Winning a college baseball national championship is never an easy accomplishment. Teams have to put in countless hours of hard work throughout the season and play perfect baseball in the postseason. Coming back the next season with a number one ranking and trying to live up to the success of the previous season may be a harder task to accomplish. That is exactly what this year’s USI baseball team has to face this season.
At each and every game, the team will have a bull’s eye on their backs. Every team would love to have the opportunity to defeat the best team in the country.
“I expect our guys to defend the National title and make it back to Cary,” said coach Archuleta.
A core group of veterans will help lead USI throughout the season. One of the main contributors of the group is outfielder Justin Blinn. “Just because the bar has been raised and the hype for this upcoming season is through the roof doesn’t mean that a lot has changed,” said Blinn.
Other key returning players are infielder Brad Vance, outfielder Michael Huling and first baseman Adam Enright.
The team is returning practically the whole pitching staff from last season including right hander Trevor Leach, right hander Josh Schultze and right hander Jared Canterbury and plan to feed off of their performances as the season progresses.
The eagles are looking for unproven players and newcomers to the team to help step in and make a significant impact for the team this year.
“In the off season I worked on bettering my game to put myself in a position to help out whichever way I can,” added redshirt sophomore Lewis Boyden. Guys like Boyden and the incoming freshman are going to be looked to to contribute throughout the season and may end up getting a chance to play a vital role in the team’s success this season.
USI is counting on players such as outfielder Brad Wannemuehler, right fielder Bryan Chestnut and catcher Jarrod Rose to step up and produce. They are all new to the team and are going to be looked upon to provide a spark on the field. All three had solid contributions over the weekend in Georgia and will be relied upon throughout the season. Ryan Kaczmarski, a junior college transfer, will also be expected to provide solid play for the eagles at the second base position.
The new and returning players are going to be expected to mesh well together from the start to help the Eagles win some games and stay at the top of the division II rankings. The Eagles are already facing adversity at the beginning of the season, after dropping two of three against Armstrong Atlantic State over the weekend in Savannah. They will most likely lose their number 1 ranking, but will start the journey back to the top when they battle Fort Hays State University in Russellville, Arkansas on Saturday.
