2008 Southern Connecticut
State University Baseball
Game 10-19 • March 14-21, 2008
Spring Trip • Florida
SCSU (6-3) vs.
Mercy (3-6), Molloy (6-4), Dowling (5-2),
Barry (15-7), Lynn (16-7), Dominican (2-2)


View full games notes (.pdf).



SPRING BREAK FLORIDA
Currently riding a six-game winning streak, the Southern Connecticut State University baseball team heads to Florida for the next week over the school's spring break. The Owls will play a quartet of neutral site doubleheaders in Boca Raton, Fla. against Northeast Region foes Mercy, Molloy, Dowling and Dominican. In addition, SCSU will play a single road game each at Barry and Lynn.

LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore starting pitcher Jim Fuller struck out 11 over six shutout innings as four pitchers combined to throw a three-hit shutout on Tuesday afternoon to lead SCSU to an 11-0 victory over New Haven in non-conference action at The Ballpark at SCSU. Senior designated hitter Billy Hite hit 2-for-4 with a double and four runs batted in for the Owls.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Mercy was picked to finish ninth in the East Coast Conference (ECC). The Mavericks have opened the season 3-6, but have won two of their last four. Molloy was picked to finish eighth in the ECC. The Lions won six of their first eight before dropping their last two contests to fall to 6-4. Dowling was picked to finish third in the ECC. The Golden Lions have won five of their first seven games. Barry was picked to finish third in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC). The Buccaneers have opened the season 15-7 and are currently in the midst of a six-game winning streak. Lynn was picked to finish fourth in the SSC. The Fighting Knights are 16-7 to start the season and have won their previous eight games. Dominican was picked to finish third in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). The Chargers have won their last two to even their record at 2-2.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
The SCSU pitching staff combined for 17 strikeouts in the Owls' 11-0 victory over New Haven on March 11. Sophomore starter Jim Fuller pitched the first six innings and struck out 11. Senior Nick Carlucci recorded two strikeouts in the seventh inning, senior Toby Nylin struck out the side in the eighth and junior Mike Connors tallied a strikeout in the ninth. In the game, SCSU pitching allowed just three hits, walked one batter and hit another.

DOUBLE DIGITS
The 11-run output on March 11 against New Haven marked the second time this season the Owls have posted a double-digit run total. SCSU previously scored 17 runs against Assumption on March 2. The Owls are 2-0 when they score double digits this year and 0-2 when they allow double digits to be scored against them.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING
After opening the season by getting swept at Florida Institute of Technology, the Owls have run off a six-game winning streak since the calendar flipped to March. Over that span, SCSU has outscored its opponents 54-8, including a trio of shutouts. The last time the Owls won six in a row was March 8-20, 2006, when the club posted eight consecutive victories.

EXPLOSIVE OFFENSE
The SCSU offense scored its most runs in nearly a year on March 2 when the Owls defeated Assumption 17-3 in the second game of a doubleheader. In all, 11 Owls recorded at least one base hit and 10 SCSU players scored at least one run. The last time the Owls scored 17 runs was in a 17-11 victory over Dominican on March 4, 2007. The last time SCSU scored more runs was April 4, 2002, when they tallied an 18-7 victory at Merrimack.

HELP FROM THE HILL
After giving up double-digit run totals in each of the season's first three games, the SCSU pitching staff has not allowed more than three runs in a game in the six contests since. Included in that span are shutouts of C.W. Post, Assumption and New Haven.

DUAL HONORS
Junior centerfielder Karl Derbacher was named the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Week for the week ending on March 2. In the same week, senior pitcher Nick Carlucci was named the conference's Pitcher of the Week.

OWLS ON THE HONOR ROLL
Sophomore pitcher Ed Bethke, junior shortstop Mike Diaz and senior designated hitter Anthony Fiorillo were named to the Northeast-10 Conference Honor Roll for the week ending on March 2. The Owls have had five honor roll selections so far this season.

ENJOYING THE WARM WEATHER
Junior second baseman Kevin Bowerman saw success as the Owls opened their season with three games at Florida Tech on Feb. 16 and 17. The West Haven, Conn. native hit 8-for-13 (.615) with five RBI, a double, a run scored and a stolen base on the trip.

DIAZ EARNS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Junior shortstop Mike Diaz has been named a Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball Magazine. He garnered All-Northeast Region and First-Team All-Northeast-10 Conference honors a year ago after batting .360.

STRONG ARMS AT THE TOP
The Owls return a bevy of experienced pitchers this spring. Seniors Toby Nylin and Nick Carlucci both have logged significant time as starters, while junior Justin Cox is back on the hill after missing all of last year with an injury. He was an All-Conference pick two years ago after going 7-0 for the Owls. Also back in sophomore lefty Ed Bethke, who led the staff in innings pitched last year en route to a five-win season. The bullpen will be anchored by junior Mike Connors, who was second on the club in appearances last season.

FLIRTING WITH A FINE FIGURE
In addition to Mike Diaz, who hit .360 last year, the Owls have two other returnees who have posted single-season efforts above .300. Joe Kahlden batted .315 in 2006, while Chris Barile batted .312 last year. In addition, Billy Hite batted .294 last season, while Kevin Bowerman hit .296 in 2006.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB
Fourteen of the 28 players on the SCSU roster are new to the club this season. The newcomers are comprised of three juniors, four sophomores and eight freshmen.

THE CAPTAINS
Senior Joe Kahlden and junior Kevin Bowerman will serve as team captains for the Owls this spring.

IN THE NE-10 PRESEASON POLL
The Owls were tabbed for fifth in this year's Northeast-10 Preseason Coaches Poll. Franklin Pierce was selected as the preseason favorite.

HEAD COACH TIM SHEA
Affiliated with Southern Connecticut State University as a student-athlete, instructor and coach for two decades, Tim Shea's long-standing relationship with the university has been a tremendously successful one. He took over as head baseball coach prior to the 2002 season after serving 11 years as an Owls assistant to Joe Bandiera. Now in his seventh season, Shea has compiled a 173-121 (.588) record. He guided the Owls to the NCAA Division II World Series in 2005.

ON DECK
The Owls return to the field after their spring trip on March 25 when they return home to host Franklin Pierce in the Northeast-10 Conference opener for both teams. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at The Ballpark at SCSU in New Haven, Conn.