The latest guest on The Base Path Podcast is the head coach of one of New England’s nationally ranked D3 college baseball programs.
Salve Reginia University coach Eric Cirella’s team is currently ranked No. 6 in the nation after a 19-4 start. Cirella has led Salve to NCAA appearances in six of the last seven seasons. In four of those seasons, Salve won Commonwealth Coast Conference championships.
“I think we play one of the best schedules in the country,” Cirella said on The Base Path Podcast. “For the last three or four years, we’ve been in the top 25 in terms of strength of schedule. So, we’re playing outside of the conference. We’re playing all the best NESCAC teams, Little East teams, all the top teams that we can play down in Florida. We open up against Catholic University in Washington, D. C., every year. We place our guys in summer collegiate leagues. We had a kid drafted in the 11th round two years ago. So, I think kids like the ability to compete at a high level, play right away, and be part of a championship.”
In terms of recruiting, Cirella’s roster includes players predominantly from three states — New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. His staff targets a certain type of player.
