PHILADELPHIA - Ranging all around the diamond, the La Salle University Baseball team will welcome nine recruits onto the squad, who will be looked to add depth to a team that lost just three seniors and had one of its most successful seasons in conference play.
Two left-handed pitchers will join a staff that has recorded a sub-6.00 ERA for three straight seasons, the best such stretch for the Explorers since joining the Atlantic 10 Conferecne in 1996.
T.J. Chism (Brookhaven, PA/Sun Valley), who also plays first basemen, helped his school to its first-ever PA State Championship game last season, while striking out 104 batters in 55 innings. The three-time varsity letterman was named 2006 Daily Times Delaware County Player of the Year, 2006 Del-Val Player of the Year, and 2006 Cakey Dougherty Most Outstanding Pitcher. Also joining the pitching staff will be Christian Schulz (Olney, MD/Good Counsel), a 6-3 southpaw who earned all-conference honors in both his junior and senior season.
Looking to gain valuable back-up time behind two-time Atlantic 10 First Team catcher senior Rich Prall will be George Papuchis (Damascus, MD/Good Counsel). A teammate of Schulz's, the Papuchis was a two-time all-conference selection, gaining first team honors as a senior.
Rounding out the infield positions are utility infielder Brian Meagher (Drexel Hill, PA/Monsignor Bonner), a News of Delaware County second team selection and a third team All-City member; shortstop Lou Baldini (Parkside, PA/Sun Valley), named All-Delco, All-Del-Val, and was the 2005 Del-Val Player of the Year; and third sacker Chris Crawford (Warrington, PA/Archbishop Wood), who as a senior was a First Team All-Catholic, First Team All-Courier News, and First Team All-City selection. He was also a First Team All-Catholic, Second Team All-Courier News, and Third Team All-City selection as a junior.
In the outfield, La Salle will welcome its third newcomer from Good Counsel High School, Kevin Jones (Silver Spring, MD/Good Counsel), a three-time All-Conference selection, as well as John Malloy (Fairless Hills, PA/Conwell-Egan), a First Team All-Catholic, First Team All-Bucks County, First Team All-City, and First Team All-Southeastern PA selection as a senior; and Davis Hewett (Midlothian, VA/Benedictine Military Academy), a Second Team All-State selection as a senior and three-year letterwinner.
The 2006 Explorers had their most successful season since joining the Atlantic 10 Conference. After beginning the season 1-11, La Salle went 19-20 after March 11 to finish with a 20-31 record. The Explorers also posted their best mark in A-10 play (12-14) and won the annual Liberty Bell Classic with a dramatic 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Lafayette on April 11 at Citizens Bank Park.
