Hitting all the right notes for Curry

The Curry College baseball coach waved off the bunt sign for Tim Sweeney, his team MVP, against Endicott earlier this month. And for the second time this spring, the junior outfielder from Walpole responded in dramatic fashion, belting a home run.

"One of the guys on the bench said, 'Good thing you took the bunt off,' " Perdios recalled with a laugh.

Perdios's 2009 lineup was an offensive juggernaut, and perhaps no player was a better indicator than Sweeney. The 5-foot-10, 155-pound left-handed hitter started the season batting ninth. But he quickly created his own identity on the team, acting as a nuisance for opposing pitchers, and ensuring the Curry firepower went deep into the order.

His numbers, no matter where he was in the batting order, were off the charts. On a 34-7 Curry club that collectively hit an absurd .370, Sweeney led the way with a sizzling .464 average in 41 starts, while contributing six homers and 55 RBIs.

"He had one of those magical years where he worked hard and it paid off," said Perdios, after wrapping up his 11th season with the program.

"We work hard - all of us, the coaching staff, too. We pride ourselves on working hard. So it makes me happy when I see someone like Tim have the year he had. He's a great kid."

Lead-off man Jesse Bruinsma was usually on deck and got the best look at Sweeney's blend of patience and execution at the plate.

"He was arguably the best hitter on the team," said Bruinsma, a junior from Lynnfield who hit .411. "One to 9, it was the strongest team I've ever played on in my life. I remember sometimes sitting down on the bench, turning my head, and literally getting on deck again. Everyone jumped to the plate; it felt like you never got to sit down."

Slotted in the ninth spot to serve as a second lead-off man, according to Perdios, Sweeney was both comfortable and productive.

"Coach and I would joke all the time about me not moving from the nine spot," said Sweeney, who batted ninth the first half of the season. In the second half, he batted third and in other spots.

"He liked me there. He knew that once I got on, it would be an automatic run because the 1, 2, or 3 guys would bump me over or drive me in with a base hit or double."

Adding to Sweeney's comfort level on the college's Milton campus is the presence of his brother, John (a triplet with Tim and sister Meg), a forward on Northeastern's field hockey team. John Sweeney played in 15 games as a reserve catcher/first baseman.

"Having the opportunity to play with John is just another bonus," said Tim Sweeney. "With the type of team we had, just knowing that my brother was there made it all the better."

Tim and John often go from Milton to Boston to support Meg.

"We'll go support her with what she does," Tim said. "It's great - whenever we'd celebrate a win, John would be the first one to greet me and give me a high-5."

On a team of deep talent and precious roster spots, Tim knew going the extra mile in the gym and the off-season wasn't just expected but essential.

"Since freshman year, I've been building myself up," he said. "I've worked hard in the gym and I got myself ready for this season. Right when we came out in Florida [at the start of the season], everyone just came out hitting from the first guy to the No. 9 guy. We lost a couple tough games, but we knew we'd bounce back. I'm glad I did whatever I could to help the team win."

There were plenty of wins, and Sweeney was right in the middle of the success.

"He was phenomenal," Perdios said. "He's been a starter since he got to Curry. He had a great on-base percentage and he didn't strike out much. He could hit, but this year, he did all of the other stuff - he brought power and drove in runs."

Curry's season ended, however, without a tournament appearance.

The Colonels did not apply to the ECAC Division 3 New England Tournament, and after losing to Western New England in the championship game of The Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament, Curry did not receive an at-large berth to the NCAA Division 3 tournament.

The disappointing finish will only push the team further in the off-season.

"Here's the problem," Perdios said. "Since last year I had been telling the team they have to win every game they can. We did it, and I don't know if you can get any better than 34-7, and [the NCAA committee] didn't take us. I feel real bad for the guys. They worked hard and should have had their shot. Hopefully next year [the committee] doesn't make the same mistake."

The lineup - with Sweeney's special touches - will certainly be back and primed.

"We'll work hard in the off-season," Sweeney said. "There's a lot of leadership - we're only losing two guys from the lineup. And the underclassmen know they can do the job."