2009 Season Recap
The 2009 Colby-Sawyer baseball team improved its 2008 batting average of .300 to .306 in 2009, which marks the third best team batting average in school history. The team had a great offensive season and was one of the most productive teams in school history compiling the third highest total of hits with 370. The Chargers achieved a top three ranking in most of the offensive categories in school history after their performance in 2009.
In addition to the .306 batting average, the team recorded the second highest total of RBI in school history with 254. The 14 triples and 68 doubles ranked second and third all-time, respectively. When the team wasn't driving in any of the 292 runs, which ranks second all-time, they were showing great patience at the plate. The Chargers recorded 163 walks which tied the 1999 team for most all-time.
The Chargers finished the season 9-13 in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) and made their 14th straight appearance in the conference tournament, this year as the No. 8 seed. For the second season in a row the Chargers had to travel to Curry for the tournament's opening round. The Colonels were the TCCC's top seed and was ranked 14th in the nation. In a game that featured 44 hits and 36 runs, Curry was able to recover from blowing a seven run lead after the first two innings, to take the 24-12 victory.
In the tournament's second round, the Chargers traveled to Salve Regina University in another rematch of the 2008 playoffs. After the Chargers tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the eighth, the Seahawks scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-2 lead and held Colby-Sawyer scoreless in the ninth to win the game. Colby-Sawyer finished the 2009 campaign with a 15-24 record.
Colby-Sawyer seniors Tom White (Lisbon, N.H.) and Chris Gaeta (Lynn, Mass.) were honored by the TCCC for their performance on the baseball diamond in 2009. White earned a nod to the All-TCCC First Team for the second time of his career, while Gaeta was named to the All-TCCC Second Team.
In addition to White's All-TCCC nod, he was named to the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association All-New England First Team. White was one of only two players from the TCCC to be named to the first team. White also received the Charger Award for the 2008-2009 Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year. White finished his Colby-Sawyer career as one of the best baseball players to ever don a Chargers uniform. In 2009, White led the team in at-bats, batting average, hits, homeruns, stolen bases, RBI, and slugging percentage. Tom has solidified his name in the record books by being in the top three all-time in six offensive categories. He ranks first all-time in doubles (39) and ranks second all-time in hits (164), runs (119) and stolen bases (40). He sits in third place all-time in walks with 59 and RBI with 133. White also finished his career in fourth place on the all-time career homerun list with 19. In addition to his Colby-Sawyer rankings, White ranked among the best Division III baseball players in the country. Tom was tied for 14th in the nation with 63 RBI and ranked 8th with 1.62 RBI per game. His 12 homeruns this season ranked him tied for 30th. White ranked 39th in the nation with a .777 slugging percentage and ranked 75th in total bases with 108.
Gaeta, who was named to the first team a season ago, posted similar numbers in 2009. Chris was third on the team this season in runs scored, hits, and total bases. He also led the team in walks and was second on the team with 10 doubles. He finishes his career ranked ninth in hits and doubles, while he sits in tenth in runs scored with 86.
Besides White and Gaeta, the team will lose one more senior to graduation. Vinny Vilardi (Boxford, Mass.) has made at least four appearances in each of the four seasons he has pitched for the Chargers. In 2009, Vilardi made six appearances and four starts. His lone victory came against Rivier on April 2.
Juniors Chris Hartery (Billerica, Mass.), Carter Malpass (Plymouth, Mass.), Chris Smith (Lisbon, N.H.) and Jarrett Lowe (Sudbury, Mass.) each played an important role on the team throughout the season.
Hartery played and started in all of the team's 39 games in 2009. He had the fourth highest batting average on the team (.336) and led the team in runs (46), doubles (11) and triples (3). Chris is now tied for first all-time with 11 career triples. Lowe was very productive in the lineup this season with the team's second best batting average of .386. He was second on the team in hits with 44 and third on the team with 27 RBI's. Once Lowe reached base he continued to be a threat stealing 11 of 13 bases.
Malpass started seven games on the mound and appeared two other times out of the bullpen. He recorded one victory and two complete games in his junior season. Smith went 2-2 in 2009 with one complete game in seven appearances. He was fourth on the team with 19 strikeouts.
Seven sophomores contributed to the team in 2009 including Matt Corvo (Stratton Mountain, Vt.), Evan Leary (Concord, N.H.), Kevin Emerson (Hinesburg, Vt.), Brandon McFadden (Dummerston, Vt.), Mike Bertuccio (Millstone Township, Pa.), Shane Hoagboon (Mayfield, N.Y.) and Mike Schilling (Middletown, R.I.).
Leary played in all 39 games while starting in 38 in his first season with the Chargers. He recorded 35 hits, which was sixth best on the team, and scored the fourth most runs with 32. Leary had the second best fielding percentage on the team (.987) as he patrolled centerfield throughout the season. Leary was named to the TCCC All-Academic team for his work in the classroom.
Hoagboon had the third best batting average on the team hitting .353 in 21 games. McFadden started 29 of the 30 games he appeared in and recorded the third best fielding percentage on the team (.983). Bertuccio went 4-4 on the hill in seven starts and 12 overall appearances. Doucette and Schilling pitched out of the bullpen this season and they each went 1-0.
Ten freshmen joined the Colby-Sawyer baseball team in 2009, including Ryan Farris (Nashua, N.H.), Greg Mehuron (Waitsfield, Vt.), Matt Rosa (Manchester, N.H.), Greg Doucette (Ipswich, Mass.), Ricky Perzentz (Westport, Mass.), Ryan Gillan (Alton, N.H.), Ryan Lawless (Charlemont, Mass.), Joe Guidi (Derry, N.H.), Justin Martin (Lebanon, N.H.) and Brendan Harding (Medford, Mass.).
Martin performed extremely well in his first season with the Chargers anchoring the defense at first base. He was slotted in the heart of the batting order and produced all season long; compiling a .315 batting average, 39 hits and 25 runs batted in.
Gillan and Rosa combined for five of the team's 15 wins this season. Gillan registered two of the wins while tossing four complete games. Rosa appeared 13 times and went 3-1 on the season.
