Nick Cioffi (Saint Rose)
In the third week of the college baseball season, a group of former Dutchmen excelled both at the plate and on the mound. A majority of Albany's Division I alumni begin play next weekend, with teams in Division II, III, NAIA, and junior college already underway.
Jon Reid, Azusa Pacific- Reid retired the first eleven hitters he faced in Azusa Pacific's Thursday contest with Cal State Monterey Bay. The lefthander, who was a standout pitcher for the 2015 Dutchmen, ended up working 6.1 innings, allowing just one run on three hits with six strikeouts. Reid left the game with a 2-1 lead, but three late runs gave him a no decision. Through two starts, Reid has struck out 10 hitters in eleven innings, recording a 3.27 ERA.
Hunter Boose, Augusta- A 2015 infielder for the Dutchmen, Boose continued his torrid pace to start the season, as he currently leads the 6-2 Jaguars in batting average (.471), hits (16), extra-base hits (7), and runs batted in (8). This past weekend, Boose went 6-for-13 in three games against Anderson University. His best game came on Friday, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four runs batted in. Boose also hit his first home run of the season in a 17-6 victory, the team's home opener.
Nick Cioffi, Saint Rose- The 2015 Dutchmen Pitcher of the Year was the Opening Day starter for the Golden Knights, and recorded a quality start in his first outing for Saint Rose on Saturday. Cioffi allowed just two hits and one earned run over six innings, striking out seven Coker College hitters and walking just one. Cioffi took a no decision in his opening start, as Saint Rose fell to Coker, 5-3.
Zak Spivy, Polk State- Spivy, who pitched in Albany last season, did not allow an earned run over six innings of work as Polk State defeated Seminole State College on Wednesday. The righty struck out four hitters and walked one, surrendering six hits and three unearned runs. The Naples native was not involved in the decision as his Eagles claimed victory, 5-4, in ten innings.
Nick Jewett, Trinity- Starting three games at first base for the Tigers, Jewett helped Trinity to two victories in the first three games of the season. Jewett recorded two doubles and two runs scored, driving in a run. The 2014 Dutchmen infielder's three hits came in each of the three games, as the Tiger offense recorded 26 runs in the opening weekend of the season.
Brian Ruhm, Cal Baptist- Ruhm, a member of the 2013 Albany Dutchmen, has helped the Lancers to a 5-1 start to the season with a .333 batting average. In a weekend series with Cal State Dominguez Hills, Ruhm went 3-for-12 with a run scored and a run batted in. Ruhm drove in his run in the series finale's ninth inning, when the Lancers scored six runs to turn a 4-1 deficit into a 7-4 victory.
