DeLand, FL - Manhattan will open the year at Stetson's Melching Field at Conrad Park for the third year in a row, as the Jaspers will square off with Air Force and Stetson.
The Jaspers will play Air Force on Friday, February 14 at 1:00 pm, before squaring off with the host Hatters at 6:30 pm. Manhattan will then take on the Falcons once more on Saturday, February 15 at 1:00 pm.
Prior to Friday's opening game between Air Force and Manhattan there will be an F-15 flyover at Melching Field. The F-15's will be part of a memorial to former Air Force catcher Travis Wilkie, who was killed in a training accident in November. Lt. Wilkie, a three-year letter-winner for the Falcons, was one of two airmen who died in a crash at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Okla.
Manhattan Rotation
Game 1 (Air Force) - Friday, February 14- 1:00 pm - Live Stats
Sr. RHP
Nick Massa (0-1; 6.23 ERA; 17.1 IP; 10 K; 9 BB; .300 opp. BA)
Game 2 (Stetson) - Friday, February 14 - 6:30 pm – Live Video | Live Stats
Sr. RHP
T.J. Stuart (8-5; 4.08 ERA; 86.0 IP; 86 K; 40 BB; .232 opp. BA)
Game 3 (Air Force)- Saturday, February 15 - 1:00 pm - Live Stats
5-Sr. RHP
Jacob Knight (3-3; 7.00 ERA; 27.0 IP; 29 K; 21 BB; .245 opp. BA)
The Teams
Manhattan | 2019 Record: 26-33 | Postseason: 3rd MAAC
Air Force | 2019 Record: 26-26 | Postseason: None
Stetson | 2019 Record: 27-32 | Postseason: 2nd A-Sun
Cimillo Named MAAC Preseason Player Of The Year
* Sophomore
Nick Cimillo was named the Preseason MAAC Player of the Year by the league's 11 head coaches and
D1Baseball.Com.
* Cimillo earned 2019 MAAC Rookie of the Year and First Team honors, after batting .350 with 78 hits, 12 doubles, seven home runs and 36 RBI, while posting a .498 slugging percentage and a .417 OBP.
Trio Named Preseason All-MAAC
* Cimillo (OF) was joined on the Preseason All-MAAC Team by junior
Matt Padre and sophomore
Jonathan Barditch.
* Padre (C) was named to the All-MAAC First Team last year, after batting .279 with 32 runs, 11 doubles, four home runs and 33 RBI.
* Barditch (SS) earned MAAC All-Rookie and All-Tournament Team honors after hitting .293, with 38 runs, seven doubles, two home runs and 13 RBI.
Manhattan Picked Third
* The Jaspers earned three first-place votes and 99 total in the annual preseason poll, en route to being slated to finish in the MAAC. Defending champion Quinnipiac was picked first with 105 points, followed by Fairfield in second with 101 points.
Baseball Back In The Bronx
* The Jaspers will play their entire 2020 home baseball schedule at Van Cortlandt Park, which served as Manhattan's home field until the 2014 season.
* Manhattan won 130 games and lost 34 during a 10 year-period at Van Cortlandt Park from 2005 to 2014. During that decade, the Jaspers won three MAAC championships and reached the NCAA Tournament three times, making it all the way to the Regional Final in 2006.
* In preparation for the 2020 season, Manhattan College has worked with the New York City Parks Department to aerate and overseed the outfield, replace and upgrade the infield, renovate the existing fencing and install new dugouts.
* The infield upgrade included removal of the entire infield area, regrading and installation of new sod and infield skinned mix, a completely rebuilt mound and home plate area and the installation of new bases, home plate and pitching rubber. The upgrade took place within the existing footprint of the field.
* The College is continuing to work with the Parks Department and the various permit holders to address maintenance and future ballpark enhancements.
Stuart The President
* Stuart joined Manhattan's ESPN3 staff to talk about his role with the MAAC SAAC, while previewing the season.
Coach Cole
* Head Coach
Mike Cole begins his third season at the helm of Manhattan, after leading the Jaspers to an impressive third-place finish at the MAAC Tournament. Cole was an assistant for the Jaspers from 2005-2008.
Barrella, Cimillo, Stuart Named Team Captains
* Graduate Student
Richie Barrella, Cimillo and Stuart were named tri-captains for the 2020 season.
Trimper's Manhattan's Ties
* A case can be made that one of the main reasons that the Jaspers were able to capture three MAAC titles between 2006 and 2012 was due to Trimper setting the foundation in Riverdale from 1999-2005. During that time, Trimper went 172-174-2 while setting the table for Manhattan's march to the Lincoln Regional Championship game in 2006.
For Starters
* Manhattan will be looking for its first win in an opener since besting Western Carolina 11-6 on February 25, 2011.
The Returners
* The Jaspers return 31 letterwinners, including seven starting position players and one starting pitcher. Click
HERE for the entire prospectus.
All Time Against ...
Air Force: First Meeting
Stetson: 1-4
Last Year Against Stetson
* Manhattan defeated Stetson 5-2 for its first victory of the year, as Barrella and junior
Santiago Riera each went deep, before Stuart slammed the door with five strikeouts over the final 2.0 innings.
All-Time Against Stetson:
* Stuart has fanned seven Hatter batters in 5.0 innings of work over three appearances.
* Junior
Will Trochiano hit .333 (3-of-9) over three games at Stetson in 2018.
Cole Announces 2020 Schedule
* The Jaspers will play 54 games in the 2020 season, which will consist of 30 non-conference and 24 MAAC games. Additionally, the Jaspers will play 18 games at Van Cortlandt Park, and in the Bronx for the first time since 2014.
* Manhattan will open the 2020 campaign with three games in DeLand, FL, playing twice against Air Force and one against homestanding Stetson.
* The Jaspers welcome UAlbany for their first home series of the year, beginning on Saturday, March 7.
* Manhattan will play eight games against NCAA Regional Teams (Quinnipiac x3, Army West Point x2, CCSU x1, Fordham x1 and Stony Brook x1) and 16 against squads that won at least 30 games.
* The Jaspers will take on teams from 12 conferences during non-conference play: America East, Atlantic Sun, Atlantic 10, Big East, Big South, CAA, Ivy, Mountain West, NEC, Patriot, SoCon and Southland.
* During MAAC play, Manhattan will host Monmouth, Niagara, Quinnipiac and Rider, while playing at Fairfield, Iona, Marist and Siena.
* The Jaspers will not square off with Canisius and Saint Peter's in 2020.
From The Bronx To The Pros
*
John Cain became the sixth Jasper in the last four years to ink a contract with a Major League organization, when he signed with the Los Angeles Angels following the conclusion of the season.
*
Fabian Pena (25th Round - San Francisco Giants) and
Joe Jacques (34th Round - Pittsburgh Pirates) were each selected in the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
* Tom Cosgrove was taken by the San Diego Padres in the 12th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft while
Jose Carrera inked a professional deal with the New York Yankees. Additionally, signee
Tai Tiedemann was selected by the Texas Rangers in the eighth round of the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
See You In Staten Island
* The 2020 MAAC Baseball Championship will be held at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island, NY for the third-straight year from May 20-23.
What's A Jasper?
* The unique nickname of Manhattan College's athletic teams, the Jaspers, comes from one of the College's most memorable figures, Brother Jasper of Mary, F.S.C., who served as the College's athletic director in the late 19th century. One of the greatest achievements of Brother Jasper was that he brought the then little-known sport of baseball to Manhattan College and became the team's first coach. Since Brother Jasper was also the Prefect of Discipline, he supervised the student fans at Manhattan baseball games while also directing the team itself. During one particularly warm and humid day when the college was playing a semi-pro baseball team called the Metropolitans, Brother Jasper noticed the Manhattan students were becoming restless and edgy with the team coming to bat in the seventh inning of a close game. To relieve the tension, Brother Jasper called timeout and told the students to stand up and stretch for a few minutes until the game resumed. Since the College annually played the New York Giants in the late 1880's and into the 1890's at the old Polo Grounds, the Manhattan College practice of the "seventh inning stretch" spread into the major leagues, where it has now become a time-honored custom practiced by millions of fans annually.
Next Weekend
* Manhattan will play three games in Spartanburg, SC, starting on Friday, February 21 against Wofford.
