The 1987 Utica College baseball team won a school-record 18 consecutive games and its second ECAC Upstate Conference Championship in three years. UC finished the season with a school-record 25-7 overall ledger and advanced to the ECAC Regional Tournament in New Britain, Connecticut.
The Pioneers were a national offensive powerhouse, posting a .351 team batting average while scoring 8.9 runs per game. As a team, Utica was 344-for-979 at the plate and finished the year ranked eighth in the country in batting, behind the likes of Brigham Young, Seton Hall, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The impressive 8.9 runs per game ranked 13th in the Division I national field. Utica posted 284 runs and 259 RBIs in 32 games while recording a .528 slugging percentage and an on base percentage of .414. The team registered 108 extra base hits on 67 doubles, 17 triples and 24 home runs.
UC placed five players on the ECAC Division I Upstate New York Baseball All-Star Team including current Pioneer Hall of Famer Steve LaVallee, who was a designated hitter and pitcher, senior outfielder Karl Brenon, senior third baseman Tim Williams, junior shortstop Dave Tedesco and freshman pitcher John Martello.
Utica had the conference pitcher-of-the-week for the final four weeks of the season leading into the ECAC Tournament. Pitcher Mike Zmudosky was 5-1 with three saves and a 3.68 ERA while freshman John Martello was 3-1 with a 3.03 ERA.
LaVallee ranked 19th among the nation’s individual batting leaders with a .426 batting average (43-for-101) just behind current Major League Manager and two-time MLB all-star Robin Ventura, who was ranked 15th at Oklahoma State. Teammate Jeff Langley was 21st nationally with a .424 (36-of-85) mark at the dish, while shortstop Dave Tedesco ranked 5th in stolen bases, averaging 1.01 per game on 32-of-38 attempts (31 games).
1987 UC Division I Baseball Team
Jim Spartano – Head Coach
Don Guido – Assistant Coach
Doc Gazzilli – Trainer
Mickey Acquaviva (Utica, NY), Brian Bouyea, Karl Brenon (Utica, NY), Chris Cafalone (Oswego, NY), Shawn Fox (Blossvale, NY), Tim Gajewski (Schenectady, NY), Ken Gau (Utica, NY), John Kenealy (Utica, NY), Kevin Kuhlow, Jeff Langley (Holland Patent, NY), Steve LaVallee (Troy, NY), Mark MacNeil (Schenectady, NY), John Martello (Utica,NY), Frank Nanna (Utica, NY), Rod Nellenbach (Ava, NY), Marc O’Brien (Fredonia, NY), Steve Parrish (Plattsburgh, NY), Mike Schebel (Amsterdam, NY), Jeff Sergott (Marcy, NY), Dave Tedesco (Schenectady, NY), Mark Weller (New York Mills, NY), Chris Whalen (New Windsor, NY), Tim Williams (Chadwicks, NY), Rob Wuest (Utica, NY), Ron Zabko (Utica, NY), Lou Zammiello (Utica, NY), Mike Zmudosky (Rome, NY).
