NJCAA DIVISION II WORLD SERIES ‘99 * ‘04 * ‘10 * ‘11 * ‘13 * ‘15 * ‘17 NATIONAL RUNNER UP ‘10 3RD PLACE ‘15 NJCAA DIVISION II EAST DISTRICT CHAMPIONS ‘99 * ‘04 * ‘10 * ‘11 * ‘13 * ‘15 * ‘17 NJCAA DIVISION II NEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONS ‘90 * ‘99 * ‘00 * ‘04 * ‘05 * ‘06 * ‘07 * ‘08 * ‘10 * ‘11 * ‘13 * ‘15 * ‘17 CSCC CHAMPIONS ‘73-’78 Letter from the Athletic Director The 2018 Baseball season is quickly approaching the 48th season UCONN AVERY POINT has fielded a Varsity Team, and I reflect on the history of the program as I approach my retirement on August 1st, 2018. The time has sped by to quickly as I clearly remember playing on the 1st Avery Point Championship Team in 1973, winning the Connecticut Small College Conference Championship under Coach George Greer. Defeating Stamford UCONN to clinch the championship with teammates like Pat Kelly, Jeff Kirsch, Herb Gardner, Jerry Stergio, Jay Macko and Mike Wilkinson to name a few. Playing a modest 10 game schedule that fall of 1973 started a streak of 15 consecutive CSCC Championships. When George Greer left to coach Davidson College in 1982, I left UCONN as their baseball graduate assistant to replace Coach Greer as the Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach and ultimately joining the NJCAA in 1985. This has led to 14 NJCAA New England Championships, 7 East District Championships and 7 World Series appearances. There has been 37 Professional Baseball signee’s, 3 major Leaguers -John McDonald, Rajai Davis and Pete Walker-, 180 players playing at 4 year programs including 56 to UCONN and 18 NJCAA All-Americans. A true testament to the core values of Avery Point Baseball, player development and recruitment of high character people. Special moments have been many, especially our first NJCAA New England Championship in 1990 with Mike Blais pitching a complete game at Washington park to defeat CCRI. Avery Point’s first World Series appearance in 1999 and Jayson Drobiak’s dramatic home run vs. Delaware Tech in the district tournament at Washington Park sending Avery Point to Millington Tennessee and the NJCAA Division II World Series. Tyler McEntyre’s home run in the 13th inning in the 2010 World Series in Enid, OK to defeat Western Oklahoma College sending the Pointers to the championship game vs. LSU Eunice. Doug Domnarski’s no hitter vs. CCRI in the 2015 New England Playoffs at Washington Park, putting an explanation point on my 1,000 win at Avery Point the first time in history to have ever happened in Junior College Baseball. John McDonald earning a World Series Ring for the 2014 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. Rajai Davis dramatic home run to tie game 7 vs. the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 World Series for the Cleveland Indians. My induction to the NJCAA Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017 at Grand Junction, Colorado. An award I accepted for all the special players and coaches I have had the privilege to work with during my 34 years coaching at Avery Point. All of these accomplishments and championships never could have been dreamed of in the beginning as it was always the next practice, game, recruit, trying to stay with the process of getting better every day. These championships and accomplishments turned out to be a product of the process we had to go through to improve. The journey, the struggles and disappointments, writing our own pyramid of success turned out to be as fulfilling as actually getting there and winning championships. The program is in good hands with the current Coach Mike Aldrich who has a bright future with new visions and new stories to be told. The program will continue to grow and prosper, this I am confident of. My heart will always be with Pointer Baseball, I will always be your # 1 FAN! Wishing the 2018 Team the best and keep the Avery Point tradition going! Roger Bidwell WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE Letter From the Athletic Director...........Inside Front Cover A Letter From The Director.......................................Page 1 UCAP Quick Facts.....................................................Page 1 2017 Season in Review.............................................Page 2 The University of Connecticut at Avery Point...........Page 3 Record of Excellence ...............................................Page 3 Philosophy of UCAP Baseball Program.....................Page 3 2018 UCAP Baseball Preview....................................Page 4 UCAP 2018 Baseball Roster......................................Page 6 Spring is in the air and that means baseball season is Coaches' Profiles.................................................Pages 7-8 back in play for UConn Avery Point's baseball team, Trainers'/Managers' Profiles..................................Page 10 the Pointers! We are proud to welcome all UConn Player Profiles.................................................Pages 12-25 Nation members and fans back to support our team UCAP Pro Baseball Drafts.......................................Page 27 for the 2018 season. NJCAA Post Season Tournament Results................Page 27 Alumni Currently Playing College Baseball.......Pages 29-30 Last year, Mike Aldrich, former Avery Point player and UCAP Players Who Continue to Play.......................Page 31 Assistant Coach since 2012, led the team as Head Individual Batting/Pitching Statistics......................Page 33 Coach. Working with Mike are Assistant Coaches Ed Avery Point Major Leaguers...................................Page 35 Harvey, Matt Greene and Pete Aldrich. Our coaches UCAP Alumni Currently Playing Pro Baseball…..……Page 37 understand the importance of an education with an Avery Point All-Americans .....................................Page 40 UCAP Baseball Records………………….………………Pages 41-46 athletic experience; the team average GPA remains a 2017 Season Results...............................................Page 48 steady and solid 3.0, with five players having made UCAP Hall of Fame………………………………….…………...Page 50 the Dean's List. Back Cover........................................Spring 2018 Schedule As with our other team sports at Avery Point, our baseball program is a point of great pride, bringing UCAP QUICK FACTS home an average of thirty-seven wins each season Location ..................1084 Shennecossett Rd., Groton, CT 06340 since 1999. Main Telephone Number.......................................860·405·9000 Website............................................www.averypoint.uconn.edu My best wishes and congratulations to Athletic Enrollment…………………………………………….……….…………..………800 Nickname........................................................................Pointers Director and former baseball Coach Roger Bidwell, on Colors......................................................................Navy & White being inducted into the 2017 NJCAA Hall of Fame. We Athletic Department Phone ...................................860·405·9183 are proud of your accomplishment s and all that you Athletic Dept. Fax................................................... 860·405·9043 Affiliation ................National Junior College Athletic Association do for our campus. Campus Director ..............................Dr. Annemarie Seifert, PHD Our athletes are students, family members, friends, Athletic Director.....................................................Roger Bidwell Baseball Coach.........................................................Mike Aldrich and role models for the entire UConn community. We Assistant Coaches..............Ed Harvey, Bill Buscetto, Pete Aldrich recognize and celebrate their leader ship and strong Matt Greene character and wish them the best in the coming Home Field ...........................Washington Park, Groton, CT season. UCAP Baseball Yearbook 2018– Page 1 2017 SEASON IN REVIEW 29-16 NJCAA Region XXI New England Champions NJCAA Division II East District Champions NJCAA Division II World Series The Pointers finished the 2017 season with an overall record of 29-16, falling to Kankakee C.C., the eventual National Champions in their third game at the NJCAA Div. II World Series in Enid, OK. The group opened up their first World Series trip under Head Coach, Mike Aldrich with an impressive victory over Kankakee C.C. behind a strong start on the mound from C.J. Leindecker (6.0 IP, 3 ER) and an offensive explosion throughout the lineup, capped off with homeruns from Cooper Robinson and Mike Corso, and Gavin Weyman slamming the door for the save. The group faced a tough task in game 2, going against Parkland of Illinois who earned a first round bye, after falling behind 2-0 after the top of the first, Mike Chiovitti drove a line drive over the left field fence scoring Savino to notch it up at 2. Despite no ER’s given up by the pointer bullpen (Andy Grant, Joe Nemchek) and a two-run home run from Vinnie Pallisco in the fifth to the opposite field the Pointers were unable to overcome mistakes and fell 8-5 sending them to the losers’ bracket for game 3 against Kankakee. Despite a 2-hit effort from Mike Savino the pointers were unable to scratch across enough runs and fell in a mercy rule game 12-2 in 5 innings, ending their underdog National Championship run. Avery Point advanced to the NJCAA Division II World Series after winning the East District Tournament in Valhalla, NY. The team opened up the tournament against the host, Westchester C.C. whom they took 2 of 3 from during the regular season, starting their ace, CJ Leindecker. CJ scattered 6 hits over 7 innings of work giving up only 2 earned runs in the 11-2 mercy rule victory. The Pointer offense was led by Cooper Robinson and Mike Corso