WICHITA, Kan. — With a solid group of players returning and a number of newcomers waiting to jump into the fold, the Newman baseball team is ready to kick off its 2016 campaign.
The Jets, who won eight of their final 12 games last season to finish one game under .500 at 23-24 and tallied a 12-15 mark in Heartland Conference play, picked up at least one win against four of the five teams ahead of them in the standings, and are looking to improve even more this season.
Three position players are back after starting all 47 games last season, with two more starting at least half. Junior centerfielder Tyler Bugner was named all-region by multiple outlets after a stellar sophomore year, and was named preseason All-America by Hero Sports. Eight pitchers are back with at least 10 appearances under their belt last year.
"Probably the best thing about our team is the consistency of their effort," coach Zane Ehling said. "Day-in, day-out, the effort is the same. So that consistency has been really good, and hopefully that translates when we start playing games.
"Overall we're really athletic and we should steal a lot of bases again. We have should play good defense, and we have the ability to pitch really well."
The Jets open up their season this weekend at Southwestern Oklahoma, facing the Bulldogs in a doubleheader Friday at noon before a single game Saturday at noon. They return home for four straight weekends beginning Feb. 20-21 against Wayne State.
Season Breakdown (2015 Statistics in Parentheses)
Pitchers:
Returners: David Herrera, Sr. (2-1, 14 app., 2 GS, 5.16 ERA, 22 2/3 inn., 23 SO, 12 BB); Lucas Schauer, Jr. (8-4, 5.57 ERA, 12 GS, 76 inn., 51 SO, 22 BB); Ryan Jenkins, Sr. (1-0, 6.59 ERA, 11 app., 13 2/3 inn., 12 SO, 6 BB); Joe Cannady, Jr. (0-1, 6.59 ERA, 14 app., 13 2/3 inn., 1 save, 9 SO, 8 BB); Skylar Barnes, Sr. (0-1, 6.60 ERA, 13 app., 15 inn., 12 SO, 10 BB); Dylan Porter, Sr. (2-3, 7.19 ERA, 12 app., 7 GS, 41 1/3 inn., 26 SO, 15 BB); Chase Wilson, Jr. (1-0, 2.45 ERA, 2 app, 1 GS, 7 1/3 inn., 6 SO, 1 BB); Craig Hamil, Sr. (3 app., 3 inn.); Kevin Luman, Sr. (13 app., 9 2/3 inn.); Corey Mondello, Sr. (11 app., 9 inn.).
Newcomers: Kane McCarthy, So. (At Pratt CC: 4-3, 3.15 ERA, 13 app., 1 GS, 54 1/3 inn., 34 SO, 23 BB); Justen Heuermann, Jr. (At Pratt CC: 3-4, 8.34 ERA, 10 app., 1 GS, 41 inn., 38 SO, 15 BB); Bradley Altdoerffer, Jr. (At Southeastern Iowa CC: 3-1, 2.68 ERA, 24 app., 2 GS, 47 inn., 42 SO, 10 BB).
Coach Speak: "Schauer will probably start Game 1 every time for us. He was pretty much our workhorse last year, and he'll probably do that again. He throws a lot of strikes and he competes. McCarthy will do the same thing for us. He was hurt a lot of the fall, but he'll be there in the spring for us. Barnes didn't really throw a whole lot last year, but he's thrown really well this year. As for the bullpen, we have a group of guys that haven't had to fit into those roles yet, but the back end is probably going to be Cannady, Heuermann and Mondello for the most part."
Catchers:
Returners: Aaron Mack, So. (.306 avg., 32 RBI, 6 2B, 2 HR, 28 runs, .424 OBP, 6-of-8 SB); Mitchell Beaudreau, Sr. (In 2014: .301 avg., 32 RBI, 5 2B, 6 3B, 37 runs, caught 26 percent of base stealers).
Newcomers: Nick Mitchell, Jr. (Hesston CC).
Coach Speak: "Beaudreau will catch the majority of the games for us, especially once we get into conference season. He caught almost everything his junior year, but then hurt his ankle last year and Mack caught every game for us last year. Mack will DH when he's not catching, and he'll be in the middle of our order, and Beaudreau can really fit anywhere in our lineup."
Infielders:
Returners: Garett Thomas, Sr. (.329 avg., 39 RBI, 19 2B, 2 HR, 35 runs, .486 SLG); Daniel Jahnke, So. (.325 avg., 18 RBI, 6 2B, 1 HR, 13 runs); Brian Canfield, So. (.231 avg. , 5 RBI, 7 runs, 1 2B, 2 SB in 14 games).
Newcomers: Jacob Hamerle, Jr. (.303 avg., 22 RBI, 7 2B, 1 HR, 38 runs, 20-of-22 SB, .435 OBP); Nick Griffin, Jr. (.367 avg., 12 RBI, 5 2B, 16 runs, 12-of-12 SB); Andrew Russell, Fr. (Garrison (Texas) HS).
Coach Speak: "Garett will play first most of the time, Mack could fit there too sometimes. Jahnke will be at third and probably a little bit of first, and Russell will play some third. Canfield is at short and Hamerle at second, and Griffin can mix in a little bit too. Hamerle will lead us off to start the year, and Jahnke will be a back-half of the order guy. Garett is a middle of the order guy, and Canfield has the ability to be there, he just has to get the time at the plate. And Russell can really run, he'll do some good things."
Outfielders:
Returners: Tyler Bugner, Jr. (.436 avg., 30 RBI, 48 runs, 14 2B, 21-of-22 SB, 30 BB, .523 OBP, .525 SLG); Lucas Norton, Sr. (.262 avg., 16 RBI, 9 2B, 1 HR, 19 runs, 5-of-6 SB).
Newcomers: Jordan Doan, Jr. (At Dodge City CC: .269 avg., 33 RBI, 44 runs, 10 2B, 4 HR, 11-of-14 SB); Paul Rupnik, Fr. (Sir William Mulock (Ontario) HS).
Coach Speak: "Bugner will play center and Norton's in left, and Rupnick and Doan will split right at least to start the season. Obviously, Bugner's pretty good. Rupnick and Doan showed some pop in the fall, and Norton's just that consistent guy at the plate. I think we should be much better than we were last year defensively out there. We're a lot more athletic with Doan and Rupnik."
