Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2002
Written by Julie Fox

BRIAN SHAPIRO NAMED NESCAC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK

MEDFORD - Junior Brian Shapiro (Swampscott, MA/Swampscott) of the Tufts University baseball team was named NESCAC Co-Player of the Week for his outstanding efforts so far this season.  Shapiro shares the first award of the season with Trinity's Kevin Tidmarsh.

Shapiro, a shortstop and relief pitcher, is currently hitting .426 (20-for-47) through 12 games.  The cleanup hitter had a productive spring trip, hitting .462 in 10 games.  He started off the season strong, going 4 for 5 against Lynchburg in the first game of the season.  He hit a triple and drove in two runs in that game.  His best game came in a 7-7 tie against top-ranked Methodist on March 19, when he hit two home runs and a double (10 total bases), scored two runs, and drove in four.  He also pitched two innings in that game, giving up only one hit. He also went 3 for 4 with four runs batted in during a 9-8 win over Apprentice in the first of two on March 23.

This past Saturday (Mar. 30), the Jumbos opened up their NESCAC schedule in a double-header against Bates College, which Tufts swept 7-2 and 6-5 (10 innings).  During the second game, Shapiro picked up the win in relief after allowing one hit and one run in three innings.  He played a part in plating the game-winning run in the top of the 10th in game two with a sacrifice bunt. His batting average currently ranks ninth in NESCAC, one spot above Tufts freshman 3B Adam Kacamburas, who is hitting .406.

Shapiro graduated from Swampscott High School in 1998 and attended Phillips Exeter Academy in 1999.  At Swampscott he was named to the Boston Herald All-Scholastic team.  He was also the league MVP, the Massachusetts North MVP, and was named a Massachusetts All-Star during the course of his career.

After dropping the first three games of the season and tying Methodist in the fourth game, head coach John Casey's team (8-3-1) has won eight straight games, dating back to a March 21 victory over North Carolina Wesleyan.  The team is currently hitting .315 and is holding their opponents to a .266 average, and have scored 81 runs to their opponents' 60.  The pitching staff currently boasts a 3.03 ERA in 92.0 innings pitched.

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