GEORGETOWN, Texas – The Southwestern Pirate baseball team seems to have all the pieces of the puzzle for a breakout year, but now just have to seize the opportunity the 2009-10 season presents them: right here, right now.

No group of players expresses this more than the senior class. Comprised of John Wooten, Matt Clark and Todd Boone, these seniors are embracing the leadership role in their own unique ways and the team is becoming the better for it.

Wooten is a quiet player who leads by example doing whatever it takes to make the team better. During his time at Southwestern he has played four different positions before finally settling in right field. Last season he was the lone Pirate to start all 40 contests, posting a .250 batting average and a .382 slugging percentage and was third on the team in putouts with 82.

Clark is a work horse that has shown the younger players how hard you have to play every day in practice to be successful. His fire at the shortstop position keeps games interesting and runners off the bases with a team high 76 assists last year. His 18 RBI’s was fourth on the team, behind Wooten, as he had a .274 batting average.

Rounding out the senior clan is Boone who has taken to the leadership role like a fish to water. Leading has come naturally for the centerfielder as he has hit leadoff for most of career. Once this hitter gets on base, opposing teams take notice. Boone scored a team high 33 runs last year with a .280 batting average and drew 20 walks for a .397 on base percentage.

“This group of seniors are thriving on their leadership roles this season,” states Head Coach Jim Shelton. “All three bring something unique to the table and they are must-haves for us to have a successful season.”

Experience will be a huge asset for the Pirates, especially on the mound as SU returns five of their top six pitchers from last year. Last seasons young, but talented first-year class has grown into experienced and driven sophomores while those becoming upper-classmen are ready to set a high standard from the rubber.

“Our pitching staff has a lot of experience on the mound,” says Coach Shelton. “This group has the opportunity to build off the experience they got last year and make a massive impact on our team and season.”

In the field there are just two positions where Pirates have not seen significant college time and will certainly provide a defensive iron curtain if hitters are able to get the ball in play.

At the plate Southwestern will use speed and craft to defeat its opponents, stringing together hits to push runs across the plate. The Pirates return six of the top ten batting averages from last season.

Southwestern opens on the road on January 31^st at Houston-Victoria and February 2^nd at Texas Wesleyan before hosting their first home games, a three game series against Concordia-Austin on February 6^th and 7^th . This is the beginning of what Coach Shelton calls a “two-part season”. Early non-conference games will provide tough tests for Southwestern’s squad and aid the staff to learn strengths of players at the plate and in the field to determine the best line up as they head into the second half of the season, SCAC conference action.

Despite the perennially tough SCAC conference schedule the Pirates are poised to make waves with the well-rounded talent at their disposal and make a push to the SCAC Championships.