Emory Baseball 2010 Season Preview
With 19 returning players from last year's 24-18 team, and 14
new faces added to the mix, the Emory University baseball team is
preparing for a 2010 season that the coaches and players are
optimistic will bring a return to the NCAA Tournament.
Overview
Emory last made the tournament during the 2007 season, making a run
all the way to the Division III Championship game before falling
short of the title. Despite compiling a 49-29-1 record and a
University Athletic Association Championship in the two seasons
since, the Eagles have missed the tournament during each of the
last two campaigns.
However, Emory head coach Mike Twardoski has
compiled a squad in 2010 that bears a number of similarities to the
Eagles' 2007 team. Emory's seven rising seniors in 2010 are
the most since their 2007 senior class, and will be aided by an
additional 11 juniors. Twardoski hopes that the team's
experience, along with a strong work ethic, will be enough to guide
them back to the NCAA Tournament.
"It will not be these kids fault if they are not ready," said
Twardoski. They have done everything that the coaching staff
has asked, they have wanted to be down at the field, and these kids
are going to be ready to play. Whatever happens, happens, but
the team has done everything in its power to get ready to play this
year."
Infield
The Eagles will be returning the middle of their infield from last
year's squad, as junior and two-time all-UAA player Andrew
Cohn (.304, 40 runs scored, 24 RBI) and sophomore
Kevin O'Connor (.262, 30 runs scored) will handle
the duties at shortstop and second base, respectively. At
first base, sophomore Jay Page, who hit .269 with
12 RBIs in 14 starts in 2009, will have the tough task of taking
over the starting role from graduating all-region third teamer
Steve Bralver. The Eagles will turn to youth
at third base, as freshman Andrew DeYoung, who
redshirted at Division I Ball State University last season, will
man the hot corner.
"Our infield defense has been a strength of the team so far, both
in the fall and the start of the spring," said Twardoski.
Unlike last season, the Eagles have added considerable depth to the
infield in 2010. Sophomore Jonathan Reilly,
a transfer from Broward College, looks to see time both in the
field and in the designated hitter role. Adding to Emory's
options around the diamond are returning sophomore first baseman
Will Vaughn, junior transfers Ryan
Jones (Truett McConnell College) and Evan
Plys (South Georgia College), and freshmen Mark
Lindemann and Robbie Wodarczyk.
Returning senior third baseman Marc Terranova, who
hit three home runs last season, will be a valuable contributor to
the team, in both an offensive role and as a newly-discovered
pitcher for Emory.
"The great part about our infield this year is that we have
options. We have a number of infielders with the four spots,
so if somebody is hot or playing well defensively, we can plug them
into the lineup."
Catchers
Emory will return its core group of catchers from
2009, including juniors Jeremy Bolian and
Scott Schwartz, who will most likely platoon at
the position to start the season. Bolian finished his 2009
campaign with a .282 batting average, including a .362 mark during
his final 19 games of the season. Schwartz will begin the
season as a .379 career hitter during his first two years on the
team. Also in the mix for playing time are junior
Matt Fennell and freshman J.B.
Smith.
"We have four catchers, and it would not surprise me to have any of
the four play in a certain game," said Twardoski. "I think
right now, Scott (Schwartz) and Jeremy (Bolian) are the two we are
probably going to center on from the start, but we can have all
four play this year."
Outfield
Senior Dan Molnar will begin his fourth season as
the Eagles' starting right fielder, following a 2009 campaign
during which he hit .319 with three home runs, 32 runs scored and a
team-best .492 on-base percentage, in addition to breaking the
school's single-season record with 49 walks. Gabe
Shivers, a junior transfer from Young Harris College, will
be the Eagles' opening day starter in centerfield, while junior and
Brevard Community College transfer Patrick
Riebsame will take over for graduating all-region player
David Hissey in left field. Returning junior
Mark Mazur and sophomore Blake
Pindyck will provide experience off the bench, while
freshmen Ben Schmidt, Jake
Eisenberg, and Maxim Sankey will look to
make an impact during their inaugural campaign with Emory.
"I feel very, very strong about how well our outfield play is going
to be this year," said Twardoski.
Pitchers
Senior Matthew Katten will try to
anchor the starting rotation for the second-straight season, after
finishing 2009 with a team-best six wins (a 6-3 overall record) and
an ERA of 4.03. Junior southpaw Elliott
Coor, who pitched to a 0.47 ERA in his final six
appearances (four starts) in 2009, will also be a major factor for
the Emory starting rotation. Junior Chris Monaco
and senior Adam Genn will add depth to the
rotation, which will be rounded out by Paul
Schwendel, who, despite not playing in 2009, recorded a
perfect 6-0 record with a 5.01 ERA in 2008. Sophomore
Connor McGuiness will likely see time as both a
starter and a reliever during the year.
Leading the back end of the bullpen will be senior closer
Zeb Heidt, who was a second-team all-region and
all-UAA player last season. Heidt finished the season with a
1.35 ERA and a team-best seven saves. Seniors Will
Gumm and Brian Cournoyer, along with
freshman Caleb Long, will also provide help out of
the bullpen for Emory.
"The exciting part about our pitching staff is that we are a
veteran staff. We have five seniors and three juniors, and
they have been in the system a long time. We may not have the
preseason all-American, but we are going to be strong from top to
bottom. We have been throwing a lot of strikes and holding
people on. The great part about our pitching staff is that
they work hard every day, and that's how you get better."
Schedule
The Eagles will open their season on Friday, February
12th at Oglethorpe University, before playing in their
home opener at Chappell Park against Oglethorpe on Saturday and
Sunday. The Eagles will participate in the North Carolina
Wesleyan/ Coldwell Banker Tournament of Champions from February
20th - 21st and host the Rawlings Southern
Classic from February 26th - 28th, before
heading off to Sanford, FL for the annual University Athletic
Association Championship Tournament. Other highlights from
the Eagles' schedule include a March 5th matchup against
Denison University, now coached by former Eagles assistant Mike
Clark, and road trips to North Carolina to face Guilford and
Methodist, and Montogomery, AL to take on Huntingdon College.
After receiving two votes in the d3baseball.com preseason poll, the
Eagles will look forward to the start of the season, and, if all
goes according to plan for Twardoski and his squad, a revival of
the success that the team experienced just three years ago.
