Baseball Picked First in NECC Coaches Poll
Posted: Feb 16, 2023

Baseball Picked First in NECC Coaches Poll

MANSFIELD, Mass. -- The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) coaches have selected defending champions Mitchell College to take home the 2023 crown in the NECC Baseball Preseason Poll, with nine points and three first place votes.

Head coach Travis Beausoleil returns for his twelfth season managing the Mariners. Mitchell, who went 31-13 overall in the 2022 season, and 7-4 in conference play, returns a host of experienced players including 2021 All-American and NECC Player of the Year, Dougie DelaCruz (Uncasville, Conn.). The fifth-year senior was also a 2022 All-Conference performer, hitting .250 with a .432 slugging percentage. 2022 NECC Rookie of the Year Bo Yaworski (Brooklyn, Conn.) will also return, as he comes off a season in which he led the league with 44 RBI and was second in the league in batting average at .393. Right behind Yaworski in batting average was third baseman, and fellow all-conference honoree, Lelo Martinez (New London, Conn.), who hit .383 a season ago. Catcher Matt Falk (Enfield, Conn.) will also return after earning first team honors in 2022. Falk hit .320 on the year, while leading the league with eight runners caught stealing.  

In the second spot is New England College who collected seven total points and the remaining first place vote. Reigning NECC Coach of the Year Terry Doyle will lead an experienced squad who went 9-3 in conference play, winning the regular season crown in 2022. Headlining the returners is 2022 NECC Player of the Year JD Normand (Auburn, N.H.), who led conference play in batting average (.455), on-base percentage (.561) and slugging percentage (.788). All-American honoree and 2022 NECC Pitcher of the Year Shayne Audet will return to the mound after leading the NECC with 79 strikeouts and a 1.61 earned run average.

Eastern Nazarene College took the third spot with five total points. The Lions are led by head coach Chris Shank, who led his squad to an 5-5-1 record in 2022. All-NECC and All-Region performer Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) returns after hitting .384 a season ago, good for third in the league. Senior pitcher Jon Tessier (Coronado, Calif.) will lead the Lions' rotation after topping the NECC with seven wins and earning all-conference accolades for his efforts.

Lesley University, who will be led by fourth-year head coach Seth Kaplan, rounds out the poll with three points in the fourth spot. The Lynx return the NECC's batting average leader from 2022, Drew Gryniewicz (Hollis, N.H.) who hit .412 in his rookie season. Senior Adam Budorick (Glenview, Ill.) also returns after hitting .302 and leading the league with 15 stolen bases.

The 2023 NECC Baseball Championship will be held Friday, May 5- Sunday, May 7.

 2023 Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll

  1. Mitchell – 9 (3)
  2. New England Col. – 7 (1)
  3. Eastern Nazarene- 5
  4. Lesley- 3

ABOUT THE NECC

The NECC began competition in the 2008-09 academic year and current member institutions compete across 13 sports. The NECC membership focuses on providing athletic competition among institutions that share similar academic aspirations and are committed to the importance of the total educational experience for students engaged in sport. For more information, please visit neccathletics.com.