Western New England College
Baseball News

Tuesday, March 15, 2005
(Port Charlotte, Florida Invitational)
WNEC vs. Bowdoin, 9:00 a.m.

Monday, March 14, 2005
(Port Charlotte, Florida Invitational)
WNEC 9, Springfield 3

Game Notes — Western New England College scored five runs in the first inning and four more times in the eighth for a 9-3 victory over city rival Springfield College in Port Charlotte, Florida... Freshman Chris Anderson (Moodus, CT) went seven innings allowing nine hits with eight strikeouts and a walk in recording his first collegiate win... The Golden Bears are now 3-0 in the Sunshine State.

Sunday, March 13, 2005
(Port Charlotte, Florida Invitational)
WNEC 5, St. Mary's (Md.) 2

Game Notes — Western New England College (2-0) exploded for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to gain a 5-2 win over St. Mary's (Md.) (5-6) in Port Charlotte, Florida... Senior shortstop Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA) went 2-for-3 with a RBI. He also had 10 assists... Sophomore first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA) was 2-for-4 with a run and RBI... Senior Ryan Macdonald (Milford, MA) was the winning pitcher allowing only one run in seven innings allowing eight hits with six strikeouts and only one walk... Sophomore Eric Blanchard (Worcester, MA) earned the save.

Saturday, March 12, 2005
(Port Charlotte, Florida Invitational)
WNEC 5, SUNY Cortland 4

Game Notes — Western New England College scored five runs in third inning to upset No. 24 SUNY Cortland (8-2)in its season opener in Port Charlotte, Florida... The Golden Bears also snapped the Red Dragons' seven-game winning streak... Junior Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) gained the win while freshman Chris Anderson (Moodus, CT) threw only one pitch to earn the save... Senior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) had three hits and a RBI... Senior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) and sophomore first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA) each contributed two hits and a RBI.

GOLDEN BEARS AIM FOR REPEAT TRIP TO NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College hopes to defend its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title in 2005 with seven starters and two of its top pitchers returning from last year's 33-14 team, which set a school record for wins while placing third at the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championship.

The Golden Bears split four games at the national tournament marking the first time a Western New England College men's team has won a contest in a NCAA Championship. With a 62.0 winning percentage over the last five years, WNEC ranks among the top programs in the New England region.

"We have finally become a veteran team," says sixth-year coach Matt LaBranche. "With the entire starting line-up returning, our goals are to repeat as GNAC champions and give ourselves a chance to compete for the regional championship."

Senior co-captains, centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) and catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) head the list of returnees. Maurutis, a two-time All-GNAC performer, hit .330 last year with a school record 24 stolen bases. He holds the school record for career hits (153). Hackney, an All-NEIBA and three-time All-GNAC selection, hit .324 and passed the career hit mark as well and is now second (152) trailing Maurutis by one.

Another player to watch is senior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY) who led the squad with a .412 batting average in his first season with the Golden Bears. Mahoney, who has a 33-game hitting streak, also made the All-GNAC and NEIBA First Teams.

Senior shortstop Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA) is a four-year starter who hit .314 a year ago while compiling a respectable .955 fielding percentage.

Western New England College has a pair of talented sophomores in first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA) who was second on the team with a .371 average in 39 contests (36 starts) in gaining All-GNAC recognition and third baseman Josh Jacobs (Essex Junction, VT) who hit a solid .312 in 39 games (34 starts).

Junior Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) is among the top pitchers in the region; he compiled a 9-3 record and 2.76 ERA last season in gaining numerous awards, including GNAC Pitcher-of-the-Year and GNAC Tournament MVP. Connelly, who plays second base when not pitching, also hit .277 last season.

Senior Ryan Macdonald (Milford, CT) posted a 7-3 record and team best 1.97 ERA along with three shutouts.

"The nucleus of this team has laid the foundation for a program that now expects to compete at the highest level in our region and beyond," notes LaBranche. "This is a well-balanced team that will be tough to beat come tournament time."

GOLDEN BEARS ENJOY SUCCESS IN SUMMER COLLEGIATE LEAGUES

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Sept. 3, 2004) — Two Western New England College standouts turned in impressive performances in collegiate wood-bat leagues this summer.

Senior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) made the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League all-star team for his performance with the Stamford (Connecticut) Robins.

Hackney batted .291 with 19 RBI in 127 at-bats while smacking one home run, five doubles, and one triple. He also stole eight bases in 11 attempts.

Hackney, who played for the Chatham A's in the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2003, was named to the NEIBA Division III second team and all-GNAC first team for his performance for the Golden Bears in 2004.

Junior pitcher/second baseman Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) performed impressively out of the bullpen for the Mill City All-Americans, a team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League based in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Connelly posted a 2-2 record with a 2.55 ERA in 17 games (all in relief). In 24 2/3 innings, opposing hitters batted just .227 against Connelly, who allowed 20 hits and issued just seven walks while recording 13 strikeouts.

Connelly was awarded the Golden Bears' Cy Young Award for his performance in 2004, a year in which he was also named the MVP of the GNAC Tournament, all-GNAC first team, and GNAC pitcher of the year. He was also named to the NEIBA Division III second team and the NCAA Division III New England Regional all-tournament team.

Golden Bears' assistant coaches also active in the summer collegiate wood-bat league circuit in 2004.

Joel Southern was the head coach for the Holyoke (Mass.) Giants in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. The Giants finished with a record of 17-25 in their first season in Holyoke, having moved from Middletown, Connecticut, and placed two players on the league all-star team.

Brendan Witherell served as an assistant coach for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod Baseball League. The Braves finished with a record of 19-24. Witherell served as an assistant for the Middletown (Conn.) Giants in the New England Collegiate Baseball League in 2003.

The Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League, Cape Cod Baseball League, and New England Collegiate Baseball League are prestigious summer wood-bat leagues that are sanctioned by the NCAA and receive some funding from Major League Baseball.

2004 GNAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS

JASON CONNELLY AND CHRIS MAHONEY HEAD LIST OF WNEC AWARD WINNERS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — It's a good thing that Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) doesn't believe in the sophomore jinx because the second-year pitcher/second baseman was among the top players on the Western New England College baseball team this spring.

WNEC finished the season with a 33-14 record that was a school record for wins, breaking the old mark of 29 set in 2002. The Golden Bears also placed third at the NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament and captured their second Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title in four years.

Connelly, a right-hander, posted a 9-3 record and 2.76 ERA in 97.2 innings in gaining the WNEC Cy Young Award. The nine victories tied as the second highest in school history. Connelly also had nine complete games and one shutout while hitting .277 in 44 games.

Connelly was named both the GNAC Pitcher-of-the-Year and GNAC Tournament MVP. He was named to the All-GNAC First Team, GNAC Tournament Team, and NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament Team. Connelly earned a spot on the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III All-Star Second Team.

Junior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY) also made quite an impression in his first year this spring. A transfer from Division I Siena College, Mahoney led the Golden Bears in hitting (.412), hits (61), homers (7), total bases (106), on-base percentage (.477), and slugging percentage (.716). He tied for the team lead in RBI (39) and triples (6). Mahoney also was tied for second on the team in runs (44) and was second in doubles (12).

Mahoney ended the season with an impressive school record 31-game hitting streak. His 61 hits was another school mark, breaking the old mark of 57 set by junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis last year. (Maurutis had 60 hits this season.) Mahoney batted .458 in six games (11-for-24) at the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament and .357 in four contests (5-for-14) at the NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament.

Not bad for a person who didn't get a hit in 11 games over two seasons as a part-time player at Siena.

Mahoney was named to the NEIBA Division III All-Star Team First Team, the All-GNAC First Team, and the GNAC All-Tournament squad. He also was the recipient of the WNEC Silver Slugger Award.

Freshman first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA) had a great rookie season finishing second on the team with a .371 average in gaining All-GNAC Second Team recognition.

Junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Yorkville, NY) hit .330 and made both the All-GNAC Second Team and GNAC All-Tournament Team. Maurutis, who had 60 hits this season, became the school's all-time hit leader (153). He also had 24 stolen bases (in 26 attempts).

Junior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) made the NEIBA Division III Second Team and All-GNAC First Team after hitting .324 with 17 stolen bases. He also was selected to the GNAC Tournament Team.

Junior shortstop Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA) hit .314 and was the recipient of the WNEC 10th Player Award.

Junior pitcher Ryan Macdonald (Milford, CT) also enjoyed a fine season with a 7-3 record and 1.97 ERA in 68.2 innings. He was a high school teammate of Jeff Maurutis at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Connecticut.

Matt LaBranche (Windham, NH) was selected the GNAC Coach-of-the-Year. He won his 100th career game against Daniel Webster and now has a 124-76 record (62.0%) in five seasons.

Western New England College established a school record with 104 stolen bases in 124 attempts. The Golden Bears averaged 7.47 runs a game and had a .312 team batting average. The pitching staff had a 3.74 earned-run-average with 22 complete games along with 271 strikeouts and only 90 walks in 372.2 innings. WNEC also had a respectable .958 fielding percentage and 44 double plays.

GOLDEN BEARS FINISH THIRD IN NCAA DIVISION III NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

MANSFIELD, Conn. — Western New England College finished third in the NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament May 20-22 after compiling a 2-2 record.

WNEC defeated Endicott College twice by identical scores of 3-1. Bridgewater State College handed the Golden Bears both losses by scores of 4-3 in 10 innings and 10-4.

Coach Matt LaBranche's team didn't play regional champion Eastern Connecticut State University, Amherst College, and Babson College.

Although the Golden Bears scored only 13 runs in the four contests, the pitching staff did a respectable job with a 3.72 earned-run-average.

Sophomore Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) made the All-Regional Team after his complete game win over Endicott College that was the school's first ever men's win in a NCAA Championship. He finished the season with a 9-3 record and 2.76 ERA in 97.2 innings.

Although he didn't figure in the decision, senior David Gwozdz (Ludlow, MA) showed great character with his brilliant nine-inning performance in his final appearance in the 4-3 loss to Bridgewater State. He finished his career with a school record 25 wins.

Freshman first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA) led the team with a .375 average (6-for-16) while junior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY) hit .357 (5-for-14) with four RBI, four stolen bases, three runs, a double, two homers, and a .857 slugging percentage.

WNEC finished the season with a 33-14 record that was a school record for wins, breaking the old mark of 29 set in 2002.

Saturday, May 22, 2004

Bridgewater State 10, WNEC 4

MANSFIELD, Conn. — Senior lefty Nate Horsman tossed an eight-hitter and his teammates banged out 17 hits to lead fourth-seeded Bridgewater State College to a 10-4 victory over third-seeded Western New England College in an elimination game of the 2004 NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Tournament.

WNEC trailed 7-0 after six innings and couldn't catch up in bowing out of the tournament.

Junior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY) went 2-for-4 with a homer, run, and two RBI for the Golden Bears. He ended the year with a .412 batting average, 31-game hitting streak, and school record 61 hits.

Junior shortstop Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA) was 1-for-3 with a walk, run, and RBI.

Junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) also hit the 60-hit mark after going 1-for-4.

Western New England College posted a 2-2 record in the tournament and completed the best season in its history with a school record 33 wins against 14 losses.

Bridgewater State (26-15) 000 205 201 - 10 17 0
WNEC (33-14) 000 000 211 - 4 8 4

B - Nate Horsman and Joe Harkins. W - Frank Candella, Bobby Zoller (4), Mike Richardson (6), Greg Lilly (8) and Matt Hackney. WP - Horsman (3-0). LP - Candella (3-2).

WNEC 3, Endicott 1

MANSFIELD, Conn. — Juniors Ryan Macdonald (Milford, CT) and Frank Candella (Marcy, NY) combined on a six-hitter as Western New England College stayed alive in the 2004 NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Tournament with a 3-1 win over Endicott College.

The Golden Bears, who defeated the Gulls by the same score in an opening round game on Thursday, took a 1-0 lead in the fifth on a double by sophomore second baseman Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) and RBI single by sophomore designated hitter Rob Crouse (Adams, MA).

WNEC scored twice in the eighth for a 3-0 lead after RBI singles by junior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT), freshman first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA), and an error.

Junior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY) had a lead-off double in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 30 games.

Macdonald (7-3) went 7 1/3 innings allowing one run while striking out six and walking none.

Candella recorded his first career save with a perfect 1 2/3 innings of relief after the Gulls scored a run in the bottom of the eighth.

WNEC (33-13) 000 010 020 - 3 6 1
Endicott (27-21) 000 000 010 - 1 6 1

W - Ryan Macdonald, Frank Candella (8) and Matt Hackney. E - Matt Bishop, Jon Trowt (8) and Peter Norke, Mark Vaughn (7). WP - Macdonald (7-3). LP - Bishop (3-3). Save - Candella (1).

Friday, May 21, 2004

Bridgewater State 4, WNEC 3 (10 innings)

MANSFIELD, Conn. — Bridgewater State College scored the tying run in the ninth and Greg Sunderland knocked in the game-winner with a one-out double in the 10th for a 4-3 victory over Western New England College in a winners bracket game of the 2004 NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Tournament.

WNEC (32-13) took a 1-0 lead in the second on a homer by junior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY).

The Golden Bears upped their margin to 3-0 with two runs in the fourth following a RBI double by freshman first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA) and bases loaded walk by junior rightfielder Kyle Hackney (Bristol, CT). Horgan was 2-for-5 with a run.

Bridgewater State (25-14) tallied twice in the seventh to pull within 3-2.

The Golden Bears had runners on first and second with no outs in the ninth, but couldn't score.

Although he didn't figure in the decision, senior righthander David Gwozdz (Ludlow, MA) went nine strong innings allowing eight hits and two earned runs while striking out six and walking three. Junior Ryan Macdonald (Milford, CT) took the loss in relief.

WNEC stole six bases in the game that gave the team a school record 102 for the season. The Golden Bears stranded 13 runners on base.

WNEC (32-13) 010 200 000 0 - 3 8 1
Bridgewater St. (25-14) 000 000 201 1 - 4 10 2

W - David Gwozdz, Ryan Macdonald (10) and Matt Hackney. B - Peter Starr, Martin Anderson (6), Josh White (10) and Joe Harkins. WP - White (6-2). LP - Macdonald (6-3). HR - W, Chris Mahoney (6).

Thursday, May 20, 2004

WNEC 3, Endicott 1

MANSFIELD, Conn. — Sophomore Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) pitched his name into the Western New England College record book tossing a seven-hitter and striking out a career high 10 in a 3-1 victory over Endicott College in an opening round game of the 2004 NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Tournament.

The win was the first ever by a WNEC men’s team in six NCAA Division III Tournament appearances (three in men’s basketball, two in baseball, and one in men’s lacrosse).

Connelly didn't walk a batter as he raised his record to 9-3, which ties as the second highest win total in school history.

“It was exciting to pitch in a regional tournament game,” said Connelly. “My breaking ball was working well and our defense did a nice job behind me.”

WNEC (32-12) took a 1-0 lead in the first on a RBI single by junior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY).

Endicott (26-20) tied the contest in the third on a towering homer to left center by rightfielder Pat Vincent.

The Golden Bears came right back scoring twice in the bottom of the inning on a RBI triple by junior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) who then scored on a wild pitch.

Hackney went 2-for-4 as did junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) (who also scored twice), freshman third baseman Josh Jacobs (Essex Junction, VT), and freshman first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA).

Maurutis' two hits gave him 58 for the season, breaking his old school mark of 57 set last year.

The game featured a triple play by Endicott in the bottom of the eighth. The Golden Bears had runners on first and second when third baseman Dustin Aiguier made a nice stop on a hard hit ball by Jacobs. Aiguier stepped on third for one out and threw to second for the second out. The Gulls were awarded the triple play when a WNEC runner was declared out for interference going from first to second.

Endicott (26-20) 001 000 000 - 1 7 3
WNEC (32-12) 102 000 00x - 3 11 1

E – Jack Brancaleone, James Turner (4) and Peter Norke, Mark Vaughn (8). W- Jason Connelly and Matt Hackney. WP – Connelly (9-3). LP – Brancaleone (3-5). HR - E, Pat Vincent (4).

WNEC TO MEET ENDICOTT IN NCAA DIVISION III NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College will meet Endicott College at 3:30 p.m. Thursday (May 20) in an opening round game of the 2004 NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Tournament in Mansfield, Connecticut.

Western New England College (31-12) is seeded second in the six-team tournament while Endicott (26-19) is seeded fifth. The Golden Bears defeated the Gulls, 9-1, earlier this season on April 2 in Beverly. WNEC is ranked 28th in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division III Poll and fourth in the ABCA New England Regional Poll.

In other games, top-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University (35-9) hosts sixth-seeded Amherst College (19-16) at noon. Third-seeded Babson College (24-17) plays fourth-seeded Bridgewater State College (23-14) at 7:00 p.m.

Western New England College is making its second appearance in four years in the NCAA Division III Championship. The Golden Bears competed in the 2001 Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship in Boyertown, Pennsylvania losing games to Johns Hopkins University and Elizabethtown College. Helped by a 12-game winning streak in April, WNEC set a school record for wins this season (breaking the old mark of 29 set in 2002) and qualified for the nationals after capturing the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament.

Sophomore Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) leads the pitching staff with an 8-3 record and 2.94 ERA in 88.2 innings. When not pitching, Connelly (.289 batting average in 40 games) is the team's starting second baseman. He was the MVP of the GNAC Tournament.

Senior David Gwozdz (Ludlow, MA) posted a 7-4 record with a 5.08 ERA in 67.1 innings, and became the school's all-time win leader (25). He won only eight games while pitching for Ludlow High School.

Junior Ryan Macdonald (Milford, CT) was among the squad's most improved players compiling a 6-2 mark and team best 1.92 ERA in 61 innings.

A couple of first-year players, junior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY) and freshman first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA) are the Golden Bears' top two hitters. Mahoney, a transfer from Division I Siena College, became one of the top stories this spring compiling a .418 average. He saw limited action in 11 games over two seasons for the Saints going hitless in 12 plate appearances. Mahoney leads the Golden Bears in slugging percentage (.701), total bases (94), on-base percentage (.478), triples (6), and is the team co-leader in hits (56) and homers (5). Mahoney also is second on the squad in RBI (35) and doubles (11).

Horgan emerged as one of the top rookies in the region hitting .371 in 35 contests (32 starts). He has a respectable .974 fielding percentage with only five errors in 194 chances.

Team captains, junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) and junior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) also are enjoying big seasons with averages of .339 and .331, respectively. Maurutis (149 career hits) and Hackney (148) broke the school record for career hits set by Wilbraham native (and WNEC Downes Athletic Hall of Famer) Alan Fabian (144) from 1984-87. Matt's twin brother Kyle Hackney (Bristol, CT) is the starting rightfielder for the Golden Bears.

Junior shortstop Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA), .323, and freshman third baseman Josh Jacobs (Essex Junction, VT), .315, also are batting over .300 while sophomore infielder Rob Crouse (Adams, MA) is hitting a solid .285.

Inside the Infield: Matt LaBranche has a 122-74 record (.622) in five seasons as head coach. He is a 1992 graduate of Springfield College where he was voted the school's Senior Male Scholar-Athlete-of-the-Year. He won his 100th game against Daniel Webster College on April 3. WNEC assistant coach Joel Southern will coach the first-year Holyoke Giants in the wooden bat New England Collegiate Baseball League this summer. A former team captain and GTE Academic All-American at Augustana College (Ill.), he has a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Chicago. Southern will join the WNEC faculty as an assistant professor of chemistry in September. Western New England College has stolen 93 bases in 111 attempts with Maurutis (23-25), Matt Hackney (17-20), and McGee (15-16) the team leaders. Mahoney (56 hits) and Maurutis (56 hits) are one hit shy of the single season record of 57 set by Maurutis last year. WNEC has a .318 batting average, .958 fielding percentage, and 3.75 team earned-run-average. The Golden Bears are averaging 7.86 runs while allowing 4.26. Forty-two teams will compete at eight sites around the nation with the regional winners advancing to the NCAA Division III Championship final May 28-June 1 at Appleton, Wisconsin.

GOLDEN BEARS RANKED 28TH IN ABCA DIVISION III POLL; 4TH IN NEW ENGLAND

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College was ranked 28th in the American Baseball Coaches Association (BAC) Division III poll released Monday, May 10. The Golden Bears also were ranked fourth in the ABCA New England poll behind Eastern Connecticut, Southern Maine, and Trinity.

Saturday, May 8, 2004
Wheaton 15, WNEC 6
WNEC 11, Wheaton 4

Wednesday, May 5, 2004
WNEC 8, Roger Williams 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Junior Ryan Macdonald (Milford, CT) tossed a five hitter and junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) went 3-for-4 with a triple, walk, stolen base, and three runs as Western New England College set a school record for wins in a season with an 8-0 victory over visiting Roger Williams College.

The Golden Bears, ranked seventh in the region, now have a 30-11 record that breaks the old win total of 29 set two years ago.

Macdonald (6-2) struck out four and walked none in picking up his team-high third shutout of the season.

Maurutis' 18th multi-hit game of the season gave him a school record 147 hits, breaking the old mark of 144 set by Alan Fabian from 1984-87.

Macdonald and Maurutis were high school teammates at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Connecticut.

Junior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) also had a big game going 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, and three RBI. He now has 145 career hits. Junior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY) had two hits in five at-bats.

Tuesday, May 4, 2004
Westfield State 12, WNEC 6

THREE PLAYERS GAIN WEEKLY HONORS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior David Gwozdz (Ludlow, MA) was honored Tuesday (May 4) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Gwozdz, a right-hander, was the winning pitcher against Suffolk and Johnson & Wales in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Baseball Tournament in becoming the school's all-win leader with 25 (breaking the old mark of 23 set by Dave Eisenberg from 1983-86). Gwozdz, a sport management major, has a 7-3 record and 4.76 earned-run-average with a team high 59 strikeouts in 62.1 innings. Gwozdz has an overall 25-10 Mark and 4.23 with 173 strikeouts in 219 innings.

Western New England College junior leftfielder Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Baseball Player-of-the-Week. He hit .458 with eight runs and five RBI in six conference tournament games. He had five multi-hit contests, including a 4-for-7 performance in a doubleheader during the championship round against Johnson & Wales. Mahoney, a business major, leads the Golden Bears in hitting with a .419 average.

Western New England College sophomore Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Baseball Pitcher-of-the-Week. He posted a 2-0 record with a 3.60 ERA in two conference tournament games striking out eight and walking one. Connelly also pitched two scoreless innings of relief in a win over Johnson & Wales in the GNAC championship game. A sport management major, Connelly also was voted the MVP of the GNAC Tournament. Connelly has a 7-3 record and 2.74 ERA with eight complete games in 10 starts. The starting second baseman when not pitching, Connelly has a .287 batting average in 37 games.

WNEC (29-10) captured its second GNAC title in four years and tied the school record for wins in a season.

WNEC RANKED SEVENTH IN NEIBA DIVISION III POLL

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College was ranked seventh in the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III poll released Monday (May 3).

Eastern Connecticut takes over the top spot followed by Trinity, Southern Maine, Williams, Worcester State, and Suffolk. Babson is eighth. Bowdoin and Endicott also received votes.

Monday, May 3, 2004
WNEC at Springfield, 3:30 p.m. (PPD)

Western New England College Spring Sports Banquet
Sunday, May 2, 2004
List of Award Recipients

Baseball
Silver Slugger Award — Junior Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY)
Cy Young Award — Sophomore Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA)
10th Player Award — Junior Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA)

Saturday, May 1, 2004
GNAC Tournament
Holman Stadium, Nashua, N.H.
WNEC 9, Johnson & Wales 6
WNEC 17, Johnson & Wales 7 (Championship game)

NASHUA, N.H. — Third-seeded Western New England College captured the 2004 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament with a doubleheader sweep over top-seeded Johnson & Wales University by the scores of 9-6 and 17-7.

This was Owner's' first conference tournament title since 2001.

The Golden Bears will now now advance to a NCAA Division III Regional Championship later this month.

Sophomore pitcher/second baseman Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) was named the tournament MVP.

Western New England College (29-10) won four of five games in a 48-hour stretch in tying the school record for wins in a season previously established in 2002.

Friday, April 30, 2004
GNAC Tournament
Holman Stadium, Nashua, N.H.
Johnson & Wales 11, WNEC 1
WNEC 5, Suffolk 4

NASHUA, N.H. — Third-seeded Western New England College stayed alive in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament with a 5-4 victory over second-seeded Suffolk University Friday night.

It was the Golden Bears' second win in two days over the Rams who were eliminated from the tournament.

Sophomore second baseman Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) had the game-winning sacrifice fly as WNEC scored twice in the ninth inning.

Senior David Gwozdz (Ludlow, MA) (6-3) picked-up the win with 2 1/3 innings of relief for his school record 24th victory.

Junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) had two hits, including a homer.

In the afternoon game, WNEC managed only two hits in dropping an 11-1 decision to top-seeded Johnson & Wales University.

WNEC needs two wins over the Wildcats to win the tournament.

Thursday, April 29, 2004
GNAC Tournament
Holman Stadium, Nashua, N.H.
WNEC 5, Suffolk 2

NASHUA, N.H. — Western New England College scored two runs in both the eighth and ninth innings for a 5-2 victory over Suffolk University in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament.

The win avenged two regular season losses to the Rams who are ranked fourth in the NEIBA Division III poll. The Golden Bears are ranked eighth.

Sophomore Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) fired a five-hitter walking one with four strikeouts in raising his record to 6-3. He also had two hits, including a RBI double.

Junior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) and sophomore second baseman Rob Crouse (Adams, MA) each had a single, double, and RBI.

Western New England College has a 26-9 record that ties as the second most wins in the program's 35-year history.

The Golden Bears will meet top-seeded Johnson & Wales University in a winners bracket game on Friday.

Tuesday, April 27, 2004
GNAC Tournament (Quarterfinals)
WNEC 11, Rivier 5

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Ñ Junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) went 3-for-5 with a triple runs, and a RBI as third-seeded Western New England College defeated sixth-seeded Rivier College, 11-5, in a quarterfinal round game of the 2004 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament.

WNEC (25-9) will play either Daniel Webster or Suffolk at 6:00 p.m. Thursday (April 29) at Holman Stadium in Nashua, New Hampshire in the double elimination portion of the tournament.

Junior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) was 2-for-2 with a double, walk, run, and three RBI while junior shortstop Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA) was 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI, and three runs for the Golden Bears who won their 11th straight game.

Junior Ryan Macdonald (Milford, CT) pitched 7 1/3 innings in relief allowing only seven hits and one run with three strikeouts and two walks. He now is 5-2.

Rivier (7-17) exploded for four runs in the first inning before WNEC scored four times in the third to take a 5-4 lead. The upset-minded Raiders trailed only 8-4 before the Golden Bears added three insurance runs in the eighth.

Freshman pitcher/centerfielder John McMahon (Somerville, MA) went 3-for-5 with a run for Rivier while freshman centerfielder/pitcher/rightfielder Cory Wing (Dixfield, ME) was 2-for-4 with a triple, run, and three RBI. Freshman second baseman/pitcher Nick Jackson (Litchfield, NH) had two hits in four at-bats.

JASON CONNELLY NAMED WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Sophomore Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) was honored Tuesday (April 27) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Connelly, a pitcher, had a complete game victory over Western Connecticut State University and a five-inning no-hitter (the first of his career) at Norwich University. He allowed only five hits in 14 innings with 12 strikeouts (six in each game) and two walks (one in each contest).

A history major, Connelly has a 5-3 record and 2.47 earned-run-average in 62 innings. He also plays second base when not pitching and has a .282 batting average in 31 games.

GOLDEN BEARS RANKED EIGHTH IN NEIBA DIVISION III POLL

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College was ranked eighth in the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III poll released Monday (April 26).

Trinity remains the top team followed by Eastern Connecticut, Williams, Suffolk, Southern Maine, Fitchburg State, and Worcester State.

Sunday, April 25, 2004
WNEC 13, Norwich 0
WNEC 8, Norwich 5

Congratulations to Jason Connelly for tossing a five-inning no-hitter in the first game and to David Gwozdz for tying the school record for career wins (23) in the second game.

Saturday, April 24, 2004
WNEC 9, Clark 2

Wednesday, April 21, 2004
WNEC 9, Endicott 1

Tuesday, April 20, 2004
WNEC 6, Western Connecticut 4

Monday, April 19, 2004
WNEC 12, Rensselaer 9

JUNIOR CHRIS MAHONEY GAINS TWO BASEBALL AWARDS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Junior Chris Mahoney (Yorkville, NY) was honored Tuesday (April 20) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week. He also was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Rookie-of-the-Wee on Monday (April 19).

Mahoney, an outfielder, hit .714 (10-for-14) in six games with eight runs and eight RBI in extending his hitting streak to 12 games. He had three multi-games, including a perfect 5-for-5 with a double and two triples in a doubleheader sweep over Emerson.

A business major, Mahoney leads the Golden Bears (18-9) in hitting (.411), triples (4), homers (3), total bases (53), and slugging percentage (.726).

WNEC RANKED NINTH IN NEIBA DIVISION III POLL

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College was ranked ninth in the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III poll released Monday (April 19).

The top 10: Trinity, Eastern Connecticut, Williams, Suffolk, Worcester State, Southern Maine, Bridgewater State, Bowdoin, WNEC, and Western Connecticut.

Sunday, April 18, 2004
WNEC 19, Emerson 1
WNEC 10, Emerson 0

Saturday, April 17, 2004
WNEC 9, Rivier 0
WNEC 11, Rivier 2

Friday, April 16, 2004
Suffolk 3, WNEC 0
Suffolk 2, WNEC 1

GOLDEN BEARS RANKED EIGHTH IN NEIBA DIVISION III POLL

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College was ranked eighth in the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III poll released Monday (April 12).

The Golden Bears have a 14-7 record heading into an important Great Northeast Athletic Conference doubleheader Thursday (weather permitting) at Suffolk University.

WNEC is third in the conference with a 6-2 mark, a game behind Suffolk (18-7, 7-1) who is fourth in the region.

Saturday, April 10, 2004
WNEC 15, Southern Vermont 0
WNEC 16, Southern Vermont 7

Thursday, April 8, 2004
WNEC 8, Brandeis 7

Wednesday, April 7, 2004
WNEC 10, Wesleyan 4

Tuesday, April 6, 2004
WNEC 13, Massachusetts College 5

Sunday, April 4, 2004
Johnson & Wales 7, WNEC 4
Johnson & Wales 9, WNEC 6

Saturday, April 3, 2004
WNEC 8, Daniel Webster 0
WNEC 12, Daniel Webster 3

Congratulations to Coach Matt LaBranche for winning his 100th career game in the nightcap.

Friday, April 2, 2004
Eastern Connecticut 3, WNEC 2

DAVID GWOZDZ NAMED GNAC PITCHER-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College senior David Gwozdz (Ludlow, MA) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Baseball Pitcher-of-the-Week on Monday (Mar. 29).

Gwozdz, a righthander, fired a five hit shutout in a 2-0 win over defending conference champion Albertus Magnus College in the first game played at the new George E. Trelease Memorial Park. He struck out seven and allowed no walks in raising his record to 3-0 with a 1.94 earned-run-average.

A sport management major, Gwozdz now has 21 career wins that are tied for third best in the program's 26-year history.

Saturday, March 27, 2004
WNEC 2, Albertus Magnus 0
WNEC 3, Albertus Magnus 2

Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Babson 6, WNEC 0

MATT HACKNEY HONORED AS THE WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Junior captain Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) was honored Tuesday (Mar. 23) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Hackney, a catcher, hit .382 (13-for-34) in eight games at the Homestead Classic in Homestead, Florida during spring break. He scored 10 runs and had seven runs-batted-in along with a double, homer, and five stolen bases in five attempts.

A sport management major, Hackney hit safely in seven contests with three-hit performances against Adrian College (Mich.) and Westminster College (Pa.).

Western New England College posted a 5-3 record during its visit to the Sunshine State.

GOLDEN BEARS COMPILE 5-3 RECORD AT HOMESTEAD CHALLENGE

Western New England College's baseball team enjoyed a successful trip to Florida during spring break compiling a 5-3 record at the Homestead Challenge. All three losses were by a single run.

Junior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) led four players hitting over .300 with a .382 average, including 5-for-5 in stolen bases.

Sophomore third baseman Rob Crouse (Adams, MA) hit .357 followed by junior shortstop Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA) at .333, and junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) at .306. McGee hit safely in five contests with a pair of 3-hit games against Dickinson College (N.D.) and Roger Williams.

Senior pitcher David Gwozdz (Ludlow, MA) was 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 14 innings. Gwozdz now has 20 career wins, only the fourth pitcher in the program's 35-year history to reach the plateau. Freshman Eric Blanchard (Worcester, MA) is off to a fine start with a 1-1 record and 0.77 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 11.2 innings.

Saturday, March 20, 2004
Bowdoin 8, WNEC 7

Friday, March 19, 2004
WNEC 8, Roger Williams 4

Thursday, March 18, 2004
WNEC 16, Westminster (Pa.) 6

Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Roger Williams 1, WNEC 0

Tuesday, March 16, 2004
WNEC 8, Fitchburg State 4

Monday, March 15, 2004
WNEC 6, Dickinson State (N.D.) 5

Sunday, March 14, 2004
Adrian (Mich.) 5, WNEC 4

Saturday, March 13, 2004
WNEC 4, Adrian (Mich.) 2

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE AIMS FOR ANOTHER POST-SEASON TOURNAMENT IN 2004

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — With several key returning players, Western New England College's baseball team is poised to make another run at a post-season tournament in 2004.

Last year WNEC posted a 22-18 record for its ninth consecutive winning season that culminated in a second straight runner-up finish at the ECAC Division III New England Championship. The Golden Bears also placed second in the GNAC Tournament; this was the third in four years the team has advanced to the conference title game.

Fifth-year coach Matt LaBranche is pleased with the progress of the team and feels his team will make a strong run for the GNAC title and return trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2004. A former standout at Springfield College, LaBranche has a 91-62 record for a 59.5 winning percentage.

"With our initial recruiting classes now achieving upperclassmen status, we feel the program has gained the experience necessary to compete with the elite squads in our region," LaBranche says. "We have a team this year that has a chance to be special. After some heartbreaking runner-up finishes in post-season play over the last two years we are extremely motivated to come out on top."

Junior All-GNAC performers, centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) and catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) will lead the Golden Bears this spring.

Maurutis led the squad in hitting (.385), home runs (4), and stolen bases (18) in gaining a spot on the All-New England Division III Third Team.

Hackney hit .333 and was first in RBI (39). A career .339 hitter, Hackney played for the Chatham A's in the prestigious Cape Cod League last summer, the first WNEC player to make such an appearance.

On the mound, seniors Joe Golec (Florence, MA) (2.49 career ERA) and David Gwozdz (Ludlow, MA) (18 career wins) were All-Region performers in 2002. Golec, however, had surgery on his right shoulder in February and is out indefinitely.

Sophomore Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) tied Golec and Gwozdz for the team lead in wins (5) in 2003. Connelly, the team's starting second baseman, was the 2003 GNAC Rookie-of-the-Year and an All-GNAC Second Team selection.

Also returning are junior first baseman Mike Kramer (Greenlawn, NY) who hit .329 last season, sophomore infielder Rob Crouse (Adams, MA), .292, junior outfielder/pitcher Frank Candella (Marcy, NY), .284, junior shortstop Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA), .282, and senior first baseman Jason Engelhart (Whitesboro, NY), .258.

Engelhart, Golec, Hackney, and Maurutis will serve as team captains this season.

Third basemen Tim Horgan (Westfield, MA) and Josh Jacobs (Essex Junction, VT) head the list of 11 freshmen on the roster.

Western New England College will open its 36th season at 3:30 p.m. Saturday (March 13) against Kings College (Pa.) in Homestead, Florida.

The Golden Bears will play eight games at the Homestead Challenge before returning north for their home opener (weather permitting) at the new George E. Trelease Memorial Baseball Park on Wednesday, March 24 against Babson College.

2003 GNAC Tournament Runners-Up

2003 ECAC New England Division III Tournament Runners-up

THREE PLAYERS SELECTED TO ALL-GNAC TEAM

Jeff Maurutis also named All-New England

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 29, 2003) — Western New England College sophomore catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT), sophomore outfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) and freshman pitcher/second baseman Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) have been named to the 2003 All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Baseball Team.

Hackney and Maurutis earned spots on the All-GNAC First Team while Connelly was an All-GNAC Second Team honoree and the GNAC Rookie-of-the-Year.

Hackney was second on the team in hitting with a .333 average and first in doubles (13) and RBI (39). He also was tied for the team lead in triples (4) and second in hits (48) and slugging percentage (.521). Hackney was an All-GNAC Second Team selection last year.

Maurutis led the Golden Bears in hitting (.385), hits (57), runs (32), stolen bases (18 in 19 attempts), homers (4), slugging percentage (.574), and on-base percentage (.450). He also was named to the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III Third Team.

Connelly led the pitching staff with a 5-3 record and 3.17 earned-run-average. He allowed 52 hits in 48.1 innings with 30 strikeouts and only eight walks. Connelly also hit .266 with 28 runs (second best on team), nine doubles, and a homer.

Western New England College finished with a 22-18 record for its third consecutive 20-win season. The Golden Bears also placed second in both the GNAC and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Division III Tournaments.

(ECAC New England Division III Tournament at Brandeis)

Saturday, May 10, 2003
WNEC 4, Springfield 0
(ECAC New England Division III Tournament at Babson)

Friday, May 9, 2003
WNEC 8, Salve Regina 4 (10 inn.)
(ECAC New England Division III Tournament at Babson)

GOLDEN BEARS SELECTED FOR ECAC NEW ENGLAND DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 6, 2003) — Western New England College will meet Salve Regina University at 3:30 p.m. Friday (May 9) in a quarterfinal round game of the 2003 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Division III Tournament in Wellesley.

The Golden Bears are seeded seventh while the Seahawks are seeded second.

WNEC has a 20-17 record after placing second in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament.

Sophomore centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) leads the team in hitting (.397), hits (54), runs (32), homers (4), and stolen bases (18).

This will be Western New England College's third consecutive appearance in a post-season tournament.

The Golden Bears participated in its first NCAA Division III Championship in 2001 and finished second in the ECAC New England Division III Tournament last year.

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