courtesy SIUE
EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. - When the SIUE baseball team takes the field in 2010, it will embark on year two of the four-year transition process to full NCCA Division I status. After enjoying great success at the Division II level, SIUE Head Coach Gary Collins welcomed the move to Division I and understood that success would not come immediately.
"I think a lot of the other teams (at SIUE) are finding out now what it's like to play an all Division I schedule," Collins said. "We got a taste of it last year. When they said we were moving up, I thought we should move right up."
The Cougars, who enjoyed a winning record in 11 of their final 15 seasons at Division II, struggled to a 15-39 record in 2009, while playing a schedule that featured all but three Division I opponents.
The schedule in 2010 has just a single game against an opponent that isn't Division I. SIUE scheduled 55 games, including 13 home contests. The Cougars, who will become full members of the Ohio Valley Conference for the 2013 baseball season, play seven opponents from the OVC in 2010. "It does give us some insight into the conference," Collins said. "But we got a little of that last year as well."
Collins, who begins his 32nd season at the helm for the Cougars and has 959 wins, doesn't get too caught up in the opponents on the schedule.
"The kids are excited to play (Southern Illinois) Carbondale for three games," he said. "Really they all count the same to me."
SIUE's roster will showcase a true mix of experienced players and newcomers. Of the 30-man squad, 17 are underclassmen and 13 are juniors and seniors. There are nine freshmen and nine seniors on the roster, leaving 12 somewhere in between.
"We have some talented seniors who will give us some experience," Collins said. "What I like is the seniors we have are good kids who are working hard, but they understand that the freshmen have got to be a big part of this team this year."
Collins believes the Cougars will have better depth in 2010.
"I don't see a set lineup," Collins said. "I don't see us using the same nine guys very often." Collins mentioned just four players when talking about regulars in the lineup.
"(Michael) Hopkins will play the majority of the games at first, (Mike) Hurt maybe all of them at short," Collins said. "(Adam) Eggemeyer will play in center and (Mitch) Matecki at one of the other outfield spots."
"The other five," Collins continued. "We're going to see some different guys."
Eggemeyer (Steeleville) will anchor an outfield that Collins believes is greatly improved from a season ago. It is easily the deepest spot on the team, with the possibility of seven players seeing some time in the outfield.
The senior turned in the team's highest batting average in 2009 at .389, but played in just 16 games before redshirting due to a shoulder injury. He was a second team All-Great Lakes Region pick in 2008, while leading the team with seven home runs.
"He's got pro tools," Collins said. "But he has to be tougher mentally and be more selective at the plate. Everything in the package is quality: great arm, good wheels, good outfielder, good base runner. It's all about his plate work."
Matecki (Millstadt) returns after starting 53 games in 2009, while leading the team with 15 doubles. His four home runs are the most of any returner.
"He's one of the guys we'll count on every day out there." Collins said.
Senior Dustin Brooks (Rantoul) will also see some time in the outfield, but will also serve as the backup catcher. Brooks added three home runs and 25 RBIs in 2008, while appearing in 47 games in the outfield and behind the plate.
"He had a real good summer," Collins said. "He's a hard worker."
Sophomore Thad Hawkins (Pinckneyville) returns after a medical redshirt in 2009. "He's regaining his strength," Collins said. "He's looking like he may turn into the player we thought he was going to be."
Highly-touted freshman Travis Becherer (Highland) also will challenge for time on the field. Becherer, who can play the outfield as well as first base, was a three-time All-Area performer as chosen by the Belleville News Democrat. He hit .407 during his senior season at Highland High School.
"He's a talented freshman," Collins said. "Travis is going to be a real good player for four years."
Senior Brent Rynearson (Glasford) and junior Christian Rohlfing (Columbia), both walk-ons, could also see some time in the outfield. The pair combined for 43 games in 2009.
Hopkins (St. Charles, Mo.) and Hurt (Springfield), both of who are seniors, will anchor the defense on the infield for the Cougars.
Hopkins started 42 games in 2009, hitting .335 for the year. He'll play first base as well as hit in the middle of the Cougar lineup.
"He's just a good solid college baseball player, Collins said. "He did a heck of a job hitting last year. He exceeded my expectations."
"He jumped up and started hitting some balls in the gaps and some over the fence," Collins continued. "I see him hitting in the four hole."
Hurt started all but one game for SIUE in 2009, and Collins believes he will do the same this year as the team's shortstop.
"Unless something happens, he'll be out there virtually every day," Collins said. "He's just a solid player."
Sophomore Zach Hawkins (Pinckneyville) will play at third for the Cougars. Hawkins started 49 games as a freshman and added 18 RBIs.
"He's another guy who works hard and wants to get better," Collins said. "He's got a little power potential."
Senior walk-on Ryan Wiggs (Belleville) and a trio of talented freshmen round out the infield for the Cougars.
Wiggs appeared in 23 games in 2009 and started 11, turning in 15 hits in 52 at-bats for a .288 average.
Joel Greating (Columbia), Matt Highland (Kankakee), and James Vasquez (Crystal Lake) will all fight for time.
Collins believes Greating, the 2009 Belleville News Democrat Player of the Year, could see a lot of time for SIUE.
"Joel has a real future as a hitter," Collins said. "I think he is going to force us to play him somewhere--he is that good of a hitter."
Greating hit .442 with 37 RBIs as a senior at Columbia High School.
Freshman Luke Partridge (Anna) will likely redshirt this season.
Three players on the roster, as well as Brooks, have some experience behind the plate. Sophomore Brett Keeler (Munster, Ind.) will lead the catching core, but senior Brett Lancaster (Libertyville) and sophomore Ben Fredbloom (Lansing) could also see time. Keeler played in 46 games as a freshman.
"Brett's looked a lot more solid this fall," Collins said. "His catching has improved and his throwing has improved."
The Cougars' pitching staff, while young, is not without experience. SIUE brings back six pitchers, all of whom made at least 12 appearances in 2009.
"Our older guys need to show some leadership and some stability," SIUE Associate Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said.
The staff features a pair of seniors.
Right-handers Spencer Patton (Kinmundy) and Luke Vine (Brisbane, Australia) will both be looked at as top-of-the-rotation guys. Patton led the team in wins (four), starts (12), innings pitched (68.2), and strikeouts (77) as a junior. His earned run average of 5.24 was second on the team.
"We expect Spencer to come out and pitch like a No. 1 all year," Stoecklin said. Vine made 12 appearances and 10 starts as a junior, but was 0-5. Stoecklin believes it is important for Vine to have success.
"We expect big things from Luke," Stoecklin said. "He's been in the program for four years. He's been through the system, and we need him to produce."
Sophomores Dustin Quattrocchi (Wheaton), Mitchell Fairley (Quincy), Josh Hoguet (Fairview Heights) and Brian Lorenz (LaGrange) make up the rest of the returning staff for the Cougars.
Quattrocchi, a left-hander, led the team with a 4.75 ERA. He appeared 17 times, second-most on the team. His 60.2 innings pitched were second only to Patton. He struck out 40 hitters and walked just 12.
"We're not sure what his role will be, but he will get the ball often," Stoecklin said. "I can see him starting, and I can see him closing. He's definitely going to pitch."
Fairley, also a lefty, tied Patton with four wins and was second in strikeouts with 70 in 60 innings pitched during his freshman campaign.
"He had a good fall, and he's off to a good start this spring," Stoecklin said. "At times he has shown flashes of being really good."
Hoguet had a team-leading 18 appearances during his freshman year, while starting five times. He was among a trio of Cougar hurlers with two saves.
"We're not sure where we're going to use him either," Stoecklin said of the right-hander. "He got better from the start of the year to the end of the year, and this summer he worked hard and progressed. We're going to need him to pitch well."
Lorenz, a right-hander, appeared 16 times out of the bullpen, while also earning seven games in the outfield for SIUE. He will make the permanent move to the pitching staff this year.
"Brian has a lot of upside, but he is still learning how to pitch," Stoecklin said. "He has the pitches to get guys out at this level, but he needs to put it together and be more consistent."
A pair of junior transfers could be the wild card for Stoecklin's staff. Stoecklin likes what he sees out of right-hander Josh Malin (St. Louis) and lefty Kyle Dodson (Brinfield).
Malin transferred to SIUE from St. Louis Community College Forest Park and sat out last year. "I'd have to say (Josh) had the best fall of all of the pitchers," Stoecklin said. "He's going to have the opportunity to start early in the year."
Dodson is coming off of back-to-back redshirt seasons after transferring in from Parkland Junior College.
"(Kyle) is the sleeper of the staff if he stays healthy," Stoecklin continued. "I hope he stays healthy because he has worked so hard. Hopefully he sees some benefit. He has earned it."
Four freshmen will also have the opportunity to compete for time on the mound this season.
Right-handers Brooks McDowell (Libertyville) and Jake Stauffenberg (Kankakee) join left-handers Luke Ingersoll (Savana) and Tony Schaeffer (Carlyle) as newcomers to the staff.
SIUE opens its second season in Division I with a 3 p.m. game at Central Arkansas February 19th. The Cougars will play 15 games before playing at home for the first time. SIUE's first home contest is March 16 against fellow transition school North Dakota at 3 p.m.
