Bucknell University Athletics
Pitching, Defense to Carry Bucknell Baseball
2/11/2002 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 11, 2002
LEWISBURG, Pa. --The 2002 Bucknell baseball team is coming off a banner season in which the Bison won the Patriot League Championship, made a trip to the NCAA Regionals, and tied the single-season school record for victories. Now, head coach Gene Depew and his squad face the challenge of replacing seven out of eight starting position players who were lost to graduation.
"There are still a lot of unknowns that exist, and that's typical with the type of mass turnover that we had last year," concedes Depew, who is entering his 21st season as Bucknell's head coach. "But we have a lot of players who have been with the program for a number of years and have waited their turn behind last year's talented senior class. And with the quality of our newcomers, I think there is reason for optimism."
Bucknell was picked to finish third in this season's Patriot League pre-season poll. Army finished second in the poll, while Navy, last season's regular season league champion, was the top selection.
One of the key factors to the Bison finishing 31-19 last season was its stellar pitching and defense. Bucknell finished first or second in the Patriot League in eight different statistical categories in pitching while setting single-season school records for fielding percentage and putouts. Fortunately for the Bison, all but one of the team's top hurlers will return for the 2002 campaign, along with starting shortstop Larry Scheetz, an All-Patriot League Second Team selection who broke the Bucknell record for assists in a season last spring.
"I think we should be solid defensively," says Depew. "If we can give our veteran pitching staff some run support, we should contend with the rest of the teams in our league."
Depew's starting rotation will likely consist of senior Chris Lackett, sophomore Kevin Miller, junior Zach Allen, junior R.J. Grant, junior Kevin Burns, and senior Sean Magee.
As a junior last season, Lackett went 6-3 in the No. 2 spot in the Bison starting rotation, and was honored with All-Patriot League Second Team honors. The right-hander led the team and the Patriot League in innings pitched (73.0) and was second in the league in the number of batters he struck out looking at 18. He posted a 6.29 earned run average, had a team-best 37 strikeouts, and recorded a team-high five complete games in 12 starts.
Miller, a right-hander, will move into the rotation this season after an impressive showing at middle reliever last year. He worked 51.1 innings out of the pen to finish with an unblemished 7-0 record with a pair of saves and a 3.86 ERA.
The right-handed Allen worked his way into the weekend rotation as the No. 3 starter last season, and went 5-4 with a 4.40 ERA-the lowest of any of the Bison starters-and was especially solid in his last two outings of the season. He got the win in Bucknell's Patriot League Tournament-clinching victory over Navy, allowing just one earned run over seven innings of work, and gave an impressive relief performance against Stetson in the NCAA Regionals, working four-and-a-third innings and allowing just one unearned run on three hits.
Grant gives the Bison a quality left-handed starter. The 6-4, 240-pounder started eight games last season and went 3-1 with a 5.63 ERA and one shutout. Burns appeared in eight games with one start last season, going 1-1 with a 7.84 ERA. In six appearances, including three starts, Magee threw 12.1 innings a year ago while posting a 12.41 ERA.
In the bullpen, Bucknell is equipped with a solid closer in senior Gregg Farmery. Named as an All-Patriot League First Team selection at relief pitcher for the second year in a row last season, Farmery set a new school record with seven saves in 2001. The right-hander posted a 1.61 ERA over 28.0 innings pitched. He was also named as the Collegiate Baseball Patriot League Pre-Season Pitcher of the Year.
"There's reason for concern with some of our pitchers coming off arm surgery last summer," says Depew. "But if we get everybody back healthy, that should be our strength."
In the infield, Bucknell will feature four first-time starters in 2002. Fortunately for the Bison, most of those players have seen plenty of action as utility players over the past several seasons, which should make for a smooth transition into the starting lineup. Although the Bison lost a pair of solid catchers to graduation, Depew is excited to have four talented freshmen competing for the starting backstop position in Austin Barrett, Matt Belmont, Phil Bunting and Greg Ekimoff, all of whom he feels could fill the job successfully.
The starting position at first base is also in limbo after the loss of All-Patriot League selection Russ Lindberg to graduation, but sophomore Pete Wolf and sophomore Jon Campagna appear to be the frontrunners for the starting job. Wolf, a converted catcher, appeared in 11 games last season with three starts behind the plate. Campagna did not appear in any games last year but provides the Bison with a very solid defensive game.
Depew will turn to sophomores Ben Stoll, a transplanted shortstop with a powerful arm, and Sam Moss, a middle infielder with power in his bat, to replace Chris Herron at second base. Stoll started four games in the infield last year and hit .381 in 21 at-bats. Moss appeared in six games with one start last season.
At the hot corner, junior B.J. Batterson will move into the starting lineup after serving as a backup to John DiBonaventura for the past two seasons. A starter in three games last year, Batterson hit .182 in 11 at-bats.
The team's only returning position player who started a year ago, Scheetz returns for his third season as the team's starting shortstop and will anchor the Bison infield. Along with his superb defensive skills, Scheetz is also a solid offensive contributor. He hit .250 with 21 runs scored last season, and finished second on the team and fifth in the Patriot League with 22 walks.
While a changing of the guard will also take place in the outfield, Depew is confident that returning veterans Eric Fishman and sophomore Chris Cipolloni will anchor the Bison defensively while providing plenty of speed on the base paths. Fishman started in 27 games at left field or designated hitter last season and hit .273 with 10 RBI and 15 runs scored, and finished third on the team with 10 stolen bases. He will likely serve as the Bison's starting right fielder.
Cipolloni should get the nod in center field and replace Ian Joseph as the team's leadoff hitter. An outstanding defensive player with good range and a strong arm, Cipolloni played in six games last season with one start.
Several players could possibly earn the starting job in left field, including junior Ben Krentzman. A backup outfielder for the past two seasons, Krentzman started twice while appearing in eight games last year. He will be challenged by transfer Chris Mahony, a sophomore with good speed and range in the outfield.
Depew also feels as if his bench players will play a significant role in his team's success this year. Sophomore Brian Hirschberg and freshman Dave Garrisi will provide the team with solid backups in the outfield, and freshman Brian Day and sophomore Steve Stutzman give the Bison additional options at the corner infield positions.
The Bison expect to make another run at the Patriot League title this season, but according to Depew, that goal is no small task.
"I think this will be a very competitive year in the Patriot League," says Depew. "I don't think there will ever be a year that Navy won't be a contender with the breadth of their program. Army brings back a lot of veteran players from last year, and Holy Cross is coming back with a lot of momentum after making the Patriot League tournament last year.
"Lafayette continued to get better under Joe Kinney, and was probably one of the better teams in the league last year," adds Depew. "Lehigh was also right there last season, and were a couple of close games away from finishing as one of the top teams in the league. We still have to solve some question marks this season, but I feel as though we have the players who are capable of doing that though hard work and determination."
