Baseball team confident and ready to continue success

Despite chilly temperatures and late season storms adding to the already-thick blanket of snow on the field, spring is in the air for the Tufts baseball team. Coming off of a successful 2002 campaign, the Jumbos look to continue last year's winning ways with a slightly different look in the field.

In 2002, the Jumbos won the NESCAC East division pennant and later the NESCAC crown. The team hosted the conference championships and won two games in the NCAA New England Regional Tournament. With a 27-10-1 overall record and a 10-1 league mark, the Jumbos were a force to be reckoned with in New England Div. III ball.

However, graduation was hard on the Jumbos after their tremendous season. Star outfielder Dan Callahan was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks after setting school records in career hits, runs, and RBI. Fellow four year starter, first baseman Tim Ayres, and pitcher Steve Lapham also finished their careers last June.

"They were significant losses," coach John Casey said. "But we're [still] fairly experienced. It's about kids stepping up and filling in."

Filling the voids left by these starters will be important if the Jumbos are to repeat the success of last year. With six strong position players returning from 2002's starting lineup, the main holes will be the first base and outfield positions vacated by Callahan and Ayers.

Senior Jon Herbert will move from second base to the outfield to replace Callahan. Sophomore John McBride will see much more varsity action at first than he did last year playing behind Ayers.

"Herbert can chase it down in the outfield," Casey said. "Ayers was phenomenal at first, but McBride can do it."

Senior tri-captain Evan Zupancic, who was an All-New England selection last season after setting Tufts' single season homerun record with 11, will play centerfield and hit third in the batting order.

Three year starter, senior tri-captain and 2002 All New England honoree Brian Shapiro will hit clean-up and continue to anchor the shortstop position.

Juniors Drew Blewett and Frank Gilberti are competing for the third outfield spot.

Fellow third year Adam Kacamburas will begin his second season starting at third. Greg Hickey, another junior, will share catching duties with sophomore Bobby Kenny and possibly hit fifth or sixth in the order. Posting a .313 career average, Hickey will supply power to the middle of the order.

Herbert will also be an important player in the offensive lineup.

"Herbert is a pretty big key," Casey said. "We hope to get him to the top of the order."

Sophomores Dave Bishop and Frank Dinucci along with junior Nick Palange will be competing for spots in the infield and the starting role at second base.

"We're still looking to see who is going to play," Casey said.

The Jumbos have four days remaining before they pack up for a spring break trip to Virginia and North Carolina. There they will play their first game of the season against Lynchburg College in Virginia on Friday and play ten games over the next eleven days against teams who have already been playing outside for weeks due to the more baseball-friendly climate of the south.

"Our facilities are great," Casey said. "But it [will] be nice to the see the ball up in the air and play outside."

The Jumbos come home for their first league game against Bates on Friday, March 28. They will play a three game series with the Bobcats that weekend culminating with a Saturday double header.

Since beginning practices on February 15, the team has been preparing for what will be a short, but intense season. With 32 games in just over a month and a half, the Jumbos will have plenty of opportunities to work out any kinks in the lineup and strive for greatness similar to that seen in 2002.

"We're in a tough league with pretty good teams," Casey said. "I just worry about us, it doesn't matter what they do. We'll just play them all and see what happens."