United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - 2009 Season Preview

Coast Guard will look to turn things around in the 2009 season as the Bears look to finish over .500 for the first time since 2002.

Last year, the Bears finished 7-21 overall and 1-11 in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play missing the conference tournament for the first time after advancing to the semifinals in seven of the previous eight seasons.

Coast Guard allowed 10 or more runs 13 times and the team was 0-18 when allowing six or more runs last season. The team ERA was 7.44.

The Bears raised their team average almost 40 points from the 2007 season as the team hit .302 last season, but errors cost them dearly as they committed 83 errors which led to 72 unearned runs.

Senior tri-captain Pete Schofield (2-5, 8.06) will be the ace of the pitching staff this season. Senior Kevin Thomas (2-4, 7.78) and sophomores Jesse Karr (1-1, 7.42) and Mike Ahlin (0-0, 9.78) all return giving the Bears four solid pitchers.

Head coach C.C. Grant, in his third season, is excited with the newcomers, five of which will do some pitching, giving the team some pitching depth which they have lacked the past few seasons.

Freshmen Nic Freburg, Eddie Kalankiewicz, Chris Martin and Joe Petry along with sophomore newcomer Ben Barrett will also see time on the mound this season.

Senior tri-captain Brian Yurovich makes the move to first base this season.

“I’m counting on these young pitchers to produce for us right away,” said Grant. “I expect them to go out there and give us not just innings, but quality innings. For the first time we have some depth in the pitching staff with the four returners and the five new arms and as we have seen the past few years, you can never have enough pitching.”

Senior tri-captain Kevin Keefe (.222), who started 19 games last season will be the starting catcher while junior Keith Laird (.288), who started nine games behind the plate last season, will serve as the backup catcher, but makes the move out behind the plate and will start at third base.

Senior tri-captain Brian Yurovich (.280) makes the move from the outfield and will start at first base while junior Doug Piper will backup at first.

Junior John Jeffares takes over at second base this season while senior Bill Birch, who is the top returning hitter with a .329 average a year ago, will start at shortstop after playing both shortstop and outfield last year.

Freshman Mike Salerno will backup at second base, Petry will backup at shortstop while freshman Chris Izurieta or Karr will backup at third base. Sophomore Graham Sherman will battle for time at several infield spots.

Senior Steve Lewis (.327), who started 15 games last season, will start in left field, Kalankiewicz will start in center while junior Ryan Milligan (.311), who made 17 starts a year ago, will start in right field.

Freshman Nick Peters will serve as the fourth outfielder and also the third-string catcher while sophomores Tom Morrow and Jared Korn will compete for time in the outfield.

“We want to have a winning season and get back to the conference tournament,” said Grant. “To do that, we need consistent pitching and we need to play good defense, we gave away too many runs last season.”