STANDISH, ME – Twenty-six of the Monks' returning players are currently participating in summer baseball leagues.
Many are honing their skills in leagues close to home, but several have chosen to play in more exotic locations, such as rising sophomore infielder Matt Consigli (Northbridge, Mass.) who is a member of the Red Rocks in the Arizona Collegiate Wood Bat League.
A trio of SJC players – Sam Murray '12 (Walpole, Mass.), Mike Pratt '13 (Dartmouth, Mass.) and Chad Rafferty '13 (Keene, N.H.) – are playing their summer ball in the prestigious Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. Pitchers Murray and Rafferty are hurling for the Oahu Paddlers and Waimea Waves, respectively, while Pratt is manning first base for the Waikiki Surfers this summer.
"It is so important for our players to play in the best summer leagues possible," adds Head Coach Will Sanborn '86. "As far as we are concerned – summer is for baseball! We stress the importance of playing in the summer with our players – even before they arrive on campus – during the recruiting process we want them to get the message that we expect this type of commitment to their game."
"Baseball is such a skill oriented game – you can really improve your game by playing against top competition. It forces you to take your game to the next level. Our guys love playing in the summer and as a group they have really made the commitment. Not only will this help them improve as individuals – but it makes our team much stronger. Another added benefit is that recruits are really looking for a quality experience in the summer – so when we can place players in good leagues that helps the program as well."
Saint Joseph's has reached the 30-win plateau six times and won six conference crowns in the last seven years. The Monks have advanced to the NCAA DIII Regional five times during this span and knocked out top-seeded Tufts University, the #15 team in the country at the time, in the 2011 New England Regional.
Coach Sanborn carries a career record of 503-288-5 (.636) into the 2012 campaign, which will be his 20th season as the Monks' skipper. Sanborn is the winningest and most successful coach in program history and is two wins shy of becoming the SJC Athletics' all-time leader in victories.
Summer League List: