LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell Baseball Head Coach
Nick Barese has announced the addition of 17 players to the 2024 roster. The group includes 11 freshmen and six transfer students.
Entering their first season with the River Hawks, Barese believes the incoming group will have a big impact on the field.
"We are excited about the new class of freshmen and transfers that joined us this fall," stated Barese. "Our coaching staff worked hard to bring in players that fit our culture, direction, and the on-field philosophies of our team, and we are confident in this group. I know we will have multiple impact players in the freshman class, as well as the key transfers that will sure up important areas like lineup and pitching depth."
UMass Lowell will look to earn another postseason berth and make a run at the America East Championship.
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
Scotty Brown – Andover, Mass. – Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played baseball and football at Andover HS…Had a .415 career batting average and earned the starting centerfield spot sophomore year…Massachusetts football Gatorade player of the year runner up senior year…Named starting quarterback for the football team freshman year.
PERSONAL: Son of Kimberly and Scott Brown…Has three siblings, Kyler, Kaelyn and Shaden…His uncle, Mickey Ryan, played baseball at Bryant from 2002-2005…Enjoys music and fishing…Names the New England Patriots as his favorite sports team and Tom Brady as his favorite sports figure…Lists Family Guy and Friday Night Lights as his favorite TV shows…Criminal justice major.
James Capellupo – Hilton, N.Y. Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played four years of baseball at Hilton HS…Three-time First Team All-County selection…Three-time First Team All-Classification selection…Two-time First Team All-Greater Rochester selection…Two-time league champion…Named All-County Player of the Year, Classification Player of the Year, All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year his senior year…Had a 0.00 ERA in his senior season…Broke school record with 0.22 regular season WHIP…Broke New York state complete game shutout record in a season with 6….Broke records for consecutive scoreless innings (51) and innings without an earned run (80.1)…Had an 88-3 strikeout to walk ratio and broke the school record for strikeouts in a game with 17, all in his senior year…Had a 0.47 ERA in 45 innings with one solo and one combined no-hitter in his junior year…Also hit .315 with 16 stolen bases junior year…Made highest honor roll 16/16 high school quarters…Member of the National Junior Honor Society…Graduated as Salutatorian…Also played for the basketball team.
PERSONAL: Son of Michelle Bissonette and James Capellupo Jr., who played four years of basketball at the University of Rochester…Has one sibling, Bella…Enjoys fishing, reading and hiking…Names The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm as his favorite TV shows…Lists the Miami Dolphins, Boston Red Sox and Buffalo Sabres as his favorite sports teams…Names Tom Brady as his favorite sports figure…Early education major.
Maico Cardona – Hamden, Conn. – Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played baseball at Hamden HS…Served as team captain senior year…Named to All-SCC First Team and All-State First Team senior year…Named to All-SCC second team junior year.
PERSONAL: Son of Yanirirs Loomis and Maico Cardona…Has two siblings, Alondra and Dante… Enjoys spending time with friends…Names SpongeBob as his favorite TV show…Names the New York Yankees as his favorite sports team…His favorite sprots figure is his father, Maico Cardona…Business major.
Scott Donahue – Medfield, Mass. Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played three years at Medfield HS…Served as team captain senior year and led the team to a Division III State final…Named Tri-Valley First Team All-Star, Tri-Valley Defensive Player of the Year and became the state of Massachusetts home run leader senior year…Earned Tri-Valley First Team All-Star honors junior year…Was a Division III state finalist sophomore year…Member of the National Honor Society.
PERSONAL: Son of Karen and William Donahue…Has two siblings, Ryan and Matthew, who play baseball at Westfield State and Clark University, respectively…Enjoys basketball and golf…Names Breaking Bad as his favorite TV show and the Boston Red Sox as his favorite sports team…Lists Dustin Pedroia and JT Realmuto as his favorite sports figures…Business major.
River Hart – Nashua, N.H. – Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played three years of baseball at Nashua High School South…Served as team captain and earned 2022 D1 New Hampshire baseball player of the year and ABCA All-Region Team honors senior year…Named Second Team All-State junior year…Played varsity basketball for two years and varsity football for one year…Worked as the school store manager.
PERSONAL: Son of Amy and Jacob Hart…Has two siblings, Jacob and Wylie…Names Stranger Things as his favorite TV show and lists the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox as his favorite sports teams…Names Larry Bird as his favorite sports figure…Wants to coach baseball after graduation…Psychology major.
Owen Hoyt – Endicott, N.Y. Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Union-Endicott HS…Perfect Game Preseason All-American Northeast Region Honorable Mention selection and 2022 Great Binghamton Elite 15 Baseball Team senior year…STAC All-Star selection…Threw a no-hitter senior year and entered school's top 10 for career strikeouts and ERA…Junior season threw a no-hitter with 70 strikeouts in 40 IP and a 1.2 ERA…Named STAC All-Star and earned Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American Northeast Region Honorable Mention selection…Member of the business honor society…Special Olympics volunteer…Graduated Summa Cum Laude and a earned scholar athlete honors.
PERSONAL: Son of Kristin Lemon-Hoyt and Aza Hoyt…Mother played four years of basketball at Oneonta State College…Father played four years of baseball Penn State University…Has three siblings, Reilly, Gavin and Jamison…Enjoys working out and golfing…Names Suits as his favorite TV show and Max Scherzer as his favorite sports figure…Lists the New York Mets and New York Giants as his favorite sports teams…Business major.
Alfred Mucciarone – Franklin, Mass. Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played baseball for three years at Franklin HS…Served as team captain senior year…Named Hockomock League MVP…Two-time Hockomock League All Star…Two-time Boston Globe All Scholastic…Boston Herald All-Scholastic…Played club baseball with Post 75 Legion Franklin.
PERSONAL: Son of Lisa and Matthew Mucciarone…Has one brother, Austin…Enjoys fishing and golfing…Names Breaking Bad as his favorite TV show…Lists the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox as his favorite sports teams…Favorite sports figure is Pedro Martinez…Business major.
Sean O'Leary – Foxboro, Mass. – Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played baseball at Foxboro HS…Three-time All Star selection…Made a Final Four appearance junior year…Earned the Joe Heinricher Award for academics.
PERSONAL: Son of Alexis and Kevin O'Leary…Has one sibling, Ryan…Enjoys fishing…Games of Thrones is his favorite TV show…Names the Boston Celtics as his favorite sports team and Ronaldo Acuna as his favorite sports figure…Business major.
Kevin Rourke Jr. – Londonderry, N.H. – Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played varsity baseball and basketball at Londonderry HS…New Hampshire Division 1 State Champion senior year…Set the school record with 0.34 ERA and set school complete game record…Two-time First Team All-State selection…Also served as captain for the basketball team and was an honor roll student.
PERSONAL: Son of Lynn and Kevin Rourke…Has two siblings, Ashley and Kaelyn…Dad played baseball and mom ran cross country/track at UMass Lowell…Enjoys video games and watching sports…Names Outer Banks as his favorite TV show…Names the Boston Celtics as his favorite team and Jayson Tatum as his favorite sports figure…Marketing major.
Cam Sime – Pittsfield, Mass. Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played four years at Pittsfield HS…Two-time team MVP, Super 7 selection, and captain senior year…Three-time honor roll selection…Member of the leadership program and did community service work…Played club baseball for Rip City.
PERSONAL: Son of Tami and Glenn Sime…Has one sibling, Emery…Enjoys drawing and names Top Boy as his favorite TV show…Lists all Boston sports teams as his favorite teams…Names Jacob DeGrom as his favorite sports figure…Business major.
Ryan Strand – Goffstown, N.H. Fr.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played baseball and basketball at Goffstown HS…Named First Team All-State junior and senior year and served as baseball team captian senior year…Named to Third Team All-State sophomore year…Served as team captain for the basketball team junior and senior year…Named All-State Defense Team for basketball junior and senior year…Graduated in the top 20 students in his class.
PERSONAL: Son of Michelle Merchant and Erik Strand…Has seven siblings, Ethan, Peyton, Nick, Austin, Ally, Liam and Ryan…Father Erik played basketball at UMass Lowell…Enjoys going to the gym…Names Last Chance U as his favorite TV show…Lists the Celtics, Red Sox and Patriots as his favorite sports teams…Names Kobe Bryant, Mookie Betts and Steph Curry as his favorite sports figures…Business administration major.
Dylan Bedder – New Providence, N.J. – Gr.
SAINT ANSLEM: Made 17 appearances with a 5-11 record at Saint Anlsem…Career ERA of 5.28…Struck out 113 hitters in 75.0 career innings…Totaled 54 and 53 strikeouts during the 2021 and 2022 campaign, respectively…Named Northeast-10 Northeast Division Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 2020-21 and earned Northeast-10 All-Rookie Team honors…Two-time Northeast-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll selection and Northeaster-10 Fall Academic Honor Roll selection in 2021-22.
PERSONAL: Son of Kathy and Chris Bedder…Has two siblings, Camryn and Madison…Enjoys watching movies and names Game of Thrones as his favorite TV show…Names the New York Yankees as his favorite sports team and Derek Jeter as his favorite sports figure…Pursuing a graduate degree in business.
Andres Hulfachor – Nashua, N.H. – Jr.
CLARK: Made 24 appearances for the Cougars and made six starts…Held a 4-4 career record with a 6.04 career ERA…Pitched 70.0 innings and struck out 68 hitters…Career-high 39 strikeouts in the 2023 season in 39.2 innings…Posted an 8.60 K/9 in the 2022 season.
PERSONAL: Son of Mary and Ronaldo Hulfahcor…Has one sibling, Alex…Father played baseball at Clemson…Enjoys fishing, basketball, hiking and watching movies…Lists South Park, Peaky Blinders, Narcos and Black Mirror as his favorite shows…Lists the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Patriots are his favorite sports teams…Favorite sports figures are Joe Kelly and Lavar Ball…Wants to pursue a professional baseball career…Economics major with a business minor.
Anthony Marcano – Boston, Mass. – Jr.
NORTHERN ESSEX CC: Played one season for the Knights…Made 43 appearances and totaled 114 at-bats…Hit .482 with 61 runs, 57 RBIs, 13 home runs and 21 stolen bases…OBP of .637 and a 1.000 slugging percentage…Played third base and registered 25 putouts, 55 assists and five double plays for a .920 fielding percentage…Named First Team All-American, All-Region Team and All-World Series Team.
PERSONAL: Son of Ivette Arias and Lorenzo Marcano…Has three siblings, Jovanni, Armani and Jordani…Enjoys dancing and names Power as his favorite TV show…Names Manny Machado as his favorite sports figure…Wants to become a sports agent after graduation…BLA major.
Carlos Martinez – Coamo, Puerto Rico – So.
PITTSBURGH: Played one year at Pittsburgh…Made nine appearances for the Panthers with one start…Had one run, one double in 15 at-bats…Double and run scored came against California on April 30, 2023.
PERSONAL: Son of Elsie Cartagena and Carlos Martinez…Has one sibling, Kayla…Enjoys watching Formula 1…Names Money Heist as his favorite TV show…Names the New York Yankees as his favorite sports team and Derek Jeter as his favorite sports figure…Mechanical engineering major.
Jack Sefrino – Dartmouth, Mass. – Gr.
SALEM STATE: Played four years at Salem State University…MASCAC All-Conference First Team selection…Won the MASCAC Baseball Championship in 2021 and regular season co-champion with an NCAA tournament appearance…Made 14 appearances for the Vikings with a 5-6 record and five complete games…Threw 72.2 innings with 52 strikeouts and 6.44 K/9…Career ERA of 2.35.
PERSONAL: Son of Pamela and Bryan Sefrino…Has one sibling, Tyler…Enjoys playing basketball…Lists Seinfield, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead as his favorite TV shows…Names the Celtics as his favorite team and Jayson Tatum as his favorite sports figure…In graduate school for accounting.
Kevin Zarnoch Jr. – Boston, Mass. Gr.
WORCESTER STATE: Played four years at Worcester State…Made 33 appearances and 16 starts for the Lancers…Held a 9-6 overall record with two saves and three complete games and a 4.57 career ERA…Totaled 106 strikeouts in 106.1 innings pitched…Struck career-high 51 hitters with a 9.18 K/9 in 50 IP in the 2023 season.
PERSONAL: Son of Mary and Kevin Zarnoch…Has four siblings, Shannon, Matthew, Caroline and Rachel…Enjoys cooking and names Game of Thrones as his favorite TV show…Lists the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox as his favorite sports teams and names Tom Brady as his favorite sports figure…Nicknamed Z/Big Z…Plans to become a police officer after graduation…Studying criminal justice.
