Stockton University Athletics

Ospreys Begin Building Process under Full-Time Coach

Baseball | 2/22/2019 9:30:00 AM

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The Stockton baseball team begins a new era with first-year head coach Dave Lorber at the helm. Lorber, Stockton's first full-time head baseball coach, assumed the role in January, his first position as a college head coach. He will field a team with just four seniors but plenty of experience throughout the roster. Lorber also has 12 freshmen, one-third of the squad, who will push for playing time.
 
Leading the way will be junior catcher Garrhet Reedy, an NJAC First Team selection a year ago. Reedy had a fantastic 2018 season, leading the Ospreys in numerous categories and ranking among the league's best players.
 
Reedy hit .375 (5th in NJAC), with a .476 on base percentage (2nd in NJAC) and drove in a team-high 19 RBI. He also slugged at a team-best .413 clip and was stellar behind the plate. Reedy threw out 43.8% of runners trying to steal on him and his 14 runners caught stealing were second in the league. He made just two errors in 143 chances for a .986 mark.
 
Behind Reedy will be juniors David Mann and Brandan Gomez who played in 10 and nine games respectively last season. Sophomore JP Traynor and freshmen Justin Schaff are newcomers who will add depth behind the dish.
 
Infield should be a strength, with veterans returning to help on defense. Junior Mike DeSenzo will man second base. He was the only Osprey to start all 29 games last year, batting .305 and pilfering a team-high 16 bases (T-6th in NJAC). DeSenzo also topped the squad with 36 hits, 20 runs and six doubles.
 
Slick-fielding first baseman John Perrino returns for his second year, along with fellow sophomore Anthony Napoli at shortstop. Perrino made just three errors in 211 chances at first base (.986) during his rookie season. Senior JJ Swentkowski goes into his third year as the starter at third base after topping the team with 19 walks last season.
 
Junior first baseman Eddy Rogan returns after missing last year due to injury, and sophomore infielder Garrett DeMarrais also is back. DeMarrais provided one of last year's biggest highlights with a walk-off single in the 10th inning of a 5-4 win over Kean.
 
Senior Austin Gonella returns to the team after a year away while junior Andrew Slinger and freshman Shawne Eldridge will provide depth in the infield. Eldridge will push for playing time at first and third base.
 
The Ospreys will receive a huge boost in the outfield with senior Joe Pipher returning after missing last season with an injury. In 2017, Pipher smashed five homers (T-2nd in NJAC) while batting .309. He led the NJAC in slugging percentage at .569 and also topped the Ospreys with 38 hits, 11 doubles, three triples and 25 runs.
 
Joining Pipher will be fellow senior Joe Cashman, who hit a robust .391 against left-handed pitching last season and junior Jeff Schick, who had two doubles among his 12 hits a year ago. Freshmen Brendan Doherty, Alex Klalo, Ryan Eshelman and Sean O'Rourke will battle for time in the pasture. O'Rourke will also see time on the mound.
 
Ray Hughes will lead the hurlers for Stockton. Last season, the senior had a breakout year, winning three games, including his first career shutout. He posted a sterling 3.22 ERA with 58 strikeouts (T-7th NJAC) in 50.1 innings of work. Hughes held opposing batters to a meager .174 batting average (3rd in NJAC).
 
The versatile Rico Viani will get time on the hill and in the outfield. In 2018, Viani led the Ospreys with a 3.13 ERA and held opponents to a .225 average (8th in NJAC) while whiffing 29 hitters in 37.1 innings. Viani also batted .275 with 22 hits and 11 runs. Sophomore Gavin Pabst will look to improve on his rookie season, appearing in nine games, five as a starter.
 
The pen should be solid with sophomore Zach Fillmore (11 games), and juniors James Manos (11 games, 2 saves), Ryan Moore (team-high 13 appearances, 9th in NJAC with seven games finished) and Tim Rossi (12 games). Tyler Apt also is back after appearing in one game before he was lost due to injury a year ago.
 
Freshmen Justin Donnamaria, Andrew Luongo, Jason Horowitz, Matt Zurawiecki, Nick Cutola, Nico Gonnella and O'Rourke will add much need depth during the tough NJAC season. O'Rourke will vie for a starting spot. Junior Joslin Carino, a transfer who played at Penn State-Abington in 2016 returns to the field after two seasons away from college baseball.