Baseball Begins 76th Season at Ripken Experience

BOSTON – Suffolk baseball flew to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to lift the lid on its 76th season at the Ripken Experience. The Rams will play eight games over an eight-day stretch starting Thursday, March 9 against Penn College at 6:30 p.m.

SOCIAL SAYINGS
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

RAMS RETURNERS
We're excited to bring back the bulk of our lineup including Harry Painter and Luke Harder, who were recognized by the NEIBA All-Region selection committee along with Marc Birbiglia, Joe Ward and Garret Roberts, who were all-conference selections.

Along with Jonny Gilbride, Timothy McCarthy and Michael James Jr. will bolster a lineup that led the CCC in hitting last season with a .320 team batting average.

GEOGRAPHY 101
Suffolk's 25-player roster spreads eight states. The bulk of the Rams are Bay State locals with 14 Massachusetts natives, while the Empire State is represented by five New Yorkers. A trio has come down from New Hampshire with California, Connecticut, Illinois, and Vermont represented by one student-athlete each.

CLASS CATEGORIES
The 25 Rams hail from every Suffolk class including five graduate students. In addition to the grads, there are five seniors and seven juniors and one true freshman.

POSITION PIECES
The Rams have 11 true fielders with 14 student-athletes that could see time on the hill.

When broken down, there are is one true first baseman, three catchers, five infielders and three outfielders.

On the mound, there are nine righties, and five positional pitchers.

RAMS RINGLEADERS
In the midst of Fall Ball, Suffolk baseball dubbed four upperclassmen as captains for the 2023 campaign, head coach Anthony Del Prete.

Graduate students Marc Birbiglia and Timothy McCarthy, fifth-year senior George Breslin and junior Garret Roberts earned the call to share the leadership responsibilities of the Rams for next year.

MORE READING: Quartet to Lead Baseball as Captains in 2023

SKIPPER'S SECTION
Anthony Del Prete is back on Suffolk's bench for his ninth season. Under his leadership, the Rams made four consecutive NCAA Regional Runs from 2015-18.

Del Prete's coaching staff features long-time assistant, John O'Brien, who is back for his 20th season. Former Ram Adam Johnson, who played for the blue-and-gold from, returned to Ram Nation this season as an assistant coach.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Suffolk baseball has been projected to finish sixth in the in the Commonwealth Coast conference (CCC) Coaches' Preseason Poll.

MORE READING: Baseball Slotted Sixth in CCC Preseason Poll

OPENING ACT

• Suffolk is set to begin its season at a neutral site for the first time since 2019.
• A year ago, the Rams captured their first opening day win with a 13-6 decision over MIT.
• In the Del Prete era, the Rams are 4-4 in the first outing of the season.
• Since 2000, Suffolk is 13-10 in the first game of the year.

PREASEON ALL-AMERICAN

Suffolk baseball sophomore Harry Painter has been named a 2023 d3Baseball.com Preseason First-Team All-American. He is the only player in New England to earn a first-team All-America preseason nod from the national organization.

MORE READING: Painter Named d3Baseball.com Preseason First-Team All-American 

PRESEASON ALL-NEBJ
Days away from the scheduled first pitch of the 2023 Suffolk baseball season, the Rams' designated hitter Harry Painter has been named to the 2023 Preseason All-New England Baseball Journal Division III team.

The team is NEBJ's projection of the top player at each position picked from all the New England region programs heading into the 2023 slate.

MORE READING: Painter Tabbed Preseason All-NEBJ Division III Team 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk has two days off once it arrives back in the Bay State before it makes its New England debut at WPI Sunday, March 19 at 12 p.m.