Oklahoma State's Saulyer Saxon - This week's Daily Item Featured Player....check it out

Saulyer Saxon is this week's DAILY ITEM Featured Navigator. Check out this week's link. http://itemlive.com/navigators/4-14.html

NAVS McGOVERN 8 for 10 in weekend series vs Duke

Navs outfielder Matt McGovern of Boston College was 8 for 10 in the weekend series with Duke. McGovern currently leads Boston College in batting with a .463 batting average.

Former NAV Chad Zurcher Leads Nation in Hitting

FORMER NAV CHAD ZURCHER LEADS NATION IN HITTING: Memphis: About seven weeks into the college baseball season, Chad Zurcher was aware of his torrid start. His line drives to the outfield were finding the gaps. His sharply hit ground balls were eluding the gloves of diving infielders. His flares were dropping in front of fast-charging outfielders. What Zurcher didn't realize as the base hits accumulated like a teenager's cellphone minutes was how torrid his start was. When Zurcher steps to the plate tonight at AutoZone Park against Ole Miss, it will be as the nation's leading hitter. A junior shortstop for the University of Memphis baseball team, Zurcher is hitting .505, or 19 percentage points better than Tanner Waite of New Mexico State. He leads Conference USA by more than 100 percentage points, an amazing separation between the top two hitters nearly two months into the season. ''I know it's a cliché,'' said hitting coach Jerry Zulli, ''but the kid shows up every day. And he goes hard. But his mindset is simple. He never tries to do too much.'' Zulli said Zurcher is being rewarded for his strong work ethic, but, as with any streak, there is also some good fortune involved. ''He's getting a lot of breaks,'' Zulli said. ''Things are going his way. But what he's doing is nothing that shocks us.'' Zurcher, a native of Knoxville, said he was on the Baseball America website last week when a question posed during a live online chat asked which player led the NCAA in hitting. Zurcher said he was surprised when the response was a U of M shortstop. ''I knew I had a good average, but I didn't know where it was actually,'' Zurcher said. ''When I found out, I just went, 'Wow.' There are so many other (good players) who play college baseball. It's been fun.'' Zurcher has had two or more hits in 17 of the UofM's 27 games. He went 3-for-4 in Sunday's 13-5 win over Alcorn State and is 47-for-93 for the season, with 10 doubles and two triples. He has struck out only three times in 122 plate appearances and ranks among the top 10 toughest to fan in college baseball. ''His approach is to stay to the middle of the field,'' Zulli said. ''That's where 90 percent of your hits come from.'' Tigers coach Daron Schoenrock said Zurcher has benefited from hitting second in the lineup behind Drew Martinez, who flirted with a .400 average a year ago and was a 23rd-round pick of the New York Mets last summer. ''I can't tell you honestly that when we signed him we expected him to hit (.500),'' Schoenrock said. ''But we knew we were getting a solid kid.'' Zurcher has gradually boosted his average through the years, from .267 as a 135-pound freshman to his .500-plus average as a 170-pound fourth-year junior. Zurcher's second season was curtailed by a shoulder injury and he was granted a medical redshirt. That shortened sophomore season saw Zurcher hit .297 in 16 games and was followed by a .400 season last spring and a spot on all-C-USA's second team. Zurcher became only the sixth player in school history to bat at least .400 for a season. ''I had a good year last year and remember thinking, 'I hit .400, that's great, if I could do that again it would be awesome.' Now I'm sitting above it," Zurcher said. The feat comes in a year in which the power of the sport's aluminum bats has been reduced. A new NCAA bat-performance standard was enacted this spring with the goal to have nonwood bats perform similarly to wood bats. The college baseball rules committee sought to reduce the "trampoline effect" of the bats. ''I didn't think it would take much away from me because I'm not a home run hitter,'' Zurcher said. Schoenrock said Zurcher is helped by the fact ''he doesn't hit a lot of fly balls.'' ''Guys who hit fly balls with these new bats?'' Schoenrock said. ''That's death.'' Zurcher hit six home runs last season and has yet to hit one this year. So while the new bats may limit his power, he doesn't expect them to affect his ability to hit for an average. ''There are times you hit a ball good and realize the (result) would have been different last year,'' Zurcher said. ''But the feel of it? There's no difference. You just go up and it's like swinging any other bat. You're just trying to square every pitch up.'' Nation's top hitters 1. Chad Zurcher, Memphis, .505 2. Tanner Waite, New Mexico State, .486 3. C.J. Cron, Utah, .476 4. Matt Gedman, UMass, .466 5. Tyler Jones, Long Island, .444

McGibbon's Walk Off Leads Clemson over Coastal Carolina

MCGIBBON'S WALK OFF LEADS CLEMSON http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/040511aad.html

OU's KINDLE LADD - This Weeks DAILY ITEM FEATURED NAV

OU's Kindle Ladd is this week's Daily Item featured Navigator Player Profile...check it out at: http://itemlive.com/navigators/4-5.html

NAVIGATING AROUND THE COUNTRY

LYNN, MA (April 5, 2011) – The 2011 North Shore Navigators roster will feature seven returning players from last year’s team, seven New England natives, and five former Major League Baseball draft picks as the team gets set to defend its 2010 New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) title. But first, each student-athlete is currently at the midway point in their respective college seasons. Five pitchers from last year’s team will be returning in 2011, including two former NECBL All-Stars in sophomore Crayton Bare (Baylor) and junior Nolan Corr (Wheaton). The left-handed Bare has appeared in a team-high 12 games for the Bears and has held opponents to a .194 average. Corr, meanwhile, is 2-1 in three starts for the Lyons. The three other returning arms include lefties Kevin Kyle (Georgia Perimeter) and Michael Johnson (Dartmouth) and righthander Dan Patrick (Palm Beach State). Kyle, who last year pitched for Clemson as a freshman, is 4-1 in six starts with a 1.89 ERA. The sophomore leads the team with 36 strikeouts in 33.1 innings and has thrown one complete game. Meanwhile, Johnson is 2-0 with a team-best 1.42 ERA for the Big Green and Patrick leads the Panthers with 45 innings pitched. Two sophomore bats will also return to the team next summer in Cody Dent (Florida) and Dario Pizzano (Columbia). Dent, a shortstop, is the son of former MLB All-Star Bucky Dent and has appeared in 14 games for the No. 4 Gators. Meanwhile, Pizzano is hitting .400 in 21 games with two home runs and a team-leading 22 RBI. The Saugus native is fourth among Ivy Leaguers in both hitting and slugging (.613). The Navigators will also feature three players from No. 17 Clemson. Freshman Kevin Pohle is 3-1 with a 1.23 ERA in nine appearances, while fellow freshman Jon McGibbon is hitting .333 with a homer and eight RBI in 20 games. McGibbon was a 29th round pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 2010 MLB Draft. Freshman infielder Mike Dunster has a hit in his only at-bat for the Tigers. A pair of freshmen from Notre Dame will also be playing for the Navs this summer. Infielder Eric Jagielo is second on the team in hitting (.302), homers (2) and RBI (14) and leads the Fighting Irish with 17 runs in 26 games. Teammate Dan Slania has 1.76 ERA in a team-high 13 appearances and has walked just one in 15.1 innings. Both were selected in the 2010 MLB Draft, Jagielo in the 50th round by the Chicago Cubs and the 6-4 Slania in the 42nd round by the Boston Red Sox. The Navs also boast two players out of Point Loma Nazarene University (CA). Junior outfielder Shain Stoner is hitting .312 and is currently tied for the team-lead with four homers. Righthander Garret Levsen, a 29th round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates last June, leads the team in games started (8) and innings pitched (51). Two Southern New Hampshire University players will too be representing the Navigators this summer. Infielder Matt Boulter is hitting .350 on the season and is second on the team with 18 RBI. Over his last seven games, the sophomore is hitting a torrid .581 (18-for-31) with a homer, 10 RBI and nine runs scored. Meanwhile, freshman righthander Junior Mendez is 1-1 with a 4.45 ERA in five games (four starts) for the Penmen. Outfielder Chad Taylor (South Florida) is hitting .272 and has 11 RBI in 26 games for the Bulls. He was a 13th round pick of the Chicago Cubs two years ago in the 2009 MLB Draft. Other key contributors this spring have included Danvers native Bobby Dean (Rhode Island), who has a 3.38 ERA in six appearances for the Rams, and Carter Watson (Tennessee), who is 5-1 with a 2.66 ERA in 12 games (one start) for the Volunteers. The remaining players set to join the Navigators are Matt McGovern and Matt Alvarez (Boston College), Chase Harrison (Cypress), Drew Dahlberg and Kindle Ladd (Oklahoma), Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State), Jerry Elsing (Rutgers), Blake Berger (Tennessee), and Patrick Holleran (Tusculum).

LYNN, MA (March 29, 2011) – The North Shore Navigators, who are set to kick off the upcoming season June 8, will look to defend its NECBL title this summer. Currently, a number of players set to join the team in a few months are enjoying stellar seasons for their respective collegiate programs.

Five pitchers from last year’s team will be returning in 2011. Sophomore Crayton Bare (Baylor) has a 3.18 ERA in five relief appearances for the Bears, while Kevin Kyle (Georgia Perimeter) owns a 1.89 ERA and is 4-1 in six starts. Michael Johnson (Dartmouth) is 2-0 with a miniscule 0.90 ERA, and Nolan Corr (Wheaton) is 1-1 in two starts. Dan Patrick (Palm Beach State) has a 4.64 ERA and leads the Panthers with 31 innings pitched.

Two hitters, Cody Dent, pictured above (Florida) and Dario Pizzano (Columbia), will also be returning to the team next summer. Dent, the son of former MLB All-Star Bucky Dent, has appeared in 12 games for the No. 4 Gators. Meanwhile, Pizzano’s bat has been sizzling in 16 games for the Lions, hitting .400 with a team-leading 17 RBI. The Saugus native is fourth in the Ivy League in both hitting and slugging (.600).

The Navigators will also feature three players from No. 17 Clemson. Freshman Kevin Pohle is 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA in six appearances, while Jon McGibbon is hitting .355 with a homer and seven RBI in 16 games. Mike Dunster has a hit in his only at-bat for the Tigers. Two members of Notre Dame will also be playing in Lynn this summer. Outfielder Eric Jagielo is second on the team in hitting (.284) and home runs (2) and also has a team-leading 13 RBI with 14 runs scored. Teammate Dan Slania has 1.98 ERA in a team-high 11 appearances and has not walked a batter in 13.2 innings. Both Jagielo and Slania were selected in the 2010 MLB Draft.

Two Southern New Hampshire University players will be representing the Navigators. Infielder Matt Boulter is hitting .303 with a home run and 16 RBI, while freshman righthander Junior Mendez is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts for the Penmen.

For Point Loma Nazarene University in California, outfielder Shain Stoner is hitting .318 with four homers and 18 RBI. Righthander Garret Levsen, a 29th round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates last June, leads the team with 44 innings pitched.

Outfielder Chad Taylor (South Florida) is hitting .273 and has 10 RBI in 22 games for the Bulls. Three relievers have also been key contributors for their schools. Bobby Dean (Rhode Island) has a 1.69 ERA in five appearances for the Rams and Jerry Elsing (Rutgers) has appeared in a team-high 11 games for the Scarlet Knights.

Carter Watson (Tennessee) is 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 games for the Volunteers. The remaining players set to join the Navigators are Matt McGovern and Matt Alvarez (Boston College), Chase Harrison (Cypress), Drew Dahlberg and Kindle Ladd (Oklahoma), Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State), Blake Berger (Tennessee), and Patrick Holleran (Tusculum).

NAVS LAUNCH PLAYER PROFILE SERIES

Lynn, MA: The Lynn Daily Item, North Shore Navigators and Lasell College are proud to launch the first ever LEARNING WITH THE NAVIGATORS, Newspapers In Education intiative in the Lynn Public Schools.

Each Tuesday from March 22nd to June 6th a different Navigator will be featured, providing Lynn School Children and readers of the Daily Item with up to date features and interesting facts about the Navs' players, their hometowns and universities.

It promises to be an exciting way to learn about & from our players. Shain Stoner of Point Loma university, pictured above, is the first Nav featured in the series. Check it out at http://itemlive.com/navigators/3-22.html

DUVAL NAMED LIBERTY LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK

TROY, N.Y. – The Liberty League has announced its weekly award winners in baseball and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athletes Jonny Rio, Dan Duval and Andrew Kalish have been recognized. Rio was named Performer of the Week, while Duval and Kalish were tabbed Pitcher and Rookie of the Week, respectively.

Duval, a junior righthander out of Middleton, Mass., went 2-0 in two starts last week, allowing just four runs (3 earned) on seven hits over 12.2 innings for a 2.13 earned run average. His two victories came against Ripon College and UMass-Dartmouth.

As a sophomore in 2010, Duval was 4-3 with a 3.18 earned run average in 51.0 innings. Appearing in 11 contests, including seven as a starter, he recorded two complete games and struck out 34 batters to 18 walks. The Masconomet High School graduate allowed a .268 opponents batting average.

The Engineers (6-4) are back on the diamond on Wednesday when they travel south to face William Paterson (3:30pm). RPI makes its home debut on Saturday with a Liberty League doubleheader against St. Lawrence at Robison Field (1pm).

NAVIGATING AROUND THE COUNTRY - WEEK 5

(Jerry Elsing of Rutgers, picutred to left)

WEEK 5 Action around the country

Baylor: In a three-game series with Texas Tech, Crayton Bare came in as a reliever twice. In game one, he pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout. In game three, he faced two batters and gave up one hit.

Boston College: After having their game against Bryant postponed due to poor weather, Matt Alvarez and Matt McGovern traveled with the Eagles to Maryland for a three-game series against the Terps. Alvarez pitched a hitless inning in game one, striking out one.

Clemson: Kevin Pohle, Mike Dunster and Jon McGibbon’s Tigers faced off against Presbyterian and Duke this week. McGibbon had a hit in each of the three games he played in, also scoring two runs, drawing two walks and knocking in two runs. Pohle pitched in one game, going three innings while only giving up one run and grabbing two strikeouts.

Columbia: Dario Pizzano had a very solid week, going 9-27 over six games. On Thursday he was a single short of the cycle, with four RBI and one run. He added two RBI on Tuesday and again on Friday.

Cypress: The Chargers saw limited action this week, playing just two games. Chase Harrison played in both games, collecting a hit, a walk and a run.

Dartmouth: The Big Green had a busy week, facing six different opponents in five days. Michael Johnson pitched in a game against Long Island University, earning the win after pitching five scoreless innings and fanning three.

Florida: Cody Dent came in as a defensive replacement or pinch runner in all four of Florida’s games this week. He had one hit and one walk.

Georgia Perimeter: Kevin Kyle pitched once this week, in a game against Abraham Baldwin College. He pitched five solid innings, striking out five and giving up only two hits, earning the win, to move his record up to 4-1.

Notre Dame: Both Dan Slania and Eric Jagielo got a lot of playing time this week, with the Fighting Irish facing UTSA, Iowa and Gonzaga for five games total. Slania pitched in four of those games for six combined innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and striking out two. Jagielo played in all five games, gathering six hits (including three doubles), two stolen bases, two walks, and two RBI.

Oklahoma: Kindle Ladd, Drew Dahlberg and the rest of the Sooners traveled to Arizona State and then faced Texas A&M at home, and, facing a rough stretch, won just one of their games.

Oklahoma State: Saulyer Saxon’s Cowboys faced off this week against Central Arkansas and Kansas for four games overall this week, which they split. Saxon played in the opener against Kansas, getting a hit and a walk.

Palm Beach State: The Panthers are 18-11 on the season, thanks in part to Dan Patrick’s 2-0 record. He’s pitched 31 innings, allowing 16 earned runs and striking out 16. He has a 4.65 ERA.

Point Loma: The Sea Lions played a four-game series against Azusa Pacific University. Garret Levsen pitched 7 1/3 innings in the series opener, allowing five earned runs and striking out two, earning the loss in the close game. Shain Stoner hit a three-run home run in the same game.

Rhode Island: Bobby Dean pitched three innings against Southern Miss on Saturday, fanning four batters and giving up just one run on two hits.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights battled Old Dominion and East Carolina this week, with sophomore Jerry Elsing facing them each once. Overall, he threw for 1 1/3 innings, gave up one hit and one run, and struck out three.

South Florida: Chad Taylor tallied six hits on the week, adding three runs, two RBI, and a stolen base.

Southern New Hampshire: Junior Mendez and Matt Boulter’s squad played only one game this week due to weather, and a great game it was. The Penmen defeated American International in blowout fashion, 19-5, with Boulter collecting four hits (including a home run and a triple), six RBI, and four runs.

Tennessee: Carter Watson and Blake Berger’s Volunteers are enjoying quite a year, going 16-4 so far. In a win over Austin Peay, Watson tossed two innings and striking out one, while only allowing an unearned run. He gave up his first earned runs of the season on Sunday, earning the loss against Kentucky.

Tusculum: Pat Holleran played in two games over the week. He came in as a defensive replacement in both, getting just one at-bat.

Wheaton: Nolan Corr made his season debut on Sunday, going six innings but surrendering six runs and getting the loss.

NAVIGATING AROUND THE COUNTRY - WEEK 4.........

Of the 28 North Shore Navigators set to play collegiate summer ball at Fraser Field in 2011, all of them are currently in the midst of their seasons for their respective programs around the country.

Crayton Bare, Baylor: The sophomore lefthander has 1.93 ERA in seven relief appearances for the No. 29 Bears. Bare was an NECBL All-Star as a member of the Navigators last season.

Matt Alvarez, Boston College: The righthander has allowed five earned runs in five appearances for the Eagles.

Matt McGovern, Boston College: The sophomore has four hits in eight at-bats including a double and an RBI on the season.

Michael Dunster, Clemson: The freshman has not yet appeared in a game for the Tigers.

Jon McGibbon, Clemson: The freshman first baseman is hitting .625 (5-for-8) with four RBI in eight games for the Tigers. McGibbon was a 29th round pick of the Seattle Mariners last June.

Kevin Pohle, Clemson: The freshman got his first collegiate victory after throwing 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen on March 2 in a win over Wofford. The 6-3 righthander has a 1.35 ERA in four appearances spanning 6.2 innings.

Dario Pizzano, Columbia: The Saugus native is hitting .435 (10-for-23) with five doubles and nine runs scored in six games for the Lions. On Saturday, Pizzano went 4-for-5 with three doubles, three runs scores, and two RBI as Columbia split a four-game series with South Alabama over the weekend. He also leads the team with a .652 slugging percentage.

Chase Harrison, Cypress: Harrison, a catcher, was added to the roster last week. The freshman is hitting .278 with an RBI in nine games for the Chargers.

Michael Johnson, Dartmouth: The sophomore lefthander got the win on March 5against Central Florida, throwing two scoreless innings in an 8-6, 10-inning victory. As a member of the Navigators last year, Johnson was second on the team in innings pitched (40.2) and threw 8.2 shutout innings in a playoff victory en route to the NECBL title.

Cody Dent, Florida: The sophomore infielder has appeared in six games for the No. 2 Gators. Dent was a member of last year’s Navigators team and is the son of three-time MLB All-Star Bucky Dent.

Kevin Kyle, Georgia Perimeter: The lefthander was dominant his last time out, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out 11 over seven innings in a 3-1 over Lincoln Trail (IL) on March 6. Kyle has posted a 3-1 record in four starts with a 2.22 ERA and leads the team in both innings pitched (28.1) and strikeouts (31). The sophomore pitched for Clemson last year and was also a member of the 2010 Navigators roster.

Eric Jagielo, Notre Dame: The left-handed hitting outfielder leads the Fighting Irish with two home runs and 10 RBI and has started all 13 games on the season. Jagielo was a 50th round pick of the Chicago Cubs last June.

Dan Slania, Notre Dame: The 6-4 freshman has a 1.35 ERA in five appearances on the season. Slania was a 2010 42nd round pick of the Boston Red Sox.

Drew Dahlberg, Oklahoma: The freshman infielder has scored two runs in 11 appearances for the No. 3 Sooners.

Kindle Ladd, Oklahoma: The freshman has a 9.00 ERA in seven games out of the bullpen.

Saulyer Saxon, Oklahoma State: The left-handed hitting outfielder got his first collegiate hits last Wednesday in a 7-4 win over St. Gregory’s. Saxon, a freshman, went 2-for-4 and had an RBI for the Cowboys.

Dan Patrick, Palm Beach State: The righty is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA on the season. Patrick, a transfer from Pepperdine, went 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in seven games (six starts) for the Navs last season.

Garret Levsen, Point Loma: The freshman took the loss last Wednesday against Concordia but allowed just three earned over seven innings. Levsen got the victory in a 4-2 win over San Diego Christian back on March 4, allowing just one run over eight innings with five strikeouts. On the season, Levsen is 2-3 with a 3.48 ERA in five starts. The 6-3 righthander was a 29th round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates last June.

Shain Stoner, Point Loma: The junior infielder is hitting .339 (21-for-62) with a homer, 14 runs scored and 10 walks. Stoner, a junior, also has five stolen bases.

Bobby Dean, Rhode Island: The sophomore has a 1.42 ERA over three appearances (6.3 innings) for the Rams.

Jerry Elsing, Rutgers: In a team-high seven appearances, the 6-4 sophomore has a 2.45 ERA in seven games with eight strikeouts.

Chad Taylor, South Florida: The sophomore is hitting .271 with eight RBI in 15 starts for the Bulls. Taylor was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB Draft.

Matt Boulter, Southern New Hampshire University: SNHU went 4-4 on its annual Florida trip last week. The sophomore infielder had a monster day on Tuesday, going a combined 3-for-6 with four runs in a doubleheader with Bloomfield and Nova Southeastern. On Friday, the Penmen suffered a pair of 10-inning losses, but Boulter had an RBI triple and scored twice against Saint Rose.

Junior Mendez, SNHU: The freshman righthander got his first collegiate victory on Thursday in a 5-4 win over American International. Mendez struck out eight in eight inning and allowed four runs. He currently owns a 3.92 ERA in three starts.

Blake Berger, Tennessee: The freshman catcher has not yet appeared in a game for the Volunteers.

Carter Watson, Tennessee: The freshman righthander has a 0.00 ERA over 11.1 innings in seven appearances and is 3-0 on the season. On Sunday, he got the victory after throwing 1.1 innings of scoreless relief against Manhattan.

Pat Holleran, Tusculum: The sophomore catcher is hitless in four at-bats. He has appeared in three games for the Pioneers.

Nolan Corr, Wheaton: The junior righthander has not yet pitched for Wheaton. Corr was an NECBL All-Star as a member of the Navigators last season, going 4-0 with a 2.77 ERA in eight games (seven starts).

WEEK 3 NAVIGATING AROUND THE COUNTRY

(2010 NAV Jack Mayfield of Oklahoma pictured to left turning double play for undefeated Sooners)

LYNN, MA (March 8, 2011) – Coming off their first NECBL championship last summer, the North Shore Navigators will look to defend their title in 2011. The current roster is made up of eight returning players from last year and another 19 newcomers from some of the country’s top college baseball programs. Here is what the players have done thus far this spring in collegiate action.

Crayton Bare, Baylor: The sophomore lefthander had a strikeout in 0.2 innings in a 5-2 win over Houston on Friday. Bare was an NECBL All-Star as a member of the Navigators last season and has a 3.86 ERA in four appearances out of the bullpen for the Bears.

Matt Alvarez, Boston College: The righthander has allowed three runs in three appearances for the Eagles.

Matt McGovern, Boston College: The sophomore has four hits in eight at-bats including a double and an RBI on the season.

Michael Dunster, Clemson: The freshman has not yet appeared in a game for the Tigers.

Jon McGibbon, Clemson: The freshman first baseman is hitting .800 (4-for-5) with 3 RBI but has made only one start and appeared in just five games for the No. 4 Tigers.
McGibbon, a 29th round pick of the Seattle Mariners, had an RBI single in a 5-1 win over Wofford last Wednesday.

Kevin Pohle, Clemson: The freshman got his first collegiate victory after throwing 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen in Wednesday’s win over Wofford. The 6-3 righthander has a 1.42 ERA in two appearances over 6.1 innings.

Dario Pizzano, Columbia: On Friday, the sophomore went 1-for-4 with a run scored in a 7-6 loss to Stetson as the Lions finally opened their season. Pizzano also singled and walked in a 3-1 win over Central Michigan on Saturday. As a member of last year’s Navigators championship team, the Saugus native scored 24 runs in 38 games.

Michael Johnson, Dartmouth: The sophomore lefthander got the win on Saturday against Central Florida, throwing two scoreless innings in an 8-6, 10-inning victory. As a member of the Navigators last year, Johnson was second on the team in innings pitched (40.2) and threw 8.2 shutout innings in a playoff victory en route to the NECBL title.

Cody Dent, Florida: The sophomore infielder has appeared in four games for the No. 1 Gators, compiling a hit and a walk in six plate appearances. Dent was a member of last year’s Navigators team.

Kevin Kyle, Georgia Perimeter: His last time out, the lefthander allowed three earned runs over 6.1 innings in a 5-4 victory over Cleveland State. At Georgia Perimeter, the sophomore has posted a 2-1 record in four starts with a 2.53 ERA and leads the team in both innings pitched (21.1) and strikeouts (20). Kyle pitched for Clemson last year and was also a member of the 2010 Navigators roster.

Eric Jagielo, Notre Dame: The left-handed hitting outfielder went 5-for-15 with three runs and four RBI in four games over the weekend. A 50th round pick of the Chicago Cubs last June, Jagielo is hitting .256 with one homer and 8 RBI while starting all 10 games for the Fighting Irish.

Dan Slania, Notre Dame: The 6-4 freshman allowed just one hit in a scoreless inning of work in a 4-2 loss to Winthrop on Friday. Slania, a 2010 42nd round pick of the Boston Red Sox, has a 1.59 ERA in five appearances this season.

Drew Dahlberg, Oklahoma: The freshman infielder has one hit in four at-bats in nine games off the bench.

Kindle Ladd, Oklahoma: The freshman has a 4.50 ERA in four games out of the bullpen for the Sooners.

Saulyer Saxon, Oklahoma State: The left-handed hitting outfielder is hitless in four at-bats. Saxon has made one start and appeared in two games on the young season.

Dan Patrick, Palm Beach State: The righty is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA on the season. Patrick, a transfer from Pepperdine, went 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in seven games (six starts) for the Navs last season.

Garret Levsen, Point Loma: The freshman got the victory in a 4-2 win over San Diego Christian on Thursday, allowing just one run over eight innings with five strikeouts. On the season, Levsen is 2-2 with a 3.24 ERA in four starts. The 6-3 righthander was a 29th round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates last June.

Shain Stoner, Point Loma: Last Wednesday, Stoner homered and doubled in an 11-7 win over San Diego Christian, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and four runs. Then after a 1-for-4 showing on Thursday, Stoner had another 3-for-4 performance in a 13-12 victory on Saturday to cap off a monster week. The junior infielder is second on the team with a .386 average and has 2 home runs and 7 RBI.

Bobby Dean, Rhode Island: The sophomore has not allowed a run in two appearances over 2.1 innings for the Rams.

Jerry Elsing, Rutgers: The sophomore struck out one over 1.1 innings in a 14-3 loss to Georgia Tech on Sunday. On the year, the 6-4 righthander has a 1.59 ERA in five games with seven strikeouts.

Chad Taylor, South Florida: The Bulls swept a three-game series with Florida A&M over the weekend. Taylor singled and scored in a 5-0 victory on Friday and went 2-for-4 with three RBI in a 13-4 blowout win on Saturday. The sophomore was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB Draft.

Matt Boulter, Southern New Hampshire University: Last Friday, SNHU swept a doubleheader with C.W. Post as Boulter doubled, scored and had two RBI in the Game 1 victory and went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Game 2. The sophomore infielder has hit primarily out of the No. 3 spot for the Penmen and last summer was selected to the New York Collegiate Baseball League Futures Game as a member of the Webster Yankees.

Junior Mendez, SNHU: After allowing four earned runs in his collegiate debut last weekend, the freshman allowed just one run and had four strikeouts over seven innings in a 4-3, 12-inning loss at Molloy on Saturday. The Penmen have won four of their last five after beginning the season 0-3.

Blake Berger, Tennessee: The freshman catcher has not yet appeared in a game for the Volunteers.

Carter Watson, Tennessee: The freshman righthander got his first collegiate win over Canisius last weekend, allowing just one hit over 4.2 relief innings in a 9-4 victory. He has not yet been scored upon in three appearances (7.1 innings) for the Vols.

Pat Holleran, Tusculum: The sophomore catcher is hitless in four at-bats. He has appeared in three games behind the plate for the Pioneers.

Nolan Corr, Wheaton: The Wheaton Lyons have not yet started their season. Corr was an NECBL All-Star as a member of the Navigators last season, going 4-0 with a 2.77 ERA in eight games (seven starts).

In other news, former Navigator Ben Waldrip of Jacksonville State was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week on Monday, February 28. Waldrip, a junior, is hitting .423 (11-for-26) with two home runs and nine RBI in six games for the Gamecocks. He played for Cypress College (California) last season and previously attended Saint Anselm College in N.H. The Medford native was a 42nd round selection of the Atlanta Braves in the 2010 MLB Draft and a member of both the 2009 and 2010 Navigators squads.

NAVS & MLB

Kevin Chapman (below) and Kyle Bellow (right) both 4rd Draft Picks for Kansas City and Cleveland respectively, headline an impressive crop of Navs who've been drafted by MLB franchises and are currently in MLB Spring Training Camps.

The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) serves as a talent platform for a number of college players from all across the nation. It also provides an experimental learning curve for many young pitchers and hitters still coming into their own. Some are inevitably on the path to superstardom, while others work harder and harder day by day to achieve the ultimate goal of one day playing in the big leagues. In fact, a number of NECBL alums have indeed done just that, including some in the Navigator franchise's past teams.

As for the Navigators, the organization has seen ten former players drafted by an MLB organization. Click on the player's name to see a picture (* Indicates player is still in college)

Drafted Rd. Overall Player Pos. Drafted by Current Team
2010 4 119 Kevin Chapman LHP Royals Wilmington/Royals/A+
2010 10 314 Matt Lewis RHP Braves Danville/Braves/Rookie
2010 13 402 Jason Markovitz LHP Mariners Clinton/Mariners/A
2010 29 867 Garret Levsen* RHP Pirates
2010 29 882 Jon McGibbon* 1B Mariners
2010 42 1274 Ben Waldrip* 1B Braves
2010 42 1283 Dan Slania* RHP Red Sox
2010 48 1452 Patrick Brady UTL Mariners AZL Mariners/Rookie
2010 50 1510 Eric Jagielo* 3B Cubs
2010 FA Mike Gallo RHP Nationals GCL Nationals/Rookie
2009 4 125 Kyle Bellows 3B Indians Kinston/Indians/A+
2009 12 359 Josh Garton RF Reds Dayton/Reds/A
2009 13 410 Chad Taylor* CF Cubs
2009 24 736 Peter Fatse 2B Brewers Brevard County/Brewers/A+
2009 27 819 John Folino RHP Cardinals
2009 35 1066 Matt Costello LHP Brewers Wisconsin/Brewers/A
2008 31 945 Sean Gilmartin* LHP Padres

Several former players from the Navigators predecessors, the Holyoke Giants and Middletown Giants, have made it to professional baseball, including several from Middletown that have made it to the Majors (bold are currently on a MLB team):


Name Position Team Debut Year Current MLB Team
Craig Breslow LHP San Diego Padres 2005 Oakland A’s
Jesse Carlson RHP Toronto Blue Jays 2008 Toronto Blue Jays
Doug Clark LF San Francisco Giants 2005
Rajai Davis CF Pittsburgh Pirates 2006 Toronto Blue Jays
Mike Parisi RHP St. Louis Cardinals 2008
Chad Paronto RHP Baltimore Orioles 2001
Mike Smith RHP Toronto Blue Jays 2002
Earl Snyder 1B/OF Cleveland Indians 2002

Drafted Rd. Overall Player Pos. Drafted By Current Team
2003 14 402 Stephen Bray RHP Royals Tacoma/Mariners/AAA
2005 23 704 Chris Blazek LHP Astros Tri-City/Astros/A-
2006 33 1002 Wilberto Ortiz SS Angels Potomac/Nationals/A+

WALDRIP NAMED OVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – 2009/10 North Shore Navigator & Jacksonville State's Ben Waldrip has been named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.

Waldrip was selected in the 42 Round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves after a stellar 2009 NECBL season having been named to the NECBL All Star Team.

Making his Jacksonville State debut, Waldrip batted .440 after going 11-for-25 with nine RBI, including two home runs and three doubles as the first baseman finished with five extra base hits to help the Gamecocks post a 3-2 record.

The junior went 8-for-15 in helping the Gamecocks earn a 3-0 sweep over Middle Tennessee over the weekend. He was 2-for-3 on Friday, then saved his best for Saturday's 14-inning game, where he went 5-for-7 with a pair of home runs, scored three runs and drove in three runs to lead JSU to a 9-6 win.

On Sunday, he finished 2-for-5, hitting two doubles and scoring two runs as Jax State rallied for six runs in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game at 9-9, before scoring three runs in the 10th to earn the sweep over the Blue Raiders.

For the week, the junior batted .583 (7-for-12) with runners on base, including a .625 batting average with runners in scoring position.

"11" Navs Continue to Light it up

Navigating College Baseball

Baylor: Southpaw Crayton Bare played in one game this week, tossing 2/3 innings against Georgia. He gave up one run on one hit and one walk, and struck out one.

Boston College: Matt McGovern collected two hits in three appearances this week (including one against the Boston Red Sox), including a pinch-hit RBI double against #1 Florida. Reliever Matt Alvarez pitched in one game against Florida, giving up three runs in the 8th inning on Friday.

Clemson: Jon McGibbon saw action late in all three games over the week. Against Cincinnati, had an RBI walk and was hit by a pitch. He was hit again against Charleston Southern, bringing in a run. In Sunday’s game against Michigan State, he came in as a defensive replacement but did not have any at-bats. Pitcher Kevin Pohle did not see any action this week, and Mike Dunster has not yet played this season.

Florida: Cody Dent went 1-3 on the week, appearing in two games, including one against two future teammates from Boston College. He also collected an RBI and a walk.

Georgia Perimeter: Kevin Kyle pitched into the 7th inning against Cleveland State Community College on Saturday, giving up four runs.

Notre Dame: Dan Slania pitched in two games this week for a total of two innings, and gave up just two hits and no runs. Eric Jagielo went hitless for the week, and had one walk and scored a run.

Oklahoma: Kindle Ladd made two relief appearances on the week, totaling two innings, and gave up two runs on three hits and striking out two. Drew Dahlberg

Oklahoma State: Saulyer Saxon made his collegiate debut on Sunday, going hitless in a game against Cal Poly.

Palm Beach State: In a game against St. Petersburg, Dan Patrick tossed four innings, giving up one run on three hits and a walk while striking out four.

Point Loma: Although rain pushed back the last two of a four game series against Biola, both Shain Stoner and Garret Levsen got some playing time this week. Stoner collected one hit in each of the games, and Levsen pitched six innings (4 ER, 4 H, 4 BB) while striking out eight.

Rhode Island: Although URI did have games on Saturday – Monday, Bobby Dean did not see any action.

Rutgers: Jerry Elsing had a great showing this week, pitching the 9th inning of both games of a Saturday double-header against Michigan. In game one, he went three up/three down with one strikeout, and in game two he walked one but earned the first save of Rutgers’ young season.

South Florida: The Bulls went into extras twice this week, and Chad Taylor went with them, collecting four hits, one RBI and one run during the three game stretch against Elon, including two hits in a 16 inning marathon on Sunday.

Southern New Hampshire: In their season opening weekend, the Penmen played two doubleheaders in a row, with Matt Boulter seeing plenty of game time. He had two hits over the weekend, along with three walks, a run and a sacrifice RBI. Junior Mendez made his debut in the series against Wilmington, throwing 5 2/3 innings and striking out four, but giving up five runs (four earned) on eight hits and five walks.

Tennessee: The Vols also had some trouble with rain, as the third game of their series with Canisius had rain delays of nearly two hours. After the rain subsided, Carter Watson replaced the starting pitcher and stayed in for 4 2/3 innings, giving up one unearned run with four walks and one strikeout on his way to his first career win. Blake Berger did not see any game time.

Tusculum: Patrick Holleran did not see any action in Tusculum’s four games this week.

Columbia, Dartmouth and Wheaton have not yet started their baseball seasons.

NAVS EARN BASEBALL AMERICA PRE-SEASON ALL AMERICAN NOD

BASEBALL AMERICA......2010 Navigator, NECBL All Star Tyler Kuehl of Point Loma was named a 2010 Baseball America Pre Season NAIA All American. BA also named 2009 Mike Dowd of Franklin Pierce a Division 2 Pre Season All American.

Kuehl and Dowd join Divison 3 Pre Season All American Nolan Corr as Navigators receiving those honors for the upcoming season.

Stay up to date with all your past and present Navigators through the season at Around the Horn.

NAVIGATING AROUND THE COUNTRY

Navigating College Baseball: The 2011 NAVS are off to a tremendous start in their respective 2011 NCAA Seasons... (Pictured to the left, Navs pitcher Kevin Pohle of Clemson makes his collegiate debut vs. Eastern Michigan on Saturday)

Baylor (Texas): Crayton Bare appeared in the Bears’ first two games of the season, pitching 1 scoreless inning and striking out one against Oral Roberts.

Boston College: Matt McGovern appeared in two games, starting one against Tennessee Tech., and went 2-3 with one walk and two runs. Matt Alvarez pitched a scoreless 9th inning against Indiana, striking out one.

Clemson (South Carolina): In his collegiate debut, Jon McGibbon came in as a pinch hitter against Eastern Michigan and went 2-2, scoring a run. Kevin Pohle, also making his debut, pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief on Saturday and gave up just one run.

Florida: Cody Dent came in late in Friday's game against Southern Florida, going 0-1 as a pinch hitter.

Georgia Perimeter: Kevin Kyle: Earned a win over Gadsden State Community College on Saturday, tossing six innings while giving up just two hits and striking out eight.
In three starts, has a 2-1 record over 15 innings pitched, striking out 15.

Notre Dame (Indiana): Another pair of debuts... Eric Jagielo went 5-15 over the weekend, with four hits (one 3B), four RBI and two runs coming against Purdue on Saturday. Dan Slania pitched a perfect 1 1/3 innings of relief against Michigan State.

Oklahoma: In a four-game series against William & Mary, two more future Navs made their college debuts. Drew Dahlberg came into three games as a late-inning replacement, going 1-1 at the plate. Kindle Ladd pitched two scoreless innings of relief, giving up just one hit.

Palm Beach State College (Florida): Dan Patrick is off to a terrific start on the mound for the 10-2 Palm Beach State Panthers. Dan has a 1.92 ERA over 13 innings, collecting one win and seven strikeouts.

Point Loma (San Diego, California): Shain Stoner batting in the clean up spot for the Point Loma Lions has started all 7 games batting .318 with 7 runs scored and 1 Triple. Teammate Garrett Levsen is 1-1 with a 3.27 era. In 11 innings he's struck out 9 and walked none.

Rhode Island: Against McNeese State, Bobby Dean pitched two innings of scoreless relief and struck out four.

Rutgers (New Jersey): Jerry Elsing pitched in two games at Miami. In 2 1/3 innings, he gave up one run and had four strikeouts.

South Florida: In a weekend tilt with Florida, Chad Taylor played in all three games and collected one hit.

Tennessee: Carter Watson, also making his debut this weekend, pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief over two games against Milwaukee, giving up only one hit and striking out one.

Columbia, Dartmouth, Jacksonville State, Southern New Hampshire, and Wheaton have not yet started their baseball seasons

NAVS LAUNCH - GOT DREAMS CAMPAIGN?

GOT DREAMS? The Navigators launch their 2011 season with a Got Dreams? campaign. The Navigators have once again partnered with little leagues throughout eastern Massachusetts and anticipate that through their 50/50 fundraising efforts the Navs will donate over $100,000 to youth organizations throughout eastern Massachusetts.

Head out to Fraser Field this summer as the 2010 NECBL Champion North Shore Navigators defend their title.

NAVS' CORR D3 PRE SEASON ALL AMERICAN

NAVS' Nolan Corr of Wheaton College has been named a Division 3 Pre Season All American honorable mention. Corr, a 2010 All American selection, had an outstanding season for the Navigators earning an All Star nomination and pitching the Navs to the championship in Game 3 of the Finals vs. Danbury.

For the complete list check out: http://d3baseball.com/all-american/preseason2011.pdf

SMYTH SIGNS WITH MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS!

James Smyth, the Voice of the 2010 NECBL Champion North Shore Navigators signed with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, a Texas Ranger affiliate in the South Atlantic League.

Smyth was signed as a broadcaster for all Pelicans' 2011 games, handling both color and play-by-play duties. The Navigators extend their congratulations as James begins his journey to the Major Leauges!