WEST HAVEN, Conn. – University of New Haven head baseball coach Raphael Cerrato has announced the signing of five student-athletes for the 2012 season earlier today.

“We are very excited with the commitments of these five student-athletes. This is a talented group that will make an immediate impact on the field,” commented Cerrato. “Assistant coach Jeff Hourigan and the rest of the coaching staff did an outstanding job throughout the recruiting season. These five student-athletes are well rounded and should set examples in the classroom as well as on the field.”

The class includes four incoming freshmen and one junior college transfer.

Zack Albin (Bethel, Conn. / Bethel)

Albin is a 6-foot-2 right handed pitcher from Bethel, Conn.

“Zack already has a fastball in the 85-87 range with an excellent slider and has really improved in the past year. He is just scratching the surface in terms of what he can do on the mound. As he develops physically, we project him to be a strong pitcher in the NE-10 Conference. I would be surprised if Zack is not one of the top five or six high school pitchers in Connecticut this spring,” said Cerrato.

Zach Collett (Westbrook, Maine / Westbrook)

Collett is a 6-foot-1 infielder from Westbrook, Maine.

“Zach was one of the best high school hitters we saw this summer. We feel Zach can be a middle of the line-up hitter as early as his freshman year,” added Cerrato. “Our one goal in this class was a hitter with power and Zach certainly fills that need. In the field, Zach will most likely fill positions in the corner infield or corner outfield.”

Sean Donatello (Salem, Conn. / East Lyme / UConn Avery-Point)

Donatello is a 6-foot-2 right handed pitcher from Salem, Conn. A graduate of East Lyme High School, Donatello has spent the previous two seasons at UConn Avery Point. He finished with a 9-1 regular season record in the spring of 2010 for the Huskies that lost in the Division II Junior College National Championship game.

“We expect Sean to be one of our top rotation starters in 2012. He has all the making to be an impact pitcher with a legitimate chance to pitch professionally after college. Donatello is probably the most game-ready pitcher we have signed in my five years at UNH,” said the head coach.

Brendan O’Reilly (Devon, Pa. / Contestoga)

O’Reilly is a 5-foot-11 outfielder from Devon, Pa.

“Brendan’s athleticism fits the mold of most our position players and is an above average runner with a very strong arm in the outfield. With the size our outfield and most of the fields in the league, Brendan will be able to cover ground fast. He also has very good bat speed with gap power. As he gets stronger, we think he will become a power threat as well.”

Joey Royer (Windham, Maine / Cheverus)

Royer is a 6-foot-3 left handed pitcher from Windham, Maine.

“Joey is one of the top lefties we saw this summer throughout the fall. He is a very competitive pitcher who projects to be a starting pitcher with a low to mid 80’s fastball and a good 12/6 curveball. Joey should make an immediate impact on the mound as a starter or reliever,” Cerrato concluded.

 The Chargers are expected to complete their 2012 recruiting class in the coming months and announce additional recruits in the summer of 2011.