NSU Horizons Fall 2011

Success in college baseball isn’t defined by a single champi- onship title. Rather, it’s determined by long-term commitment, by being able to go beyond one coach, one team, or one season. Michael Mominey had a plan for the success of NSU’s baseball team when he stepped down last year as head baseball coach to serve full time as the athletic director for the Sharks. Mominey hired Greg Brown, a former professional player and professional scout, to take his spot. In turn, Mominey and Brown made sure the Sharks’ veteran assistant coaches stayed in place to smooth the transition. “I knew we had a great opportunity to be successful,” Brown said. This season, Brown’s first, the Sharks went 35-18 and three players ( Sean Albury , Nick Avila , and Andrew Durden ) were taken in the Major League Baseball draft. Not only were the Sharks invited to the first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II South Regional Tournament in school history, they came within a well-hit ball of reaching the Regional Semifinals. Smooth indeed. The Sharks worked their way into a semifinal showdown against rival Barry University. The two teams had already played six times and split the games, 3-3. In the sixth, it appeared that NSU freshman sensation Carlos Asuaje , an accounting major, had tied the game when he blasted a shot to right-center field. “At our field, it would have been out,” said Sean Tighe , a senior M.B.A. student. Unfortunately, the ball died at the fence—and was caught. The Sharks closed to within one in the ninth inning, but were unable to tie. The 5-4 heartbreaker ended their season. “Now they understand: this is what we’re here to do—to be in the championship,” Brown said. “We expect to be here.” So, the Sharks have gone beyond one coach. Now is the next test of collegiate baseball success: going beyond one season and doing it again. The team has 26 underclassmen, including 11 juniors, returning along with the Sunshine State Conference’s Freshman of the Year, Asuaje. “We have pitcher Sean (Tighe) and outfielder A.J. (Regoli) coming back,” said Brown. “Tighe’s a lock-down guy. And we expect great things from him. He has the potential to be a 10-game winner next season.” Tighe had the most strikeouts (94) on the team, and kept opponents to a .245 batting average, the lowest of any Sharks pitcher. Not bad for someone who hurt his arm after a strong freshman season at Indian River Community College. Tighe, who had already been offered a scholarship by NSU, needed shoulder surgery, and despite the uncertainty that accompa- nies athletic injuries, assistant coach Ray Romero honored the offer. “I’ll be forever grateful,” Tighe said. Right-fielder Regoli earned all-conference honors as a junior. “He has the ability to affect the game in every way and be the best player in this conference,” Brown said. Regoli led the team in walks (29), was third in batting average (.331), and fourth in slugging (.494) percentage. He also had the longest hit streak (15 games). And then there’s Asuaje. Asuaje was second in batting (.355) and third in slugging (.498) percentages. “I think he’ll be the measuring stick for all future players here,” Brown said. “There will be pressure on us next year,” Asuaje said. “But, I love pressure. I thrive on pressure.” n 39 horizons Sharks Baseball Team Thrives on Pressure By Ralph De La Cruz Andrew Durden