By Bert Sempier
Staff Writer
The 2009 Marywood baseball team finished the year with an 11-23 record. In the regular season final against Philadelphia Biblical, the bats came alive giving the Pacers a 13-3 victory. Winning this game gives the 2010 team a positive note to reflect upon heading into this season.
At the helm of the Pacers is second year head coach Jerry Davis. This is his fifteenth year on the Marywood staff; he served as an assistant coach for his first thirteen years with the team.
Matt Fidati, who is a 2007 graduate from Marywood, serves at the ball clubs assistant coach. Fidati graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education and a minor in Coaching. Mr. Fidati was a volunteer coach for the Pacers the following two seasons.
The Pacers have three new captains this year, all seniors: Jason Bugno, David Lewis and Ryan Cusomato. The team elects their captains, which means these players’ teammates look up to them for leadership in good times and in bad. Said Ryan Cusomato, “I felt good when the team selected me to be one of the captains, it’s nice to know that the team looks to me for leadership.”
Not only are there three new captains, but three new players as well. They are, Jonathan Woytach, David Maione, and Nicholas Pasqualichio; all freshmen. High school baseball and college ball differ from each other. In college, the pitching is faster, nine innings are played instead of seven and practice times vary. Woytach, Maione and Pasqualichio must adjust to this higher level of play. “Any serious baseball player knows that he has to make adjustments every day. This is accomplished by making tweaks and listening to the coaches,” said Maione.
Over spring break, like always, the team will head down to Florida for spring training. This year, they will be heading down to Ft. Pierce. This is a good time to get in game shape, as the Pacers will play six games in six days.
The Pacers open their season with an out of conference match up with Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania. Marywood played Widener last season, losing the double header.
On March 19th, Marywood opens up with a CSAC match up at Keystone University. Keystone beat the Pacers three times last season, meaning Marywood has their work cut out for them this year. There is no reason why MU can’t reverse their fortunes against this conference opponent.
Marywood has their home opener the following day when they host Keystone in a double header. Emotions are sure to be high when these teams take the field. Look at it this way: three games in two days, which ever team wins two out of three or sweeps, will have bragging rights the rest of the season and until they play again in 2011.
The Pacers close out the regular season at their home field against Gwynedd-Mercy College on May 2nd. The day before, these two teams will have a double header in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania. Just like the meeting with Keystone, three games against the same opponent in two days. Marywood played Gwynedd-Mercy three times in 2009, and unfortunately found themselves at the short end of the stick each game.
Marywood has a good team heading into their 2010 campaign. The team has six seniors and five juniors that will be able to lend encouraging advice and helpful tips to the younger players on the team. The Pacers have a plethora of sophomores, that number being ten. With this combination of veteran and younger talent, the Pacers should be a team to be reckoned with in 2010.