Feb. 28, 2008

Garden City, N.Y. - The Adelphi University baseball team will open up the 2008 season in Augusta, Georgia. The Panthers open the 2008 season with a four game set against Augusta State University, starting with a single game on March 29.

The Panthers stormed back into the regional picture in 2007 after a one-year hiatus and knocked on the door of national prominence with an overall record of 35-17. Adelphi was ranked as high as 24th in the nation during the 2007 season and finished third at the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional.

"It will be very difficult to repeat last season's success, however my goal is to get to the College World Series," Head Coach Dom Scala stated. "Last year we played great baseball all year long and got a taste of real success. But, one tough day at the regional killed us."

The Panthers were just two wins away from a berth in the College World Series last season, before losses to Franklin Pierce and Bryant ended Adelphi's run. The bulk of last year's team has returned for the 2008 season and has been motivated to complete what was started last spring.

"Our players are working hard and they know what they need to do to be successful," Scala said. "Everyone in the region will be coming after us this year and we are preparing for it and will be ready."

On the mound, Adelphi will be led by junior captain Bobby Lanigan and senior Mike McLasky. Both pitchers were instrumental in last years success, combining for 16 wins as Lanigan earned all-conference and all-region recognition, while McLasky was an all-conference performer and collected a team-high three saves. "We have to make up for the loss of Mike Myers, who had a tremendous year in 2007 (10-0)," Scala explained. "We feel that we have the depth and talent to soften the blow with Mike Scudero Mike Bartlett, Frank Valeriano and the addition of talented freshmen Rob Nixon and Keith Couch."

Scudero posted a record of 4-3 last season with an earned run average (ERA) of 5.23, while Bartlett saw time in 11 games on the mound, making four starts and posting a record of 1-2. Valeriano pitched strong in relief last spring, making 11 appearances and picking up one win.

The bullpen has a great mixture of hard throwers as well as crafty left handed pitchers and return two hurlers who picked up three saves last year. According to pitching coach Brian Corbo anyone in the Panther bullpen can do the job when called upon. "We always tell our players that the coaching staff makes the decisions, but their performances dictate our decisions," Corbo explained.

Bobby Lanigan is the ECC preseason Pitcher of the Year.

Chris Weidlein and Jason Intelasano anchored the bullpen last spring and are both back this year. Weidlein posted an ERA of 0.00, not allowing a run in 10.2 innings pitched, striking out 10 and picking up three saves. Intelasano made 17 appearances, recorded 34 strikeouts and posted an ERA of 4.05.

Defensively, Adelphi will be solid up the middle with the return of two senior captains Ryan Boelsen and Mike Connors behind the plate. Boelsen turned in a tremendous offensive season in 2007, hitting .393, driving in 49 runs and racking up 75 hits. Connors was outstanding defensively, recording a fielding percentage of .983 with just three errors.

Mike Colonna will return to second base this year, a position he has occupied for the past two seasons, while senior Rob DeGennaro will get the nod at shortstop. Last season Colonna was an NCAA Northeast Region All-Tournament selection and hit .333 with 36 runs scored and 31 driven in, while DeGennaro drove in 40 runs and hit .307 in 44 appearances.

The corners will be occupied by Bill Melillo, Joe Maranino and Chris Weidlein. Melillo started 46 games last season at first base and hit a team-high 10 home runs, while also hitting for average (.363). Maranino and Weidlein will split time at third base. Maranino saw time in 26 games last season, while Weidlein made 30 appearances.

Senior captain center outfielder Mike Testani is one of the best defensive players that Coach Scala has seen. "Mike is so instinctive, confident, and acrobatic. I have never seen anyone get to the balls that he can track down and then make the catches that Mike has been able to come up with," Scala stated. "He has saved countless hits, runs and stopped rallies that could have led to losses instead of wins last year."

Mike Colonna returns to anchor the middle of the infield.

Last season Testani earned All-American, All-Region and All-Conference honors, while leading the team in batting average (.406), RBI (55), hits (78) and runs (50). He also posted a fielding percentage of .976, making just two errors in center field. Joining Testani in the outfield will be Rob Paccione and junior transfer Tommy Harper.

Paccione hit .375 last season and was tied for the team lead in runs scored with 50. He also stole nine bases and was third on the team in on-base percentage at .434. Harper comes to Adelphi from Suffolk County Community College where he was an All-Region selection and an Academic All-Region honoree.

Graduate student Pat O'Neill will see a lot of time as a designated hitter after missing the 2007 season due to injury. In 2006 O'Neill hit .361 with 23 RBI and 17 runs scored.

The transition from aluminum to wood bats this season in the East Coast Conference is sure to change the way the game is played, especially offensively. "I feel that the wood bat will bring parity to the conference offensively, which is not in our favor," Associate Head Coach Bobby Malvagna explained. "We have always been a dominant offensive team and the aluminum bat was a factor."

The major difference is that the wood bat is heavier then the aluminum bat, and the fall proved to the coaching staff that Adelphi needed to get stronger. Coach Scala developed a useful tool, that he named the "super stick" to help develop and strengthen the athletes hands, wrist and forearms. "In watching them swing so far in our preseason workouts I can see the difference," stated Scala.

Rob Paccione will add experience to the outfield.

The Panthers batting order is balanced with both speed and power throughout. At the top of the lineup we will feature Paccione and Harper, who can be flip flopped with Colonna and DeGennero because either pair would excel at the top or bottom of the order and gives Adelphi an edge at the eight and nine spot. In the middle, Adelphi has some special hitters, led by Testani, Boelsen, and Mellilo. Those three players combined for 150 RBI last season as all three hit .363 or better. O'Neill, Weidlein and Marinino will round out the order, making the Panthers dangerous from one to nine.

"I have many options because our players are very versatile. This will allow me to keep players fresh, yet play the guys that are hot at the same time," Scala stated. "I can say that we will be very competitive this season and we are ready to defend our conference title. Our guys have a lot of pride and are up to the challenge."

The Panthers as usual are playing one of the toughest schedules in the region, including games against eight teams ranked in the top-10 in the NCBWA preseason poll, highlighted by top-ranked Franklin Pierce. Adelphi will also face six teams that are currently ranked among the top-40 in the nation.

"When you play top schools you play against the best. It will only be to our benefit down the road," Scala explained. "It is also great for RPI points which will help us get into the playoffs."

Adelphi will open with a four game set at Augusta State in Georgia and then return to campus to face Dominican and Franklin Pierce. The Panthers will follow that up with a trip to Florida, where they will play eight games in six days against Palm Beach Atlantic, Nova Southeastern, Lynn, Northwood and regional foes Franklin Pierce and UMass-Lowell.

The East Coast Conference schedule will begin on March 22 with a double header against Concordia. Adelphi will certainly mark their calendars on April 15, when they play C.W. Post, who they topped to capture the ECC Tournament title a year ago. Bridgeport will also pose a test within the conference as well as Molloy and Dowling.

The Panthers turned a corner last year and are looking to move forward and earn a berth into the College World Series. Adelphi's mix of youth, experience, speed and power should help make that goal a reality.