2008 BASEBALL 2008 Outlook . .2 Head Coach . .3 QUICK FACTS Assistant Coaches . .4 The University Elmwood Park/Latshaw-McCarthy Field . .5 Location . Philadelphia, Pa. 19131 The Hawk . .5 Founded . 1851 2008 Roster . .6 Hawk Profiles . .7-11 Enrollment . 4,150 Newcomers . .12 Denomination . Roman Catholic (Jesuit) 2007 Year in Review . .13 Nickname . Hawks 2007 Statistics . .14 Colors . Crimson and Gray Atlantic 10 Conference . .15 Atlantic 10 Statistics . .16 Athletic Affiliation. NCAA Division I Philadelphia Big 5 Baseball . .17 Conference. Atlantic 10 2008 Liberty Bell Classic . .17 Home Field (Capacity) . Latshaw-McCarthy Field (1,000) Opponent Directory . .17 The Team SJU Baseball Hall of Fame . .18 SJU Baseball History . .19 Interim Head Coach. Lee Saverio (Bloomsburg ‘76) – First Season Hawks in the Professional Ranks . .19 Career Record/Years . 75-125-2/4 years Year-By-Year Results . .20 Record at SJU/Years . First Season Individual Records . .21 Assistant Coaches . Greg Manco (Rutgers ‘92) – Fourth Season Team Records . .21 All-Time Offensive Top 10 . .22 Aaron Barras (Spring Hill ‘02) – Second Season All-Time Pitching Top 10 . .23 Baseball Office . 610-660-1718 Departmental Leaders . .24 Captains . Mike Blahusch, Jason Hessler All-Time Hit List . .24 Letterwinners Returning/Lost . 32/9 Hawk No-Hitters . .24 Position Starters Returning/Lost . 6/3 Honors and Awards . .25 All-Time Roster . .26-28 Pitching Starters Returning/Lost . 3/1 All-Time Results . .29-34 2007 Overall Record . 10-39 Hawks Among NCAA Statistical Leaders . .33 2007 Atlantic 10 Record/Finish. 6-21/14th Hawks vs. All Opponents . .34 Athletic Communications Administration . .35 Saint Joseph’s University . .36 Asst. A.D./Communications. Marie Wozniak Associate Director of Athletic Communications . Jack Jumper Assistant Director of Athletic Communications. Joe Greenwich WWW.SJUHAWKS.COM Athletic Communications Assistant . Jeremy Fallis SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY Baseball Contact . Joe Greenwich ATHLETICS MISSION STATEMENT Email. [email protected] Athletic Communications Phone . 610-660-1738 The Mission of the Athletics Department at Saint Athletic Communications Fax. 610-660-1724 Joseph’s University reflects the Mission of the Saint Joseph’s University University by using the programs within Athletics as a President . Timothy R. Lannon, S.J. way to develop the whole person and preparing men and women for others. Vice President for Student Life . Dr. Cary Anderson Assoc. Vice Pres./Athletic Director. Don DiJulia • To educate the whole person by complementing the academic Asst. Vice Pres./Athletic Business Affairs . Jim Brown experience with athletic and recreational programs and activities Assoc. AD/Facilities . Al Pendleton outside the classroom. Assoc. AD/Varsity Programs . Ellen Ryan • To create an environment for personal growth through openness, Assoc. AD/Marketing/Corporate Partnerships. Tim Curran respect, and a concern for others. Asst. AD/Rec. & Intramurals . Corey Shannon w Exec. Director of Athletic Development . Katie Shields w • To communicate the value of community and family through team w Director of Compliance . Renie Shields work and sportsmanship. Director of Academic Services . Janet Greder s j • To provide opportunities for students to learn self-discipline, Director of Sports Medicine . Lori Rafferty u responsibility, decision-making, and attainment of goals. Equipment Manager . Joe DeLacy h a • To provide opportunities for students to participate and compete w in a first-class manner. CREDITS k The 2008 Saint Joseph's University baseball media guide was designed by s . Jack Jumper and Joe Greenwich and was written and edited by Joe c • To provide equitable opportunities for all students and staff, Greenwich. Editorial assistance was provided by Marie Wozniak, Jack o including women and minorities. Jumper, and Jeremy Fallis. Research assistance was provided by John m Saeger. Photography by Greg Carroccio of Sideline Photos and Miles • To advance the University regionally and nationally through Kennedy. Inside covers designed by Jeffrey Martin. Printing by Smith- intercollegiate athletics. Edwards-Dunlap, Philadelphia, Pa. 2008 Baseball 1 SEASON OUTLOOK Youth will no doubt need to be served if the Saint Joseph’s base- Starting in right field ball team is to succeed in 2008. After a year of seasoning at the will be junior Ben Wendle. Division I level, the sophomore-laden Hawk squad will look to make The lefty had a breakout great strides and compete for a berth in the Atlantic 10 season in 2007, leading the Championship. The SJU roster contains 11 seniors and 15 sopho- Hawks in just about every mores, and those underclassmen will be expected to learn from their offensive category, includ- elders how to lead their team into the future. ing hits, runs scored, runs Behind the plate, senior Ken Pustizzi will share time with sopho- batted in, home runs, and mores Phil Pursino and Drew Smith. Smith was the team’s leader in doubles. Wendle was batting average last season and put up strong power numbers as well. named to the Atlantic 10 When not catching, Smith will likely fill the role of designated hitter. All-Conference Second At first base, sophomore Dewey Oriente will take over for Team, and will look to departed senior Mike Gentile. Oriente saw limited action in 2007, repeat that effort in 2008. but showed glimpses of the potential that made him New Jersey’s Having a reliable power hit- all-time hits leader in high school. He will be backed up by classmate ter such as Wendle in the Brian Hartsell. middle of the order can Competition will be fierce at the middle infield spots, as incum- only help as these young bent seniors Mike Blahusch and Chris Cashman will be pushed by Hawks aim to improve on senior Chris Hildreth, sophomore David Valesente, and redshirt last year’s record. freshman Joe Cook. Valesente saw a lot of time at third base last Left field will most season, but could slide over to second base in 2008. Cook missed likely be manned by sopho- all but two games of the 2007 season with a shoulder injury, and is more Matt Barnathan, red- Jason Hessler returns from injury in 2008 to headline the Saint Joseph’s starting rotation. expected to compete for playing time at shortstop. shirt freshman Ryan Sophomore Mike Boyland will likely start at third base, sharing McDonald, and senior Jereme Scott. Barnathan showed some time with Valesente and Hildreth. Freshman Mike Galetta could be promise at the plate in his freshman year and could have the advan- in the mix as well. tage early in the season. In the outfield, senior Jeremy Jakubowski will patrol center field The key to Saint Joseph’s success this season will be whether and likely man the top spot in the batting order. He is one of the or not its arms can keep up with its bats, as the Hawk pitching staff squad’s main base-stealing threats, having swiped 31 in his first will face a challenge in trying to improve on last year’s mid-season three seasons, including 14 last year. Jakubowski is also the team’s struggles. Fortunately for SJU, Jason Hessler returns from a torn active hits leader with 128, and has an outside chance of breaking labrum to lead the starting rotation. After having a year to recover into the program’s all-time top 10. His primary backup will likely be and work his arm back into pitching shape, Hessler will no doubt be classmate Tim Smith. ready to lead the Hawks to success. In Hessler’s absence last season, sophomore Randy Mower picked up the slack, as the young lefthander led the team in wins, innings pitched, and strikeouts. He will also fill one of the starting spots for SJU this season. The third spot in the weekend rotation is up for grabs, as a num- ber of pitchers on the current roster have experience starting games. Senior Don Werner and sophomore Pat Monaghan will likely be the third and fourth starters, but sophomores Mark Dolaghan and Adam Rivera combined to make 12 starts in 2007, and could find them- selves being asked to take the mound in a starting role once again. ! Freshman Dominic Favazza is also a candidate to make the occa- e i sional spot start in addition to coming out of the bullpen. D Mark Imbo has led the SJU pitching staff in appearances for the r e last two seasons, and will again provide a lefty presence out of the v e bullpen in the late innings. Senior Andrew Powers and juniors Chris N Prescott and Justin Trudell will also be relied on to step up and shut l l i down the opposition when the Hawk starters tire. W It is clear that the fate of Saint Joseph’s 2008 baseball season k lies predominantly in the hands of its younger players and its pitch- w a ing staff. The Hawk bats will be a formidable force for any opponent H to deal with, but SJU will only go as far as its pitching will take it. e Jeremy Jakubowski will fill the leadoff role for the Hawks. He has These young Hawks are ready to face the challenge at hand and will h been among the team’s top hitters throughout his career, and will be T expected to continue that trend in his final season on Hawk Hill. look to show the rest of the Atlantic 10 what they’re made of in 2008 and beyond. 2 Saint Joseph’s University HEAD COACH Lee Saverio Interim Head Coach Bloomsburg ‘76 – First Season Lee Saverio is in his first season on the Saint Joseph’s baseball coaching staff, and is serving as the squad’s interim head coach for the 2008 season. Saverio comes to Hawk Hill after six years at Atlantic 10 and Big 5 rival La Salle, where he spent the last four seasons as the head coach of the Explorers, notching a record of 75-125-2.