After guiding his Buccaneers to their 10th 20-plus win campaign and a runner-up finish in the ECAC Division III New England Championships last spring, Bob Corradi is enthusiastic as ever about the prospects for Massachusetts Maritime Baseball in 2009.

Corradi's crew posted its first 20-win season in 10 years last spring, capturing 22 victories en route to a berth in the ECAC championship contest against Roger Williams as well as a fourth place finish in the always-competitive Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference. There is plenty of experience returning from last year's successful squad as Corradi embarks on his 37th campaign in Buzzards Bay, as the 2008 MASCAC Coach of the Year enters the season seven wins shy of reaching the 500-mark in his illustrious career.

Leadership has been a staple of the tradition that is Buccaneer Baseball, and Corradi will turn to a pair of veterans to continue that tradition this spring in senior co-captains Mark Mozelak (New Hartford, Conn./Northwestern Regional) and Tyler Spofford (Sharon Springs, N.Y./Berkshire Prep). Corradi says his captains "provide an example that I want everyone associated with this program to follow both on and off the field. They are true leaders in every sense of the word and will set the tone for our success once again this season."

Here's a look at how things are shaping up for the 2009 edition of Massachusetts Maritime Baseball:

INFIELD. Mozelak shined at his shortstop position last spring, batting .331 in 34 contests with a team-high 12 doubles, six homers and 31 RBI en route to earning his second all-MASCAC honor in as many seasons. Sophomore Wil Rodriguez (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) is the top returning hitter for the Bucs after notching a .351 batting average with 33 hits and 16 RBI in 30 games, while fellow sophomores Andrew Saari (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) and Sarkis Nahigian (North Falmouth, Mass./Falmouth) gained valuable experience as rookies in batting .321 and .281, respectively, in a combined 30 appearances.

Senior Joe DeFrank (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley) lends additional experience at first base, while Corradi is set to welcome a quartet of newcomers in sophomores Michael Vargas (Natick, Mass./Marian) and Brad Musk (Dania, Fla./South Broward) as well as freshman Andrew DiNisco (Malden, Mass./Malden).

OUTFIELD. Spofford, junior Joe Albano (Agawam, Mass./Loomis Chaffee) and sophomore Ross Hickey (Centerville, Mass./Barnstable) return to the Buccaneer outfield after combining to play in 89 games a year ago, as the trio combined for 72 starts and 38 RBI, including five extra base hits from Spofford alone. Freshman Nick Montalto (South Yarmouth, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth), who stepped into the starting quarterback role for Massachusetts Maritime on the gridiron this past fall, looks to contribute on the diamond as well in 2009, while fellow freshman Jonathan Smith (Weymouth, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) is also vying for time in the outfield during his rookie campaign.

PITCHER. Corradi welcomes back the dynamic duo of junior David Hike (Riverview, Fla./Riverview) and sophomore Nick Levitre (Grafton, Mass./Grafton) to the mound this spring, as Levitre posted a 4-1 mark with a 2.74 earned run average, a pair of saves and a shutout en route to earning the nod as 2008 MASCAC Rookie of the Year. Hike, who also earned all-MASCAC accolades a year ago, was the top winner for the Bucs, posting a 5-4 mark with a 3.17 earned run average to go with three saves and 44 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings of work.

Sophomore Eric Moreschi (Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) chipped in with three victories in 11 appearances during his freshman campaign, fanning 31 in 33 1/3 innings of work along the way, while juniors Tim Moore (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown) and Matthew O'Brien (Swampscott, Mass./Swampscott), along with sophomore Neil Patnaude (North Andover, Mass./North Andover), combined for four wins in 2008. Sophomores Greg Wiggin (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) and Corey Murphy (East Wareham, Mass./Wareham) also gained experience in limited roles last spring, and Corradi welcomes four new arms to the corral this spring, as freshmen Jared Lowe (Brimfield, Mass./Tantasqua Regional), Mark Backstrom (East Taunton, Mass./Taunton) and Louis Ottino III (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth South) all look to contribute during their first seasons of play.

CATCHER. Three newcomers will be vying for the starting nod behind the plate for the Bucs in 2009, as freshmen Kyle Armstrong (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson), Nate Eldridge (South Yarmouth, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth) and William Shouldice (Rutland, Vt./Mount Saint Joseph) will compete for the top backstop spot.

The 37th season of Bob Corradi's tenure with the Buccaneers begins on Saturday, February 28th when Massachusetts Maritime takes on Alvernia in a non-league doubleheader in Fort Pierce, Fla. beginning at Noon EST. The Bucs begin their Northern and home slates on Saturday, March 22nd by entertaining Rivier in a non-league twinbill at Commodore Hendy Field beginning at Noon EST.