Baseball Turns to Inexperienced Lineup after Record-Breaking Season
January 26, 2010


Coming off a school-record 39-12 finish and Top 20 final ranking, the 2010 edition of The University of Texas at Tyler baseball team will take on a different look with a ton of new faces but with the same common goal of making a repeat trip to the American Southwest Conference title game.

“You’re going to have years where a lot of guys are returning and years where a lot of guys are leaving, and that’s just part of the deal,” seventh-year head coach James Vilade said. “The things that matter the most for us right now are how much time we put in with our guys and how we help them develop. Year in and year out, it comes down to getting players ready to compete. That’s our focus.”

Vilade has compiled an impressive 194-53 (.785) record in his previous six seasons at UT Tyler, leading the Patriots to four ASC East Division championships and 35 or more wins the previous three years. The Patriots return just two starters and 12 letterwinners from last year’s squad that won the American Southwest Conference and advanced to its first-ever Regional appearance in McMinville, Ore.

The Patriots are a squad that likes to jump on you early, and it showed last season. UT Tyler outscored its opponents 274-143 over the first five innings and were an impressive 31-1 when leading after six innings. The Patriots were also a perfect 17-0 when holding opponents to 0-2 runs, which complemented a very good defense.

Around the Diamond:
The Patriots are very young in the infield, but are solid up the middle. Sophomore Aaron McCain who backed up Chad Daleiden and appeared in 15 games a year ago and sophomore transfer Corey Henderson from Navarro JC are slated to start at second and short.

“We’re fortunate to have a veteran middle infielder in (Corey) Henderson along with a guy who knows our system in (Aaron) McCain,” Vilade said. “We’re pretty strong up the middle, and I have no reservations in building our team around that.”

Justin Juneau, a junior transfer from Jefferson State CC who was named to Collegiate Baseball’s 2010 Watch List, will earn the start at first base. Juneau hit .271 in his sophomore campaign with eight home runs and 40 RBIs, leading the Bulldogs to the NJCAA Regionals.

At third base, the Patriots have a few options in newcomers Jordon Vierra and T.J. Martin. Vierra, a junior college transfer from Tyler JC, will fill some gap in the UT Tyler lineup, wether it is at third or the designated hitter spot. Martin is a true freshman from Bishop Lynch HS, standing at 6-foot-2, 180-pounds.

In the Outfield:
A trio of seniors are tabbed to lead a veteran outfield, led by leftfielder and three-year letterwinner Austin Newell who hit .357 with a team-leading .464 on-base percentage to go along with 12 doubles, two triples, a home run and 21 runs driven in. Keenan Duke will likely start in centerfield after earning the start in 11 games last year, whereas senior transfer Cody Jones will man rightfield after coming over from ETBU. Jones hit .560 in 14 games last year – all starts – recording seven doubles, five home runs and driving in 17. Sophomore Jake Ashley, who played in 17 games last season and started some in center during the Regionals, will also be competing for a starting spot.

On the Mound:
Pitching will be the key area of concern for the Patriots this upcoming season after losing their top three starters in ASC East Pitcher of the Year and career strikeout leader Brett Holland (9-5, 3.24 ERA, 5 CG, 114 SO), Second Team All-ASC performer Blake Booher  (9-1, 3.50 ERA, 49 SO) and Lex Wolfe (5-2, 4.22 ERA, 60 SO), who combined for a 23-8 record in 2009. The Patriots are also without relievers and All-ASC selections Beau Ziegler (5-1, 2.62 ERA, 6 SV) and Tommy Rozell (6-2, 4.33 ERA) who were both lost to graduation.

Senior right-hander Matt Sparks (0-0, 3.89 ERA, 12 APP), who logged the most innings of this year’s returners, will be in the starting rotation and gives the Patriots a chance to win every time he takes the ball.  Sparks had a key outing last year for UT Tyler in the ASC Championship game, carrying a no-hitter into the 7th inning that allowed the Patriots to earn an 8-5 victory. Also returning are seniors Matt Thiesen and Craig Fandel, who had really good fall seasons, and sophomores Chance Williams and Doug Vardeman who will play more of a role this season after just 12.2 combined innings a year ago.

The Patriots add a handful of newcomers in Texarkana College transfer Justin Fowler, a 6-foot-6 right-hander who was drafted as a freshman by the Atlanta Braves, and Chase Willard, a junior left-hander from ETBU who brings experience in the conference already. Both guys have a chance to find the starting rotation, as well as Logan Chitwood, who was named one of two UT Tyler Players to Watch by Collegiate Baseball. Chitwood is coming off a solid career at Navarro JC and is a guy who throws 92-95 consistently with a strong chance of being taken in the MLB draft. Willard’s former teammate at ETBU, Matt Schimpf, should see some time as a long reliever as well.

“Pitching wise, we don’t return a whole lot,” assistant coach Stan Phelps said. “Other than Matt Sparks, we pretty much have no returning experience. We also don’t really set team goals as a staff, but I expect us to be leading the conference in ERA and strikeouts every year.”

UT Tyler has led the ASC the past five years in team ERA, including a 3.02 ERA in 2008, which ranked fifth in all of Division III. The Patriots have also been the league’s strikeout leader four of the previous five seasons, led by an ASC single-season 114 strikeouts from Holland a year ago.

Behind the plate, the Patriots return West Region Gold Glove winner in senior Nathan Skeen, who threw out 12 of 30 runners a year ago in addition to hitting .333 from the plate with 11 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 28 RBIs. Sophomore Hayden Chick played in 13 games a year ago, recording 16 putouts from behind the plate.

The Schedule:
The Patriots come right out of the chute with Mary Hardin-Baylor and UT-Dallas on Feb. 5-6 in the 2nd Annual Clements Fluids Easton Classic at Irwin Field, opening a stretch of nine home games out of their first 11. An afternoon doubleheader with Shreiner on Feb. 13 marks the Patriots’ first road game before opening a season-long 8-game road swing from March 2-13 with games at UT-Dallas, Sul Ross State, Marietta and East Texas Baptist to kickoff the ASC season.

A two-game series with 2009 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference champion and NCAA Regional participant Hendrix College on March 16-17 opens a season-long 9-game homestand, which closes with SCAC member Austin College on March 30. The Patriots also entertain Ozarks (Ark.) and UT-Dallas in a 3-game series during the home stretch.

UT Tyler will close the 2010 regular season on April 21 with Jarvis Christian at Irwin Field.

The ASC Tournament is set for Apr. 30-May 1, with the Championship Round set for May 7-9.
 

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