BACK IN THE SWING
Entering the third year of a major rebuilding effort head coach Jim Dapkus is continuing to overhaul the Blue Tigers into a winner. It has been four seasons since the most frequent winning program at Lincoln University has recorded a winning season (23-17, 2001-02). The Blue Tigers from 1991-92 through 2005-06 posted a record of 257-414-5 (38 percent).
The Blue Tigers return 12 student-athletes who earned letters in 2006. Of those 12, five started a majority of the 52 games for Lincoln University. Senior Ryan Becker, who led the Blue Tigers with a .337 batting average last season will be playing first base and catching this season after being an outfielder and designated hitter in 2006. Justin Holliday (jr.) is going to play first base and see time on the mound. Working behind the plate for most games will be Daniel Struemph. Struemph (so.) is also being counted on to pitch as well. Tyrell Roseburrow (sr.) and Travis Kay (jr.) look to lock up starting positions in the outfield for the Blue Tigers.
A trio of starters are back to hurl pitches at the opposition. Adam Patch (sr.), who started a team-high 12 games in 2006 finished the season with a 3-6 mark and a 6.38 Earned Run Average. Ben Neuner (so.) started 11 games in his freshman season going 3-6 with a 6.34 ERA. Matt Rose (sr.) kicked off 10 games with a 5-6 mark and 4.76 ERA.
Durable Bobby Livingston (sr.) led the Blue Tigers with 15 appearances in 2006. The senior from West Hills, Calif. had a 2-2 record and 4.26 ERA.
Looking to play more for the Blue Tigers are Tyler Asche (so., 1B/P), Chris Barrett (so., C), Troy Malesky (so., OF) and Keenan Simon (so., IF/P).
A cast of 14 newcomers are trying to win starting positions in the lineup of coach Jim Dapkus. Among the position players looking to crack the starting lineup are; David Atkins (2B/3B), Jareem Gunter (1B), Mike Hall (3B), Mitch Lickey (SS/2B), Chris Long (C), Mike Overman (OF), Mike Rodgers (2B/SS), Dusty Schneiders (SS), Sean Weber (OF) and Phil Widel (OF). Working for a spot in the starting rotation or coming out of the bullpen are Mat Bolzenius, Cody Dudenhoeffer, David Fall and Blake Jones. Dudenhoeffer is also competing for innings on the infield.
Once again Dapkus has structured a schedule of competitive non-conference games around the 40-game Heartland Conference slate. Lincoln University opens the season with four neutral-site games against Rockhurst University (Kansas City, Mo.). The Blue Tigers begin their quest for a winning season on Feb. 2 against the Hawks in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis, Minn. The Hawks are No. 34 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper preseason poll. Rockhurst was 36-22 in 2006. Under head coach Gary Burns, the Hawks have won 437 games and advanced to postseason play 10 times in 13 seasons. The Hawks were chosen to come in second in the 2007 Great Lakes Valley Conference Preseason Poll. Leading a cast of 14 returnees for Rockhurst is Mike Walczuk, a 2006 all-GLVC second team honoree as a designated hitter. The Hawks return three starting pitchers from their 2006 rotation; J.P. McGrath, Ryan Morgan and Patrick Larm. That trio started a combined 27 of the 52 Rockhurst games in 2006 and posted a 15-6 record with a 2.38 ERA.
In their first season of play in the powerful Great Lakes Valley Conference, the Hawks finished third and advanced to the Great Lakes Regional. Other teams from the GLVC, a wood bat league to make the Great Lakes Regional in 2006 were Northern Kentucky, Quincy (2006 opponent) and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
Also on the Blue Tigers docket are No. 24 St. Mary’s (Feb. 16-17 away, May 4-5 home) and No. 9 Central Missouri (April 24 away).
Although they did not win the Heartland Conference, St. Mary’s made the 2006 South Central Regional Tournament. The Rattlers were picked second in the 2007 Heartland Conference Preseason Poll, after a third place finish in 2006. Poised to guide the Rattlers back to another regional appearance is 2006 Heartland Conference co-Pitcher of the Year and all-Heartland Conference performer, Caleb Staudt. St. Mary’s is also counting on 2006 co-Freshmen of the Year and all-Heartland Conference selection Michael Brzezinski (OF). He was selected 2007 Heartland Conference Preseason Player of the Year. Contributions from 2006 all-Heartland Conference members, Zach Kucera (RP) and Ryan Femath (SS/OF) will provide St. Mary’s with winning experience.
Three-time defending Heartland Conference champions Incarnate Word were selected to win the conference in 2007. The Cardinals return 2006 Heartland Conference co-Pitcher of the Year and all-Heartland Conference honoree Jeff Jamnik to the starting rotation. Jamnik was named 2007 Preseason Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year. Returning to bolster the Cardinals lineup are 2006 all-Heartland Conference players Chris Solis (C) and Chris Pacheco (OF).
St. Edward’s University with first-year head coach Rob Penders, looks to bring the tradition of winning to the Hilltoppers after annual trips to the College World Series while serving as the first-base coach at the University of Texas. Penders is the nephew of current University of Houston men’s basketball head coach Tom Penders, formerly of the University of Texas. R. Penders will rely on a pair of returning senior starting pitchers to produce for the Hilltoppers. Caleb Plant and Enrique Lozano, both 2006 all-Heartland Conference picks are the rocks of the rotation for St. Edward’s. Bradley Goldsmith, a 2006 all-Heartland Conference selection has been named a Preseason all-America by Collegiate Baseball. That publication also designated Brian Thomas (3B) as a Player to Watch and Dexter Moreno (RHP/1B) as a Newcomer to Watch. After a second-place finish in Heartland Conference play in 2006, the Hilltoppers were chosen to end third in the 2007 Heartland Conference Preseason Poll.
The first game in Missouri for Lincoln University this season is March 6 at the University of Missouri-Rolla at 12:00 p.m. Thomas McCormick (OF), the 2006 GLVC Freshman of the Year is back to lead the Miners. The Miners, who completed the 2006 season with an 11-41 record were picked to finish 12th in the 2007 GLVC Preseason Poll.
Lincoln University opens the home portion of their schedule on March 9 with Texas-Permian Basin at 12:00 p.m. on Lincoln Field. The Falcons are provisional members of the Heartland Conference.
A single nine-inning game at 6:00 p.m. in Crane Stadium on Tompkins Field on the University of Central Missouri campus in Warrensburg, Mo. is the marquee game on the Lincoln University schedule. The Mules, who won their seventh consecutive Mid-America Athletics Association Tournament Championship last season, return 2006 American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings All-Central Region first-team picks Gered Mochizuki (2B) and Brandon Morris (RHP). Mochizuki was a first team all-MIAA selection, while Morris was the 2006 MIAA Freshman of the Year and a member of the all-MIAA second-team.
If the Blue Tigers are to have a winning season, improvement must come from two main areas; close games and getting ahead early. In 2006 Lincoln University posted a 5-27 mark in games decided by five runs or less (1-13 in games of two runs or less). During the 2006 campaign, the Blue Tigers were 6-24 when the opponent scored first and 3-17 when the opposition scored in the first inning. The Lincoln University bullpen and defense did fare well closing games. The Blue Tigers were 18-2 when leading after six innings, but 0-28 when trailing after six innings.
The Blue Tigers are making strides to have a breakout season in 2007 and may become the most winning baseball team of the last 15 years at Lincoln University. The 1998-99 team completed the season 31-18 overall and 18-6 in the MIAA to advance to the MIAA Tournament. The success of the 2007 Lincoln University baseball team like most baseball teams relies on health and pitching. These two aspects will prove to be key factors as the Blue Tigers take aim at completing the season with a winning record.
