2011 Outlook
This is the season the Saints have been point- ing toward. With one of its most talented offensive lineups in program history and an improving, deep pitching staff, there is no reason Siena shouldn’t be considered among the favorites to win the MAAC this season.
They say pitching wins championships, but Siena may be out to prove that’s not always the case this year. It’s likely that the Saints’ first MAAC Championship since 1999 will depend heavily upon a balanced offense with plenty of star power.
Infield Dan Paolini’s first two years at Siena have been so good, it is difficult to know where to begin. He was the first student athlete in Siena’s 34-year Division I history (in any sport) to be named an All-American, when he earned Second Team recognition from Collegiate Baseball last May.
The second baseman annihilated the program’s single-season home run record, launching 26 in 53 games played. In so doing, he led the nation in home runs per game and was named MAAC Player of the Year.
“Dan is a once-in-a-lifetime type of player,” Head Coach Tony Rossi says of his star second baseman. “There just aren’t guys with his talent playing at this level.”
Paolini is the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year and as good as he is at the plate, he made tremendous strides in the field as a sophomore, emerging as one of the top defensive players in the conference as well.
Paolini is joined on the right side of the diamond by senior Kevin Quaranto, who in his own right will go down as one of the top offensive players in program history. Quaranto, a career .363 hitter who posted a .413 average with 85 hits last season, enters his final year
with the program on a 23-game hit streak. He has tremendous power and gets on base as well as anyone in the league.
In Paolini and Quaranto, the Saints have one of the top right sides in the entire Northeast, and one of the strongest middle-of-the-lineup combinations.
The left side of the infield is less certain. Junior Andrew Sawyer returns and is locked in a spirited battle for the starting shortstop spot with newcomer Vincent Citro.
Sawyer enjoyed a productive second season last year and showed great improvement in the off-season, while Citro has terrific speed and a solid bat.
Dan Paolini
2011 SIENA COLLEGE BASEBALL
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