SNHU Baseball Claims First NCAA Regional Title in 2012

Posted: Mar 17, 2021

The Southern New Hampshire University baseball program has cemented itself as a regional and national power, winning 40 or more games six times in the last eight years (not counting the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign), while capturing a pair of NCAA East Regional and Northeast-10 Championships. But it was not always this way.

Head coach Scott Loiseau, then in his third season back in 2011, guided the Penmen to a 25-22 mark – their first winning season in 14 years. It would set the stage for the success that was to come, as just a year later in 2012, SNHU would go 43-15, win its first regional crown and make the program’s first trip to Cary, N.C., for the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.

That 2012 campaign would set off a nine-year run that has seen the Penmen win 74 percent of their games (336-116) and average more than 40 wins per full season.

The ’12 club was special from the beginning, rattling off 13 wins to begin the season in South Carolina and Florida, before leaving the Sunshine State with a loss in their final game of the trip. The Penmen headed back north and won 12 of their next 13 contests to sit at 25-2 on April 1.

SNHU rebounded from its first back-to-back losses of the season by winning six straight to improve to 31-4 midway through April, but then its mettle would truly be tested. The team went 5-8 – all against NE10 Northeast Division foes – over its next 13 games and, despite a record of 36-12, found itself on the outside looking in for the NE10 postseason.

The Penmen capped the regular season with a pair of non-conference victories, however, and did enough to earn the East Region’s top seed and hosting duties for the NCAA Regional. After a 3-0 win against Dowling in the opener Thursday, SNHU suffered an 8-4 setback against crosstown-rival Saint Anselm the following day.

The team once again responded, however, winning a pair of elimination games Saturday to reach the regional final against Le Moyne. The Penmen rallied from a one-run deficit on three occasions before taking the lead for good in the sixth to punch its ticket to Cary.

SNHU won its first NCAA postseason contest with a 3-2 win against Minnesota State Mankato in the opener, before losing to eventual National Champion West Chester and the Mavericks in a rematch to bring its run to an end.

Loiseau was awarded with Coach of the Year honors by the ABCA East Region and the Northeast-10.

The Penmen starting rotation was a four-headed monster, led by junior Tim Flight, who went 9-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 102-and-two-thirds innings. Flight would go on to be named All-America First Team by the ABCA, NCBWA and Daktronics, the ABCA and NCBWA Division II Pitcher of the Year, the ABCA, NCBWA and Daktronics East Region Pitcher of the Year, and the NE10 Pitcher of the Year.

Sophomore Junior Mendez was 6-3 with a save and a 1.38 ERA, with senior Zach Lebarron finishing 5-0 with a save and a 2.35 ERA and classmate Brad Monroe going 8-3 with a 2.48 ERA and classmate. Sophomore Alex Powers was a force out of the bullpen, saving eight games, to go with a 5-2 mark and a 1.52 ERA. Powers was a Daktronics All-America Honorable Mention, Daktronics All-East Region First Team, ABCA and NCBWA All-East Region Second Team, and an NE10 All-Conference First Team selection, Monroe was a Daktronics All-East Region and NE10 Second Team choice and Mendez was an NE10 Third Teamer.

Seven members of the Penmen lineup drove in at least 20 runs, led by junior Matt Boulter, who hit .299 with a .423 on-base percentage and .427 slugging mark, racking up 22 extra-base hits and 52 RBI. Boulter was an ABCA All-East Region First Team pick and an NE10 Second Teamer.

Classmate Jon Minucci swatted a team-best nine home runs and collected 47 RBI, while slashing .295/.354/.493, as he made the NE10 Second Team. Boulter and Minucci were joined on the NE10 Second Team by senior Kevin Spatkowski, who slashed .319/.403/.456 with a team-high 23 extra-base hits, a team-best 49 runs and 22 RBI.

Sophomore Brendan O’Brien (.280 BA, 25 RBI, 41 runs, 18 stolen bases), junior Andy Lalli (4 home runs, 33 RBI), sophomore Jamie Wollerman (2 home runs, 30 RBI) and sophomore Al Stanton (2 home runs, 22 RBI) were all instrumental pieces in the lineup.

2012 Southern New Hampshire Baseball Team

Matt Boulter
Casey Burns
Alejandro Diaz
AJ Dusablon
Frank Fantino
Tim Flight
Tyler Fortanascio
Sam Fuller
Tyler Gauthier
David Gibson
Curtis Hamilton
Andy Lalli
Zach LeBarron
Jon Massad
Kyle McGinnity
James McGowan
Junior Mendez
Jon Minucci
Brad Monroe
Brendan O'Brien
Lucas Olen
Riley Palmer
Peter Parrella
Greg Pezzuto
Tyler Poisson
Alex Powers
Zachary Robins
Kevin Spatkowski
Mike Speranzella
Darrin Standish
Al Stanton
Derrick Sylvester
Jeremy Tejada
Kyle Thomas
Bryan Toland
Jamie Wollerman

Scott Loiseau, head coach
Chris Shank, assistant coach
Scott Strong, assistant coach
Corey Muscara, assistant coach
Eric Pelletier, assistant coach

SNHU Baseball Links of Note:

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