 "Photo: File photo by Jason Mack")
The UT baseball team opened the 2010 season over the weekend with a 2-1 record in the Service Academies Classic.
The Rockets return 25 letterwinners to a team that lost 5-3 to Kent State in the finals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament last season. UT finished 24-30 with a 14-12 record in the MAC.
“Our guys enjoyed that and thrived in that environment,” UT Head Coach Cory Mee said. “They’re hungry to get back there.”
The Rockets lost 11-3 yesterday to Pittsburgh (5-1). Toledo struggled allowing 13 hits with eight walks, four errors and three hitbatters. Sophomore Lincoln Rassi allowed six runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts for the loss.
On Saturday, Toledo had 13 hits in a 13-6 win over Bradley (0-3). Freshman Mike Hamann recorded six strikeouts in his collegiate debut, allowing just two runs on four hits in six innings. Freshman Cody Umbright closed out the eighth and ninth innings for the save. Senior catcher Aaron Dudley hit a perfect 4-for-4 in the win with three RBI and three runs scored. Senior infielder Tim Krofcheck hit 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
The Rockets scored two runs in the ninth inning to open the season with an 8-6 win over Memphis (2-4) on Friday. Sophomore infielder Matt Delewski went 3-for-4 in his collegiate debut with one run scored. Junior infielder Jim Vahalik went 2-for-4 with four RBI.
UT built a 6-2 lead in the first five innings, but Memphis scored four runs in the seventh inning to tie the game. Sophomore outfielder Jeff Cola pinch hit in the ninth inning and doubled to drive in Delewski for the game-winning run. Junior Matt Suschak pitched 1.1 scoreless innings for the win. Junior Matt Zahel struck out all three batters in the bottom of the ninth inning for the save.
Toledo will utilize a deep pitching staff to replace starting pitcher Justin Collup and reliever Jeff Cinadr. Collup was drafted in the sixth round by the Chicago White Sox and Cinadr was taken in the 36th round by the Tampa Bay Rays. Collup is joined on Chicago’s roster by former UT infielder Jake Oester, who was recently invited to spring training.
Junior Matt Kuna will lead the pitching staff after posting a MAC-best 4.23 ERA last season, going 5-2 in 12 appearances. He earned second-team All-MAC honors, recording 44 strikeouts in 61.2 innings.
Hamann was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 24th round of the 2009 MLB draft. In his senior season at Danbury High School, Hamann went 7-2 with 116 strikeouts, breaking his school’s record with a 0.27 ERA, the 11th best total in the history of the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
Umbright recorded a 1.27 ERA as a senior at Field High School, going 6-2 with 107 strikeouts. Jared Locke was named first-team all-state at Ida High School, going 5-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 45 innings.
“I definitely believe we have the most talented and deepest staff we’ve had during my time here,” Mee said. “We have a lot of guys with the ability to pitch for us in big games.”
Zahel will be Toledo’s closer for the third-straight season. He led the MAC with nine saves last season for the second-highest total in school history.
Krofcheck and junior Jared Hoying return to the middle of an infield that has turned 98 double plays the past two seasons. Krofcheck hit .303 last season and led the team with 12 stolen bases and 54 runs scored.
“Tim has been outstanding defensively for us throughout his career,” Mee said. “He really energizes our team by getting on base, stealing bases, being a tough out and playing great defense.”
Hoying started all 54 games last year. He led the team with 50 RBI, hitting .293 with 11 home runs.
“It is no secret [Hoying] struggled a little bit last season in the field,” Mee said. “He knew that, addressed it and worked his tail off over the summer and fall.”
Vahalik will be the starter at first base after hitting .296 with 35 RBI in 50 games last season.
Sophomore Joe Corfman, who hit .314 last season with five home runs and 30 RBI in 45 games, will replace Oester at third base.
Juniors Chris Dudics and Dan Sherwood will occupy two spots in the outfield. Dudics hit a team-high .386 last season with 30 runs scored in 36 games. Sherwood hit a team-high 11 home runs, batting .266 with 32 RBI in 44 games.
Senior Josh Wierzba, junior Jason Edwards and Cola will compete for time in left field.
Dudley played 51 games last year, hitting .315 with 46 RBI. He improved his play in MAC games, leading the team with a .379 batting average and 28 RBI.
The Rockets next compete in the Caravelle Resort Invitational in Conway, S.C. starting at 4 p.m. on Friday against Coastal Carolina (7-1).
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