Baseball Season Preview
1/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 25, 2003
Entering his fourth season as the Falcons' skipper, Reed Peters returns more position players than any other team in the Mountain West Conference.
With eight returning position starters and 81 percent of the team's offense returning, the team's offense and defense give Peters the kind of security that allows coaches to sleep well at night.
However, it is the pitching staff that has created a few sleepless nights for the reigning MWC Coach of the Year.
With possibly the best starting rotation in the league last season, Peters led the Falcons to 27-28 overall record and a 14-15 mark in the MWC. The 14 wins are the most in school history while the 27 wins are the most in seven years and the fifth most in school history. However, two of the three starters from that team have graduated leaving a huge void in the rotation.
"We feel like we've got a good nucleus back," Peters said. "Our big question mark is going to be on the mound. Our offense and defense were much improved last season and we should be even better this year with so many returning starters."
The Falcons enter the season with three new assisting coaches. Greg Brummett is AFA's new pitching coach while Lt. Chris Humphrey will be the team's new first base coach and will work with the outfielders and catchers. Mark Breeding also joins the team and will work with the infielders and the junior varsity.
Pitching
The graduation of Erik Fisher and Matt Kaercher leaves Johnny Koegel as the only returning starter. Kaercher, a second-team all-conference selection, and Fisher combined to throw 43 percent of the team's innings. The duo also combined for 10 wins, a save, 33 starts and seven complete games.
Koegel, a senior team co-captain from West Hills, Calif., will be the team's No. 1 starter in 2003 and is coming off of a stellar junior campaign. The right-hander posted a 6-6 record with a 5.93 ERA, the lowest among the starters and the second-best on the team. He threw 95.2 innings and had 66 strikeouts with 33 walks.
Seniors Jesper Stubbendorff and Josh Zumbrun will fill the No. 2 and No. 3 starting positions, but have never started a game on the mound. Stubbendorff posted a team-best 5.53 ERA and a 3-1 record in 23 relief appearances last season. He threw 42.1 innings and had 28 strikeouts with a .299 opponents batting average, the third best on the team. Zumbrun has just five career appearances.
Seniors Scott Zicarelli and Jason Pruitt will give the Falcons some experience in the bullpen. Zicarelli pitched in 20 games last season and had a 3-2 record in 32 innings. Pruitt, who will be the Falcons' closer, threw 14 innings in 15 varsity appearances last season. Seniors Rob Arnett and Scott Mears, sophomores Patrick Gaynor and Ken Hodgson and freshmen Clayton Couch, Jeff Tetrault and Paul Vignola will pitch in relief and compete for a starting spot.
"Our pitching staff is young and untested, but I have a lot of confidence in them," Peters said. "Koegel had a great junior season, but will miss the first four to six weeks of the season after elbow surgery. We lost two very quality pitchers, but we have a lot of depth on this staff."
Infield
Four of the five starters in the infield return and are all coming off of solid seasons. All four are seniors and give Air Force its most experienced infield in many years.
One of the top defensive catchers in the MWC, Dan Petro returns for his third season as a starter. The San Antonio, Texas, native started 54 games last season and made just three errors. He led the league with 30 runners thrown out and retired 44 percent of the runners trying to steal.
First-baseman Adam Howes is coming off a sensational season. He led the team with a .379 batting average and led the MWC with 27 stolen bases. The Phoenix, Ariz., product contributed 14 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 40 RBI.
Second base is the only position without a returning starter. Steve Winters, who hit .376 last season and started the final 26 games, left the Academy. Freshman Zach McAnguss will battle sophomores Nathan DeRohan, Colton Walter and junior Ryan Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald has been a utility player who played 14 games last season. Walter and DeRohan spent most of the 2002 season on the junior varsity. Walter played in 11 games while DeRohan played in five. McAnguss is one of the team's top recruits from Kamehameha High School in Honolulu, Hawaii.
First-team all-MWC third-baseman Bowie Frost is one of the most complete players in the league. The Lamar, Colo., native was second on the team with a .377 batting average, seven home runs and 44 RBI. The team MVP in 2002, and team co-captain this season, was both steady and spectacular defensively. He fielded over .950 for the most of the season and finished the year at .936.
Nelson Prouty is back for third season as the Falcons' starting shortstop. The senior from Starkville, Miss., Prouty hit .328 in conference games, the third-best average on the team and posted a .297 overall average. He has started 80 games in the past two seasons.
Senior Derck Kasel returns as the team's designated hitter and will be a reserve infielder. The Fort Collins, Colo., product hit .368 with 16 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 39 RBI last season.
"Our infield was much improved last season and should be even better this year," Peters said. "We have some talent and also some depth in the infield and have some good young players who will push our returning starters."
Outfield
The entire outfield returns in tact, led by all-conference performer Josh Phifer. The senior from Torrington, Wyo., led the team with 13 home runs, 69 RBI, 136 total bases and a .697 slugging percentage. The left-fielder led the conference in slugging and also stole 15 bases.
Senior centerfielder Nick Liegl, from Lincoln, Neb., started 31 games last season and hit .306 with seven doubles and nine stolen bases. Sophomore Reid Lamson, who spent the 2002 season on the junior varsity, will also seen some playing time.
Tony Shockley started 38 games in 2002 and returns in right field. The senior from Gilbert, Ariz., hit .306 last season and had 12 doubles and 15 stolen bases. Junior Mike Rose, who hit .316 in 32 games last season, will also see some action.
Sophomores Dale Kasel, Grant Mallory and Travis Fugler will battle for innings and at-bats. "We have some depth and versatility in our outfield," Peters said. "We have some very good offensive players, but we need to better defensively."
