Daily Word: Tropeano Dominating at Single-A Lexington

A two-time America East Pitcher of the Year, former Stony Brook hurler Nick Tropeano has not lost a beat since he was drafted by the Houston Astros last June.

During his first season a professional ball player, Tropeano played for the Astros’ short-season Single-A affiliate Tri-City Valley Cats. And he dominated. In 12 starts, Tropeano posted a 2.36 ERA giving up just 14 earned runs in 53.1 innings pitched while striking out 63.

That prompted a call-up to the next level of A-ball and a new uniform for the 17^th ranked prospect in the Astros organization. Suiting up now for the Lexington Legends in the South Atlantic League, Tropeano has been twice named pitcher of the week. The award has only been handed out four times this year. Boasting a miniscule 1.87 ERA in four starts (0.45 ERA on the road), MinorLeagueBaseball.com spoke with the righthander in this week’s SAL notes.

“Everything is really working, and I'm throwing all of my pitches for strikes," Tropeano said in the segment. “This past offseason I got into a good workout regimen, which has increased my velocity a little bit.”

Tropeano is scheduled to pitch this weekend in a series against the Hagerstown Suns, an affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

We told you yesterday about several former America East women’s soccer players making their professional debuts last evening and what debuts they were. Jess Luscinski scored one of three Boston Breaker goals and Alice Binns earned the shutout in net. Check out a game recap on the former Boston University Terriers.

Jackie Blanchard, an engineering student at the University of Maine and manager of the women’s basketball team, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma 10 years ago. Scheduled the graduate this past weekend, Blanchard spent the day in a hospital room recovering from her latest round of chemotherapy. Several Maine faculty, including members of the women’s basketball team, attended a special graduation ceremony for Blanchard on Wednesday. Pete Warner of the Bangor Daily News tells the incredible story.

Hartford released its end of the year highlight video yesterday. Check out the production below.

The America East softball championship starts up today with Maine and Boston University kicking the day’s action off in less than an hour. Stony Brook and Albany play in the day’s second game this afternoon. For more information check out Championship Central.

The Stony Brook women’s tennis team, two weeks removed from its first ever America East championship, plays in the NCAA Tournament today against No. 2 Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif.

Daily Word: Former Terriers to Make Professional Debuts

America East will have its presence felt tonight in the Women’s Premier Soccer League Elite.

Several former players, some of the league’s best, take the pitch tonight in their professional debuts for the Boston Breakers. Boston University has five former players suiting up and the University of Hartford will also be represented this weekend.

Headlining the former Terriers in action tonight are 2010 America East Goalkeeper of the Year Alice Binns and two-time Striker of the Year Jess Luscinski. Both will dawn the uniform of the Breakers. Binns will get the start between the pipes while Luscinski will look to provide an offensive spark off the bench. Luscinski was the Breakers’ fourth round selection in January’s draft. First-team all-conference defender Katherine Donnelly will also be in uniform for the Breakers on Thursday night.

Check out this article for a preview of the Breakers’ opener.

Elsewhere this weekend, Tiya Gallegos, another member of the Terriers’ 2011 championship squad, makes her debut for the New England Mutiny. Taleen Dimirdjian (Boston U. '09) will team with Gallegos for the Mutiny. Hartford’s Caitlin Alves brings her gifted offensive skill set to the Mutiny, as well. Alves led the America East in goals scored in 2011 with 10.

The Breakers travel to take on the ASA Chesapeake Charge at 7:30 p.m. while the Mutiny starts the season on Saturday at home against the New York Fury.

New Hampshire volleyball player Jessy Dick, now that her volleyball playing days at UNH are complete, has her sights set on important issues overseas. Dick will head to India, for what she thinks will be at least a year, working to establish sustainable farming operations in the country. UNH Today has more on the Wildcat senior and her plans for the future.

Speaking of UNH volleyball, the Wildcats hosted the eighth annual ‘Volley 4 Holly tournament earlier this week. The team raised more than $1,500 to donate to cancer research in memory of former teammate Holly Young, who passed away in 2008 after a battle with Ewing’s Sarcoma.

America East produced a feature on Holly earlier this fall.

The Bangor Daily News ran a piece on the Maine baseball team today highlighting the “bumpy road” this season. Despite some recent struggles, Maine remains confident it can turn things around heading into the America East Championship at the end of May. Check out Pete Warner’s article, here.

America East Softball Championship action was postponed earlier today because of soggy conditions at the BU Softball Field in Boston. For the complete and updated tournament schedule check out Championship Central.

Daily Word: Confident Kelley Leads Maine

Back in the America East Softball Championship after a tough 2011 season, Maine heads into Boston for tomorrow’s first round game confident against the Terriers.

That confidence starts in the circle with senior pitcher Ashley Kelley.

The Bangor Daily News ran a piece on Kelley in today’s paper, speaking with the righthander about how she has been able to turn a shaky 2011 into a successful 2012 for the Black Bears.

“My confidence has been better. You need to have confidence in all of your pitches and I didn’t have it last year. It didn’t help me,” Kelley told reporter Larry Mahoney in the interview. “My catcher [freshman EmJ Fogel] calls a great game and I’ve been able to keep the ball down and away from the hitters. I’ve been getting them to ground out.”

Kelley will need to get as many ground outs as possible during Maine’s first round matchup with regular season champion and No. 1 seed Boston University. The Terriers took the season series from the Black Bears 3-0 including a 5-3 win in Orono just last week. Kelley has been solid against Boston U. this season allowing just four runs in 17 2/3 innings of work.

The Terriers and Black Bears will play in the first game of the 2012 tournament tomorrow at 1 p.m. Shortly thereafter, Albany will take on second-seeded Stony Brook. For the complete schedule, visit Championship Central and you can check out the full article on Kelley and the Black Bears, here.

From college softball to the Major Leagues we go where former Binghamton pitcher Scott Diamond toed the rubber last night for the Minnesota Twins against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Diamond tossed a gem, firing seven shutout innings while giving up just four hits and striking out six. Check out video highlights of Diamond’s performance and a full recap from the Press and Sun Bulletin.

It has been quite a season for the Albany women’s lacrosse team. NCAA Tournament bound for the second straight year, the Danes encountered plenty of adversity along the way. Perhaps nothing more difficult than what head coach John Battaglino endured. The Times Union’s Pete Iorizzo tells the story.

Vermont handed out its end of the year awards last evening at The Rallys. The Catamounts unveiled a season highlight video that you can watch below.

Hartford also held its end of the year awards banquet and got the evening started in style.

Daily Word: Presidential Day in Albany

The University at Albany has been able to hear from some world renowned speakers this year.

Earlier in the fall, former NBA player Magic Johnson traveled to the New York State capital to speak on campus. Today, the President of the United States Barack Obama took the podium at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at UAlbany.

Air Force One landed at the Albany International Airport this morning and the President made his way to the nanotech center to speak about how the economy is improving and the impact that the center will have on the future.

"This is one of the only colleges in the world dedicated to nanotechnology," Obama said. "This school and this community represent the future of our economy."

This is the second time the President has spoken on an America East campus this year. Back in April, Obama ventured to Burlington and spoke at the University of Vermont.

To see video of the President speaking at Albany, check out Fox23 News. And for all your print coverage, the Times Union and Troy Record have you covered.

The President’s visit to New York comes just two days removed from the Albany women’s lacrosse team learning its opponent in the NCAA Tournament. The Danes drew No. 1 overall seed Florida but were still thrilled about heading to the tourney. For video coverage of the selection show, YNN Sports and the Albany athletic department have everything you need.

We updated you yesterday about former Stony Brook pitcher Nick Tropeano and his success at the professional level. Late Monday, Tropeano collected the South Atlantic League’s Pitcher of the Week Award after throwing seven shut-out innings of two-hit baseball for the Lexington Legends against Asheville on Saturday. The righty also had 8 strikeouts in the outing.

Speaking of Stony Brook, the Seawolves held their first annual ‘Wolfie’ Awards last evening. It was Long Island’s version of the Academy Awards with plenty of ‘swagger’ on display. Check out a photo gallery, here.

May is that time of year for end of the year highlight videos. Check out several yearly recaps from some of our schools!

Binghamton

Boston University

New Hampshire

Daily Word: Diamond to the Bigs

He proved to be a reliable major league starting pitcher last summer, was dominant at Triple-A this spring and now former Binghamton ace Scott Diamond heads back to Minnesota to pitch for the Twins.

The southpaw got the call-up this weekend and will start for the Twins on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in game two of a three-game set with the Halos. He’ll toe the rubber opposite Dan Haren and face the Angels’ signature off-season acquisition Albert Pujols.

This season at Triple-A Rochester, Diamond rolled trough Minor League hitters to the tune of a 4-1 record and a 2.60 ERA in six starts. His 2.60 ERA placed him among International League leaders and his four wins are tied for the most. 

Despite a 1-5 record and a 5.08 ERA in seven Major League starts with the Twins last year, Diamond threw six-plus innings and gave up three earned runs or less in four of those starts. His first big league win came on August 31 against the Chicago White Sox when he tossed six innings of three-hit ball, giving up three runs and striking out five.

For more information on Diamond, including video of his first Major League win, check out his official MLB player page.

Diamond is one of a handful of former America East pitchers performing well at the professional level. Murphy Smith, the 2009 America East Pitcher of the Year and Binghamton alum, has a 3-0 record and 2.57 ERA for the AA Midland Rockhounds of the Texas League. Former Stony Brook pitcher and 2011 Pitcher of the year Nick Tropeano is dominating at Single-A Lexington with a 1.87 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 33.2 IP. Tropeano fired a seven-inning, two-hit shutout over the weekend against the Asheville Tourists. Fellow Stony Brook alum Tom Koehler is one step away from the bigs as he continues to pitch well for AAA New Orleans.

Diamond’s former team traveled to Stony Brook this weekend for a three-game set against the first-place Seawolves. Stony Brook took of three from the Bearcats with Binghamton taking the middle game behind Jake Lambert’s seven scoreless innings on Saturday. Albany won two of three against Maine with the Black Bears winning the series finale on Sunday and Hartford took three of four from UMBC.

The softball playoff picture is fully developed after a busy weekend of action. Boston University won the regular season title by way of its sweep against UMBC and Albany’s win over Stony Brook on Sunday while Maine clinched its spot in the postseason with wins over Hartford on Saturday. For the complete breakdown of playoff matchups, check out AmericaEast.com.

The America East lacrosse champions found out their NCAA Tournament fates last night. Women’s champion Albany drew top overall seed Florida in the first round on May 12 while men’s champion Stony Brook heads to Baltimore to face second-seeded Johns Hopkins on May 13.

Albany swept the outdoor track and field titles over the weekend for the fourth straight year. Check out a video recap of the weekend’s events.

Stony Brook Post-Championship Reaction

With Stony Brook's win over Albany on Saturday in the men's lacrosse championship game, the Seawolves head to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. America East caught up with the league's Coach of the Year Jim Nagle and the tournament's Most Outstanding Player Sean Brady after the game to chat about the championship and the solid team effort.