By Paul Gotham
Steve Muoio may be over 900 miles from home, but the Webster resident finds himself in familiar territory. His Georgia College and State University Bobcats claimed first place and the number one seed in the upcoming Peach-Belt Conference tournament. Success on the baseball diamond is something the Webster-Thomas graduate has known for much of his career.
The Bobcats will seek their second consecutive bid in the upcoming NCAA tournament and fifth in the past six years.
“We have enough pitching to get us through a three-game series,” said Muoio. “But our offense has been getting it done lately.”
Hitting better than .350 and averaging more than 10 runs per game, the Bobcat offense ranks in the top ten of all DII schools in the country.
Muoio bats in the third hole behind Sean Harrell and Kyle Allen. Both hitting better than .400.
“I always have guys on base when I get to bat;” added the left-handed swinging Muoio. “Coach wants me to pull the ball. It usually makes for a productive at bat because even a ground ball will advance the runners.”
Last year, Muoio’s first with Georgia College, he hit .318 with five home runs and 29 RBI. The Bobcats earned an at-large bid to the DII World Series.
Muoio was an integral part of Monroe Community College’s run to the 2008 Junior College World Series. He hit .421 with six home runs, and 58 RBI as the Tribunes finished third in the nation.
In two years with the Webster Yankees, Muoio hit .348 with 37 RBI. He collected 27 extra-base hits in 73 games. Muoio earned first-team All-NYCBL honors in 2008 when he led the home nine with 48 hits, 20 RBI, a slugging percentage of .469 and a .459 on-base percentage – his batting average of .375 – including .405 with runners in scoring position – ranked third in the league.
Webster opens the 2010 New York Collegiate Baseball League season on Sunday, June sixth when the Alfred Thunder come to town. The pinstripes will welcome Webster Athletic Association Baseball for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Teams from WAA will be on the field for a pre-game ceremony and the Star Spangled Banner.
The New York Collegiate Baseball League, founded in 1978, is a summer wood bat development league for professional baseball. Major League Baseball funds a small portion of the league’s annual budget. The league gives college players who have not yet signed a professional contract the opportunity to develop their skills at a higher level of play, gain experience with wood bats, and be evaluated by scouts. Current major leaguers Brad Lidge, Tim Hudson, Hunter Pence and Dallas Braden all spent time in the NYCBL.
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