United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - 2007 Season Preview - Bears Return Entire Infield; Pitching is the Question

Coast Guard returns its top four hitters and the entire infield from last season’s team for first year head coach C.C. Grant, however the Bears still have a huge hole to fill in the pitching staff as the Bears lost New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Pitcher of the Year Mike Jarbeau along with Cory Anderson, who became the first Coast Guard player to be drafted as he was selected by the Washington Nationals following the season.

The Bears were 15-17 overall and 4-8 in NEWMAC play a year ago and Grant is excited as he enters his first year as head coach after serving as assistant coach under Pete Barry for the past seven seasons.

“I’m excited to have the group of guys returning that we do this season,” said Grant. “To have the entire infield back along with Chuck Arena in center field makes it easy for me in my first season to be surrounded by a veteran group of talented players, who have worked extremely hard in the offseason. It will be alot easier than if we had graduated eight seniors and had to rebuild.”

Arena, a tri-captain, who hit safely in all 31 games that he played in last season, carries a school record 32-game hitting streak into the season. Arena, a first team All-conference and third team All-New England selection last season, led the team with a .429 batting average, 54 runs scored and 27 RBI’s. He will bat third this season.

Junior second baseman Brian Lisko, a second team All-conference selection, had a solid season last year, his first season of collegiate baseball. Lisko tied for the team lead with four home runs and was second on the team with a .342 average, 11 doubles and 26 RBI’s. He tied the single game record with three homers in a win over Clark. He will hit fifth in the lineup.

Junior speedster Christian George (.309) returns at shortstop after leading the team with 13 doubles and 16 stolen bases to go with his two homers and 17 RBI’s. He will bat leadoff. Freshman William Mackie will backup at shortstop.

Senior tri-captain Bret Nichols, who was third on the team with a .329 average, returns at third base and will bat second this season while junior Ken Franklin (.253) is back at first base and will hit fourth.

Junior Kevin Higgins (.270) and sophomore newcomer Brian Yurovich will backup at first base and both will see time at the DH spot.

Yurovich, Bill Birch (3B/OF) and freshman James Laird have been pleasant surprises and have already exceeded the expectations of the Bears coaching staff. Birch, who is also a soccer player, has good speed and will see time at the corner outfield spots.

Sophomore catcher Kevin Keefe and Laird will handle the catching duties. Keefe made 12 starts last season.

Sophomores Mike Mitchell (.216) and Steven Lewis will platoon in left field with Mitchell hitting from the left side and Lewis from the right.

Junior Adam Reckley (.323) won the starting spot in right field after making nine starts last season.

Junior Will Becker becomes the ace of the staff while senior tri-captain Tony Guido becomes the # 2 starter with the loss of Anderson and Jarbeau, who combined to throw 143 2/3 of the Bears 264 1/3 innings last season.

Becker (4-5, 5.05) threw 57 innings last season while Guido (2-2) led the team with a 2.45 ERA in 33 innings. Becker walked 19 while striking out 47.

“Becker and Guido have looked great in the preseason and I expect those two to have big years, however the rest of the pitching staff is a mystery and we need guys to step up and eat up the innings that Jarbeau and Anderson threw for us last year,” said Grant. “We have some big shoes to fill. If our top three guys can give us the innings that Jarbeau and Anderson gave us a year ago, we will be just fine.”

Sophomore Kevin Thomas and junior Jacob Pitchford a 6’5” lefty on exchange from Navy will both have the opportunity to chew up alot of innings this season for the Bears.

“Pitchford has looked good in the preseason,” said Grant. “He is very confident and he does a nice job of keep hitters off balance. Thomas needs to step up and throw strikes for us, he needs to get us deep into games allowing us to rest our bullpen.”

Sophomore Pete Schofield along with Mackie and regular position players Arena, Nichols and Reckley will round out the Bears pitching staff.

“We are very solid up the middle with Lisko at second, George at short and Arena in center, not only are they solid in the field, but they happen to be three of our top hitters, so that trio along with Becker and Guido on the mound hold the keys to the bus in their hands, they will determine how successful this team will be,” said Grant.

“We are looking to be .500 in the very tough NEWMAC, be a factor in the tournament and finish with a winning record overall,” said Grant. The NEWMAC is lead by Wheaton, the # 2 team in the nation, the Lyons lost in the NCAA Division III championship game last season and finished 42-10 overall.

Coast Guard has gone 4-8 in the NEWMAC in each of the last three seasons. The Bears had however made it to the NEWMAC Tournament semifinals six straight years before having that streak snapped with first round loss last season. The Bears played in the NEWMAC tournament championship games in 2000, 2001 and 2003.