and looking to pitch in a lot of games this season for the Trailblazers.

The addition of Curtis to this already great pitching core should be tremendous as the pitching staff is already generating a buzz around the team "The strength of our team is the depth of our pitching staff. We have a lot of guys that can give us quality innings that other teams in the league can’t match" says Greeley about the teams pitching. Even head coach Jeff Puleri, 2006 MASCAC coach of the year thinks that this years strength should be in the pitching as he has reported in his season preview (available online at MCLA.com/athletics).

This season Puleri has also brought in another great class of freshman who are joining the team and hoping put them over the top in there quest for conference dominances. Paul Procopio a Shortstop from Pittsfield MA and outfielder Joe Parillo from West Springfield are just two of several freshman coming in this season who should contribute. With new players coming in it can sometimes challenge a team, blending in old players with the new and trying to generate chemistry. But in recent history that has not been an issue for the Trailblazers, and this year appears to be no different "The team has always had good chemistry since I’ve been here and this year is no different. The new guys have really had an easy time meshing with the rest of the team" says Greeley about the new players after 6 weeks of practicing together in the gym. Caption Anthony Bruno agrees saying "Team chemistry is very important, and I feel that is why we have had some success over the last 2 years. People always joke around and say that we travel in herds. But it is this bond that we have with each other that separates us from the rest of the teams here".

The teams chemistry will need to shine this season as they play a very hard non conference schedule starting off in Florida the team plays nine games down there from march 10th-21st before returning up north to play a tough set of games including games against Keene State April third, WNEC April ninth, and RPI April 23rd, all of which made it to the national tournament last season. "We pride ourselves on playing a very difficult schedule in order to prepare us for the conference season" says coach Puleri about his tough scheduling. However all of these games are at home and played at the Joe Zavattaro athletic complex giving the Trailblazers the home field advantage.

Even with these difficult teams on the schedule the real focus of the season will be on conference play which opens up on March 29th at Salem State. Their first home conference test will be on April fifth against Framingham State. But pay special attention to April 21 a home mach up again rivals Worchester state. Anthony Bruno comments on the game "ever since my freshman year I have despised them. I always seem to pick my game up to the next level when we play them. I want to beat them into the ground this year". A senior on a mission this game promises to be a great double header to look forward to later on in the season no doubt with play off implications on the line.

This years Trailblazers look to be the best that we have seen in several years check them out all season long at the Complex located on West Shaft road and you will be sure to catch great baseball all season long. "If everyone does what they are capable of doing we will be competing in the NCAA tournament this year" says Bruno lets hope he’s right cant wait untill the bats start flying in March!

For more information about the MCLA baseball team, players, schedule, or coaching staff check out www.mcla.edu/athletics