The Quinnipiac baseball team looks to its veterans to lead the team to a successful season. With a mix of experienced players and five new freshmen added to the roster, the Bobcats will look to senior catcher Kyle Nisson to be the spark of the team.
“Well its my senior year so I’m looking to have a strong season,” Nisson said. “I have a much more important role as a leader on the team, so I feel like I need to work that much harder to perform and lead our team by example.”
Nisson’s finished last season with a .340 batting average, 50 hits and 21 RBIs. The assistant co-captain was also named to the Northeast Conference Second Team in 2011.
Nisson stressed the importance of a “team-first” mentality for the success of the team.
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Besides Nisson, first baseman Gabe Guerino will be expected to step up in addition to the pitching rotation.
“Certainly you have to look towards your veteran senior players that would include Kyle Nisson and Gabe Guerino,” Quinnipiac head coach Dan Gooley said. “I feel the spotlight will immediately move to the pitching staff, where you have Derek Lamacchia and George Dummar who are two juniors who have outstanding arms and the ability to pitch.”
Guerino will look to be an offensive threat, as well as sophomore Zak Palmer, who recorded 17 RBIs last season.
With the loss of pitcher Kyle Birdsall, who recorded the first no-hitter in Quinnipiac history last season, the Bobcats will look to Lamacchia to be the ace of the pitching staff according to Gooley.
Lammachia recorded four wins last year and had an era of 3.41. He led the team in complete games with three, and threw one of two shutouts for the Bobcats.
“Lammachia will be our number one pitcher, George Dummar will be our number two. Spencer Kane will slide into our number three spot and Nick Fabrizio will be our number four starter,” Gooley said. “The fifth player in the rotation will be freshman Matt Lorenzetti.”
Dummar recorded 40 strikeouts last season and didn’t allow a ball to leave the park more than 52.1 innings.
Besides the veteran players, the Bobcats will look to two freshmen to make a significant impact in the lineup.
“I think Scott Donaghue and Forrest Dwyer will really be able to help us,” Nisson said. “Both are first-year players but they have worked so hard leading up to the start of the season and they are both tremendous teammates and will do anything to help the team.”
The Bobcats are predicted to finish eighth in the Northeast Conference, but Gooley thinks they will be a significant contender in the postseason.
The Bobcats finished seventh in the NEC last year going 11-21 in conference play. They lost 20 of their last 22 games, including a 26-3 game vs. Central Connecticut State last April.
“We certainly hope we have a better season than last year,” Gooley said. “Last year was very disappointing, especially at the end of the year. We hope to improve our ball club over all from last season.”
