The baseball team finished 21-13-1 last season, but it was the unlucky 13th loss that the team had to stomach for the entire offseason. The Jumbos lost in the finals of the NESCAC tournament to Williams, losing out on a chance for the NCAA tournament. Though the team refuses to look ahead to the end of the season, it would love to have a chance at revenge.
The Jumbos have the returning talent to get back to the finals of the NESCAC tournament, and an additional year of experience could put them over the hump. While three position players aren't returning for this season's run, the core of the team is intact and ready to head south for the annual Spring Break trip.
Catcher
Last year Joe Suprenant started 31 games and batted .283. He has graduated, leaving difficult shoes to fill. Not only does the catcher have to field his position from a crouch, handle the pitching staff, and hold his weight in the batting order, but he has to be the onfield leader. That responsibility will now fall on the shoulders of sophomore Greg Hickey, and the early signs are optimistic.
"It's a tough position to just step into," junior centerfielder Evan Zupancic said. "You are accountable for a lot out there, but Greg can handle it well. He's coming along."
Hickey started 16 games last year, though many were at the DH spot, batting .273. Teammates have been impressed with Hickey's play during early practices, but the real test will come on the Spring Break trip when the team plays outside for the first time of the year. While Hickey's numbers may not factor into the boxscore with regularity, his ability to fill in for Supernant will be a determining factor on the quality of this team.
The corners
One corner, first base, is set in stone, while third base is still up in the air. Senior Tim Ayers returns for another tour of duty at first base, and he is hoping to continue his impressive play. He was second on the team in batting average last year, hitting at a .349 clip. He also contributed 26 runs, 38 hits, and 29 RBIs. As important as his offense from the fifth spot in the order is his steadiness at first.
"He's a wall at first base," Zupancic said. "Nothing gets by him."
It's reassuring for the infielders to be throwing to such a steady target, but who will be throwing to Ayers from the hot corner is still in doubt. Dan LaPointe was the starter by the end of last year, but he isn't returning to the club this year, which leaves the spot up for grabs. Though the coaches haven't picked a starter, the job right now could come down to either sophomore Nick Palange or Adam Kacambrus. Palange started 22 games last year, but hit only .212, while Kacambrus played in only four games.
"The trip will help determine who will be the starter," Zupancic said.
Middle infielders
It's tough to get a hit up the middle on Tufts, as coach John Casey returns his shortstop and second baseman - both of whom have plenty of range. Junior Brian Shapiro captains the infield from the shortstop position and has the athleticism and arm strength to cover a lot of ground throw out runners. He also bats cleanup for the Jumbos, and posted a .308 average with 26 runs, 44 hits, 27 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. His play garnered Shapiro a second team All-NESCAC mention.
His double play partner is similar in many respects to Shapiro, as junior John Herbert covers considerable territory and rarely makes a mistake. Herbert also carries his own in the lineup, as he batted second last year, hitting .322 with 35 runs, 47 hits, 21 RBI, and 13 stolen bases.
Outfield
Like the rest of the lineup, the outfield is both a major strength and a question mark. Todd Boutwell manned left field last season, but with his graduation, Casey has the job of finding a replacement. Senior Brian Neville is one of the choices, though nothing is set in stone. Like the third base job, decisions will be made after the Spring Break trip.
The rest of the outfield, however, is amongst the best in the region. Senior right fielder Dan Callahan, a tri-captain, is the driving force of the offense, as he led the Jumbos in every offensive category. He hit .420 with 38 runs, 60 hits, a team-record 41 RBI, and 12 stolen bases on the way to NESCAC Player of the Year honors.
He doesn't take time off in the field, either, as he has above-average range and had six outfield assists last year. And any ball hit to right center that Callahan can't run down, Zupancic will. In fact, there aren't a lot of balls that Zupancic, who doubles as a cornerback on the football team in the Fall, can't track.
If there is anything the tri captain needs to work on, it's the offense. Though he hit .308 with 26 runs and 14 stolen bases last year, he knows those numbers have a lot of room to increase.
"I've been disappointed with my hitting the last two years," Zupancic said. "I have been focusing on that this preseason."
Zupancic would like to increase his average by about 100 points, and if he can do that, his runs and stolen bases will go up at the same time.
Pitching
The pitching staff might be the biggest strength of this team, as the top four pitchers off last year's squad are all back.What Callahan was to the offense, junior Jon Lee was for the pitching staff, as he went 7-1 with a 2.09 ERA on the way to NESCAC Pitcher of the Year honors. Opponents batted only .214 against Lee, as a low ERA and opponent batting average was a trend for Jumbo pitchers last year. Junior Dave Martin was 5-2 with a 2.43 ERA while being hit at a .231 clip. Sophomore Randy Newsom (2-4, 3.50 ERA, .251 batting average) and senior tri-captain Steve Lapham (3-5, 3.57 ERA, .287 batting average) are experienced and round out the rotation.
Outlook
Despite the loss of three position players, Tufts has the bulk of its team back this year. Though the players are loath to look ahead to the NESCAC Tournament, if the Jumbos don't beat themselves in the early season, it's likely that they will face Williams again this season in the finals. The Ephs are 17th in the country in the preseason, so defeating them in the finals of the NESCAC Tournament will be a challenge.
@s:Team one of the best in New England
