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A solid group of veteran leaders join a young, but talent laden Pirate squad that is looking to defy expectations in 2014.
The Southwestern University baseball team enters with high expectations for the 2014 season even if they only resonate from the home dugout. Coming off a three-win season that also saw the Pirates go winless during the conference season has this group hungry to erase last season from their memory.
Head Coach R.J. Thomas has what he considers one of his most talented groups in his eight years as a head coach and with the right veteran leadership could develop into a special team.
"We have our team goals to make it to the conference tournament and I feel confident that we can do that," said Thomas who starts his second season at Southwestern. "We have a bunch of quality guys and if we can stay healthy it could make for a fun season."
Having a few key players back from injury along with transfers bring in a new mix of individuals that have helped add depth and more importantly competition in the starting lineup.
"This spring has been one of the most competitive springs I've been a part of," Thomas said. "Guys are really battling and learning how to have fun playing baseball. Seeing guys step up and lead is something every coach loves to see and those guys learning what it takes to be a successful baseball team."
A look up and down the lineup has coach Thomas excited about his second year at the helm, but finding the right nine always presents unique challenges.
"We need to stay healthy this year and if we can do that our lineup will shake itself out," Thomas said. "Some guys are doing really great things already, but how our starting nine looks on opening day could be very different by the league opener. That's a positive thing and says a lot about the competition level at every position."
Infield
The infield is anchored by Zach Lynch who has stepped up as one of the five senior leaders for the Pirates this spring. Lynch will help anchor the infield and the clubhouse as his 13 RBIs are the most returning along with Will Burks – who will patrol the outfield.
Along with Lynch, speedy sophomore Colten Shea, returns to the mix in the infield with his team high 10 stolen bases. Shea put in numerous hours during the off-season looking to overcome some first-year struggles and looking to find that comfort zone as one of the most athletic Pirates on the roster. The Georgetown native was solid in the field with a fielding percentage just at .893 and hope the off-season work will help raise his average at the plate.
A pair of Pirates that have worked to get healthy and add to the infield depth include, Jeremy Riceand Jake Pawelek. Pawelek – a sophomore who transferred in last season from Lamar University – has Thomas excited to get him in game action for his talents in the field and at the plate. Rice could be one of the top fielders for the Pirates as he continues to get healthy.
Pirates that have also added competition in the infield include Scott Gelbart, Chase Allen, Ethan Luna, and Charlie St. Clair. Luna could see action at both corner infield positions in his first-year with the black and gold.
Allen will also add depth in the infield as the sophomore has worked hard in the off-season to get his average over the .200 mark. Gelbart enters as a switch hitting first-year infielder from California and has raised the competition level in the infield.
St. Clair could see some time in the infield, but will likely add competition behind the plate after transferring in over the summer.
Outfield
The only returner in the outfield is Will Burks who brings in a renewed focus for 2014. Burks – along with the aforementioned Lynch – are the top returners in RBIs and has worked to improve as a fielder and hitter in the off-season.
Six underclassmen will join Burks in the outfield as the spring competition level climbs and that will continue to add depth as the season rolls on. Two sophomores, Will Cates and Dickson Whartonwill battle as Cates returns from an injury that saw him limited to only five games. Wharton has emerged as a solid utility player and can play multiple positions across the diamond for the Pirates this season.
A quartet of first-year players that include Drew Fleischman, Ben Little, Collin Buckley and Mason Jeansonne will also get their opportunity to crack the Pirate lineup and add depth to the outfield. According to Thomas, Fleischman and Little have been impressive in the early spring practices and Little could be a first-year player to watch for a breakout season.
Georgetown native, Buckley also has Thomas excited after taking a year off from baseball while Jeansonne will help add depth off the bench.
Designated Hitter
Senior Tyler Herriage and Ketchum Marsh will both battle for time as the Pirates designated hitter for the 2014 season. Herriage, a senior, and Marsh, a sophomore, have both improved their approach at the plate and will help Southwestern offensively.
Catchers
One of the biggest question marks for Thomas' squad in 2014 is the battery that will handle the Pirate pitching staff. With all new faces, the combination of Tyler Bludau, Charlie St. Clair, Ketchum Marsh, Hunter Hazen and Andrew Glickfeld will all vie for time behind the plate.
The group will be led by transfer, St. Clair who was a solid catcher at Granite Hills High School in California, and caught for Daniel Starwalt who is now pitching at Stanford. His bat could also force Thomas to find time in the lineup for St. Clair.
Bludau is back after missing all of 2013 and has had a good spring so far. He was a two-time all-district catcher at Angleton High School.
Marsh whose bat could move him to the DH spot has also worked hard in the off-season to improve defensively. As the pitching staff continues to shake out, his handling of the staff could lead to more time on the field.
A duo of freshman will also help add depth as well with Hunter Hazen and Andrew Glickfeld. Hazen heads over to the diamond after spending the fall on the Pirate football team as Glickfeld is another California product for the Pirates.
Pitching
The key to almost every season comes down to the pitching the staff and that is no different for the Pirates this spring. Thomas will start his staff in a 'by committee' rotation that will focus on throwing strikes and cutting down the number of walks handed out last season.
A couple of bullpen guys could step up and help the pitching staff starting with upperclassmen Carl Mueller and Colton Seeton. Mueller led the Pirates with 58 strikeouts last season and finished with a team-low 5.14 ERA and held opponents to a team best .277 batting average. Seeton made a team-high 22 appearances and finished with 24 strikeouts in 26.1 innings of work.
Senior, Jason Stading and first-year, Brett Marcom, have also been impressive in early practices and could battle to both be weekend starters for the Pirates. Stading made three starts in 2013 and added 18 strikeouts in just 14 appearances.
Individuals that have raised the competition on the mound and continue to fight for a spot in the rotation include Dillon O'Dell, who has worked hard to make the transition from a position player to the mound.
Joseph Koch, Matt Litz and Nino Tutino, all have continued to compete as Litz posted one of the best strikeout-to-walk ratios for the Pirates and Tutino picked up one of the two saves for Southwestern last year. Koch is coming off an injury from last year and saw limited action in his first-year with the Pirates.
Jose Chapa, Tyler Poi, Noah Clark, Craig McGinnis, and Jacob Kendra will all add depth to the Pirates pitching staff in 2014. Poi and Chapa have worked hard in the off-season to make adjustments that could help them take the next step as a pitcher. Kendra is a first-year starter who has worked hard and could develop into a quality arm for the Pirates sooner rather than later, while Clark and McGinnis continue to develop as first-year pitchers and understanding their time on the mound.