Long known as one of the top NCAA Division III baseball pro grams in the ultra-competitive South region, Mary Washington College turned in a record-breaking season in 2003 en route to its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in the past thirteen years. Led by a veteran offensive lineup and a talented group of young pitchers, the Eagles shattered the school record for wins in a season with thirty and won the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament Championship for the sixth time.
The Eagles saw five players named to the All-South region team, including junior first baseman Jay Quintana, who repeated as an honorable mention selection. Quintana, who led the team with a .405 batting average, carries an active 28-game hitting streak into his senior season in 2004. Junior catcher Robbie Wright emerged as one of the top catchers in the region, as he batted .360 while providing outstanding defense behind the plate. Junior left-handed pitcher Stefan Schoen ranked among the national leaders in wins and earned run average throughout the season and finished with a 9-2 mark. Also named as All-Region selections were seniors Drew Robertson and John Chiles, who capped their careers by tying the MWC season home run record with eight apiece in 2003.
The 2003 season began with an uncharacteristically slow start, as the Eagles dropped their first two games, and stood at 5-4 after nine contests. Then the MWC offense and pitching began to roll, and the team reeled off fifteen straight victories, and won twenty-three of their next twenty-four. The Eagles were especially dominant at home, winning twenty-one straight at V. Earl Dickinson Stadium, a streak that will continue into 2004.
MWC batted .340 as a team in 2003, and every regular belted at least one home run. The infield was anchored by three seniors, as well as Quintana. Sean Townsend emerged as one of the top players in the Capital Athletic Conference, as he hit .382 while manning third base. Matt Lemire played excellent defense at shortstop, batted .293, and belted one of MWC's five home runs at the NCAA Regional Tournament. Chiles had eight home runs, eleven doubles, and five triples while leading off and playing second base, and Quintana continued to play stellar defense at first while ranking as one of the region's top hitters. Junior Marc Logan and freshman Brandon Cole turned in outstanding seasons on the left side of the infield, as Cole batted .379 while sharing time at third base, and Logan filled in admirably during the CAC Tournament when Lemire went down with a pulled hamstring.
A veteran group patrolled the outfield for MWC in 2003, with Drew Robertson and his .363 average and eight home runs leading the way. Always one of the top defensive right fielders in the region, Robertson's bat exploded in 2003, lifting him to All Region status. Senior centerfielder Mike Drummond overcame an early season separated shoulder to return to form and provide pop offensively as well as solid defense. Two-time All-Conference leftfielder Aaron Altscher closed his career by batting .355 with ten doubles and twelve stolen bases. Junior transfer Jon Hurd split time in the outfield, at first base, and at designated hitter while batting .336 and earning All-Conference honors.
The biggest question entering the 2003 season was the Eagle pitching staff, who lost its top four members to graduation after the 2002 year. All-Region lefty Stefan Schoen won his first nine decisions in pacing a staff that ranked as high as third nationally in earned run average during the season, removing any doubt that MWC would continue its tradition of outstanding work on the mound. Fellow junior Brendan Orsinger went 6-3 with a 2.52 ERA, and freshman Kevin Foeman was 4-1 with a 3.55 ERA. Sean Townsend saw limited duty on the mound, going 2-0 with a 1.90 ERA, including a complete-game four hitter over Salisbury in MWC's 5-1 CAC Championship victory. Junior Cory Templeman, sophomore Jim Wilkie and freshmen Zach Darden and Brandon Cole also showed flashes of brilliance on the mound in 2003.