(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.
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.
