Gaines, Procopio and Puleri Honored by MASCAC Coaches

Buzzards Bay, Mass. - MCLA placed two Trailblazers on the 2009 MASCAC All-Conference Teams and walked away with three awards in total as the announcement was made over the weekend.

Worcester State College senior outfielder Matt Hart has been named as the 2009 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Baseball Player of the Year and heads the league's all-conference squad in a vote taken of the conference's eight coaches.

A native of North Easton, Mass., Hart led the league in six offensive categories during the regular season, as he batted at a .422 clip with 57 hits, including 12 homers and 32 RBI, while posting 111 total bases to date. Hart, who also led the conference in slugging percentage and runs scored, helped the Lancers capture the MASCAC regular season crown with a 13-1 league slate.

Salem State freshman second baseman Chris Cocci (Wakefield, R.I.) was tabbed as the 2009 MASCAC Rookie of the Year after batting .288 with 38 hits, 33 runs scored and 20 RBI while starting in all 35 contests for the Vikings this spring. 

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' Jeff Puleri was recognized by his peers at the 2009 MASCAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Trailblazers to 20 victories to date, including a 9-5 mark league mark and a berth in the conference championships.

Hart was joined on the 2009 MASCAC first-team all-conference squad by Bridgewater State's Brendon Elliot and Mark Claffey; Fitchburg State's John Phelan; Salem State's Ken Luongo; Westfield State's Ben Campbell and Jeff Fields and Worcester State's Johno Hinkell, Nick Caparell, Mike Borowiec and Joey Lucier.

The 2009 MASCAC second-team all-conference squad consisted of Bridgewater State's Kelly LaDow, Matthew Greenberg and Brad Koneski; Fitchburg State's Kris Breen; Framingham State's Steven Tramontozzi; MCLA's Andrew Gaines and Paul Procopio; Massachusetts Maritime's David Hike and Tyler Spofford; Salem State's Evan Valcourt and Westfield State's Ben Wagner.

Gaines, the senior from Holyoke was huge all year for the Trailblazers. Gaines closed for a majority of the season, but reestablished himself as a starter down the stretch. He picked up two important complete game victories down the stretch over Bridgewater and Salem State securing MCLA's third place finish. Gaines also led the conference with six saves and was the third in the MASCAC in strikeouts per game with 8.39/G.

Procopio, the 3^rd baseman from Pittsfield batted .365 on the season with 12 doubles, 2 home runs and 24 RBI's. Procopio led the Trailblazers in batting, doubles, Home Runs and total bases.

Puleri, now in his 7^th season with MCLA picked up his second MASCAC Coach of the Year Award (2006) and guided the Trailblazers to their best record since the 2002 season that was led by Joe Bateman, currently in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. 

Now celebrating its 38th year, the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference is comprised of eight NCAA Division III member institutions: Bridgewater State College, Fitchburg State College, Framingham State College, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State College, Westfield State College and Worcester State College.