University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Close Out Season Against Richmond
May 19, 2004 | Baseball
May 19, 2004
AMHERST, Mass. - Note: The first 10 pages of the Game Notes include UMass information. The remaining 13 pages include a look around the Atlantic 10, statistical leaders and team-by-team schedule / results.
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Game Day Quick Facts
The Teams: Richmond (28-20, 15-6 A-10) vs. Massachusetts (18-24, 9-12 A-10)
Date and Time: Two seven inning games on Friday, May 21 beginning at 12:00 p.m.
A single nine-inning game on Saturday, May 22 beginning at 12:00 p.m. Senior Day
Place: Earl Lorden Field * Amherst, Mass.
Minutemen Close Out Season Against Richmond
WHAT'S ON TAP: The University of Massachusetts baseball team (18-24, 9-12 Atlantic 10) welcomes the University of Richmond (28-20, 15-6 Atlantic 10) to Earl Lorden Field for a regular-season ending three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series. First pitch of a pair of seven-inning games is set for 12:00 p.m., on Friday, May 21, while a single nine-inning game will follow on Saturday, May 22, also beginning at 12:00 p.m. Saturday's game will include Senior Day festivities as six members of the UMass Baseball team will be honored prior to the first pitch. The seniors include second baseman Sean Sarno (Stoneham, Mass.), third baseman Adam Stojanowski (West Roxbury, Mass.), shortstop Mike Athas (Holyoke, Mass.), second baseman Cullan Maumus (New Orleans, La.), first baseman Matt Reynolds (South Boston, Mass.) and starting pitcher Eric Chown (Fall River, Mass.).
SERIES HISTORY: Friday's game is scheduled to be just the 11th meeting between UMass and Richmond. A former member of the Colonial Athletic Association, the Spiders joined the Atlantic 10 for the 2001-02 year, making the 2004 campaign, their third in the league. Richmond leads the all-time series 7-3, which began in 1970. The teams last met in the championship game of the 2003 Atlantic 10 Tournament.
ATLANTIC 10 TOURNAMENT: UMass did not qualify for the 2004 Atlantic 10 Tournament. The following seeds are set for the A-10 Baseball Championship to be held May 26-29 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn. 1 - Rhode Island 2 - George Washington 3/4 - Richmond or Saint Bonaventure * 5 - Fordham 6 - Duquense Richmond needs to win at least one game to have an identical winning percentage with Saint Bonaventure. Two victories, or a win and a tie would give the Spiders the No. 3 seed.
HEAD COACH: Now in his 17th season as UMass' head coach, Mike Stone owns an overall record of 517-416-4 (.554), including a 463-326-2 (.586) mark at the helm of the Minutemen. Stone guided UMass to NCAA Tournament appearances during the 1995 and 1996 seasons, and was a three-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year selection in 1994, 1995 and 1996. In addition, Stone's Minutemen have won the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season or Eastern Division title eight times in the last 10 years, while claiming a pair of Atlantic 10 Tournament titles. A 1982 UMass graduate, Stone began his head coaching career with a five-year stint at the University of Vermont.
STONE GETS No. 500: Already the all-time winningest coach in UMass baseball history, Mike Stone picked up career win No. 500 with a 6-5 decision at Rider on Mar. 7, 2004. Just the second coach in UMass athletics history to accomplish the feat, Stone also ranks as the winningest active Division I head coach in New England.
SCOUTING THE SPIDERS: Richmond head coach Ron Atkins has been spinning the Spiders web of success since 1985. Entering the year with a 560-405-4 overall record, he has directed teams into the NCAA tournament in each of the previous two seasons, and seven times through out his career. A 1967 graduate of Virginia Tech, he earned his master's degree from Virginia State University and taught at J.R. Tucker High School (Richmond, Va.) for 17 years before arriving with the Spiders. Richmond begins the week having swept La Salle over the weekend, and having a home-and-home series against local foe James Madison on Tuesday and Wednesday. One of the top pitching teams in the Atlantic 10, Richmond begins the week holding opponents to a .255 batting average using 370 strikeouts in the effort, both figures rank as the second-best in the A-10. The Spiders weakness has to be their hitting (.265) which ranks as the second worst in the Atlantic 10. With only three players sporting a batting average over .300, the Spiders have also struck out the third-most in the Conference, 336 times. Senior leftfielder A.J. Board leads the team with a .331 batting average having played in every game this year. Junior first baseman Jim Fasano holds a .306 batting average having started every game this season. He also leads the team with 15 home runs, 47 RBI, a .635 slugging percentage, a .437 on-base percentage. He has struck out 38 times on the year as well. Senior shortstop Bobby LeNoir leads the team with 16 stolen bases and has totaled 50 hits on the season. He has also struck out 39 times this year. On the mound, junior lefty Thomas Martin (6-1, 3.65 ERA) and freshman righty Rob Berzinskas (4-3, 3.99 ERA) are slated to be the starters on Friday, junior righty Jason Bolinski (3-4, 4.68) is expected to take the mound Saturday. Martin leads the team in wins and has tossed 56.2 innings this season totaling 55 strikeouts. He has also walked just 20 batters, and holds opposing hitters to a .227 batting average. Berzinskas has tossed 58.2 innings this season totaling 55 strikeouts as well. He has also walked 20 batters, holds opposing hitters to a .249 batting average and is one of four UR pitchers who have allowed five home runs on the year. Bolinski leads the team with 12 starts and 67.1 innings pitched. Understandably he has allowed team highs of 72 hits, 45 runs and 35 earned runs. He has walked just 17 batters while totaling 62 strikeouts.
TRIPLE DIME, ANYTIME: Wearing No. 30 out on the hill, senior starting pitcher Eric Chown (6-4, 3.07 ERA) has been at the front end of a powerful Minuteman pitching staff for the past couple of seasons. Having logged a team-high 70.1 innings this year, including a complete game 10-inning victory over Iowa on Mar. 17, the walk-on righthander was a workhorse last season totaling a team-high 72.0 innings pitched including six complete games. As a sophomore in 2002, he ranked second on the squad with 68.2 innings to his credit. Beginning the year with 180.1 collegiate innings under his belt, the Durfee High School product currently has 250.1 innings pitched for his career ranking him third all-time in UMass baseball history (see p. 27 of the UMass Baseball Media Guide for additional information). Chown also began the year seventh on the all-time list for pitching appearances with 47, and with 11 this season, has moved into sole possession of first place (58) one ahead of Nick Skirkanich's 57 appearances. Drafted by the Atlanta Braves following the 2003 campaign (38th round, 1147th overall), Chown opted to return to Amherst for his senior season. A second-team All-Atlantic 10 selection in 2003, he was also a member of the All-Tournament squad.
MORE ON CHOWN: On May 8 against Temple, Chown went seven innings allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out seven for his fifth win of the year. Against Fordham on Apr. 24, Chown scattered eight over seven innings en route to his fifth complete game of the year and the 13th of his career. While he allowed four runs, only one was earned. Chown walked just one batter as well. Earlier this season at Saint Joseph's on Apr. 17, Chown earned his fourth complete game of the season and the first complete game shutout of his career. He held the Hawks to just four hits and no walks while striking out five and facing the minimum three batters, four times. Chown, who lowered his ERA more than 50-points in the process (3.72 to 3.12) retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced securing the 11th complete game of his career. That performance earned him A-10 Pitcher of the Week honors along with teammate Matt Torra, and Dinn Brothers / UMass Athlete of the Week honors. On Mar. 17, Chown went 10.0 innings to earn a complete game victory in a 4-2 decision over Iowa. The wire-to-wire win marked his first complete game of the year, and the eighth of his career. He limited the Hawkeyes to just one earned run and one walk, while striking out three and retiring 12 of the last 14 batters faced. That earned him A-10 and ECAC Pitcher of the Week honors.
CH-uggin' up the charts: His last time out at Saint Bonaventure on May 14, the senior logged his team-leading eighth complete game of the year. Beginning the year with just seven wire-to-wire outings for his career, his 15 total complete games ties him for seventh all-time on UMass' career list with Travis Veracka '00. One more would move him into a sixth-place tie with Tom Nigro '78 who totaled 16. He also moved into a four-way tie for sixth place on UMass' single season complete games list (eight on the year) with Jesse Santos, Peter Ferrari and Phil Tarpey. One more would move him into third place at nine complete games. Additionally, the SBU start marked Chown's school-record 58th pitching appearance.
TORA, TORA, TORA: Sophomore righthander Matt Torra (Pittsfield, Mass.) has been shooting down opposing hitters this year totaling a team-leading 65 strikeouts in just 59.1 innings. Against Temple on May 8, Torra took a no-hitter into the seventh inning striking out eight and allowing just one walk in the process. He faced 24 batters during the seven-inning game, only three more than the minimum and stood two outs away from what would have been the fourth no-hitter in school history. The complete-game victory also lowered his ERA almost 60-points from 5.63 to 5.06. Earlier this year on Apr. 17 at Saint Joseph's, Torra tossed his second complete-game of the season, first complete-game shutout of the year, and the third complete game shutout of his career. He held the Hawks to just four hits while striking out seven and issuing one walk while lowering his ERA almost a full point (4.65 to 3.79). That performance earned him Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week honors along with teammate Eric Chown. Additionally, on Mar. 27 at George Washington, Torra scattered eight hits over 6.1 innings recording nine strikeouts, allowing one run and one walk. For his performance, he was named the Dinn Brothers / UMass Athlete of the Week. In his first start of the year on Mar. 7 at Rider, Torra fanned a career-high 12 batters over six innings allowing just four hits and two runs. In addition to his strikeout capability, the ground ball-inducing Torra (4-3, 5.63 ERA) has hit just two batters.
THE WEYMOUTH WHAMMER: Sophomore catcher Frank Curreri (Weymouth, Mass.) has continued to put the hurt on opposing pitchers this season. A 2003 All-Atlantic 10 Tournament selection, he hit .339 last year with three home runs and 27 RBI. Showing little sign of a sophomore slump, the former hockey standout carries a team-leading .371 batting average having started all 42 games for UMass this year. He also leads the team with 56 hits, 54 RBI, 34 runs scored, 16 doubles, seven home runs, a .451 on base percentage and a .616 slugging percentage that is also among the top five in the Atlantic 10. He was named Dinn Brothers / UMass Athlete of the Week on May 12 after he hit .444 over five games from May 4 - May 9, including two home runs and nine RBI. Against Siena he went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and a pair of doubles. He smashed another two-run home run in game two against Temple on May 8, and recorded an RBI in eight straight games before the streak ended Sunday, May 9 vs. Temple. Earlier this year at Rhode Island on May 2, Curreri hit a game-tying lead off blast in the seventh inning and later added what proved to be a game-winning two-out, two-run single into centerfield as UMass won 5-3. From Apr. 12-19, Curreri hit .444 with two home runs and seven RBI over five road contests. He nailed home runs in back-to-back wins at Saint Joseph's Apr. 17 and 18, including a three-run home run in the sixth inning of Sunday's game finished with a season-high (twice) 5 RBI. He has proven to be pretty durable as well as having started all 42 games this year, (34 in 2003, mostly in the LF) including 37 at catcher and five at DH (including game two at Connecticut, Apr. 14). The six-foot-four, 215-pounder also leads the team with a .424 batting average against lefties (14-for-33), and has totaled 30 hits with runners in scoring position (66 at bats, .455 average). He also ranks first on the squad with 16 multi-hit games, 16 multi-RBI games and a team-leading 13 game hitting streak. Curreri has also reached base in 38 of UMass' 42 games including each of the last 23 consecutive contests.
CURRERI'S RECORD WATCH: Curreri needs one more DOUBLE to move into a tie for fourth place on UMass' single season school record list. He is currently one of seven players tied for fifth-place with 16 two-baggers. UMass' single season record is 20 set in 1998 by Shaun Skeffington, while UMass' career record is 50 set by Justin Howard from 1991-1994. Curreri also needs three more RBI to move into a tie for fourth place on UMass' single-season RBI list with Todd Comeau's 57 set in 1985. UMass' single-season record is 72 set by Bill Knight in 1995. He could also move into the top-ten single-season list for total bases (currently at 93) needing 106 to reach tenth place.
REYNOLDS RAP: Senior captain Matt Reynolds (South Boston, Mass.) has been a key cog in the UMass offense this year having started all 42 games this year. Carrying a .295 batting average, the first baseman has notched 11 multi-hit games this season and seven multi RBI games. He has also seen time at third base due to other's players injuries this year. In game two at Rhode Island on May 1, Reynolds clubbed a pair of home runs, a two-run bomb in the second inning, and a three-run job in the sixth inning to mark the first time in his UMass career he has knocked in two homers in one game. He finished the day with a UMass-career high five RBI. He also smashed a seventh inning homer in Sunday's finale, following a bomb from Curreri for back-to-back jacks. In UMass' 15-3 dismantling of Wright State on Mar. 18, Reynolds clubbed a pair of home runs, scored three runs and had three RBIs. The home runs were his second and third of the season as he also knocked one out in the second game against Rider on March 7. From Apr. 10 thru Apr. 18, his average rose from .288 to .318. Reynolds currently leads the team with seven home runs and 16 two-out RBI.
RAJIN' CAJUN: While it could not be compared to the first win of former major leaguer Bobo Holloman, it was good enough to earn him his first official victory in a Minuteman uniform. Righthanded starter Devin Barnett (New Orleans, La.) hurled seven solid innings allowing just six hits and two runs while striking out five at Sacred Heart on Mar. 30. The Bayou state native picked up his first collegiate victory stranding eight Pioneers on the base paths. In his next outing on Apr. 6, UMass' home-opener against Holy Cross, Barnett earned his first collegiate save. Entering the game with UMass leading 8-5, and the bases loaded with two outs, the 6-foot, 175-pounder fired a trio of strikes and earned a strikeout to end the game. Barnett also pitched the opening game of the 2004 Baseball Beanpot Classic against Northeastern. The righty pitched into the seventh inning (106 pitches / 72 strikes) allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits. He also tallied three strikeouts while allowing no walks. Barnett (2-2, 4.91 ERA) also averages a team-leading 13.8 fly ball outs per game, is holding opponents to a .267 batting average including lefties to a .235 batting average (12-for-51).
TRUE "TEAM" PLAYERS: Talk about being team players, junior centerfielder Derrick Durepo (Ware, Mass.) and senior Adam Stojanowski each show significant jumps in batting average with teammates on base. Durepo hits .217 with the bases empty and a blistering .392 with runners on (+175), while Stojanowski hits .235 with the sacks clean, and a whopping .447 with runners on (+212). Additionally, freshman Anthony Santos (Chelmsford, Mass.) hits .125 with the bases empty and .250 with runners on (+125) as eight of his 13 hits have come with teammates onboard.
EARLIER THIS SEASON: The Bonnies wrapped up an A-10 Tourney bid as the teams split a doubleheader in Olean, N.Y. on May 14. In Sunday's rubber game, UMass got another tremendous pitching performance from Keith Doherty (Quincy, Mass.) who allowed just two runs in his second complete game outing of the year. UMass had seven hits, but left eight runners on base in addition to a season-high three runners caught stealing. Ironically, UMass began the week with the fewest number caught stealing totals in the Atlantic 10 having been nabbed just 14 times through May 10 ... UMass swept a doubleheader (4-2, 6-1) against Temple on May 8 behind a pair of tremendous pitching performances from Chown and Torra. Torra stood two outs away from the no-no, while Chown issued no walks in his complete game victory ... In Sunday's game three at Rhode Island on May 2, the Minutemen received a superb pitching performance from junior lefty Keith Doherty who fanned a career-high 10 batters to earn his first complete game of the season helping UMass snap a nine-game losing streak ... Against Boston College on Apr. 29, the Minutemen scored 11 runs on 19 hits, this after totaling just 17 over the three previous games combined. Additionally, the teams combined for 23 runs on 33 hits over 10 innings lasting 3 hours and 33 minutes. Interestingly enough, only seven of the 33 hits went for extra bases leaving 26 singles including 16 by the Minutemen ... UMass went 0-2 in the annual Baseball Beanpot Classic against Northeastern and Harvard. One needs to look no farther than UMass' inefficiency to get runners home leaving a whopping 19 runners on base in the two contests, including 11 against NU ... UMass scored a season-high 17 runs in completing its first three-game sweep of the season at Saint Joseph's. The brooming marked the first UMass three-game sweep since May 3-4 of 2003 against Saint Bonaventure, and the first three-game road sweep since Apr. 13-14 of 2003 at Fordham. The wins also boosted UMass' lead in the all-time series against the Hawks to 55-13.
UMASS HONORS 1954 SQUAD: In between Saturday's doubleheader on May 8th against Temple, the University of Massachusetts Department of Athletics recognized the 1954 UMass Baseball team, celebrating the 50th anniversary of UMass' first appearance in the College World Series. Under the direction of legendary head coach Earl Lorden, the team went 15-7 that season and won the first New England Championship in school history. Beginning the year with a doubleheader sweep at Connecticut, the team wrapped up its regular season with a thrilling two-nothing (2-0) win over local rival Amherst College in front of a whopping 4,000 fans on Alumni Day on then-named University Field. Coach Earl Lorden's team advanced to the College World Series by winning the NCAA District 1 Regional Tournament held at Pynchon Park in Springfield. Defeating host Springfield College in the semifinals by the score of 9-7, the "Whiz Kids", as the local papers called them, then blanked Boston University, 2-0, in the district finals, punching a ticket to Omaha. The Redmen suffered a 16-5 opening-round loss to Michigan State despite holding a 3-0 lead after the first inning. Game two saw the Lorden-Nine post a 5-3 victory over Oregon behind a solid pitching performance of starter Don Swanson. The senior lefthander went the distance scattering 10 hits while striking out three in the win. Game three saw UMass bow to eventual national champion Missouri, 8-1, on June 12, 1954.
ANOTHER RAJIN' CAJUN: Senior second baseman Cullan Maumus (New Orleans, La.) has been in the middle of the UMass lineup for four years. Ranking second on the team with a .356 batting average he has started every game he has played in this year (30). Maumus missed almost a month (Mar. 28 - Apr. 24) with an injury that could have ended his season, but has come back and raised his season batting average 16 points since Apr. 24. He ranks second on the team with seven doubles and a .438 on-base percentage while also totaling 16 RBI, eight stolen bases and a home run. Maumus has struck out just 13 times in 104 at bats, and has made just one error at second base since returning from his injury totaling just four on the year. The 2004 Academic All-Conference nominee also had a 10-game hit streak to begin the year (Mar. 7 - Mar. 27) while reaching base in each of the first 13 games of the season. He reached base safely in seven straight games (May 1 - May 8) including a hit in a six consecutive games during the stretch. Holding a 3.05 GPA in Hospitality Management, he has totaled nine multi-hit games this season including two three-hit contests and a season-high four-hit performance against Central Conn. on May 12. The Ben Franklin High School product also has three multi-RBI games. Finally, he holds the UMass career record for sacrifice bunts with 28 and has added seven more in 2004 to push his total to 35. Last year he set a UMass single-season record with 14 sac bunts in 2003.
RESCHEDULED GAMES: Delays this season accounted for the latest UMass baseball home-opener in more than 10 years. The Minutemen opened the 1993 home campaign on Apr. 6 with a 10-1 victory over Amherst College.
PRESEASON POLL: In the annual Atlantic 10 Preseason Coaches' Poll, UMass was picked to finished first in the Atlantic 10 East Division. Coming off a 26-19 (14-7) record, the 2003 Minutemen advanced to the conference tournament title game before bowing to NCAA Tournament participant, 18th-ranked Richmond. Other teams surprising people include Fordham (picked fifth in the East) and Xavier (picked third in the West).
THE CAPTAINS: Senior second baseman Sean Sarno (Stoneham, Mass.), senior shortstop Mike Athas (Holyoke, Mass.) and senior first baseman Matt Reynolds (South Boston, Mass.) will serve as the captains for the 2004 Minutemen.
BY THE NUMBERS (AS OF MAY 17): It has to be a little ironic that as a team UMass has totaled the second fewest doubles of any team in the Atlantic 10 with 66, and yet, sophomore Frank Curreri is among the league leaders in that category (16) and could set UMass' single season record (20) by the end of the year ... On the positive side, the Minutemen as a team strikeout the fewest number of times (254). UMass pitching has allowed the fewest number of hits (370), runs (230), walks (132) and balks (3). UMass fielding leads the conference at .960. One should point out though, that the Minutemen have played just 42 games, lowest in the A-10. Seven of the 12 teams that compete in baseball in the Atlantic 10 have played 50 games or more, while the remaining four had each played at least 45, with the excpetion of SBU who is at 44.
AROUND THE HORN: As has been the norm for UMass baseball, the Minutemen get on the scoreboard in the first inning, 40 of UMass' 238 runs (16.8 percent) have been scored in the first frame ... Ironically, UMass scored a season-high 17 runs at Saint Joseph's plating no runs in the 1st frame ... Opponents have scored 47 runs in the first inning out of 230 total (20.4 percent) ... Sarno is a perfect 22-for-22 on the basepaths during his collegiate career, having started the year 18-for-18, he has added a 4-for-4 figure to that total in 2004 including two steals in one week against Boston College and at Northeastern.
