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).