This week we are going to switch it up in regards to the format of the Power Rankings. Being that many of the records are similar, I’m going to segment them by divisions. This is meant to simply be a snapshot in time as to where the teams currently stand, with no value in past performance.
Feel free to critique.
Division-I:
- Fordham (Record: 15-8-1, Trending UP)
The Rams were expected to have a learning curve with their youthful team. They have only one senior (Ben Greenberg), but sometimes when you’re young, you play with no fear. They have gotten off to a great start and have won five of their past six games. The pitching staff has a 3.29 ERA, with the co-aces of Greenberg (3-1, 1.62 ERA) and Reiss Knehr (3-2, 3.37 ERA) leading the way and the combination of sophomore relievers Brian Weissert (0.68 ERA) and Kyle Martin (1.10 ERA) joining forces as firemen in the backend. Jake MacKenzie has been hot at the plate, leading the offense with 3 HR and 19 HR. They have averaged 5.6 runs/game and are trending in the right direction. They will host Siena and St. Peter’s this week.
2. St. John’s (Record: 13-9, Trending DOWN)
It was not a great weekend for the Red Storm, having lost two of three in Minnesota. Considering their No. 2 ranked 2.79 team ERA in the nation, it is a bit surprising they’ve fallen on trying times. Additionally, John Valente is riding a 24-game hitting streak and hitting .400 (36-for-90) on the season. They’ll host St. Peter’s on Tuesday as they look to get back on track.
3. Stony Brook (Record: 15-10, Trending UP)
They won three of four this week, including a dramatic victory on Friday afternoon on a walk-off shot by Brandon Alamo. The offense has been really good overall; scoring 5.9 runs/game and much of that is due to the tremendous seasons by sophomore Nick Grande (.388 AVG/.455 OBP/..647 SLG). Grande won the 2016 Blue Chip Prospects’ Silver Slugger Award at Smithtown West, but power wasn’t necessarily his game. This season, however, he’s taken his power to another level. He already has three HR and driven in 15 runs despite hitting in the top of the order. He’s also added 13 stolen bases. His plate discipline is not what it was in high school, but that brings me to their senior third baseman who has specialized in that. Bobby Honeyman has drawn seven walks and struck out just three times through 92 at bats while maintaining a .315 AVG and driving in 15 runs. He is crucial to the team’s success. Finally, sophomore Michael Wilson is their big bopper. He has an AVG of .290 but has a team-high 24 RBI and is a feared hitter that changes the dynamic of the lineup. Now for the sobering news: 5.27 team ERA is not their hallmark.
4. Hofstra (Record: 12-8, Trending EVEN)
Freeze frame: Leading 3-0 in the 9th inning on Saturday, they were three outs away from improving to 13-6 and on the verge of winning a big CAA conference series against Towson. One walk-off grand slam and a 1-0 loss on Sunday later and the picture is a bit murkier. Fortunately, the energy around the program is still positive as John Rooney has risen his stock to a possible top-three round MLB Draft selection in June, Vito Friscia is among the leading hitters (.372 AVG) in the CAA, Chris Weiss is among the top relief pitchers and Teddy Cillis has also been generating interest with his low 90s fastball and wicked curve. I’ve also been impressed with Mikey Reisner and Austin Gauthier at SS. They will be back in action on Wednesday against Manhattan.
Division-II:
- LIU Post (15-10, Trending UP)
An away record of 7-1 and a home record of 3-4 is certainly not typical for any team. They went 4-2 last week in a grueling stretch that tested their pitching depth. They have the depth, they have the quality arms, they just haven’t put up the numbers I expected. They have a team ERA of 5.27 and that is being helped significantly by James Varela‘s 2.00 ERA over 54.0 IP. They still have a chance to compete for the ECC title, but they will need their backend guys to step up as they did last year. Offensively, I’m a huge fan of their lineup. They are hitting .294, with seven of their regulars batting over .295. They will compete with anyone because their lineup will wear you down. I’ve watched them three times already and I just noticed how there’s no quit in their lineup. Junior 1B Michael Manzione hasn’t gotten any press on these rankings in previous weeks, but he’s a big power bat (6’2″ 275 lbs) that is an X-Factor for them. They do a lot of things right, and in a tournament they have the depth to beat the likes of St. Thomas Aquinas, as they did last year.
2. Molloy (Record: 14-12, Trending UP)
There is no question they have answered the bell when the conference games started. They are currently in first place (7-0) in the ECC. They won all three against Queens this weekend and they will look for the series sweep on Monday. The offense has been potent in recent weeks and they are hitting .288 this season led by Sean Hogan (.388 AVG). That resembles their 2015 roster which had a .291 team AVG. The pitching has risen to the occasion since conference play began. Kevin Hiss told us in his postgame interview last week that he felt like he needed to pitch better following his loss to Le Moyne and that’s exactly what he has done (17.0 IP, 1 ER in his last two starts). I think if they can get C.J. Schildt and Anthony Catinella on track they become a real threat to LIU. With Mercy this weekend in a four-game set it’s possible they begin conference play with a healthy lead in first place.
3. Pace (Record: 10-7-1, Trending UP)
Winning two of three against Southern Connecticut State is a nice weekend. Make no mistake, their ace LHP Dan Wirchansky has been a savior this season. The junior southpaw has put together one of the great starts to a season in history with 51 strikeouts against 1 walk. He already has a perfect game this season with 12 strikeouts. His 0.64 ERA has been a major reason the team has a 3.23 ERA. Paul Piccolo (.377 AVG), Ryan Crowley (.339 AVG), Michael Gulino (.323 AVG) and Michael Salmonese (.329 AVG) have led the way offensively.
4. Adelphi (Record: 8-11-1, Trending DOWN)
Five consecutive losses has the Panthers in a tough spot in the NE-10 already but they are too talented to continue to struggle. Watching them on Friday against Josiah Gray–the top Division-II pitching prospect in the country–and I was impressed with their ability to barrel up. They did score four runs against him in seven innings in extremely difficult conditions (it was a borderline monsoon for a couple innings). Junior RHP Ed Baram is extremely tenacious on the mound and a bulldog in the truest sense but I would have went to the bullpen and used one of the young hard throwers (Max Steele, Josh Rovner) to get out of the jam in the eighth inning against Le Moyne. He had already given more than enough in that scenario against the No. 22 ranked team in the nation. Conference play is 1/4 complete, so they will need to turn it on as soon as possible. The good things: the development of Thomas Colombo (.344 AVG) and Tyler Becker (.296). They are foundations for the infield for next year along with 3B Brett Malm.
5. Queens (Record: 9-13, Trending EVEN)
They had been hot the previous week, but after three straight losses to Molloy, their season is hanging in the balance right now at 1-6 in conference play. With a four-game series this weekend against LIU Post, they have a chance to salvage their chances. Kevin Kolesar has really made the most of his redshirt season with a stellar .362 AVG to go along with a .418 OBP.
6. NYIT (Record: 5-11-1, Trending EVEN)
Their comeback victory on Saturday was incredible theater. Down 5-0 before coming to bat in the first inning and they battled tooth-and-nail multiple times. They led 7-5, they trailed 10-7 and tied it up in the eighth before Ryan Kuskowski launched one over the fence in right-center field to send the home team into a frenzy. Redshirt freshman Dominic Paolo has 22 hits in 51 at bats (.431 AVG) and a .492 OBP. He has been the silver lining this season. Another redshirt freshman Alex Passarella has compiled a 3.33 ERA over 27.0 IP with 28 K. Very unique delivery, touched 92 MPH in yesterday’s outing.
Division-III:
- St. Joseph’s (Record: 8-9, Trending UP)
They get the nod despite the mediocre record because I have seen them enough to know they have simply underperformed and I’m projecting forward. They already swept Maritime, so they have proven that they have it in them. They are still scoring 5.1 runs/game and that’s with two of their regulars hitting below their weight. Fortunately, Paul Britt, Anthony Raucci, Tyler Sanderson, Dylan Piscitelli, Tyler Costa and Tyler Crafa have picked up the slack. Once they get their veterans on track they will be tough to beat. They will face John Jay on Tuesday.
2. Maritime (Record: 12-7, Trending EVEN)
I stick with my preseason hunch that they are second behind St. Joseph’s in the conference. I think they have a ton of offensive weapons and they have the two legit aces with emerging arms like Dylan Clausen and Brady Dolan which makes them likely to return to the Skyline Conference championship game. Anthony D’Ancona has a chance to win the Pitcher of the Year with a 1.21 ERA so far through 29.2 IP. They are hitting .314 as a team and scoring 6.6 runs/game with a .416 OBP. Travis Zurita and his .521 OBP have led the way offensively. They are in the midst of a renaissance period for the program.
3. Farmingdale (Record: 11-6, Trending UP)
I will try to watch them in person soon, I would like to see up close they’ve been able to get off to such a great start. Credit to Coach Osik for getting two impact transfers in Shawn Blasberg and Ernie Geraci. They are the two leading hitters on the team. Big weekend coming up with Old Westbury on Sunday.
4. Old Westbury (7-7-1, Trending EVEN)
As is the case with Farmingdale, they got off to a strong start and I haven’t gotten to see them yet but this Sunday I will probably go to see them against each other. I’m not sure if they will reschedule any games, but as of now they are slated to play eight games this week including double headers n Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They are hitting .325 as a team including .423 from John Condon and .377 from John Fogarty.
Juco:
- Suffolk (Record: 11-4, Trending UP)
7.4 runs/game and a .320 AVG is a pretty good start to the season. Five HR and 20 RBI for Jeff Towle and a .636 SLG percentage from Jimmy Mattera explains the success. Nick Morena, Tyler Schmid and Chris Berte have been lights-out on the mound.
2. Nassau (Record: 2-5, Trending EVEN)
I was at their game yesterday, but it’s not really the game to evaluate the team being that ASA is better than anyone in their conference. They led 3-0 in the second inning but wound up being defeated 17-3. Starter Joe Minucci was stellar over his two innings and that’s a great sign heading into conference play.
