Thursday, 3/19 4:53 PM:
Today we arrived back in Maine. We had an early flight out of Orlando, and it was on time. We took off looking out the window at palm trees and blue skies, and when we landed we saw scattered snowflakes. Our spring trip is officially over, and now it's time to get back to the reality that will most likely include shoveling off Larry Mahaney Diamond, playing games in near freezing temperatures, and trying to balance it all with the final month and a half of our spring semester
We went to Florida to play baseball, so when we look at it in that sense it is difficult to say that the trip went well. We played well below our talent level, not to mention well below .500. We saw many aspects of our game that we need to improve upon, probably more than anyone anticipated. However, an entirely negative view of our trip won't do anyone any good.
We played good teams, and at times we played well. Although the sunshine state was not kind to our overall record, we saw flashes of the level we know we are capable of playing at. We saw freshmen like Whit and Grunts come back from shaky first appearances and show improvements in poise and performance in less than a week. We saw Sam Butts and Sam Murray put the team on their backs. We saw signs that the old Todd Keneborus is on his way back after a tough start. The bad may have outweighed the good this week, but a 2-7 record does not scare us, it doesn't affect our confidence, and it does not for a second stop us from believing that we are capable of winning every time we step on the field.
On a lighter note, the spring trip was just that, a group of 18 to 22 year olds spending a week savoring the beautiful weather before coming back to the snow. We spent most of our meal money at Chili's, and then compared who managed to pocket the most of it once we landed in Portland. We spent significant time together as a team, and we got to know each other better.
In the long run, the spring trip will not affect how this season ends up for us. That depends on how well we come together as a team, and of course how well we play as a result. The past week was a slow start, and nothing more. Whether we continue to spiral downwards, or whether we don't lose another game, is all on our shoulders. Make no mistake; we are capable of either.
I want to thank all of the loyal readers of my blog. I hope you enjoyed yourselves.
Friday, 3/18 10:24 PM:
Today, we the Saint Joseph's College baseball team completed our final game of the 2011 spring trip to Florida. Our record for the week was 2-7.
We Played Poorly, But We're Going To Get Better.
Today was the first day of the trip that we got to sleep in. Most people took full advantage and stayed in bed until noon. After grabbing lunch, we made our way from the hotel to the field one more time. It was another perfect, sunny day.
Dan Achorn got everyone going in a tie game in the top of the 7th by singling and then scoring the go ahead run. The inning ended for us on an attempted steal home. We watched Framingham walk off with our win in the bottom of the 7th, 6-5.
The second game was one that everyone probably wishes they hadn't been a part of. We lost 13-4. We played poorly, but we're going to get better.
After the game we came back to the hotel, packed our bags, and loaded them into the U-Haul. This week has gone by quickly, and we will be leaving early tomorrow morning.
I'll be back for one final entry tomorrow. To all the family members who made the trip, we wish you safe travel back home. See you all when we get back.
Thursday, 3/17 9:01 PM:
Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Today we were up before six o'clock. When we got to the field it was still dark and very foggy. We actually had to wait in the parking lot for the sun to rise so that we could see well enough to take batting practice and throw without killing each other. Our opponents showed up an hour later, about twenty minutes before game time.
The game itself was one to forget. We were shut out by a very beatable Fitchburg State team. Nick Whittaker, Jimmy Kennedy, and Joe Gruntkosky split up a solid pitching effort, but we lost the game 2-0.
After the game we rushed back to the hotel for a quick shower, and then we drove to Lakeland to watch the Tigers play the Twins. We were all spread out throughout the stadium between the grass behind the fence in left field, the bleachers, and a few guys managed to sneak their way into good seats. Jon Dahms spent considerable time looking for shade to protect his Irish skin from the sun.
We saw former SJC great Charlie Furbush throw two shutout innings in relief for the Tigers, which was pretty cool. Apparently he has a shot at making the team. After the game we waited for Charlie to come out of the locker room, and he came over and hung out with the team and took pictures for a little while. It's good to remember where your roots are.
We got back to the hotel around and I was tired from a long day in the sun, so I took a nap and woke up about ten minutes ago. It looks like I missed out on any dinner escapades for the night, so Domino's it is. March Madness is in full swing, and everyone is already tearing up their brackets. 15 seed UCSB doesn't quite look like they're going to make it for Sam Stauber and Sean Drake who had them upsetting Florida, a 2 seed. Not the most well thought out pick.
Tomorrow is our last day of games in Florida. It's also the first time since the first day of games that we will sleep past seven. We have a double header against Framingham State starting at 3 o'clock. Wish us luck.
Wednesday, 3/16 10:51 PM:
Our game this morning was at Lake Myrtle, which is closer to our hotel than Webber, so we missed out on our first sunrise in the last 3 days. Don't worry though; we'll catch another one tomorrow for our nine o'clock game against Fitchburg State.
The game started off well. We got out to a 1-0 lead in the first but that was about the extent of our offensive production for the day. Mason Roberge started and threw four shutout innings against a strong Wheaton lineup. They eventually scraped a few runs across and we couldn't quite get anything going to match them. The game ended in a 6-1 loss.
After the game we came back to the hotel and everyone went out to get lunch. The seniors had their annual dinner with the coaches at Olive Garden, and then went to pick up tickets for the team to go watch a spring training game tomorrow. The rest of us waited around the pool and the hotel for them to get back, and then a big group of us hopped in the vans for a trip to a mall in Lakeland.
Some guys got some new clothes and whatnot, and Jimmy Kennedy bought the place out of their supply of hats. After the mall we debated for a while between a wide selection of restaurants for dinner, but of course eventually settled on Hooters.
Cody Hadley was especially excited, as it was his first Hooters experience. He wasted no time in buying a shirt, and managed to get a dirty look from an angry dishwasher who was apparently dating one of the waitresses.
We're all back in the hotel now, and should be going to bed soon. Special thanks to my parents, who both had to head home a little early, for making the trip and being here to support the team.
Just three games left in our last two days here in Florida. The week has flown by. We're going to savor the hours of good weather we have left, and hopefully come away with some more wins. Stay Tuned.
Tuesday, 3/15 8:40 PM:
Today was a day filled with high expectations, about a thousand lead changes, and one big heart-wrenching loss. It was the most exciting day of our trip so far, but also ended up being the most disappointing.
Another morning game had us up once again before the sunrise, and the breakfast room was filled with a handful of half dead baseball players. We made the half hour drive to Webber International with many of us getting a little more sleep on the way.
One non-game related highlight of the day is that we were briefly reunited with our former brother in arms Adam Stanclift, who now pitches for Keene State. Even though he's now a bitterly hated enemy, it was nice for everyone to catch up with Stan.
The game itself was one of the best that I have witnessed in college baseball. You can hear all about who did what and who scored when in the main article here on gomonks.com, but I'll just mention a few quick details. Sam Butts and Mike Pratt stayed red hot at the plate, Kevin Chamberlain had a solid start, Chris Dion has nothing to hang his head about after a gutsy relief appearance, and everyone involved played with enough heart to deserve a win. But, in the end the baseball gods dealt us one of those losses that makes you feel like your heart was just ripped out of your chest and thrown into a wood chipper. We lost 10-9.
After the game we had practice. Our bunt defense needed some work, and I guess there's no time like the present to get after it.
After perfecting the art of defending the bunt, everyone ate lunch, talked with their families, and then stuck around to watch the JV game. Chris Bryant pitched most of the game and looked solid with his new delivery. Colin Mello showed off his arm by gunning down a runner trying to steal third. However, they lost 6-1
After a long day at the field, most of us came back to the hotel to relax for a little while. We eventually got ourselves moving and a big group of us went to Chili's, which we determined is Applebee's with a different name. Jimmy Mostone baffled the waiter by ordering the 2 meals for $20 deal for himself. Some in depth conversations were had between Dan Achorn, Tyler Laverriere, Kevin Chamberlain, Mike Pratt, Sam Murray, and myself. The details of which are a little too risqué for the likes of this Monks Insider, so I'll just let you use your imaginations.
From Chili's, a few of us bummed a ride from Coach McCarthy over to Wal-Mart to buy rations and necessities for survival on this strenuous trip. Afterwards, we came back to the hotel, which is where we will most likely stay for the night. I know I'll be trying to get to bed a little earlier tonight to avoid an inevitable violent crime from being committed.
We have a big game against Wheaton tomorrow at 9:30. There's apparently been some technical difficulties with Diamond Talk, but it's being worked on as you're reading this. Keep an eye out for episode 2, and don't forget to wish a happy 21st birthday to Gary himself.
Monday, 3/14 7:20 PM:
It's big stick time. Today was pretty similar to yesterday in a lot of ways. The weather was perfect, we played two games, and we won one of them.
Our first game was at 9:30 this morning, so we were all up around 6 to get breakfast and head over to the field. Waking up early was a drag, but on the positive side of things at least we got to see the sunrise. Willie Brown, apparently a morning person, was nearly thrown out of the moving van when he stated that "it's not even that early".
The first game went well. Our offense showed signs of life that were absent yesterday, and we got solid innings out of the bullpen from Andy Devereaux and Chris Dion. We ended up winning 7-6.
The second game went back and forth basically the entire time. We used a host of pitchers in the effort, but couldn't manage to come out on top. An unquestionably horrific call on a would-be sacrifice fly in the sixth inning halted was could have been a rally for us, but we won't look too much into that as we don't believe in T.O.B on this team (that's transfer of blame for those of you who are unfamiliar with Coach Sanborn's dictionary of acronyms). We got a couple big hits from Captain Ian Lee and Mike Pratt in the final inning, but in the end we lost 12-8.
During the games, Mason Roberge attempted to fulfill a misguided dream in the dugout by dressing himself up as an outfielder, complete with eye black, wristbands, tape, and all the other crazy things position players seem to wear. Alex Markakis did his best Jack Parkman (Major League II) impression by going up the dish with black shades on. Sam Stauber, who was not a pitcher yesterday, had his first appearance on the mound in the second game. Welcome to the staff, Sam.
After the games we came back to the hotel. A group of guys went straight to the pool, others went out to eat with their families, and I enjoyed a nice long nap. The life of a pitcher is hard and you have to be sure to get as much rest as possible. Now I'm going out to dinner with my Dad, and then mentally preparing myself for the 5:15 wakeup call tomorrow morning.
We play Keene State College, my hometown school, tomorrow at 9:30 AM at Webber International University. Congratulations to the St Joe's softball team, who got their season off to a 2-0 start today. Don't forget about Gary and Larry, whose first episode of Diamond Talk was received with critical acclaim. See you all tomorrow.
Sunday, 3/13 10:16 PM:
Today was a day of ups and downs. We won our first game of the season, which is always a positive thing, but ended up splitting the double header with Curry. The weather couldn't have been better, a nice change from the experience that is wintertime in Maine.
For most of the team, the day started with breakfast in the hotel and then departing for the field around ten. Although for this blogger, who relished in the perks of being the starting pitcher of the second game, the day started when I rolled out of bed around eleven and made it to the field just in time for the first pitch. The best part of this was that I didn't have to listen to Todd Keneborus sing along with the radio in the van.
Congrats to Sam Murray, who showed everyone why we call him Murray Magic with a dominating two hit shutout in the first game. The game ended as a 1-0 win as a result of a clutch triple by Sam Butts to get things going for us late. The highlight of the second game, a 4-2 loss, was the fantastic work out of the bullpen by the former pitcher who played about every position on the field before returning to the mound, Kyle Neagle. Our offense looked a little rusty in both games, but don't get too worried just yet. We have too many good hitters on this team for pitchers to keep our bats quiet for very long.
After the second game we were all less than enthused after failing to complete the sweep, but we know we've still got plenty more baseball to focus on this week. Neagle, who if you didn't know is an absolute workout freak, made us all feel a little bad about ourselves by entering our room back at the hotel eating from a bag of carrots and announcing that he was about to go for a run. The rest of the team went out to eat with their families or each other. I went to Carraba's with Sean Drake, my mom and my grandparents. My grandmother made it very clear that she didn't approve of our camouflage shirts. The chicken parm was delicious and I highly recommend it if you have the time.
Now it's time to relax in the hotel and prepare ourselves mentally and physically for tomorrow. We're all getting ready to fill out our brackets for March Madness (not for money of course, because gambling is an NCAA violation and we as a team in no way condone the breaking of rules). Kevin Chamberlain was caught talking to his girlfriend on the phone in the lobby for the second night in a row.
Curfew is at ten tonight, and we'll be getting up bright and early to face off against Franklin and Marshall for another double header. Don't forget about the first episode of Diamond Talk with Gary and Larry!
Saturday, 3/12 10:15 PM:
Today is a good day. Today is the day that we have been waiting for. Today we temporarily step away from the mundane classes, the angry girlfriends, the disheartening weather, and the endless confinement of the Alfond Center Gymnasium. After six weeks of playing an outdoor game on a hardwood floor, today we will finally step onto a real field with green grass, white lines, and red dirt.
Our journey to the sunshine state began this morning around nine o'clock. After witnessing Kevin Chamberlain's tearful goodbye with his girlfriend, I went down to the gym to meet up with the rest of the team. Everyone was dressed up in their finest, and we were ready to go. Sam Stauber took a step forward in his dress sense since the hot stove and decided to leave his CCM hockey jacket at home.
We arrived at the Portland airport in a coach bus and got through security without much hassle. Initial filming began for the first official episode of Diamond Talk with Gary and Larry, a product of the minds of our own Jon Dahms and Dan Brown. Keep an eye out for it here on the SJC sports website and on Facebook.
We boarded the plane on time, sat on the plane for a few hours, and then arrived on time. Alex Lorenc admirably made it through his first ever flight without a problem, and Travis Probasco only got two drinks spilled on him by the flight attendant. After picking up our bags and packing up the rental vans, we drove to our hotel and got settled into our rooms. My roommates are Stauber, Chris Campbell and Sam Murray. Anyone who's ever roomed with Soup knows that it's an experience to say the least.
We all grabbed a quick bite to eat, and then headed over to Winter Haven High (home of the blue devils) for a practice under the lights. The team looked a little rusty at first, but it didn't take long to get back into a groove. A diving catch by Louie Vigars during batting practice seemed to get everyone fired up, and from there on we looked like an actual baseball team.
Now everyone is back in the hotel or out getting a late dinner. Overall it was a pretty routine day. The weather was nice. However, I'm sure things will liven up pretty quickly, and you can hear all about it right here.
We'll face off against Curry College for a double header starting at 1 PM. Everyone be sure to set your clocks forward an hour so you don't miss it.
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STANDISH, ME – Three Saint Joseph's College athletes have agreed to share their experiences, on the field and off, during their respective spring break trips.
Alyssa Dunn '11 (Standish, ME), the starting first baseman and captain for the SJC softball team, Ross Hardaway '11 (East Boston, MA), a team captain and midfielder on the men's lacrosse squad, and Chad Rafferty '13 (Keene, NH), a starting pitcher for the Monks baseball team, will provide daily blog entries during their travels next week.
Dunn and the softball team depart for Fort Myers, Florida this coming Sunday and will play a 10-game docket in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic Tournament next week, beginning with contests versus Mass.-Dartmouth and Kenyon College on March 14th. The Monks return from the Sunshine State on Sunday, March 20th.
Hardaway and the men's lacrosse team will travel to Maryland for a pair of games over spring break. The Monks will face off against Hood College on March 12th and Frostburg State on March 14th during the week-long trip. Off the field interests include sight-seeing in Washington D.C.
Rafferty and the baseball team head south on Saturday and kick off a nine-game slate in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational Tournament with a doubleheader against Curry College the following day.
The Monks Insider link can be found on the right-hand side of all GOMONKS.com pages and all blog entries will be posted on the respective team pages during the trips.
