SOMERSET PATRIOTS SIX-TIME ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 1 Patriots Park * Bridgewater, NJ 08807 * 908.252.0700 www.somersetpatriots.com New Jersey Blasters (0-0) @ Somerset Patriots (0-0) Game #1 * Friday, July 17th * 7:05 p.m. * TD Bank Ballpark * Bridgewater, New Jersey LISTEN: 1450 WCTC; WCTCam.com WATCH: YouTube.com/somersetpatriots UPDATES: @SOMPatriots @NJBlasters Weekend at a glance Friday (7:05) NJB [RHP] Vin Mazzaro (0-0, 0.00 ERA) @ SOM [RHP] David Kubiak (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Saturday (7:05) NJB [LHP] Brandon Liebrandt (0-0, 0.00 ERA) @ SOM [RHP] Mark Leiter Jr. (0-0, 0.00 ERA) PATRIOTS VS. New Jersey Blasters BLASTERS Somerset Patriots Date SITE RESULT BLASTING ON TO THE SCENE: The New Jersey Blasters were 07/17 vs NJB FIRST IN STATE: When the first pitch is thrown on Friday officially announced as the SOMSERSET Professional Baseball 07/18 vs NJB night in the SOMERSET Professional Baseball Series, it will mark Series opponent of the Patriots at a press conference on July 7th 07/24 vs NJB the first professional baseball game in the state of New Jersey in 07/25 vs NJB 2020. The Washington Wild Things (Washington, Penn.) are the ORIGIN OF THE TEAM: The Bridgewater Blasters were 07/31 vs NJB closest organization to Somerset to play professional baseball included amongst the original Somerset Ballpark plans in the 08/01 vs NJB late 90s as a co-inhabitant professional baseball club with the 08/07 vs NJB THE JODIE FILE: The Patriots will be managed by returning Somerset Patriots. The plans for the Blasters were scrapped by 08/08 vs NJB skipper Brett Jodie. Jodie is entering his 8th year as manager of team officials after a review of whether operating two teams in 08/14 vs NJB the team and his 17th overall season with the organization. The the same ballpark would be viable and profitable 08/15 vs NJB former Yankee owns a 556-405 record over his first seven years 08/21 vs NJB 08/22 vs NJB WHAT’S A BLASTER: The name “Blasters” derives from old SIGNATURE SIX: There are six players on the current Patriots home run calls by longtime New York Yankees broadcaster Mel OVERALL: - roster that played on the team in 2019: David Kubiak, James Allen, who would often times emphasize a home run as a “blast” Pugliese, Nate Roe, Taylor Wright, Scott Kelly and Justin Pacchioli. That accounts for 35.3% of the active roster. Kubiak, BIG BAD JON: The Blasters are managed by record-setting STATS SOM NJB Pugliese and Pacchioli were all Atlantic League All-Stars in 2019 Atlantic League closer and current Somerset Patriots pitching AVG: - - coach/director of baseball operations Jon Hunton. This marks Runs: - - SPEED DEMONS: Two of the returning players, Kelly and “Big Jon’s” first professional experience as a manger. He has HR: - - Pacchioli, currently rank among the top four basestealers in worked the last two years as the team’s pitching coach BB: - - franchise history. Kelly, entering his 7th year with the club, ranks K: - - third with 114 career stolen bases, while Pacchioli, entering his SB: - - th th FORMER PATS: Jon Hunton is not the only former Somerset 4 season, lists 5 with 112 steals. Michael Warner is next on Patriot on the Blasters. RHP Vin Mazzaro appeared in three ERA: - - the list to pass with 120 stolen bases games with the Patriots in 2017, while outfielder Zach Racusin Saves: - - made his professional debut with the Patriots in 2017 HR: - - THE LONE AFFILIATE: Patriots catcher Matt O’Neill marks the BB: - - only player in the SOMERSET Professional Baseball Series that #1 OVERALL: Infielder Martin Figueroa marked the first overall K: - - remains under contract with a Major League club. The Seton --------------------------------------- th selection for the Blasters in a pre-season draft of eligible SPBS Fld %: - - Hall Prep graduate was a 20 round draft pick by the New York Mets in 2019 and played 33 games in their organization in 2019 players. Figueroa was selected as an All-Star for Short-Season E: - - State College (STL) last year and was named the Can-Am League Rookie of the Year in 2018 with Sussex County Miners BIG LEAGUE BLOODLINES: Mark Leiter Jr. is the lone player on the Patriots with service time at the MLB level (2017-18). His PITCHING LEADS: Every pitcher on the Blasters roster has SERIES LEADERS father, Mark, played 11 seasons in the Majors (1990-01), while experience in a Major League organization, including one with uncle, Al Leiter, played 19 seasons (1987-05) in the Bigs and MLB service (Mazzaro), two with time in Triple-A (Leibrandt and R: was a 2x MLB All-Star (’96 & ’00) H: Keselica) & two more with time in Double-A (Aiello and Vargas) HR: RBI: HIGH SCHOOL REUNION: There are three pairs of players BROOKLYN IN THE HOUSE?: Each Blaster infielder and SB: that attended the same high school in New Jersey on the outfielder is a New Jersey resident, but the team’s two catchers AVG: Patriots roster: Mark Leiter Jr. and Joey Rose (Toms River both currently reside in Brooklyn – Rob Calabrese and Luis --------------------------------------- North), Nate Roe and Matt O’Neill (Seton Hall Prep), and Scott Roman. Both players played in the Frontier League last year Kelly and Sid Kumar (West Windsor-Plainsboro North) W: TIME FOR A DEBUT: The SOMERSET Professional Baseball ERA: TAKES TWO TO DEBUT: Similar to the Blasters, the Patriots SV: Series will mark the professional debut for four members of the IP: have two players who will be making their professional debuts in Blasters: infielders Zach Lipshitz and Derek Romberg, outfielders BB: this series: infielder Sid Kumar and utilityman Dan Valerio Liam McArthur and Mark Shenloogian SO: BLASTERS HITTER’S SEASON NOTEBOOK PATRIOTS HITTER’S SEASON NOTEBOOK ROB CALABRESE - CARLOS GARCIA - MARTIN FIGUEROA - SEAN GUIDA - SHAYNE FONTANA - JORDAN JACKSON - ZACH LIPSHITZ - SCOTT KELLY - LOUIE MARTINI - SID KUMAR - LIAM McARTHUR - MATT O’NEILL - TOMMY McCARTHY - JUSTIN PACCHIOLI - ZACH RACUSIN - JOEY ROSE - LUIS ROMAN - ADAM TRICARICO - DEREK ROMBERG - DAN VALERIO - MARK SHENLOOGIAN - SOMERSET PATRIOTS SIX-TIME ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 1 Patriots Park * Bridgewater, NJ 08807 * 908.252.0700 www.somersetpatriots.com Somerset Friday Starting Pitcher: #24 David Kubiak 2019 SEASON STATISTICS HT: 6’7 WT: 230 lbs Age: 31 Club W-L ERA G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO B/T: R/R BORN: Aug. 3, 1989 Somerset 7-1 1.76 12 12 0 82.0 50 16 16 4 24 82 Union Lag. 2-1 6.47 6 6 0 32.0 3824 23 6 14 27 RESIDES: Southold, New York 2020 START-BY-START SEASON HIGHS / LOWS DATE/OPP SCORE DEC. IP H R ER HR BB K ERA PITCH IP: ……………….………..…………. Pitches: ….…………………….….. Batters: ….…………………………. R: ….……………………………………. ER: ………………..……………………. H: ….……………………………………. K: ….……………………………………. BB: ….………………………….………. VITAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE KING KUBIAK: David Kubiak made 12 starts in Somerset in 2019 before his contract was purchased in early July. At the time of his last start in Somerset, Kubiak led the Atlantic League in wins (7), ERA (1.76), strikeouts (82), WHIP (0.92) and BAA (.173). He was also tabbed as the 2019 Liberty Division All-Star Game starting pitcher ALL-TIME RANKS: The Long Island native currently ranks third in franchise history in ERA (3.09, min. 225 innings pitched), fifth in strikeouts (294), 11th in games started (44), 12th in wins (20) and 14th in innings (276.2). He also owns the record for most consecutive scoreless innings (33.2) which was recorded from May 10 to June 4, 2019. HOT STARTS: Kubiak has made a habit of getting off to hot starts to begin his season. In 2019, the 6’7” righty was named the Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month in April/ May for a 4-0, 0.95 ERA start to his year including three separate 10+ strikeout performances. In 2018, Kubiak went 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA and a 36/4 K:BB ratio over his first five starts. Blasters Friday Starting Pitcher: #32 Vin Mazzaro 2019 SEASON STATISTICS HT: 6’2 WT: 220 lbs Age: 33 Club W-L ERA G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO B/T: R/R BORN: Sept. 27, 1986 LI Ducks 11-4 3.61 39 10 0 92.1 95 42 37 8 27 84 RESIDES: Rutherford, New Jersey 2020 START-BY-START SEASON HIGHS / LOWS DATE/OPP SCORE DEC. IP H R ER HR BB K ERA PITCH IP: ……………….………..…………. Pitches: ….…………………….….. Batters: ….…………………………. R: ….……………………………………. ER: ………………..……………………. H: ….……………………………………. K: ….……………………………………. BB: ….………………………….………. VITAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE WELCOME HOME: Mazzaro, a New Jersey native, returns to the Garden State to pitch professionally for the third time in his career. He briefly tossed six shutout, one-hit innings spread across three appearances with the Patriots in 2017. The next year, Mazzaro carried a 1.76 ERA across 34 relief appearances with the New Jersey Jackals. CLUBHOUSE VET: Mazzaro brings eight seasons of MLB service to the SOMERSET Professional Baseball Series – the most of any active player in the series. The 33-year old broke into the bigs with the Oakland A’s in 2009 and posted a 24-23 record with a 4.79 ERA and one save across 140 Major League contests (45 starts). STRONG FINISH: Mazzaro finished his 2019 season on a strong note. After beginning the year as a relief pitcher for the rival Long Island Ducks, Mazzaro turned his season th around once he was plugged into the starting rotation on July 24 . The former Royals, Pirates, Marlins and Giants arm went 8-0 with a 2.15 ERA and 57 strikeouts over 58.2 innings after he transitioned back to the rotation.