One of the finest NCAA Division III baseball programs in the region, the University of Mary Washington continues to strengthen an already impressive array of feats in its 20-year history. Since 1988, when the Mary Washington program was started by head coach Tom Sheridan, the only coach the program has ever known, the Eagles have advanced to 10 NCAA Tournaments (including four in the past seven years), won nine conference championships while accumulating 470 victories, and sent numerous players to the professional ranks.
The 2007 edition of the University of Mary Washington baseball team continued to excel as one of the top programs in the region, winning 26 games and advancing to the Capital Athletic Conference championship. The Eagles defeated every CAC team at least twice during the course of the season and posted eight wins over teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament while defeating six nationally ranked opponents.
The Eagles opened the season with an uncharacteristically slow start, dropping five of their first 12 games. UMW rebounded to win five of its next six, including a 16-4 win over seventh ranked N.C. Wesleyan, home wins over Hampden-Sydney College and Randolph-Macon College, and a pair of CAC wins over St. Mary’s College. The Eagles would then win 10 straight contests, topping four NCAA teams in that span.
Head Coach Tom Sheridan’s squad won its opener in the Capital Athletic Conference tournament, topping St. Mary’s, 16-2, before falling to Salisbury, 8-6, in the second round. In the weekend portion of the event, the Eagles eliminated St. Mary’s, 11-7, and then York, 11-1, before falling in the championship to Salisbury.
The Eagles dropped three games after final exams in May, but swept a doubleheader from Villa Julie to close with 26 victories, marking the seventh straight year the program has achieved that many wins in a season.
Leading the way for the Eagles was senior shortstop Eric Fitzgerald, who closed his career as UMW’s all-time hits leader with a .412 season average, a school season record 19 doubles, four triples, and five home runs. He also set school season marks with 50 RBI and 68 hits. Fitzgerald was named as an All-American by D3Baseball.com and also earned all-region honors from the American Baseball Coaches’ Association.
Junior pitcher/first baseman Chase Townsend earned American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region and All-CAC honors as a utility player for his all-around game, as he batted .355 with 29 RBI and went 4-1 with a team-best 2.14 ERA in eight appearances on the mound. Senior Brett Diamond, who would go on to pitch profesionally over the summer in Belgium, went 6-1 with a 2.80 ERA in 11 appearances. He and senior third baseman Chris Anderson, who batted .375 with six doubles and 32 RBI, also were named to the All-CAC team.
A large senior class saw several newcomers to the lineup in 2007. Junior catcher Alex Rossi batted .344 in 23 games behind the plate, and junior Jon Sims batted .388 after solidifying his position in the lineup after a rash of injuries to several players. Senior Justin Marsh batted .360 after developing into the starting left fielder. Newcomers Will Wright and Bryan Quintana provided a spark to the lineup, as Wright batted .364, and Quintana hit .296. As a group, the team batted .335, more than 50 points higher than its opponents while outscoring the opposition by more than 100 runs.
On the mound, Townsend and Diamond combined to finish 10-2 with an ERA of less than 2.50. They were supported by a cast of newcomers and veterans that developed into a solid corps. Junior Nate Hartman went 5-4 with a 3.76 ERA, and senior lefty Eric Wilkins became a reliable starter, going 4-2 in eight appearances.
Sophomore Wes Hayden tied for the team lead with six wins to round out the starting group. As a staff, the Eagles posted a 3.95 team ERA with 261 strikeouts against 117 walks.