Etta Express ready for 2006 season

Mar. 1, 2006
MARIETTA, Ohio — The 2006 campaign marks the 20th anniversary of the 1986 squad — Marietta College baseball's last National Championship team. A lot has changed since that squad hoisted the championship trophy at Pioneer Park. This season is also the first in the last 42 years that legendary coach Don Schaly will not be around to see his Pioneers take the field to play the game he loved so much.

What has not changed, however, is the teams' work ethic and dedication to the program, the two principles that Coach Schaly used to build the best NCAA Division III baseball program in the nation.

When players put on the Pioneer pinstripes, they are representing not only themselves but also the entire MC Baseball fraternity. This year's club is no different.

The Pioneers have won three national titles (1981, 1983, 1986) and have finished national runners-up seven times in 18 World Series appearances.

Leading this year's version of the Etta Express is a core of experienced players, including five seniors and 11 total letterwinners. The upperclassmen are determined not only to improve upon a season in which they finished 32-10-1 and won the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season title, but return the Pioneers to postseason play, something they have not done since finishing national runners-up in 2002.

Senior Mike DeMark, the reigning Kent Tekulve OAC Pitcher of the Year, will be the leader of the pitching staff. DeMark, a 2004 second team All-American, finished with a 10-0 record on the mound last year. The right-hander appeared in 17 contests, starting 10, with four complete games and two saves in 74.6 innings of work. He led the team and the OAC with 76 strikeouts. Opponents hit just .216 off DeMark, who finished with a 3.13 ERA. DeMark was also named first team All-Region for the second straight season.

Lee Guerrera will call the signals from behind the plate for one more year. Guerrera, the Pioneers' everyday catcher in 2005, finished his junior season batting .346 (47-of-136) with 31 runs scored, 10 doubles, two triples and 34 RBI. Defensively, the first team All-OAC award winner proved to be a huge asset for the Etta Express, throwing out 19-of-41 runners that attempted to steal.

Coach Brian Brewer will also look for solid senior years from Chris Hendricks, Jarrod Klausman and Justin Steranka, all of whom have earned valuable experience over their careers at Marietta. Hendricks, an outfielder, batted .339 (44-of-147) with eight doubles, 24 walks drawn and 22 runs batted in as a junior. Klausman, a first baseman who also may see time in the outfield, will look to return to the form of his sophomore season. A year ago, Klausman hit .281 (36-of128) with six doubles and 13 RBI. Steranka hit .299 (44-of-147) with eight home runs, three triples, 11 doubles and 37 RBI as MC's third baseman last year.

Juniors Ryan Eschbaugh and Ryan Belanger, as well as sophomores Zach Welch and Tony Piconke, are expected to continue their development both at the plate and in the field this season. In addition, junior pitcher Mike Eisenberg will be asked to shoulder a lot of innings this season, as the younger pitchers get accustomed to pitching at the collegiate level. Eisenberg went 5-2 with 39 strikeouts and 3.40 ERA in 2005.

The 2006 schedule is loaded with a tough group of non-conference opponents in addition to the nine OAC rivals. For the second straight year, the Pioneers kickoff the season somewhere other than Panama City, Fla. Marietta will open the year at a three-team tournament with Montclair (N.J.) State and host Salisbury (Md.) March 4-5, before heading to Texas for its spring break March 13-17. While in Texas, the Etta Express will play six varsity and two junior varsity games in Abilene and finish the week with a doubleheader in Fort Worth.

Marietta's team goals remain the same for 2006: win the Ohio Athletic Conference, the Mideast Regional and the NCAA Division III World Series.

Here is how the 2006 Pioneers look position-by-position:

Pitchers: For the first time years, the pitching staff will be young and inexperienced. Senior Mike DeMark (RHP, 10-0, 76 SO, 3.19 ERA) and junior Mike Eisenberg (RHP, 5-2, 39 SO, 3.40 ERA) are the only two hurlers on staff that have thrown a varsity inning for the Pioneers. While both of these young men have the stuff to dominate, they have been slowed by injury over the past year. Sophomore Mike Ryan is making great strides with his confidence and command and if this progress continues he will see varsity innings this spring. The freshmen class is loaded with talent. Jason Baumler, Ryan Dennick, TJ Knowlton and Alex Sedam all have the physical attributes to be successful at the collegiate level, but only time and productivity will tell if they have the mental make-up. Sophomore Andy Glazier and freshman Scott Dunn will likely compete for time out of the bullpen.

Catcher: Senior Lee Guerrera returns after having a breakout season in 2005. He will once again look to provide a stable defensive presence from behind the plate, while also being a steady offensive threat in the batter's box. Sophomore Tad Thomas, a transfer from 2005 DII World Series qualifier West Virginia State, will also be looked at to contribute behind the dish, while freshman Conor McFadden has shown some signs of promise and with improved arm strength should push the others to get better.

First Base: Junior Joe Litke has gotten better each of the past two years and appears to be poised to take control of this position in 2005. Senior Jarrod Klausman has been slowed by chronic back problems but may still contribute as a late inning defensive replacement and pinch hitter. Sophomore Tom Doty is transitioning from the outfield to first base and with some minor adjustments offensively, he could add much needed depth at this position.

Second Base: Junior Ryan Belanger is the best athlete on the club and is coming off a solid sophomore campaign. As his confidence grows, so will his numbers. Junior Ryan Eschbaugh and senior Justin Steranka are both high quality back-ups at second base.

Shortstop: Sophomore Zack Welch won the starting nod at shortstop early last season and solidified himself as one of the best in the league. Welch batted .338 with 24 runs scored and 19 RBI last year. He also led the team with 101 assists. Look for him to be a mainstay again this year. Eschbaugh and Steranka again add quality depth here.

Third Base: Eschbaugh, one of the best defensive infielders in the OAC, has found a home at third base. Eschbaugh will see time all over the infield this spring but will see most of it at third. Steranka and sophomore Dom Winters have the offensive potential to make sure Eschbaugh is on top of his game.

Outfield: Senior Chris Hendricks will likely move over to center field and captain this year's outfield. Sophomore Tony Piconke, coming off an exceptional freshman season, will likely continue patrolling left field, but has the arm strength to play right as well. Sophomore Devan Ward has shown that he can play and freshman Justin Merryman was very impressive this fall as well. They will most likely be the third and fourth outfielders this spring.

Outlook: As young as the Pioneers are on the mound, they are equally as deep every where else. The coaching staff expects some young arms to step up and throw well and the experienced offensive and defensive players to play well enough to take the pressure off the young arms early in the season. Each season is a new test for the Etta Express and 2006 will be no exception. Coach Brewer and his staff have worked hard to prepare this squad to make another charge at the Pioneers' annual goals. A core group of experienced players is determined to keep Marietta atop the Ohio Athletic Conference and get back to postseason play.