One of the most successful and respected teams among Mary Washington College's nationally renowned varsity athletic program, the baseball program has brought national attention to the Fredericksburg school. Since the inception of the sport in 1988, Head Coach Tom Sheridan has led the Eagles to nearly 300 victories, sent six teams to NCAA Division III baseball tournaments, and sent seven players to the professional ranks, a record among Division III schools. The winners of seven conference titles in the decade of the 1990's, MWC has advanced to postseason play eight times in the thirteen-year history of the program.
The 2001 season at Mary Washington College is being looked upon as the team's return to the elite of NCAA Division III. The Eagles welcome back the majority of their letter winners from 2000, and perhaps the top recruiting class in recent memory will join that group to place the Eagles in a position to contend for the NCAA Tournament.
Heading the list of returnees is honorable mention All-South Region second baseman Mark McEathron, who led last year's squad in batting (.360) and stolen bases (19), also tied for the team lead with 27 runs scored. Another top offensive returnee is senior outfielder Ryan
Napolitano, who batted .353 while starting every game after transferring from Connecticut Avery Point in the fall. Napolitano provided leadership in the outfield, while swiping 17 bases and walking twenty times against just eleven strikeouts.
Other players being looked to for offensive punch will be outfielders Mike Churchward and Scott Chapman. Churchward was having a solid freshman season when a wrist injury sidelined him after 17 games. He was batting .364 with six doubles and ten RBI at the time of his injury Chapman emerged at the end of the season, hitting .316. Chapman broke the MWC single game RBI record with eight in a 16-7 Capital Athletic Conference first round tournament win over Catholic University.
Others returning from 2000 who will compete for playing rime include catcher Brendan Eygabroat, first baseman Jay Johnston, and infielder Chris Riordan.
The pitching staff returns almost intact from 2000, with one senior lost from a staff that posted a cumulative 3.83 ERA in 258.1 innings. Seniors Erik Dorman (4-2, 3.52 ERA), Mike Parker (2-4, 4.66 ERA), and Matt Hooker (1-2, 4.50 ERA) head a charge of experienced moundsmen, including juniors Bronson Hall (2-1, 2.53 ERA), Reed Shaoman (3-2, 3.78 ERA), Rob Boese (1-0, 4.50 ERA), Ryan Grue (0-3, 4.91 ERA) and Andy Dunn (1- 0, 0.00).
Dorman also played well in limited duties at third base, hitting .345 with two home runs and 11 RBI. Hall came on strong at the end of the season, with a 3-1 win at York PA in the CAC semifinal game, in which he scattered six hits in a complete game victory. Another pitching highlight came at the end of the season, when lefty Reed Shabman and righty Ryan Grue combined to limit defending national champion NC Wesleyan College to four hits in a 4-1 MWC victory over the Battling Bishops.