Baseball Places Seven on GNAC All-Conference Teams
WINTHROP, Mass. – Seven members of the Mitchell College baseball team received Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Conference honors, as the Conference released their end of season awards on Tuesday afternoon.
Voting was conducted by the league's 13 baseball head coaches following the regular season and did not take postseason play into account.
Senior Eddie Kaftan (Old Lyme, Conn.) was one of two starting pitchers to land on the All-Conference First Team, where freshman Ryan Dennis (Enfield, Conn.), one of three outfielders selected, joined him. The Mariners had four players earn All-Conference Second Team honors, including senior right-handed pitcher Chris Gibbs (New Britain, Conn.), sophomore first baseman Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.), junior left fielder Kenneth Miller Jr. (New London, Conn.), and sophomore right fielder Chas Terni Jr. (Montville, Conn.). Rounding out the Mitchell All-Conference selections was senior catcher Michael Gajda (New Britain, Conn.), a Third Team selection.
Kaftan was one of the most dominant pitchers in the GNAC, going 8-3 in 12 appearances with a 2.33 ERA. The wins and the ERA both ranked second in the conference, while his 87 strikeouts were also good for second most. Kaftan surrendered just 16 walks in 77.1 innings pitched, tossing one complete game, while allowing two or fewer earned runs in 10 of the 12 games he towed the mound in. In six conference games, Kaftan's numbers only got stronger, as he posted a 5-0 record with 1.29 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 35 innings, ranking second in ERA and wins, helping guide the Mariners to the second seed in the GNAC Tournament.
Ryan Dennis emerged as one of the most dangerous all around players in the GNAC during his freshman season in New London, slashing .376/.462/.463 with 56 hits, 47 runs scored, 23 RBI, 20 walks, and 31 stolen bases. Dennis was tied for first on the team in hits, while ranking first in runs, stolen bases, and on base percentage (minimum 50 at bats). He ranked within the top-10 conference wide in batting average, on base percentage, hits, runs, and led the conference in steals. A one-time GNAC Rookie of the Week who collected multiple hits in 17 games, his numbers only got stronger across 16 GNAC games, as in conference play he was first in batting average (.531), on base percentage (.600), hits (34), runs (29), total bases (44), and stolen bases (14). Dennis was also named to the All-Sportsmanship Team.
The most accomplished pitcher in the Division III era of Mitchell baseball, Chris Gibbs reached a number of milestones during his senior season, becoming the program's all-time strikeout leader and all-times win leader, while going 7-4 with one save in 15 appearances. Gibbs posted a 4.26 ERA with 80 strikeouts, good for third most in the GNAC. A one-time GNAC Pitcher of the Week, Gibbs remained a steady arm in six appearances in conference play, going 4-1 with a 3.80 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched. The 47 strikeouts were good for second most in conference play, while his 80 total strikeouts ranked third conference wide. This marks the third time in his Mitchell career in which Gibbs has received All-Conference recognition, the second from the GNAC.
Second year first baseman Michael Ficocelli was once again a force on the diamond, slashing .352/.434/.504 with 56 hits, including 11 doubles and five home runs, to go along with 40 RBI and 32 runs scored. The 56 hits tied for the team lead and ranked fifth in the GNAC, while his 40 runs driven in were third most in the conference. Across 16 GNAC games, Ficocelli's numbers only improved, as he batted .406 and ranked within the top 10 in conference play in hits (26), doubles (eight), RBI (17), and total bases (40). Ficocelli recorded multiple hits in 14 games, including four games where he racked up four hits. This marks the second time Ficocelli has received GNAC All-Conference recognition.
Sophomore right fielder Chas Terni Jr. continued to produce during his second season with the Mariners, slashing .270/.372/.526 with 11 home runs, 38 RBI, 35 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. His 11 home runs led the GNAC and his 38 RBI tied for fifth most in the conference. During conference play, his numbers only got better, as Terni Jr. batted .375 in 16 games against GNAC opponents, with five home runs, 21 RBI, and 15 runs scored. In GNAC play, he ranked first in home runs, second in slugging percentage (.732), third in RBI, and third in total bases (41). This marks the second time Terni Jr. has received GNAC All-Conference recognition.
Junior Kenneth Miller Jr. made a splash during his first season with the Mariners, slashing .379/.431/.564, leading the team in batting average and slugging percentage, while ranking second in hits (53), RBI (38), and home runs (seven). Miller Jr. was top 10 in the conference in batting average, home runs, RBI, and hits, while ranking 11th with 79 total bases. The junior's numbers only got better in 14 games against GNAC competition, ranking first with five home runs, first with a .816 slugging percentage, third with 21 RBI, third with a .469 batting average, fifth with 40 total bases, and sixth with a .508 on base percentage.
It was another strong spring for catcher Michael Gajda, who slashed .319/.416/.556, belting six home runs, driving in 36 runs, and scoring 35 times. Of his 43 hits, 12 were doubles and one was a triple, while he also drew 18 walks. He led the Mariners in doubles, ranked third on the team in RBI and home runs, and was third in slugging percentage. Conference wide, Gajda tied for fourth in homers and tied for fifth in doubles. He remained consistent across 12 GNAC games, batting .310 with 13 hits, including four doubles and a home run, driving in 11 and crossing home 11 times. This marks the second time Gajda has received GNAC All-Conference recognition.
The Mariners finished the season with an overall record of 25-18, including a 13-3 mark in conference play en route to the number two seed in the GNAC Tournament.
2025 Baseball All-GNAC Teams
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
SP - Aidan Vining, Johnson & Wales
SP - Eddie Kaftan, Mitchell
RP - Ty Baker, Rivier
C - Owen Davis, Johnson & Wales
1B - Evan Dennis, Colby-Sawyer
2B - Tim Callahan, Lasell
3B - Jack Kane, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
SS - JJ Fox, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
OF - Cooper O'Brien, Colby-Sawyer
OF - Ryan Dennis, Mitchell
OF - Trevor Juan, Johnson & Wales
DH - Jonathan Guardascione, Anna Maria
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
SP - Chris Gibbs, Mitchell
SP - Matthew Fletcher, Lasell
RP - Jack Mullen, Colby-Sawyer
C - Nic Frink, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
1B - Michael Ficocelli, Mitchell
2B - Jadon Murakami, Dean
3B - Xavier Botelho, Johnson & Wales
SS - Jeff Valdez Jimenez, Johnson & Wales
OF - Kenneth Miller Jr., Mitchell
OF - Chas Terni Jr., Mitchell
OF - Dom Scalia, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
DH - Elijah Spataj, Albertus Magnus
ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
SP - Nate Bonacorsi, Rivier
SP - Dylan Brander, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
RP - Zach Thielen, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
C - Michael Gadja, Mitchell
1B - Jeremy Rosenberg, Anna Maria
2B - Kyle Hsu, Rivier
3B - Jaken Pellerin, New England College
SS - AJ Cook, Elms
OF - Nathan Innerfield, Rivier
OF - Connor Freitas, Lasell
OF - Rylan Secovich, Dean
DH - JD Normand, Rivier
ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
Nick Kownack, Albertus Magnus
Nolan Ash, Anna Maria
Kenny Spratt, Colby-Sawyer
Nick Amendolara, Dean
Trevor Nohilly, Elms
Alex Coutcher, Johnson & Wales
Brendan Zaleski, Lasell
Ryan Dennis, Mitchell
Kyle Dobrie, New England College
Michael Sabasteanski, Norwich
Erik Whitehead, Rivier
Michael Wearne, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Dan Shane, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
MAJOR AWARDS
Player of the Year - Tim Callahan, Lasell
Pitcher of the Year - Aidan Vining, Johnson & Wales
Rookie of the Year - Jack Kane, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Coach of the Year - Adam Goss, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Institutional Sportsmanship - Saint Joseph's (Maine)
