Series Preview: Toppers vs. Southern Illinois
Photo courtesy of the Bowling Green Daily News
Hilltopper fans, rejoice.
While it may still be brisk and feeling like fall outside, today marks the unofficial start to spring, as baseball is back, and the Toppers will take the diamond for the first time in 2014!
Know the Opponent: Southern Illinios
To start the year, Coach Matt Myers and company will welcome in the Southern Illinois Salukis (25-33 in 2013, 6-15 in Missouri Valley Conference Play) to Nick Denes Field. After not playing for 21 years, the two teams squared off in late February of 2012 for 3 games, in a series that saw SIU take the second two games of the series, while the Hilltoppers narrowly took the opener by one run in 10 innings. WKU and SIU also split a 2-game series in Carbondale.
The Salukis were picked to finish 5th (out of eight teams) in the MVC, and have a lone member on the Preseason All-Conference list, senior shortstop Jake Welch. Outside of Welch, SIU doesn’t have much going. They are an incredibly young ream, and are a roster comprised of mostly freshman or sophomores. However, they are returning 17 letterwinners from last year, but only have one letterwinning pitcher coming back.
PITCHING MATCHUPS:
Friday will see a battle of senior righties, as the Salukis will send out Todd Eaton, who is a top 75 ranked prospect according to Perfect Game, taking on the man who took the bump to start last season for the Hilltoppers, but left after a strange injury, Justin Hageman. Saturday, we will have two pitchers who will want to improve upon 4.25+ ERA’s from 2013, but each did win 3 games. Righty Sam Coonrad will take the bump for SIU, and southpaw Austin Clay will top the Hill for the Hilltoppers. Sunday will see Jake Thompson go for the home team, and redshirt-junior Aaron Hauge, who didn’t pitch in 2013, will start the final game of the series for SIU.
Probable Lineup:
Unfortunately, I haven’t the slightest clue as to what SIU wants to or will do for their starting line up. All I know is their shortstop (that Welch fella) is solid, finishing last year second on the team in batting average with a .317 (which lead all returning players for this season), hitting 11 extra base hits and drove in 22 men.
The Hilltoppers will lineup around the diamond like this:
Ryan Messex C
Ryan Church 1B
Scott Wilcox 2B
Thomas Peter 3B
Cody Wofford SS
Anderson Miller LF
David Simmons CF
Regan Flaherty RF
Philip Diedrick DH
As to the order in which they’ll hit, that’s also up in the air. Miller has some speed, as does Flaherty and Wofford, who I was told by assistant coach Blake Allen in our interview with him that Wofford will be up near the top of the order. With three new guys in the order, it’ll be fun to see what dynamic they bring, and it’ll be interesting to see how much Myers will toy with a lineup until he finds one he likes.
In the past couple of years, the Tops have liked to play on Friday’s in one of a couple of ways: either A.) long Friday night games, that come to a merciful and welcome Hilltopper victory or B.) a completely unfocused effort that results in a throttling. Fortunately, the Tops collectively play better in Saturday and Sunday games. Also fortunately, it’s a new team, some new key guys, and hopefully things wont go astray.
If you put the backhalf of 2012 with the first 3/4’s of 2013, you have on heck of a ballclub. This year will be all about if WKU can put together a strong full season. If so, it’s going to be a fun spring.
First pitch of the season is this afternoon at 3 p.m., first pitch Saturday is at 2 p.m., and the concluding first pitch will commence at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Let’s get things going!
Oh, and for all of us here at Wave The Red Towel, happy Valentines Day!