The Seton Hill University (SHU) men’s baseball team is coming off of the school’s most successful season.
In 2006, the Griffins compiled a record of 45 and 20, including the American Mideast Conference (AMC) North Division Championship, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Region IX Championship, the NAIA East Coast Super Regional Championship and a spot in the 2006 NAIA World Series.
Unfortunately for this year, there will be no post season for the Griffins. That is because SHU has made the transition to The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II. During this period of transition there will be no postseason for any sports.
By Ken Burt,
Contributor
The Seton Hill University (SHU) men’s baseball team is coming off of the school’s most successful season.
In 2006, the Griffins compiled a record of 45 and 20, including the American Mideast Conference (AMC) North Division Championship, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Region IX Championship, the NAIA East Coast Super Regional Championship and a spot in the 2006 NAIA World Series.
Unfortunately for this year, there will be no post season for the Griffins. That is because SHU has made the transition to The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II. During this period of transition there will be no postseason for any sports.
�Our goal this year is to go out and win every game,� said head coach Marc Marizzaldi.
�Without the opportunity to play in the postseason and make it back to the NAIA World Series again this year, we have the mindset that every game is a playoff game for us in 2007,� said Marizzaldi.
The Griffins are going to take this season just as they do every other.
�We have too much pride, and too much to prove to everyone this year to say this season doesn’tmean anything,� said Steve Long, a senior.
�We will never use the excuse as not being able to make it to the playoffs as an excuse to lose,� Long said.
Thus far the Griffins are 2 and 2, splitting series against both Milligan College and King College, both of which are in Tennessee. Marizzaldi said that this was the first time that they have been out of the gym.
�It’s tough when you open the season against teams that have been outside for 3 or 4 weeks already�, said Marizzaldi.
�But we�ve never made excuses and always expect to compete against the top teams in the country every time we step on the field,� he added.
As in years past, the strength of this year’s squad should be the pitching and defense. An added bonus is the team’s experience. This year the Griffins return 14 seniors and nine juniors.
The 2007 season will be full of common foes and new opponents. The schedule is made up of NAIA conference opponents and NCAA Division II members as well.
There will be some tough competition this season including Malone, Ohio Dominican, Walsh, Ashland, IUP and California.
Senior Jerry Harness doesn’tforesee the transition or the schedule being a setback.
�We should be able to adjust and still be very successful. We work extremely hard and know what it takes to be successful,� said Harness.
Over spring break the team went to Ft Myers, Florida for six days. They finished the 6 days with a 7-3 record. SHU opened up at home on Wednesday March 14 against the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.
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