Samuel Barber
MSMU Class of 2022
(1/2022) 2007. That was the last time a baseball team at Mount St. Mary’s registered a winning campaign. All of the players on the current roster were ranging from the ages of four to eight, so playing baseball at the collegiate level was not on their mind. Although Mount St. Mary’s has not eclipsed the .500 mark in fourteen years, there is renewed hope that the complete cleaning of house during the offseason, as well as the hiring of an offensive gem, may bring them back to the glory days and beyond. His name is Frank Leoni, and he is set to be tasked with one of the hardest rebuilding jobs in all of collegiate baseball.
Leoni, who was named the fourteenth head coach in program history in July, hails from the likes of Rhode Island, William & Mary, and Division-II powerhouse, Marymount. Despite finding the most success while coaching the Tribe of William & Mary, there are two recurring themes at each of his three previous school. The first is that he inherited programs that were bottom-feeders in their respective conferences and with time, turned them into true competitors. The latter is that he led all three programs to at least one NCAA Tournament as head coach. Both aforementioned attributes are a part of the long list as to why Leoni was a hire that had experience and longevity in mind.
Any team at any level of organized sports harps on the importance of building a family-like atmosphere. That theme will be easy to achieve since Leoni decided to bring along two of his fellow coaches from Marymount, Cal Berman and Cullen Moore. Berman and Moore will both hold the title of assistant coach while Moore will also serve as the recruiting coordinator for the team. Aaron Tarr also joins the staff for the 2022 season. In his inaugural season, Tarr looks to tap into his previous Division-I experience at Coppin State and Georgetown.
Fresh off a dismal 9-28 season, which saw Mount St. Mary’s post a 5-19 conference mark and end their season on a five-game slide, the team looks to double their win total from a season ago. There are plenty of offensive components on this team that could point to just that. Brady Drawbaugh, a junior outfielder, and Ryan Fisher, a senior second baseman, are expected to deliver the most offensive firepower to this roster. The former brought in 12 runs while also tallying four home runs. As for Fisher, he led the team in scoring with 23 runs through 36 games.
One of the components that has transformed the entire landscape of collegiate sports has been the advancement of the transfer portal. This addition to college sports has allowed for an easier pathway to transfer in-and-out of a program. In the beginning of this process, the benefits were merely privy to the world of college basketball and football, especially at the Power Five level. However, with the rapid developments of the transfer portal, sports across the NCAA and the Division-I level can engage with this strategy. With Coach Leoni, as well as Coach Moore, leading the recruiting trail, Mount St. Mary’s has taken advantage and added a slew of transfers ranging from the Division-I to the JUCO level.
With regard to the pair of Division-I transfers, Cooper Adams (via UMBC) elected to stay within the state of Maryland to finish his collegiate career. The 6-foot-3 senior out of Potomac, MD, should play a significant role among the deep collection of pitchers. Aiden Tierney carries one of the biggest question marks heading into the 2022 season. The 5-foot-11 sophomore outfielder saw his freshman season at Longwood University cut short due to injury. The extent of Tierney’s talent is not yet fully known; however, he offers one of the most exciting storylines as the season inches closer.
A recurring theme across the world of Division-I athletics is that a growing population who do not have the initial skills to play at the highest level are beginning their careers at the JUCO (junior college) level. Once athletes finish their two years, they are typically a well-rounded player that can excel at the Division-I level. Mount St. Mary’s secured five transfers of that status for the upcoming season.
Junior Hunter Hebert hails from Baker, LA, and began his career at Delgado Community College, based out of New Orleans. The 5-foot-8 infielder will bring size and a potent skill set to the inner portions of the field. David Stirpe is set to bring his talents down south, as the 5-foot-11 sophomore infielder looks to excel at Mount St. Mary’s after spending a year with Niagara Community College in New York. The Thunder Wolves are an A-list JUCO program in the Northeast. One of the most exciting additions to the roster is 6-foot-2 utility player Tyler Grodell. The Santa Clarita, CA, native batted .375 last season while leading Cisco Community College to a 5 West Regional Championship.
The final two transfers both have something in common: they are both from Fredericksburg, VA. Tucker Sullivan, who stands at 5-foot-11, brings his talents from Germanna Community College, which is based in Fredericksburg and will have four seasons of eligibility remaining. As for Tristian McAlister, the 5-foot-10 outfielder brings a lot of promise. McAlister racked up plenty of accolades during his time at Patrick Henry Community College, including leading the country in stolen bases (52), leading his team to the JUCO World Series, being named to the JUCO World Series All-Tournament team, and batting an impressive .353 for the Pats last season.
Bringing in new faces to the program is undoubtedly exciting, however, new players, including freshmen, are going to have to step up to the plate to fill in for roster losses. Mount St. Mary’s lost three major components to their rotation from a season ago. AJ Holcomb, Myles Nicholson, and Tommy Savastio all graduated; their absence will certainly be felt this season. Nicholson led the team in at-bats (141), hits (38), and stolen bases (15). As for Holcomb, he held top-3 status in five statistical categories in 2021. The loss of Savastio will be felt mostly on the offensive end as the Camp Hill, PA, native was second on the team in hits (34) and third in runs (19). However, with the addition of key transfers and a nine man incoming class, there are plenty of components that can lead Mount St. Mary’s to an immense amount of success.
A feature to keep an eye on is how scheduling will be affected due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, especially with the spread of the Omicron variant. Unlike last season, Mount St. Mary’s is set to travel more often, as they have tournaments slated for Texas and Virginia. Non-conference opponents on Mount St. Mary’s schedule compiled a 185-263 record during the 2021 season, as three programs, Lamar, Lehigh, and Virginia, posted winning seasons. This year’s non-conference schedule includes the likes of Bucknell, Georgetown, George Mason, UMBC, Lamar, Lehigh, Navy, Penn State and Virginia.
Mount St. Mary’s will begin their 2022 season in an early season tournament in Colonial Heights, VA, with a four-game series against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks.
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