LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates baseball team is in Florida this week for the RussMatt Invitational for three games, a chance for head coach
Jon Martin and his staff to get an early look at the Bobcats before the meat of the non-conference schedule in March. Bates opens the 2023 season Saturday at 2:30pm when the Bobcats take on Houghton University in a doubleheader.
"We're ready for some sunshine, Bermuda grass, palm trees, and good baseball," Martin said. "I am excited about our depth. My message to the team is if you're not in the starting lineup, you've got to stay ready because we're going to make moves, and we're going to utilize guys based on their strengths as we manage the game."
From a pitching perspective, the Bobcats return 12 arms who saw action last season.
"We've got some guys that have learned a lot from last year," Martin said. "Our whole goal in the preseason is to get strike one on the first pitch of every at bat. Be smart about pitches that we're throwing in certain counts. Pound the fastball on both sides of the plate, be able to throw inside effectively and do the little things. Control the running game, field your position."
Juniors Teddie Nelson (Marshfield, Mass.) and Sam Hough (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) reclassified to the class of 2024 after taking the spring of 2021 off due to the pandemic. Both logged a lot of innings last year for Bates, with Nelson making a team-high 10 starts and Hough leading the Bobcats in wins by going 3-0 out of the bullpen in 11 appearances. Nelson also struck out a team-high 30 batters in a team-high 35.2 innings pitched.
Junior Corbin McAlpine (Boxborough, Mass.) was second to Nelson with 34.1 innings pitched, making 12 appearances, five starts. Martin expects good things out of McAlpine and says that fellow junior Luke Linnehan (Hingham, Mass.) has looked really good so far in the preseason. Linnehan is pounding the zone with all his pitches, throwing a lot of strikes, and has a good head for the game.
Martin is also looking forward to using sophomore lefties Christopher McGrail (Dedham, Mass.) and Matthew Shrake (Chicago, Ill.) in a variety of roles this year. McGrail held opponents to just a .248 batting average in 2022, and Shrake led the Bobcats in ERA.
The Bobcats debut a pair of rookie pitchers who should make immediate impacts. First-years John Tully (Framingham, Mass.) and Max Dio (Wellfleet, Mass.) have both impressed the coaching staff.
"Both are hard-throwers," Martin said. "Tully has a good slider, he's definitely pounding the zone early on in the preseason. Dio has a live arm. If we can find his role early on in the season, I think he's got a lot of upside."
There are no seniors on the Bates pitching staff. The five seniors, including the two captains, are all position players, with one possible two-way player in the mix.
Senior captains Tyler Attal (Los Angeles) and John Nowak (Pelham, N.Y.) both play key positions up the middle for Bates. Attal is the starting center fielder, and Nowak is one of a few catchers who should see playing time in 2023.
"They finally have a full season under their belt of college baseball and understand that being in Maine, the March road trips are tough, and dealing with the weather and trying to prepare in a simulated practice session, and then have to go out and play the real game; it's not easy.," Martin said. "And I think that now that they've got the experience and they understand what this is about, they've set a good standard for us and especially for the young guys as well."
Seniors Henry Jamieson (St. Simons Island, Ga.), Drew Fallon (Mansfield, Mass.), and Alex Ross (Ridgefield, Mass.) round out the class of 2023. Jamieson, a third baseman, is the team's second-leading returning hitter after posting a .293 batting average with an .802 OPS last season. Fallon patrols right field for Bates and was tied with Attal for the team-lead in RBI last year, driving in 18 on the season.
Ross is a first baseman who stands at six-feet, six-inches. The Bobcats have experimented a bit with him on the mound during the preseason.
"He's been pretty impressive," Martin said. "I think that he's got the ability to serve in a couple different roles for us."
While the five seniors should all play key roles, the team's leading returning hitter is junior second baseman Christopher Cimino (Scarborough, Maine), who had a breakout campaign in 2022, finishing 11th in the NESCAC in batting average at .380.
"Cims is a great baseball player, just all the way around," Martin said. "He's got a great IQ for the game and a good focus level. And obviously he is a very good hitter at this level, so we're expecting him to get right back into it and continue going. He's looked really good so far and the preseason, and I have a lot of faith in him that he can continue the success he had last year."
Teaming up with Cimino in the middle infield is junior shortstop Jack Brennan (West Hartford, Conn.), who Martin describes as the kind of player that's always out on the field.
"He's always wanting more work," Martin said. "He's always just doing the ballplayer things that you want out of a player."
A pair of first-year position players have stood out so far during preseason workouts. Outfielder Jack Margiloff (Rye, N.Y.) and infielder Gibby Sullivan (Yarmouth, Maine) should have some opportunities early on to crack the starting lineup.
Martin is excited about the position battle at catcher, where the Bobcats have five options. Nowak, junior Dylan Azcarate (Tiburon, Calif.) and sophomore Brandon Biggane (Rensselaer, N.Y.) all have experience behind the plate, while junior Noah Jankowski (Methuen, Mass.) is a candidate to play behind the plate, in the outfield, or possibly serve as the team's designated hitter. First-year Liam Yardley (Keene, N.H.) gives Bates even more depth at the position.
After their opening three games in Florida, the Bobcats will spend the month of March on the road before their home opener, which is set for Wednesday, April 5 at 3:30pm when the Bobcats host Thomas College at Leahey Field.
"Guys need to be ready to go from the first pitch and stay locked in and ready," Martin said. "I think that so far this preseason they've done a great job with that and their work ethic has been strong as well. So, I'm excited to get the season underway."
