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Jamie Callari - Utica College

UC Baseball Roster Report - Milazzo Secures 17 Returners

| By: Utica, NY
Click the play button above to watch a video interview with some of the UC baseball players and staff
2014 Utica College Roster / Coaching Staff

Utica, NY (March, 15 2014) – The Utica College baseball team opens up its 2014 campaign in two days as it hits the diamond in Winter Have, FL at the Russ Matt Classic … UC takes the field this Sunday for a twin bill against the University of Maine-Farmington … The season-opening toss is set for 1:30 p.m. 

Check out the Pioneers Season Preview 

Senior Class: Five seniors including Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic), Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn), Cam Andrews (Bangor, PA/Bangor), Rob Heath (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore) and Donato Traditi (Lagrangeville, NY/Arlington) return to the diamond for their final campaigns … Choleva, an everyday day utility player, will be one of the aces on the hill and swinging in the middle of the lineup … When not on the mound, Chloeva is an outfielder … Andrews returns to the squad after a two-year hiatus and will assist in the outfield … Jeffers will be in the top of the rotation while Traditi, a three-year reliever, will make the transition from pitcher to first base … Heath, last year's No. 1 utility infielder, will see extended time at shortstop in 2014.

Deep with Juniors: UC will be guided by a deep junior class of nine including eight returners and transfer new addition Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro), who is expected to be an impact talent right away … Four Pioneers including Nick Perkins (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady), Vincent Burillo (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central ), Benjamin Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Clinton) and Thomas Dinnen (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas ) were everyday starters last season as each played in at least 27 of 34 games … Speedsters Perkins and Hobaica led the squad in stolen bases as Hobaica registered a team-best 11, out of 12 attempts, while Perkins was second on a perfect 10 out of 10 … Burillo, one of three Pioneers to play in all 34 games last season, plays third base and will be in the starting rotation … Dinnen played in 33-of-34 games as UC's backstop and led the team in on base percentage (.369).

Second-Year Talent: Utica's roster features seven sophomores of which five are returners from last year's squad … Infielder Adam Pexton (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) will lead the positions players batting in the1/2 or 8/9 spot while throwers William Winsman (Palatine Bridge, NY/Canajoharie), Joshua Webb (Verona, NY/VVS) and James Corcoran (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) will be part of the pitching  core.
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Welcome Freshman: Coach Milazzo and his staff brought in 10 freshmen newcomers to this year's roster including four pitchers, four infielders and two outfielders ... Five of the freshmen including Rafael Gomez, Richard Beverly (Bronx, NY/Manhattan Hunter Science), Michael Howard (Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy), Josell and Jimmy Castillo (Bronx, NY/Bread and Roses ) are from the Bronx, NY, all of which went to different high schools … Gomez, Beverly, Howard and Jimmy Castillo (Bronx, NY/Bread and Roses ) are infielders while Josell Castillo (Bronx, NY/Discovery) will work on the mound … Two local products join the Pioneer roster including Matt Haddad (Frankfort, NY/T.R Proctor) in the infield and Paul Joyce (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) in the outfield … The other three, Ethan Bliss (Cooperstown, NY /Cooperstown), Josh Call and Dom Caccioppoli (Circleville, NY/Pine Bush ), will all be new additions in the bullpen.

Projected Rotation: The four-man Pioneer rotation will be headed by seniors Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) and Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) along with junior Vincent Burillo (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central ) and sophomore Joshua Webb … Choleva led the rotation last season with 43.2 innings pitched, 23 strikeouts and two complete games … In his three-year career, he has a 6.1 ERA, six complete games, 83 strikeouts in 132.2 innings pitched while compiling a 3-14 record … Jeffers had a team-best two wins last season and finished tied for first in strikeouts (23) with Cholevva … He was second in innings pitched with 39 and registered a 6.23 ERA  … The senior hurler has a 7-17 career-record in 31 appearances while throwing 142 innings and fanning 61 … Burillo and Webb combined for two wins (one apiece) in 55 innings pitched in 2013 … Burillo struck out six batters allowing 16 earned runs in 23 innings while Webb allowed 31 earned scores however was third on the squad in strikeouts with 20.

Meat of the Order: On the offense side, Choleva, Burillo and Dinnen along with newcomer Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro) will be in the heart of the UC lineup … Choleva had a down year last year at the dish and looks to bounce back with a solid final campaign … In 106 career games, he has registered a .280 batting average, 90 hits, 53 runs scored, 49 RBI and a .394% slugging percentage … With two full years under his belt, Burillo has posted a .277 batting average with 39 hits, 21 runs scored and a .355% slugging percentage … Dinnen is coming off his best season recording a .261 average at the plate while doubling just about all of his stats from his freshman campaign … His 14 runs and 12 RBI were twice his first year numbers while leading UC with a team-best .360 on base percentage.

---www.ucpioneers.com---

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