JOSH BLAIR
WSU HEAD BASEBALL COACH RAY ARRA
SEAN AHERN
Westfield State co-captains, from left to right, are: Matt Kelly, Josh Blair, Aaron Messier. (Photo courtesy of WSU Sports Information Department)
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WESTFIELD – The Westfield State University baseball team heads into the 2012 season seeking to maintain the success it has achieved under veteran head coach Ray Arra.
Coach Arra is confident in his team’s ability to capture another Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship, which would be Westfield’s 12th all-time and fifth in the last six years. The Owls finished the 2011 season with a 22-22 overall record and won the MASCAC regular season championship with an 11-3 record, but lost to Bridgewater State in the conference tournament championship game.
“Our goals once again are to win the MASCAC title and get to the NCAA tournament,” said Arra, who is entering his 50th year as a baseball coach.
As far as the NCAA tournament, the Owls have participated in three under Arra and 10 all-time.
The pitchers will be crucial in getting the team to the postseason.
“This is the best pitching staff we have ever had,” said Arra. “With the guys we have returning and the great attitude of our new guys, we have a chance to be very good.”
The returning pitchers were responsible for 17 of the team’s 22 wins last season. The Owls are led by ace Roman Mondalto, a senior southpaw who made second team All-New England last season with a stellar 7-1 record and an Earned Run Average of 2.11. Second in the rotation is Aaron Messier, a senior with a career 10-5 record.
Completing the probable starting rotation are junior Connor Buckley, sophomore Tommy Carroll, freshman Sean Ahern (Westfield High), junior Bret Siflinger, who was 4-3 last season with 40 strikeouts. The pitching staff also includes returnees Kevin Zyrkowski and Curt Everett.
Ahern is a freshman joining the team with 12 other new players, some of whom are expected to make an impact.
Freshman Mike Molta of Nantucket could star as the team’s closer this season. “Mike’s a good addition to our pitching staff,” said Arra. “Also, (sophomore returnee) Mike Sullivan is a hard worker; he has a chance to have a great season.”
Much of Molta’s family still resides in Southwick.
The new players will be looking to fill the voids left by last year’s seniors, including two all-conference selections in 2011. Jeff Ackerman compiled a career .314 batting average and Pete Hogan was a standout defensive catcher. The Owls also lost second baseman Pete Grillo, who had a career .271 batting average over three years.
The Owls do have key players returning, including four of their top five batters from last year who hit for a combined .345 average.
The coaches expect four-year veteran Matt Kelly to be a key performer at shortstop. The Boston College High School graduate from Weymouth has a .322 career batting average and three-year totals of 75 runs scored, 54 RBI and 128 hits. The 6-2, 175-pound shortstop had 57 hits and a .377 batting average his sophomore season when he was a first-team all-conference selection. Last year he batted .312 with 48 hits in a team-high 154 at bats.
“Kelly looks better than ever,” Arra said.
Senior Josh Blair (Westfield High), who hit .369 with team highs of 11 doubles and 31 RBI last year, will start at first base. Junior catcher Andrew Medeiros slugged five home runs and batted .368 in 2011, earning him an all-conference selection.
Junior returnees Kevin Greene and Alex Cloutier and transfer Pat McWiliams are the leading outfielder candidates. Greene hit .316 last season and was a defensive standout in centerfield, while Cloutier clubbed eight doubles and drove in 24 runs. Junior Tim Heintz will be rotating in the infield and utility players Molta and junior Dale Crispin are expected to see significant playing time.
Making sure the other players step up and work well together will be tri-captains Kelly, Messier and Blair.
“Our tri-captains have done an outstanding job as leaders,” said Arra, who is two wins away from 150 with the Owls.
The Owls again face a tough schedule but that is what Arra prefers. “I tried to get the best teams in New England,” Arra said. “We are playing teams like Curry, who had 30 wins last year, and Western New England who won the region. A tough schedule will only make us better.”
