As the preseason Northeast Conference favorites, Central baseball has a lot to look forward to in the 2024 season.
The Blue Devils are coming off their winningest season since 2017, an NEC regular season title and an NEC tournament title. Head coach Charlie Hickey was named the 2023 NEC Coach of the Year.
Senior Hunter Pasqualini, a “utility guy,” said being the preseason favorite is nice, but it doesn’t mean much.
“It is nice to see other people’s opinion on us, but in the end, that does not win you a championship,” Pasqualini said. “To see it is a nice thing to acknowledge, but after that, it is right back into the season and making something of that.”
A leader for the Blue Devils, Pasqualini appeared in 44 games in 2023, hitting over .300 with a team-high 38 runs scored and 19 stolen bases.
The CCSU baseball team begins their season on Friday, March 1, in the Central Virginia Classic when they face William & Mary College. Brady Short, a junior second baseman, said that getting outside and ramping it up is helpful as the season approaches.
“Being outside, taking everything as seriously as possible, and getting our legs underneath is important,” Short said. “Getting ready for a long season, it is hard to be indoors during the snow, but we are itching to get out there and get ready to start the season.”
Pasqualini said to repeat this success, it is important to have an unselfish mindset.
“A big thing is to play for the guy next to you,” he said. “We are a very close-knit group of guys, and it is very easy to play well when you trust every single person on the field. We are with each other all day and every day, so it is easy to build relationships and go out there and fight for one another.”
In 2024, the CCSU baseball team retains a big group of veterans, including lefty pitchers Anthony Mozzicato and Jake Neuman, infielder Elliot Good, and Pasqualini.
“Arm-wise, Randy Guzman, a freshman, came in, and he looks really good on the bump for us,” Pasqualini said. “I would not be surprised to see a lot of him to start the season. We are also bringing back Drew Munn, a freshman last year. He was really good, and he can take another step toward being a consistent arm for us.”
Short added that Gianno Merlonghi and Gabe Pitts are two hitters to look out for.
“[Merlonghi] has been swinging a hot bat; he is swinging it well, and I would not be surprised to see him out there doing his thing, taking advantage of the opportunities he gets,” Short said. “Gabe Pitts, a freshman outfielder, is progressing well and fun to watch as well.”
Hickey, entering his 26th season as the CCSU baseball coach, is the concrete leader of this squad.
“Having somebody that is a concrete leader for the program is helpful, and you know every year when you come in what you will get and what his expectations are,” Pasqualini said. “He does a great job getting us not only physically but mentally ready for a long season because we go from the end of February through June, so it will be a roller coaster of ups and downs.”
