A highly successful run at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament in April and a trip to Lewiston, Idaho for the NAIA World Series most likely renders as a long shot to most followers of Benedictine College baseball.
Just don’t tell the Ravens themselves.
The bar appears set pretty high in Doc Beeman’s third year as head coach despite a losing record last season (25-31, 19-21 HAAC) and limited outdoor workouts so far this year.
“Obviously, the goal is to get to a national championship,” said junior outfielder Ryan Gibson. “I probably look at it in pieces. Want to be .500, want to get to the conference tournament in St. Joe, want to do well in the conference tournament and win that and go from there. Once you get to the playoffs, it’s anyone’s game so we’ve just got to get on a roll.”
Veteran infielder Bryan Moore echoed that sentiment.
“You can call it a long shot, but obviously [the goal is] to win a national championship,” said the senior. “The one goal is that I really want to win conference. You win the conference tournament, that’s how you get into regionals and you kind of have to take baby steps.”
That game-by-game approach is something Beeman’s preached since stepping on the BC campus three seasons ago, and is particularly appropriate for a team with as many question marks as exclamation points heading into 2010.
The Ravens return their top two pitchers from a year ago in Bryan Poland and Madison Rochon. Poland led the team in ERA and strikeouts last season, and the two will be relied upon heavily as the other half of BC’s weekend rotation is determined.
“The front end of the rotation is easy,” said Beeman, who will work closely with first-year assistant Ramesis Rosa in evaluating who Benedictine puts out on the mound. “It’s the back end that we have to sort out. We have the arms, it’s just a matter of who’s going to match up the best. As long as they can get out there and throw strikes and give our team a chance to score some runs, I think we’ll be all right.”
The BC roster is bereft of proven left-handed talent after the graduation of weekend starter Tomas Taylor.
While reliable catcher Pat Richards returns with two years of starting experience, bigger questions linger behind the hill. Moore will be the only Raven infielder with consistent starting experience. Transfer Matt Macias replaces Jeff McClafferty at first, and freshman Sean O’Grady and sophomore Cameron Griego are currently duking it out for starts at third.
Sophomore Ryan Lengyel will start at second, as Moore shifts over to replace graduated shortstop Michael Marx. Lengyel started a handful of contests in 2009 at third base when Sean Good was hurt.
“We have a very young, deep team this year, but that whole infield short of Brian Moore is unproven, and so I know we have the guys that can compete, but who’s going to step up and who’s going to take those jobs,” Beeman said. “We might not know through late March or April and the start of our conference tournament.”
Gibson will join veterans Sam Ahern and Alex Thompson in the outfield.
Moore, Richards and designated hitter Mac Moore are Benedictine’s top returning hitters. The Ravens will be hard-pressed to fill the shoes of McClafferty, one of the top batters in BC baseball history.
As usual, winter weather has thrown a wrench in Benedictine’s preliminary schedule. The Ravens were able to squeeze in a Feb. 13 doubleheader at Rogers State in Claremore, Okla., before northeast Kansas’ most recent snowstorm forced them back to the confines of the Haverty Center gymnasium.
While 6-1 and 11-3 losses during that road trip suggest the Ravens have a long way to go before reaching their preseason objectives, it was the first time the team had participated in a live pitching situation since the team’s Fall World Series intra-squad games.
Winter weather has continued to complicate matters. BC was supposed to face Rogers State in another twinbill Feb. 14 but opted to head home before a storm moved into that region.
A set of home games this weekend against Grand View was cancelled due to snow covering the field, and next week’s conference opener against Lindenwood was still up in the air when the Circuit went to press Tuesday.
Beeman was able to add two additional games against Briar Cliff set for March 15, and said he was trying to set up a mini-series of games against Lindenwood and a couple other teams at the Ballpark at Benedictine late next week.
The most current schedule can be found at ravenathletics.com.
