January 31, 2008

Gorillas Eye Season Opening Weekend Series

    PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University baseball team will travel to Lawton, Okla., to open its 2008 season with a four-game weekend series against Cameron University. The Gorillas and Aggies are set to play a pair of Noon doubleheaders Saturday (Feb. 2) and Sunday (Feb. 3) at McCord Field.
    Despite the presence of inclement weather currently in the Pittsburg area, weather prospects are promising in southern Oklahoma with weekend temperatures expected in the highs 50s to low 60s.
    Pitt State and Cameron have met in a season-opening February series at Lawton, Okla., in 13 of the last 15 seasons with the two exceptions -- in 1996 and 2005 --due to weather cancellations. The Gorillas hold a 26-17 advantage in the series, including three wins in the last four meetings.
    PSU head coach Steve Bever, who enters the season with a 473-376 record in 17 years (1991-2007) directing his alma mater. Bever welcomes back a pair of All-MIAA position players in senior shortstop Brett Hothan and senior third baseman Luke Naccarato as well as nine members of his 2007 pitching staff.
    “We haven’t had many opportunities to practice yet -- we’ve only been outside three times -- but after a long fall and offseason we’re looking forward to getting started,” Bever said. “We think this team will pitch it well and play good defense. Generally at this time of year pitching is ahead of offense, so it might be a challenge for our hitters getting started, but I think we have some good hitters in our position players.”
    Hothan (6-1, 190) hit .325 with two HRs and 31 RBIs as a junior in 2007, earning honorable mention All-MIAA honors, while Naccarato (5-9, 185) overcame a slow offensive start to hit .265 with six HRs and 38 RBIs to garner honorable mention All-MIAA honors as well.
    Senior RHP Brandon Boyer (5-11, 166) made 17 relief appearances for the Gorillas in 2007, posting a 3-3 record with four saves and a 4.37 ERA. Senior RHP Greg Rawlings, (4-4, 4.24 ERA), senior LHP Garrett Forsythe (4-6, 5.57 ERA) and senior RHP Brad Bartling (2-2, 7.91 ERA) all started five or more games for the Gorillas a year ago.
    Two newcomers -- senior RHP Darrel Dinger and junior RHP Tim Brown -- figure to take the mound for the Gorillas this weekend. Boyer and Dinger (6-1, 210), a Baxter Springs native who transferred to PSU from Mississippi Valley State University, are expected to start Saturday’s twinbill. Brown (6-3, 200), from Johnson County Communiy College, and Forsythe figure to take the mound Sunday.
    Junior Ben Ahrens (6-4, 248), a transfer from St. Thomas University, figures to contend for the starting role at first base. Freshmen Brian Dean (6-0, 174) and Taylor Sibala (5-9, 180) are expected to vie for playing time at second base. Senior Brock Hampton (6-4, 190) had the inside track on the starting spot at second but he suffered an arm injury that figures to sideline him for a month’s time.
    Sophomore Justin Northern (6-0, 190) is back for his second year in the program and figures to snare the starting role behind the plate. A quintet of outfielders -- seniors A.J. Loyd (6-0, 200) and Patrick Martin (5-9, 150) and juniors Taylor House (5-9, 175), Nick Guiliani (6-3, 200), Austin Kirkwood (6-2, 195) -- all figure to see significant action in the Pitt State outfield.
    Cameron posted a 23-30 record during the 2007 season.