Sept. 20, 2010
PHILADELPHIA - In an effort to advance to the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship for the second consecutive season, Head Coach Mike Lake has added a pair of coaches and is welcoming in at least six new players that will have a chance to compete for the Explorers to start the 2011 season.
Already announced, new Pitching Coach Bob File has already been working with Lake, Assistant Coach Toby Fisher, and the team, but they will also now be joined by Volunteer Assistant Coach Eric Smith.
A former standout for Mount St. Mary's Baseball, Smith just completed three seasons as an assistant coach with the Mountaineers. For two seasons, he was the Mount's recruiting coordinator, in charge of infield play, and assisted with the hitters.
Smith was a three-time Second Team All-NEC player in his four seasons at the school. In his playing career, he finished in the in the top 10 in 12 offensive categories, which includes ranking first in career hits, runs, total bases, RBI, and hit by pitch.
The Explorers have also brought in six players that will be given an opportunity to start for the team, which includes five freshmen and one transfer all from outside the state. There are three pitchers among the newest crop, including one lefty, an infielder, an outfielder, and a catcher. Below is a brief introduction of each player, click on his name to view his entire bio.
Adam Cherry - A 6-1, right-handed pitcher from Southbury, CT. He was a three-year varsity letter winner, earning All-District, All-Conference, and All-State honors as both a junior and senior.
Marshall Garcia - A 5-10 junior-college transfer from Angels Camp, CA. His highlights included earning Second Team All-Coast Conference in both seasons at Cabrillo Junior College, while batting .339 during that time.
Dominic Sgroi - A 5-10 left-handed pitcher from Fallston, MD. He finished his senior season with an 8-3 record with a 2.59 ERA in 15 games in 14 starts. He threw a total of 73 innings with six complete games with three shutouts and struck out 94 batters.
George Smith - A 5-7 outfielder from Mt. Airy, MD. He was a four-year starter on varsity team, earning All-Conference honors for three years, including First Team as a junior and senior. He also played in the 2010 Brooks Robinson All-Star game played at Camden Yards.
Ryan Swearingen - A 6-4 right-handed pitcher from Bel Air, MD. He was an All-Conference selection his senior year while helping Calvert Hall High School to the 2009 MIAA Championship.
Ryan Welling - A 6-4 catcher from Baltimore, MD. He was a two-year varsity starter, also from Calvert Hall, who won the 2009 MIAA Championship. He was also honored with the Top Student-Athlete Award after his senior year.
There are also a number of other freshmen looking to make the baseball roster, which will be finalized later this semester.
