Birch, Frazier, Gentile, Pike Named Baseball Captains

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University head baseball coach, Rick Smith, has named seniors Connor Birch (Bellingham, Mass.), Randy Frazier (Wareham, Mass.), Drew Gentile (Lynn, Mass.) and Reed Pike (Bellingham, Mass.) as captains for the upcoming 2018 season.

Birch, a right-hander pitcher, has appeared in 20 games and made 12 starts in two seasons at Bridgewater State. He has three wins, four saves and three complete games with 46 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings of work.

Frazier, who has played mostly at third base and DH in two seasons at BSU, is batting .300 (33-110) with five double, two triples, 15 RBI and 14 runs scored in 40 games.

Gentile has appeared in 47 games at catcher (51 total) since joining the Bears in 2015. He has banged out 25 hits, scored 13 runs and driven in 11. Behind the plate, Gentile has thrown out nine would-be base stealers and picked off two. 

Pike, a three-year letter winner at BSU, is sporting a career .265 batting average (53-200) in 66 career games with a home run, seven doubles, two triples, 25 runs scored and 37 RBI. He has been the Bears' starting first baseman for each of the last two seasons.

The BSU baseball team opens the 2018 season on Saturday March 3rd in Vero Beach, Florida. The Bears take on The Apprentice School in a twinbill starting at 1:00 PM.