A new era for St. Lawrence University baseball will dawn on March 12 when the Saints play the first official game in the SLU coaching career of Pete Hoy.

Hoy takes over for Tom Fay, who retired last spring after a 38-year career which included over 500 victories. It is the first collegiate head coaching position for the former professional pitcher, who was pitching coach at LeMoyne College from 1997-2009.

The new Saint coach inherits a squad which participated in the 2010 Liberty League Tournament and returns a number of veterans including 2010 Liberty League Pitcher of the Year Chris Cook, a senior who  led the Saints in innings pitched, wins and strikeouts, going 7-1 with six complete games and two shutouts.

"With Cook and Pat Considine (4-3, 2.72 ERA in 13 appearances as a sophomore) returning, we've got a pretty good front end on our pitching staff," said Hoy. "Behind them we have a little less experience, but some guys with potential to develop."

The Saint pitchers should benefit from a pretty solid defense as the Saints return experience in the outfield and around the infield.

Sophomore Carter Franz will move from right to center field and classmate Paul Piatelli will shift from left to right and should be the regular starters. Piatelli hit .338 and drove in 15 runs a year ago to go with solid defensive play and Franz was a .326 hitter in 39 games, leading the team in hits, and extra base hits. He had 11 doubles, four triples and drove in 29 runs, going 12 for 14 in steals.

Left field is wide open with senior Garrett Fitzgerald, junior Jason Conde and junior Taylor Engle the experienced candidates returning. Other potential candidates include rookies Brian Magovney, Zane Fish, Michael Dell'Olio, Chris Conlon and Ryan McCormick.

Sophomore Ethan Braddock, who hit .303 and had a .915 fielding percentage as the Saint shortstop returns at that position while junior Bryan Brennan is back at second base after hitting .260 with a .926 fielding percentage.  Junior Rob Carman (/302 in 30 games) should take over full-time at third base in place of graduated senior Ryan Duff while sophomore Jeff Kott (.333 in 16 games) and sophomore Matt DeLuca, the second team All Liberty League designated hitter and the Saints' top stick a year ago with a .365 average, five doubles and three homers in 24 games, will see action at first base.  Junior Tom Pasquale also saw action at second base last season and rookies Khifer O'Connor, Bryan Palermo, John Ainsley and Matt Geremia will all contend for backup roles.

The Saints have plenty of depth at catcher with sophomore Matt D'Auteuil (.284 in 31 games, 18 assists), DeLuca, senior Ryan Fedo, and senior Kirk Shimkin all experienced receivers with rookie Joshin Atone as an understudy.

In addition to Cook and Considine, the Saints return Kyle Donaldson, 3-1 in 17 appearances as a reliever in his sophomore season, DeLuca, Piatelli and junior Jason Conde, 3-4 in 11 appearances including three starts with collegiate experience.  Matt Skelly, who missed all of last season with injury, should be a starter with rookies Dell'Olio, Ian Anderson and Joe Riley in potential starting roles in their first collegiate seasons.

Andy Weitzel, a sophomore transfer, freshman Chris Kellogg and Palermo are other candidates for relief duty for the Saints.

The Saints kick off the 2011 season with eight games on their annual Spring Break Florida trip to Fort Meyers, FL, beginning March 12 and open Liberty League play with a pair of doubleheaders schedule for March 26 and 27 at Rensselaer. The Saint home opener is slated for March 29 against Oswego.