Men's Baseball Hopes to Begin Play
Cody Swartz
Issue date: 3/11/10 Section: Sports
The Messiah Falcons' baseball team is expected to start its season with a doubleheader against Catholic University and Gallaudet University on Saturday, March 6. The Falcons have already experienced an unprecedented seven cancellations due to snow and inclement weather - three doubleheaders and an away game against Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
Coach Bryan Engle begins his third season as head coach of Messiah College's baseball team. Engle captured the Commonwealth Championship in his first season. Last year, the Falcons narrowly missed the playoffs. This season, Engle has high hopes his Falcons can become contenders again. "In my three years as a head coach, I feel this is the deepest team we have had. Sometimes you have to take a step back before you take a step forward, and I feel we are moving in the right direction," Coach Engle said.
The Falcons graduated just two seniors, meaning virtually all of the team is back for the 2010 season. In fact, the Falcons did not lose a single pitcher from their roster. "Having an experienced pitching staff back is huge," Engle said. Senior Sheldon Witmer, juniors Travis Thome and Eric Spring, and sophomore Thor Arnesen direct the team's pitching staff. Filling in as relief pitchers for the Falcons will be sophomore lefty Zach Adams, senior Elliot Thomas, senior Derek Sipe, and sophomore Nate Roten.
For the Falcons to return to the dominant team they were in the '08 season, the pitching staff will have to improve upon its 5.71 ERA from last year. Coach Engle said he thinks an extra year of experience will be very beneficial to his pitchers. "Last year we were very young on the mound and at times we tried to be too fine instead of trusting ourselves. I think we've added a lot of experience to our staff. With experience comes confidence and with confidence comes better results," said Engle.
On offense, the Falcons should be strong this season. The team will miss last year's starting catcher Ben Kirk, a senior who batted .325 while leading the team with 14 stolen bases, but the Falcons have some intriguing prospects in senior Alex Lentz, sophomore transfer Ryan Brown, and freshman David Adams. All three will push for playing time.
Coach Bryan Engle begins his third season as head coach of Messiah College's baseball team. Engle captured the Commonwealth Championship in his first season. Last year, the Falcons narrowly missed the playoffs. This season, Engle has high hopes his Falcons can become contenders again. "In my three years as a head coach, I feel this is the deepest team we have had. Sometimes you have to take a step back before you take a step forward, and I feel we are moving in the right direction," Coach Engle said.
The Falcons graduated just two seniors, meaning virtually all of the team is back for the 2010 season. In fact, the Falcons did not lose a single pitcher from their roster. "Having an experienced pitching staff back is huge," Engle said. Senior Sheldon Witmer, juniors Travis Thome and Eric Spring, and sophomore Thor Arnesen direct the team's pitching staff. Filling in as relief pitchers for the Falcons will be sophomore lefty Zach Adams, senior Elliot Thomas, senior Derek Sipe, and sophomore Nate Roten.
For the Falcons to return to the dominant team they were in the '08 season, the pitching staff will have to improve upon its 5.71 ERA from last year. Coach Engle said he thinks an extra year of experience will be very beneficial to his pitchers. "Last year we were very young on the mound and at times we tried to be too fine instead of trusting ourselves. I think we've added a lot of experience to our staff. With experience comes confidence and with confidence comes better results," said Engle.
On offense, the Falcons should be strong this season. The team will miss last year's starting catcher Ben Kirk, a senior who batted .325 while leading the team with 14 stolen bases, but the Falcons have some intriguing prospects in senior Alex Lentz, sophomore transfer Ryan Brown, and freshman David Adams. All three will push for playing time.
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