UCAP 2020 Baseball Yearbook.Pdf
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Pointers 2020 Baseball Letter from the Athletic Director Dear Friends of UConn Avery Point Baseball: I offer my sincerest greetings as the 2020 season kicks off for our baseball program at the University of Connecticut Avery Point. Pointers We are excited to usher in a new era of Pointers’ baseball, a transition that officially started last summer with the hiring of alum Ian Ratchford. Since taking the reins last June, Coach Ratchford has assembled a talented staff and hit the ground running. Now with the fall season in the rearview mirror, I’m looking forward to seeing this year’s squad in action on the diamond in the coming months. With the return of a dozen student-athletes from last year’s squad that finished with 15 wins, expectations remain high this spring. We’ve assembled another competitive schedule against some of the top teams from the New England and mid-Atlantic regions with the hopes of making another run deep into the post-season. My only hope is that the weather cooperates a little better than it did last spring and we don’t have nearly as many rainouts or postponements as last spring! I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming game very soon. Thank you for your continued support of UConn Avery Point athletics. Go Pointers! Michael Kobylanski Athletic Director Pointers 1 WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE Content Page # Letter from the AD.....................................................1 Letter from the Campus Director................................2 UCAP Quick Facts......................................................2 2019 Season in Review...............................................3 University of Connecticut at Avery Point...................3 Record of Excellence..................................................3 Pointers Philosophy of UCAP Baseball Program.....................3 Pointers 2020 Preview...............................................................4 Annemarie Seifert, Ph.D. Coaches and Management Staff .............................5-7 Campus Director 2020 Roster.................................................................8 University of Connecticut Avery Point Player Profiles.....................................................9 - 16 Baseball Beyond UCAP...........................................17 The days are starting to get a little longer, and the weather a little warmer – which means baseball 2019 Schedule and Results.......................................18 season has arrived here at UConn Avery Point. We 2019 Statistics...........................................................19 are proud to welcome all UConn Nation members Draft Picks................................................................20 and fans back to support our team for the 2020 Tournament Results..................................................20 season. All-Americans...........................................................21 The upcoming season should be another exciting UCAP Major Leaguers.............................................22 one for our Pointers’ baseball program, which has Hall of Fame.............................................................23 developed a long-standing tradition of excellence both on and off the field. Records..............................................................24 - 27 Advertisements..................................................28 - 40 The return of former UConn Avery Point baseball 2020 Schedule...........................................Back Cover alum Ian Ratchford has heightened the excitement UCAP QUICK FACTS around the program this spring. Since his hiring last summer, Coach Ratchford and his staff have Location..1084 Shennecossett Rd., Groton, CT 06340 been extremely active building relationships and Main Telephone Number........................860.405.9000 have been very visible around campus. Website.............................www.averypoint.uconn.edu Our athletes are students, family members, Enrollment..............................................................800 friends, and role models for the entire UConn Colors....................................................Navy & White and Southeastern Connecticut communities. We recognize and celebrate their leadership and Athletic Department Phone.....................860.405.9183 strong character, and wish them the best in the Athletic Department Fax........................860.405.9043 coming season. I am proud of all our Avery Point athletes and hope you will join me in supporting Affiliation....National Junior College Athletic Association our baseball players this spring. Campus Director........................Dr. Annemarie Seifert Thank you for your support of our programs and Athletic Director..........................Michael Kobylanski UConn Avery Point. It promises to be an exciting Assistant Athletic Director................George Hardison season at Washington Park! I look forward to Pointers seeing you at a game this season. 2 2020 Baseball 2019 Season in Review The 2019 season saw the University of Connecticut Avery Point baseball team once again qualify for the Region Tournament and finish with 15 wins. Despite a challenging schedule, the Pointers used a strong surge midway through the season to put themselves in position to qualify for the postseason. Once postseason play kicked off in Rochester, N.Y., UCAP downed Mercyhurst Northeast in its first game of the Regional. However, the Pointers dropped their next two games to close out the 2019 campaign. Sophomore third baseman Alex Petchark assembled a phenomenal individual season at the plate and in the field. Named a Second- Pointers Team All-American, Petchark also led the Pointers with five home runs and 25 RBI. His .847 slugging percentage was eighth in the nation, while his .540 on-base percentage ranked 11th. Petchark was also recognized as a Region XXI Rawlings Gold Glove Award recipient for his defensive efforts during the season. The season also marked the final campaign for head coach Mike Aldrich as the Pointers’ skipper. In his four years as head coach, he built on the foundation set by longtime former baseball coach and Athletic Director, Roger Bidwell. Aldrich guided his teams to 95 wins, two New England Championships, one regional championship and one College World Series berth. THE UNIVERSITY·OF CONNECTICUT AT AVERY POINT UConn Avery Point is one of five regional campuses in the University of Connecticut system. Located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Thames River, UConn Avery Point challenges students with specialized four-year degree programs in English, Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies. Students here also receive an outstanding education in more traditional areas of study, beginning their college journey in most any of the 100+ majors that UConn offers and then, upon completing of the first 54 credits, seamlessly transition to the main campus in Storrs to finish their degree. Students at Avery Point benefit from small classes taught by esteemed faculty, distinctly modern facilities and unlimited opportunities for undergraduate research, internships and education abroad programs. The interdisciplinary approach to learning is complemented by a fully-staffed Academic Center where supplemental free tutoring in math, the sciences, writing, computer literacy and study skills help students participate with confidence in every class. At UConn Avery Point you can start small, save money and still enjoy all the benefit of a nationally renowned UConn education while taking advantage of our beautiful waterfront location. PHILOSOPHY OF THE UCAP BASEBALL PROGRAM The philosophy of the UConn Avery Point Baseball Program is to help our student-athletes adjust to college life and meet the demands both academically and athletically, enabling them to continue to the Storrs campus. They may also achieve success at other four year programs, while competing at the college level. This can be challenging, but with much hard work our student-athletes learn to succeed academically, and compete athletically. Our emphasis on academics is achieved through mandatory study halls, and our administration who monitors and assists our student-athletes throughout the year. The UCAP Program is one of individual attention to its student-athlete’s academic and athletic needs in a small and personal setting. Our goal at Avery Point is to teach our players to be successful in the classroom, as well as on the playing field. RECORD OF EXCELLENCE Since 1999, The UCAP Baseball Program has posted impressive winning percentage of 80%, 621 wins and 198 losses, and an average of 32 wins per season. The 2010 team established the program record with 41 wins, and the 2003 team posted the best winning percentage of 85.3% with a 29-5 record. During the past 18 years UCAP has won 13 NJCAA Division II New England Championships (1999, 2000, 2004-2008, 2010, 2011,2013, 2015, 2017); Seven East District Championships (1999, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), Seven World Series appearances (1999, 2004,2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), capped off with the 41-10 National Runner-Up performance of the 2010 team, and a third place finish for the 2015 team. In addition, in 2006, three UConn Avery Point alumni played in the major leagues: shortstop John McDonald and pitcher Pete Walker with the Toronto Blue Jays and outfielder Rajai Davis with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2008, John McDonald played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Rajai Davis for the Oakland A’s. In 2011, Rajai Davis joined John McDonald with the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2013, Pete Walker was named the Pitching Coach for