Rutgers-Newark Athletics

PROFILE OF THE WEEK (Feb. 15, 2012)

NOTES: Four-year letterman and three-year starter at catcher who made 15 relief appearances as a pitcher during his senior season… career .260 hitter with 75 hits, 57 RBI and 43 runs in 92 games… slugging percentage of .343 with 11 doubles, two triples and three home runs… walked 40 times to notch a .358 on-base percentage… five sacrifice hits and five sacrifice flies… made just a dozen errors in 589 chances (.980).

SENIOR (2012):  Started 23 games at catcher (21) and designated hitter (2)… led team in ERA (1.62) while posting 16-2/3 innings in relief… batted .263 with 20 hits, 13 RBI and nine runs scored… collected two doubles and a home run to notch a .329 slugging percentage… walked a dozen times to finish with a .360 on-base percentage… registered a fine .986 fielding percentage with just two errors in 139 chances… threw out 10 of 44 runners trying for a steal… hits safely in 15 games with three multi-hit efforts… went three for four with two RBI, a double and two runs scored in a 16-0 romp over Hampden-Sydney (3/13/12)… went three for four with an RBI in a 2-5 loss to Richard Stockton (4/5/12)… belted a two run homer and drew two walks in a 9-6 loss to Pomona-Pitzer (3/16/12)… went two for three with a pair of RBI and a run scored in a 12-1 win over St. Joseph’s-Brooklyn (2/18/12)… on the mound, struck out 10 while allowing 15 walks, 13 hits and just three earned runs… allowed one in just three of 15 appearances while shutting out opponents in the other 12… blanked opponents in relief stints in seven Raider victories.

JUNIOR (2011):  Platoon starter at catch along with sophomore Christian Kasa for the 23-19 Scarlet Raiders who shared the ECAC Metro Championship… started in 21 of 23 appearances, hitting .247 with 18 hits, 11 RBIs and 13 runs scored… had five doubles to up his slugging percentage to .315… drew six walks to post a .321 on-base percentage… hit safely in 11 games, collecting multiple hits four times… made just 10 errors in 450 chances behind the plate while allowing just two passed balls… threw out 11 runners in 32 stolen base attempts… in an epic 8-7 win over DeSales, delivered a 2-run single in the in the eighth and a game-winning 2-run single in the top of the 13th while going four for seven with a double while catching the entire game… had a 2-out, 2-run double to cap 12-run fifth inning in a 12-7 win over Ramapo (5/3/11) in the opening round of the NJAC Championship tournament… went two for four with two RBIs and scored twice in a 20-5 win over New Jersey City (4/2/11)… had a single and a double in four at-bats in a 13-6 loss to Johns Hopkins (3/8/11).

SOPHOMORE (2010): Started behind the plate in 41 games, driving in 32 runs… hit .255 but had four doubles, two triples and two home runs to push his slugging percentage to .358… drew 20 walks to raise his on-base percentage to .362… threw out 13 on attempted steals and picked off three runners… committed just nine errors in 287 chances with a dozen passed balls… had a pair of sacrifice flies… hit safely in 27 games with eight multiple-hit efforts… began his career in Scarlet & Black by going ripping two triples and driving in four runs in a 16-5 season-opening win over Mount St. Mary (3/3)… had a two-run homer and an RBI single in a 17-3 win over John Jay (3/25)… had a two-run double in an 11-6 win over Kean (4/10)… had a pair of RBI singles in a 12-4 win over Alvernia (4/13)… went two for five with a two-run homer in a 13-10 loss to Montclair State (5/5) in the NJAC Tournament.

FRESHMAN (2009): Appeared in four games as a pinch hitter and catcher… collected two hits with an RBI in three at-bats… delivered an RBI single in his first at-bat in Scarlet & Black in 12-2 loss to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (3/14)… had a hit, a walk and scored twice as a reserve catcher in a 14-5 win over St. Joseph’s (4/17).

BEFORE RUTGERS-NEWARK (2008): Was granted a medical hardship season at Ogelthorpe University in Atlanta... started five games and played in nine, hitting .133 with two hits, a sacrifice hit and an RBI.

HIGH SCHOOL: Three-sport athlete at Emerson HS where he helped the Cavaliers to back-to-back 20-win seasons... second-team All-Olympic Division as a senior after helping senior squad to a 23-6 record and semifinal appearances in both the county and state sectional playoffs... Cavaliers were 24-5 and reached the North Group I playoffs during his junior year... also lettered three times in soccer and twice in basketball.

PERSONAL: Son of Cynthia and Mauro Palladino... oldest of three brothers (David and Nicolas)... comes from an athletic family... his father played baseball at Binghamton College in New York and his mother played basketball at William Smith College... his cousin Anthony played baseball at William & Mary (1970-74)... management major.