The Clark University baseball team finished with an 11-22 (4-8 NEWMAC) mark this spring. Dubbed the “comeback kids,” the Cougars won a pair of key games in dramatic come-from-behind fashion. They scored eight runs with two outs in the top of the ninth to rally past Springfield College (12-7) during the regular season and just five days later scored 10 runs in the top of the eighth inning to erase an 11-2 deficit and claim an incredible 12-11 upset victory over top-seeded Babson College in the NEWMAC Tournament opener. Clark, the sixth-seed, was ousted from the tournament with losses to number four Springfield (13-1) and number three MIT (9-4).
Significant accomplishments during the regular season included a 6-5 win over perennial power St. Joseph’s College of Maine and a 14-10 victory over nationally ranked Wheaton College, not to mention a new single season mark for triples in a season with 14.
Senior Joe Silva capped his career as a second team All-Conference selection. Freshman phenom Scott Hollingsworth, who signed a temporary contract with the prestigious Cape Cod summer league, tied the record for hits in a season (47), while sophomore Jon Merritt and senior Cole Osburn set new marks for fewest walks per 9 innings (1.75) and career fielding percentage (.995), respectively.
Senior Eric Dufour and graduate student Gunnar Hagstrom received NEWMAC All-Academic recognition.
Completing the spring with a 13-19 (5-7 NEWMAC) mark, the Clark University baseball team finished fifth in the conference for the first time since the 2002-03 season. Clark punched its ticket to new records in season hits (328), triples (12), RBI (197), and batting average (.317) on the way to its ninth consecutive trip to the NEWMAC Tournament.
However, the Cougars were defeated by fourth-seed Babson College (9-6) in the opening round.
The veteran squad won games in grand fashion, posting seven double-digit run victories (four in conference) – over WPI (21-2), MIT (19-14), Babson College (16-12) and Springfield College (19-7) – and prevailed in four contests by one-run this year.
Clark was led by a trio of second-team All-Conference All-Stars in seniors Nick Tapper and Joe Pasciucco and junior Joe Silva. Tapper finished with 101 career hits and set a new mark for putouts in a season with 241. Senior Kyle Breidenstine also cracked the 100-hit milestone with 108 hits.
In 2004, senior Tony Groccia ended his career in fine fashion pitching the first perfect game at Clark in his last game of the season against Gordon. He struck out six batters in seven innings pitched ...Groccia earned Division III National Pitcher of the Week honorable mention honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and ECAC New England Co-Pitcher of the Week following the feat. Senior Dave McNamara was named to the all-conference first team and senior Mike Burnahm earned second team honors. McNamara set the school record for RBI in a season (31) and Burnahm set records in putouts in a season (224), career putouts (695) and career total chances (739). In addition, junior Cory Harper tied the single season mark for saves in a season (5) and the Cougars set a new record for team batting average (.303).
Highlighting the 2003 year was the Cougars 7-6 win in 11 innings over Wheaton College. Wheaton, who went on to win the NEWMAC Championship for the fifth time in the five-year history of the league, was nationally ranked at the time of the Cougars’ win. First-year pitcher Scott Archibald recorded the win. He pitched six innings of relief to close out the game. He allowed no earned runs while scattering hits and striking out seven. Archibald, who also played in the infield, led the young pitching staff. He played in 19 games overall while batting .258. He was named to the 2003 NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team finishing the year with a 4-1 record and one save while making nine appearances. In 40.1 innings pitched, he allowed 42 hits and 11 earned runs while striking out 50 and walking only 11. His 2.47 ERA led the team and ranked fourth among conference leaders.
John Galvin '02 and Brock Tibert '03 were named to the NEWMAC All-Conference team in 2002. Galvin has been selected to the all-conference for the second consecutive year. He ended his career at Clark setting single season records in triples (6), homeruns (6), runs scored (42), walks (28), stolen bases (32), and career records in hits (159), triples (14), homeruns (14), total bases (254), RBIs (92), runs (135), at bats (463), walks (66), and stolen bases (80).
In the 2001 season John Galvin '02 earned NEWMAC All-Conference Honors and ECAC New England All-Star Honorable Mention leading the team with a .415 batting average, 22 RBIs, triples (6), and homeruns (3).
The 2000 baseball season ended one out away from advancing to the NEWMAC championship game. Clark upset Babson College 14-12 in the first round of the conference tournament, and then defeated the U. S. Coast Guard Academy 4-2, but dropped the next two games to conference champion, Wheaton College (10-6) and the USCGA (6-5) in an impressive comeback.
Greg Gould '00 set school career records for hits (138), doubles (32), home runs (10), runs scord (90), and assists (281). Pitcher Bill Giaquinto '00 set a school record for season wins (5).
The 1999 season saw the Cougars set a school record for season wins with 15. Several more team and individual marks were also topped.
John Galvin '02 earned NEWMAC All-Conference Honors in 1999 as he batted .317 with 40 hits and school records for walks(28) and runs scored (42).
In the 1998 Constitution Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinal round, Clark defeated Babson College for the first time since 1987. The win advanced the Cougars to the CAC semifinals for the first time in school history.
Two players were selected to the Constitution Athletic Conference All-Star Second Team in 1998: second baseman Christian Auger '99 and utility player Matt Lacroix '99.
During the 1997 season, pitcher Bryan Gauvin '97 established a school record with 56 strikeouts. He finished his career with 132 strikeouts in 146-1/3 innings (second all-time at Clark).
Clark placed three players on the Constitution Athletic Conference All-Star Second Team in 1997: second baseman Christian Auger '99, pitcher Bryan Gauvin '97, and outfielder Mike Rose '99.
Co-Captain Joel Chretien '95 had 10 hits in 10 consecutive at-bats during a three-game span in the 1995 season.
The 1991 team earned a 9-3 upset win over Brandeis University, then ranked number one in New England.
Chris Hawk '91 pitched 25 consecutive scoreless innings in 1991 and became Clark's all-time win leader with 13 career wins.