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DATE: Sat., March 12, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Baseball

Veteran team prepared for season

FREDONIA, N.Y. – The Fredonia State baseball team opens the 2005 campaign with their its set on the post-season.

After struggling through a nine-win season a year ago, the squad returns 11 players and has added five junior transfers.

"Last season, we were a very inexperienced group," head coach Matt Palisin said. "We return 11 players this season, including eight second-year players. In addition, the transfers we have added each have a winning background and should contribute right away. In one year, we went from an inexperienced group to a veteran team and the results will show on the field."

In addition, eight of the 11 returnees were in their first collegiate season last year. Heading into their second season at the college level, they will know what to expect.

They team will have its first test in Florida for eight days starting March 18 before opening up the northern part of their schedule at the University of Rochester on March 31.

Catcher - Perhaps the most improved area of the team, the Blue Devils have added four new catchers to the mix after relying on then-senior Adam Fusco nearly every game last year.

Jamestown Community College transfer John Papierski heads the list. Papierski was the clean-up hitter for the Jayhawks the past two years, and was the catalyst in leading the team to the Junior College World Series. He is an outstanding and durable receiver with a strong arm. Adam Bianchi, a transfer from Monroe Community College, provides additional experience behind the dish.

A pair of freshmen, Dan Murphy and Brandon Phillips, will also battle for time. Murphy, a left-handed hitter, was an all-Western New York selection at Eden High School. He is a very intelligent player and has shown the ability to become an outstanding college hitter. Phillips had a strong fall at the plate and will develop as the season progresses.

Infield - Senior Donny Burch is the veteran member of the Blue Devil infield. The team's only senior position player, Burch had an outstanding season defensively at third base a year ago. He has a strong arm and steady glove, and hopes to improve upon his sub-.200 batting average. The 6'3'' Burch also filled in at first base a number of games last year. Junior Matt Baudo returns to the mix at first. Baudo, who did not play his freshman season, was consistent at the plate last season, hitting .275 in 40 at-bats. Murphy is also a solid first baseman and could see time at the position as he gains experience.

The middle of the infield will be anchored by a couple of veterans. Junior Shane Morrison enters the season as the team's everyday second baseman. Morrison batted .322 last year after playing second base and DH. He will be flanked by sophomore Bryan Recchia at shortstop. Recchia saw action in 26 games last year, mostly at second base. "Shane and Bryan have worked extremely hard together to improve themselves and get comfortable with each other," said Palisin. "Both have taken leadership roles and are expecting big things from themselves." Morrison and Recchia, who combined for 18 stolen bases last year, will bat 1-2 for the team.

The freshman duo of Dan Mullen and Tom Butler will serve as backups. Mullen, a former shortstop who will be moved to second base, had a strong fall at the plate. Butler, a shortstop, also showed signs of developing into a solid player. Both should improve a great deal as the season moves on.

Sophomore Mike Austin will back up Burch at third base. Austin, listed as a utility player, is also capable of playing shortstop and second base. He saw a number of at bats from the DH slot as well in 2004.

Outfield - This year's outfield features a versatile group of athletes. The starting trio of Bobby Edwards, Trey Johnson and Kyle Adams will all see time on the mound this year. Edwards, a Jamestown Community College transfer who played with Papierski in the 2004 JUCO World Series, will play left field. The left-handed-batting Edwards is expected to bat fifth for the Blue Devils. Johnson, a sophomore, will anchor center. He has tremendous speed and range and is the team's most improved player from a year ago. Fellow sophomore Adams saw action in every game last season. He batted .300 and hit a team-best nine doubles.

Sophomore Phil Gavin returns after batting .295 in 44 at-bats last season. Freshman Kyle Irving will also compete for time. Murphy and Papierski provide further depth in the outfield when they are not catching.

Pitching - An area where the team struggled with a 7.48 ERA last year, pitching is expected to be a strength this year. The team's only two seniors, Burch and Mike Munski, anchor the staff. The addition junior three transfers, Edwards, Shawn Ridgway and Craig Heath, will add experience to the rotation; sophomores Johnson, Adams, Joe Webster and Noah Huard gained a great deal of experience last season; and the addition of six freshmen gives the bullpen depth that it did not have last year.

The rotation will be made up of upperclassmen. Burch, a hard-throwing righty, is contrasted by the knuckleballer Munski. Edwards was one of the top pitchers at JCC last year. He is a bulldog on the mound and throws all his pitches for strikes. Ridgway features a fastball and a nasty splitter. Heath is a control pitcher that keeps everything around the plate. Either Johnson or Adams will round out the rotation.

The bullpen will be staffed by last year's workhorse Webster. He appeared in 10 games and has the lowest ERA of any returning Blue Devil. Huard, who was issued a medical red-shirt after appearing in four games last year, has increased his velocity and could prove to be another everyday go-to pitcher.

The slew of freshmen provide balance in the late innings. Three are left-handers -- Matt Bauman, Clint DePew and Kevin Gellerson -- and three right-handers -- Jeremy Clark, Sean Pendergast and Reid Bland. All six keep their pitches around the plate.

"Last year, because of our inexperience and lack of depth, some of our pitchers were put in to situations that did not allow them to be successful," Palisin said. "This year, we have great deal more depth, in addition to the experience of our sophomores and addition of three transfers. From top to bottom, our staff will challenge and go right after hitters.

"With the amount of playing experience that we are able to put into the lineup every day, our program has finally established some consistency."

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