By Matt Feld
Special to BostonSportsJournal.com
Over the last half-decade, the New England area has raised eyebrows through its trove of talent ready to burst onto the big league scene.
This time around, however, it's not just the individual players who have garnered national attention but rather the programs themselves. With conference tournament play on the horizon, three New England-based programs are poised to receive NCAA regional bids and be threats come postseason play.
For the first time in the publication's history, Connecticut (34-11 through Saturday, No. 9), Boston College (30-15, No. 19) and Northeastern (36-8, No. 25) all find themselves inside D1 Baseball's Top 25 poll at the same time. Northeastern's appearance is the first in the program's history.
It's just not polls that are high on the three programs. Following Friday night's play, the updated NCAA RPI rankings had Boston College (12th), Connecticut (16th), and Northeastern (33rd) all within the top 40. Northeastern jumped seven spots in a week.
Northeastern's Friday night road win over UNC-Wilmington was nothing short of a perfect symbol for what has made the Huskies season the magical ride it's been thus far. Freshman Aiven Cabral (Lynn/St. Mary's) fired seven innings of two-run ball and shortstop Mike Sirota, an emerging superstar, connected on a triple and home run as part of a three-hit night.
They have received play from freshmen like Cabral and mainstays Wyatt Scotti (Barnstable/St. Mark's), Sirota and Danny Crossen (Cotuit/Cheshire Academy), while adding impactful transfers in Alex Lane (Andover/St. John's Prep/Bryant) and Tyler MacGregor (Peabody/St. John's Prep) to round out the roster. They're lethal on the bases being one of only 12 Division 1 teams with over 100 stolen bases. The perfect blend of young and established talent has buoyed the Huskies to a 36-7 mark.
"The last few weeks we talked about blocking out the noise and rat poison but now it's more about embracing the pressure, the situation we're in, and the teams we are playing," said Northeastern head coach Mike Glavine, a Burlington native and former Huskies star. "This time of year the hard work pays off."
(Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
UConn Huskies head coach Jim Penders and Boston College Eagles head coach Mike Gambino exchange lineup cards before a college baseball game between the UConn Huskies and the Boston College Eagles on April 19, 2023 at the Eddie Pellagrini Diamond in Brighton, MA.
Over in Chestnut Hill, Mike Gambino's Eagles have been a staple in the polls across the board including coming in as high as high as No. 9 back on April 2nd.
Travis Honeyman -- a Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star a summer ago -- is one of the top pure hitters in all of college baseball. Barry Walsh (Sterling/Wachusett), Joe Vetrano and Pat Roche (Milton/BC High) are true middle-of-the-order bats. Peter Burns' (Reading/Austin Prep) veteran play behind the dish has steadied the ship through adversity. Nick Wang (Newton/Phillips Exeter) has provided walk-off heroics. Transfer starter Chris Flynn (Holy Cross) has become a reliable ace.
Despite setbacks during its overall joy ride including a home series loss at the hands of Duke and a road sweep to Louisville, Gambino's group has remained resilient. On the heels of consecutive series losses, the Eagles swept a road series at then No. 17 North Carolina for the first time in school history.
Then there is Connecticut - the most established program of the bunch - who, one year after being one win away from the College World Series, is right back in the fold. Last year's ace Pat Gallagher may now be a Toronto Blue Jay but the Huskies have reloaded. Wheaton transfer Stephen Quigley (Halifax/Silver Lake) has been a reliable arm while Zach Fogell (Cumberland, R.I.) and Justin Willis have been lights out of the bullpen. The Huskies have six starters hitting over .300, including Ben Huber and Luke Broadhurst (Stafford Springs, Conn.) who each have double-digit blasts.
As the tournament season approaches, all three are in prime position. Boston College and Connecticut are both still in contention to host a regional. However, the Eagles' road has become much more difficult with Honeyman and Cameron Leary sidelined for at least the next two weeks due to injury. Northeastern, meanwhile, long needing to win its conference championship for a bid, is in contention for an at-large selection.
The three programs are certainly competitors both on the field and the recruiting trail, but Glavine is quick to note how the programs feed off each other's success.
"We want to beat Boston College and Connecticut along with the other teams in our backyard, but when we're not playing, we root for them as much as anyone," Glavine said. "If we're not playing and I am watching a game, it's likely one of their games. We're all in the same boat being from here and really enjoying each other's successes."
Division 1 schools are not the only ones making noise. Endicott (35-5, No. 5), Wheaton (34-5, No. 8), Eastern Connecticut (No. 13), and Salve Regina (No. 25) all find themselves within the latest D3 Baseball Top 25.
Dates to know:
May 6-13: NCAA Division III conference tournaments.
May 15: NCAA Division III selection show.
May 19-21: NCAA Division III regionals.
May 23-28: ACC Tournament, Durham Bulls Athletic Park (BC); CAA Tournament, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. (Northeastern); Big East Championship, Mason Ohio (UConn).
May 26-27: NCAA Division III Super Regionals.
May 29: NCAA Tournament Selection Show, Noon.
June 2-5: NCAA Regionals
June 2-8: NCAA Div. 3 World Series, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
June 9-12: NCAA Super Regionals
June 15-26: NCAA College World Series
New England prospect updates
A few former local standouts may find themselves on the biggest stage sooner rather than later:
- Wellesley native Mike Vasil has impressed those within the New York Mets organization with his start to the season. The right-hander has a 40-percent strikeout to just a 3.5-percent walk rate thus far in Double-A Binghamton.
- Lexington's Sal Frelick was in consideration for a potential call-up to the big leagues for the Milwaukee Brewers before requiring surgery on the UCL in his thumb. The Brewers hope Frelick is back healthy in mid-June
- Lincoln-Sudbury's own Ryan Cusick has a 2.31 ERA through five appearances for Double-A Midland of the Oakland Athletics.