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Whoever
coined the phrase, “A little wet behind the ears,”
surely had this year’s edition of the CBU baseball team
in mind.
A pitching staff that lists no seniors on its roster and
an everyday lineup that could feature two to three true freshmen
on a regular basis might be a cause of major concern for Coach
Phil Goodwin, who is entering his sixth campaign
at the helm of the Buccaneers, but Goodwin looks forward to
the challenge.
“I have enjoyed working with this group of players
more than any squad in many years,” he said. “We
have a group of hard working, dedicated young players and
they don’t have time to grow up. They have to be ready
now.”
The Bucs return only two everyday senior players. Outfielder,
Wes Hoover and catcher, Brian Dejean
have been masterful in their leadership of the young team.
The infield, although young, should prove a pretty solid
group. Junior college transfer, Blake Christian,
will split his time between first base and catcher. Junior
John Raymond Hehn returns, but will move
to third base, and will see significant pitching opportunities.
Freshman Mark Foster at shortstop and freshman
Andrew Griffy at second base could be one
of the best middle infields in the Gulf South Conference.
Freshman Graham Harrison will spend time
in the infield, while serving as a designated hitter, and
will also see time on the mound. Key backups in the infield
will be Andrew Livernois at first and Hank
Pitts at any position in the infield. Mark
McCleskey will add needed depth to the infield once
his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery is complete.
The outfield will be staffed by Hoover in right field and
a combination of sophomore Shane Hogan and juniors Ryne
Dahlke and Michael St. Cin in left
and center.
The pitching staff, although primarily young, has shown the
ability to come in and get the job done in preseason work.
Goodwin’s weekend rotation could most likely involve
the trio of sophomore Charlie Soukup, freshman
John Daush and junior Matt Smith.
Junior Jon Marshall and sophomore Shawn
Morgan are recovering from arm injuries, but hope
to make it back into the rotation mid season.
The team is youthful and untested, but a schedule featuring
a heavy dose of home contests should help this year’s
team performance.
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