Central Michigan University Athletics
Baseball Wraps Up Fall Drills
10/9/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Oct. 9, 2000
MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University's baseball team will spend much of the off-season working hard to improve its defensive skills.
That's the one major area of concern for third-year head coach Judd Folske after the Chippewas concluded fall drills with the Maroon team winning the Fall Classic over the White, six wins to three.
"We're solid at some positions on defense but not all the way around," said Folske, who led CMU to a record of 41-17 and an 18-8 Mid-American Conference (MAC) mark this past spring.
Defense was an area of tremendous improvement for CMU from Folske's first season to his second. The Chippewas were among the poorer fielding teams in the MAC in 1999 with a .941 mark and then led the conference in 2000 at .969.
Folske is pleased with the other facets of the game.
"Offensively, our returning players hit the ball well and we had some young players do a good job at the plate," Folske said. "We have good foot speed, too."
Senior Jason Helps (Wyoming, Ont./St. Clair CC) batted .488 during the fall, Mike Galloway (St. Thomas, Ont./Central Elgin) hit .438, senior Matt Crowley (Grand Rapids/Creston) and redshirt freshman Dan Griesbaum (Grosse Pointe/South) were at .360. Crowley was the top hitter in the Fall Classic at .417 while freshman Keith Sampsell (Vicksburg) hit .400.
"We used wooden bats all fall and we will continue to use them until about a week before we start the 2001 season," Folske said. "That helps keep the averages down." The Chippewas graduated five senior pitchers who combined for a record of 28-10. CMU concentrated on pitching in their recruiting and appear to have a good crop.
"I'm encouraged with our pitching, particularly some of the younger kids who struggled a little in the fall and then pitched well in the classic," Folske said. "We lost a lot on the mound from last season, so it was good to see the young kids come around."
Among the veterans who pitched well were juniors Chad Pleiness (Scottville/Mason county Central) and Nick Zastrow (Hemlock/Saginaw Valley Lutheran) and sophomores Jeff Garner (Hemlock) and Ryan Krueger (Alpena).
Newcomers who pitched well and could see action in the spring include: juniors J.D. Wheeler (Pigeon/St. Clair CC) and Lee Naplin (Port Huron/St. Clair CC), sophomore Dan Horvath (Southgate/Aquinas), a transfer from Michigan State, and freshmen Matt Antey (Newburgh, Ind./Castle), Ryan Cremeans (Adrian), Joel Donlon (Windsor, Ont./Holy Name), Jeff Opalewski (Saginaw/Heritage), Travis Osborn (Adrian) and Nick Patterson (Saginaw/Heritage).
CMU opens the 2001 season at the University of Minnesota on Feb. 11-12.
