Fredonia State Blue Devils
Men's Baseball
History of the Program

The Fredonia State baseball program has a long and storied history. The team has been competing at the collegiate level for over five decades. There have been several players from the program continue their careers at the professional level, including former major leaguer Jeff Shaver.

The Blue Devils had a highly successful program from the late 50's through the early 70's, competing against many Division I and II teams. Longtime head coach Bill Ludwig was the leader of the Blue Devil charge for much of that period. The Blue Devil's home field currently bears his name.

In the summer of 1980, Dale Till was hired as the head coach at Fredonia State after serving six years as an assistant under Ludwig. One of Till's first moves was to hire Dave Criscione as his assistant. It was a relationship that would last 20 years and several hundred victories.

Under Till, the Blue Devils would have their greatest success. In 1982, Fredonia won it's first ever regional title, with the ECAC Upstate New York Championship. 1985 was a banner year, as three Blue Devils, Jeff Shaver, Chan Galbato, and Steve Strauber, signed professional contracts. Shaver, drafted by the A's, would eventually make it to the major leagues in 1988. Galbato was drafted by the Expos and Strauber signed with Detroit.

During th 1988 season, coach Till, a Fredonia State graduate and standout for the baseball team in the mid 50's, was inducted into the school's athletic Hall of Fame. Till still holds the school record with 3 homeruns in one game.

In 1990, Till and Criscione guided the team to the SUNYAC Western Divsion title before defeating Cortland in the conference championship.

The team was again invited to the ECAC Tournament. The Blue Devils won the Western Division title again the following year. The coaches obtained their 300th coaching win in the spring of 1993.

Following the 1995 season, Joe Caso became the first-ever Blue Devil selected ECAC-Upstate New York first-team All Star. Caso, named as a DH, hit .428 with 12 doubles while driving in a school record 37 RBI.

Following Till's retirement in 1999, Criscione spent three years at the helm before turning the team over to current head coach Matt Palisin. All told, Criscione had been involved with Blue Devil's baseball for 23 seasons.

In Palisin's first year, 2003, four players, Tim Lockhart, Matt Clark, Mario Muscarella, and Mark Taurisani, earned all-conference recognition. That was the most in school history until 2006 six when Phil Gavin, Trey Johnson, Kevin Malaney, Rob Herrmann, Dan Taurisani and John Hamilton earned all SUNYAC. Gavin (2004, 2005 amd 2006) was the third Blue Devil ever to be named to three all-confernce teams.

Fredonia State Hall of Fame Baseball Inductees
Tom Baressi '51
John Carlson '53
Jack Bartlett '57
Peter Criscione '61
James Mangano '61
Tom Gallineau '62
Jack VandeVelde '77
Doug DeJoe '82
Don Rankie '84
Chan Galbato '85
Jeff Shaver '85
Dale Till, Player and Coach
Joe Caso '97

Fall, 2003 Fredonia State Alumni Game participants.