Central Michigan University Athletics
Baseball Embarks On 10-Game Trip To Florida
2/26/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 26, 2001
ON DECK FOR CMU BASEBALL
Friday, March 2 - at Florida - 7 p.m.Saturday, March 3 - at Florida - 4 p.m.
Sunday, March 4 - at Florida - 3 p.m.
Monday, March 5 - Rollins# - 7 p.m.
Tuesday, March 6 - Long Island# - 1 p.m.
Tuesday, March 6 - Central Florida - 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 7 - Virginia Tech# - 1 p.m.
Thursday, March 8 - at Rollins# - 7 p.m.
Friday, March 9 - Long Island# - 1 p.m.
Saturday, March 10 - Virginia Tech# - Noon
#Rollins Tournament
MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University's baseball team faces a difficult schedule in its 10-game spring trip to Florida.
Coach Judd Folske's Chippewas open with a three-game set at the University of Florida (March 2-4) before heading for the Rollins Tournament in Winter Park where they'll tangle with Long Island, Virginia Tech and Rollins. CMU also has a single game scheduled at Central Florida.
"It will be challenging, to say the least," said Folske. "Florida and Central Florida are ranked in the top 25, Virginia Tech and Long Island are favorites in their league and Rollins has great tradition.
"There will be no easy games ... no games we can look at as wins. It should be a great trip, though. We look forward to the challenges. It can only make us better when the Mid-American Conference (MAC) season starts."
The Chippewas have leveled the playing field somewhat with their southern opponents thanks to a three-game set at the University of Minnesota on Feb. 10-11. CMU opened with an 18-9 win before falling 5-4 and 6-3.
"The southern schools are still well ahead of us but playing the three games will help," Folske said. "We got good game experience and found areas we need to work on."
CMU will take 28 players on the trip, 15 of them pitchers.
"We'll try to give everyone a chance to play but at the same time we're trying to win baseball games," Folske said. "We lost five excellent senior pitchers last year so we still have plenty of question marks there."
Right-hander Jeff Garner (Hemlock/So.), right-hander Dan Horvath (Southgate/So.) and left-hander J.D. Wheeler (Pigeon/Jr.) started the three games at Minnesota. Folske looks to right-hander Jeff Opalewski (Saginaw/Fr.) and right-hander Ryan Krueger (Alpena/So.) as starters as well.
Other hurlers making the trip will be: freshman left-hander Matt Antey, (Newburgh, Ind./Castle), freshman left-hander Ryan Cremeans (Adrian), sophomore left-hander Joey Fahndrich (Saginaw/Nouvel), freshman right-hander Jason Frank (Watervliet), junior right-hander Gavin Gillette (DeWitt), freshman left-hander T.J. Johnson (Byron/Powers), senior right-hander Nick Latra (Farmington),
junior right-hander Lee Naplin (Port Huron/Northern), freshman right-hander Travis Osborn (Adrian), and junior left-hander Nick Zastrow (Hemlock/Valley Lutheran).
"I like the arms on this team," Folske said. "We have some excellent young pitchers ... the only thing we lack right now is experience."
CMU appears set with its position players. Sophomore Mike Gates (Flushing) is at first base, junior Tim Bullinger (Jackson/Lumen Christi) at second, senior Jason Helps (Wyoming, Ont./St. Clair CC) at shortstop and sophomore Mike Galloway (St. Thomas, Ont./Central) at third. Infield reserves are sophomore Tim Groves (Mount Pleasant/Sacred Heart) and freshman Dave LeMieux (Muskegon/Reeths Puffer).
Senior Bryan Schuerer (Portland/St. Patrick) is in left, senior Matt Crowley (Grand Rapids/Creston) in center and Krueger in right. Reserves in the outfield will be freshmen Dan Griesbaum Jr. (Grosse Pointe/South), Tom Grzywacz (East Detroit) and Shane Trotter (West Iron County).
Junior Scott Pickens (Mount Pleasant) has won the catching job with support from Galloway and junior Brad Reid (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont./Rudyard).
The Chippewas, 41-17 in 2000 and co-champs of the MAC West Division with an 18-8 mark, are slated to open the northern portion of the 2001 schedule with a doubleheader at Oakland University on Saturday, March 17.
CMU's home season is set to open on Tuesday, March 20, with a nine-inning game against Saginaw Valley and the MAC lidlifter will be Friday, March 23, at Ohio University at 3 p.m.
