by Kristen DiChiaro

With the end of the 2002 baseball season in sight, seniors Russ Barron, Sean McNamara and Dave Quaglia will be closing out their collegiate careers soon.

The three co-captains are hoping to end their days at RIC on a high note. The Anchormen are currently 6-19 and have 13 more games left to play this season.

While the season started out slowly, things are starting to come together for the young team. The Anchormen have been competitive, losing seven games by just two runs or less.

The highlight of the season came on Apr. 12 when RIC hammered out 24 hits for 19 runs, defeating Clark University by 12.

The team’s roster consists of ten first-year players, which Barron, McNamara and Quaglia have guided throughout the season.

Barron, a right fielder, leads the team with a .347 batting average, 34 hits and 20 RBI. He hopes to reach his goal of a .400 batting average by the end of the season.

Quaglia, a catcher, leads the team with 25 runs scored, is second with 17 RBI and tied for first with Barron in doubles with ten. Both Barron and Quaglia are the only members of the team to have played in every game.

McNamara is third on the team with 68 putouts as the team’s catcher. He is batting .232 and is fourth in hits with 16.

Barron has been a member of the team for three years. He batted .277 with 28 hits, 11 RBI, 19 runs, eight doubles, one home run and four stolen bases during his junior year in 2001. For his sophomore year in 2000, Barron batted .265 with 11 runs, 22 hits, eight RBI, seven doubles, one triple and two home runs. During his freshman year, he played in the fall for the Anchormen but not in the spring.

Barron says the program has improved greatly over the past two years with the addition of Head Coach Jay Grenier. "It’s a lot more serious now that Coach Grenier is here," says Barron.

Although the road has been tough for the team since he began playing, Barron wishes he could still play next year. "It’s been fun and I’ve made a lot of friends from the team. There’s been ups and downs but I’ve had a good time playing," says Barron.

McNamara, who played at the Community College of Rhode Island his freshman and sophomore years, batted .220 with 20 hits, 12 RBI, 14 runs, two doubles and one home run last season.

Quaglia joined the Anchormen this season. He played at both CCRI and UMASS-Lowell prior to coming to RIC.

Barron is a Cranston native and a 1998 graduate of Cranston East High School where he was named Second Team All-Division in baseball.

McNamara is a Warwick native and a 1998 graduate of Pilgrim High School where he lettered in baseball for the Patriots.

Quaglia is an Attleboro native and a 1997 graduate of Attleboro High School. He was named All-League in baseball his sophomore, junior and senior years.