Xavier University Athletics
Xavier Baseball Set to Start 2005 Season
02.16.05 | Baseball
The excitement is building for the first-year skipper, whose transition to the top will be eased by the return of co-captains Jay Johnson and Brett Smith.
Johnson is fresh off a productive 2004 season that saw him garner Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference honors while leading the team in most offensive statistical categories. During his junior campaign, he led the team in almost every offensive category. He started in all 54 games for the Musketeers and only committed one error, recording 104 putouts and six outfield assists. Johnson will anchor the Xavier outfield in center and bat in the power spots of the lineup.
Smith also had an impressive 2004 season. As a junior, Smith was right behind Johnson in almost every offensive category. Defensively, Smith recorded 79 putouts and 51 assists in 54 games.
Defense will be one of XU?s strengths and a key area for the Musketeers this season. The middle will be the stronghold of the infield with sophomore Matt Waskerwitz being the anchor at shortstop. In 2004 the sophomore played a solid shortstop, recording a .957 fielding percentage with a team-high 102 assists to go along with 54 putouts and only seven errors. At the plate he hit at a .250 clip with 30 hits and 17 runs scored.
The other position in the middle and the hot corner could be a battle between many players. Smith, sophomore transfer Adam Lipski and senior James Schlosser, along with freshmen Robbie Kelley and Collin Salzenstein, will vie for time at second and third base. While all four are primarily middle infielders, the coaching staff is looking for someone to step up and play the hot corner.
Junior Matt Lucas and sophomores Chris Lozan and Drew Roberts will battle for the day-to-day duties at first base. Lozan is looking to move back to the infield after playing mostly outfield a season ago. The sophomore possesses power potential and will be looked upon to provide some pop in the Xavier lineup.
Johnson, who has been a mainstay in center for the past three seasons, will anchor the outfield. With excellent arms and speed at all three positions, Xavier will look to limit opponents? extra base hits and gun down any attempts to swipe an extra base. Smith could join his classmate in the outfield, but if the need for him elsewhere arises there is plenty of help behind him. Sophomores Mark Janszen and Andy Zellers will look to gain some experience in right, while freshman Emre Caglayan and junior transfer Chris Dunlap could battle for time in left or backup Johnson in center.
Leading the defense from behind the plate will be sophomore Jordan Wolf and sophomore transfer Dan Hayden. Wolf saw action in 48 games in 2004, starting in 42 of them. He gunned down 24 base runners and picked off two more, while only allowing two passed balls. At the plate, Wolf had a .243 average with 34 hits, the third most on the team. Hayden, who transferred in from Miami University, gained valuable experience with the RedHawks. Hayden has some pop in his bat as the transfer had four hits in 19 at-bats; his first collegiate home run was a grand slam during the 2004 campaign. Sean Brewer is also in the mix for catching duties, along with the possibility of stepping into the designated hitter role throughout the season. Freshman Tyler Aholt could see some time behind the dish as well.
The Xavier pitching staff could hold the most promise this season, as it returns eight of 10 players from a year ago while adding a couple quality arms in the off-season. Last season, five freshmen accounted for 284.2 of 414.1 innings of work. The Musketeers return all five freshmen and will look to build off the valuable experience that was gained a season ago.
Leading the way on the mound for XU will be the sophomore trio of Mike Creevy, Bill Konecny, and Dan Graham. Creevy established himself as a closer in 2004, tying the single season record for saves with eight, also good enough for fourth all-time for saves in a career. The right-hander stifled opposing hitters, holding a team-best .228 average against and a 2.37 ERA in 49.1 innings pitched. He notched 46 strikeouts and walked only 26 batters. Creevy only gave up 13 earned runs on his way to a 2-1 record in 31 appearances.
Konecny and Graham were the workhorses of the 2004 staff as they combined for 148 innings and 30 games started. Konecny posted a team-high 78.2 innings thrown. Graham was second on the team in innings pitched with 69.1 and a team-high 66 strikeouts.
Mike Lucas could also get the nod on the mound after the freshman turned heads during the fall season. The righty was so competitive in the fall that he has the potential to make an immediate impact in the starting rotation.
The Xavier bullpen is also solid. Sophomores Tim Beaver, Sean Corcoran and Sam Freund, juniors Steve Sakosits and Mark Grissom, and transfer David Hartman will all provide relief for the Musketeers this season.
Xavier will open the 2005 schedule with a four-game stand against Lipscomb this weekend, February 18-20, at Nashville, Tenn. XU will return to Cincinnati for a week and prep for a return trip to Johnson City, Tenn., for a three-game stint against East Tennessee State the following weekend.
