Note from Coach DiCenzo

Tentative baseball 2018 HC @houston, Oklahoma and Carolinas.

Now here's a note from Tucker Frawley HC 2006 and baseball team infielder


To the players and coaches of the 2017 Holy Cross Baseball Team,

On behalf of the Crusader Baseball alumni base, congratulations on your memorable, hard-fought, and well-deserved run to the 2017 Patriot League title. Needless to say, the dog pile that followed the final out of the championship series represented a lot for you guys- years of hard work, focus, resilience, and belief that you could do what so many teams and players before you had pursued, but not quite reached. And for those of us who once dawned those same jerseys and who watched this season from afar, that dog pile brought us back to our own experiences as student-athletes on Mount Saint James- ones we cherish and carry with us to this day…

While it’s difficult to fully grasp amidst your academic, social, and baseball endeavors, what you gain from your four years in Worcester goes well beyond a degree and an attractive resume. You leave with an extended family and an appreciation for what the school has done for you as a person. We’re all better dads, husbands, and friends thanks to our time as Holy Cross baseball players, and our appreciation for that experience comes every spring when our computers, phones, and conversations gravitate back to Holy Cross Baseball. When the season begins, we begin it with you. We ride the roller coaster that is the heart of the season in March and April, and- like you- we hope to see playoff baseball in May when we can play for something truly special. We’re there with you every step of the way…

With all of this in mind, please know that when George Capen painted the black and struck out the final batter of the 2017 Championship Series, that your dog pile behind the mound consisted of more than the 30+ players and coaches who shared the third base dugout this season. It included generations of former Crusaders who once pursued that same goal. Guys who made that same trek from College Street down the hill to Fitton Field for practice. Guys who took their swings in the fieldhouse and their fungos on a frigid turf field during the “balmy” Worcester winters. Guys who, amidst their academic pursuits, spent those same winters peaking down the hill toward the field to see if the snow had melted and if the grass had peaked through- the surest sign to a ballplayer that spring was right around the corner. Guys who- when that spring finally did arrive- dreamt of winning a championship and showing the world how hard they worked before there was ever an opponent in the other dugout or fans in the seats. You guys made that dream a reality for the Holy Cross Baseball family and we couldn’t be more proud of you all.

I’ve been asked to write today because I had the most unique opportunity to join your program on its trip to the NCAA Corvallis Regional at Oregon State. As a coach at Yale, our program was also fortunate enough to win a league title this spring (and “lucky” enough to also be grouped with the nation’s #1 ranked team in Corvallis). Simply put, as proud as I was for my team to represent Yale University and the Ivy League, I was equally as proud to see you guys represent my alma mater and the Patriot League in Oregon.

The NCAA-funded “carpool charter flight” to the Northwest allowed me to see the passion the school’s athletic administrators continue to have for their athletes, as both Nathan Pine and Rose Shea made the effort to join the team on their journey to Corvallis. The pregame gathering at a local pub provided my wife, son, and I the opportunity to join the Holy Cross faithful in preparation for the Crusaders’ evening match-up with OSU. It also gave us an  inside-look at how loyal, proud, and passionate the families of the current players are about Holy Cross and its baseball program.

But once the games began, that’s where the true fun began. Seeing you guys go toe-to-toe with the nation’s best team, watching you knock out the Big Ten champs, all while representing a school that demands so much of you academically and teaches you so much about being a first-class citizen is what made this experience so rewarding to me and my family. We know that the Holy Cross jersey represents far more than a baseball program- it’s a place that teaches you, challenges you, and drives you to be the best person you can be for those around you. This team showed that while you are taught, challenged, and driven in the classroom and in the community, that you can also be a part of one of the country’s best college baseball programs.

To this year’s players - congratulations once again, and thank you for putting a smile on so many faces this spring both near and far. To the coaches both past and present - thank you for the time you spend away from your immediate families to help invest in our Holy Cross Baseball family. Your passion for the game, our school, and our kids has never nor will ever go unnoticed. To future Crusader baseball players - we look forward to welcoming you to the Holy Cross Baseball family and passing this torch on to you and yours. And to all alumni, family and friends of Holy Cross Baseball – if you haven't done so already, please consider a donation of any size to the Crusader Athletics Fund (by June 30th, 2017 to have an immediate impact on next season).  It’s one of the few ways we can help supply the team with the financial resources they need to compete at the highest level possible, and in turn have a small part in the next dog pile that takes place on Fitton Field.  

We all can’t wait to see what the future has in store for this program. Go ‘Saders!