Baseball

In baseball circles, the number 56 usually brings up memories and talk of Joe DiMaggio’s record consecutive game hitting streak back in 1941.

In Joliet baseball circles, 56 means a lot more than DiMaggio’s streak. After all, a streak by a Yankee is never the number one topic for discussion among local baseball fans. The 56 that may be most impressive to those in Will County who truly believe that baseball is indeed the world’s greatest game is this – the number of consecutive years that Gordie Gillespie has been a head coach in college baseball.  And all but 10 of those 56 have come right here in the Joliet area at Lewis University and University of St. Francis.

Gillespie, college baseball’s all-time winningest coach with 1,741 victories, is just as excited about his 56th team as he was about his first.

“I think we’re going to have a very good club,” said Gillespie. “I have about 12 players that showed me this fall they deserve to start on the field and I’ll have a tough time trying to find playing time for all of them when you can only give a pitcher eight other guys to field for him. But that is a good problem to have. Truth be told, in a long season we could probably use about 15 or more players that deserve to be in the starting lineup every day.”

The Saints are coming off a 32-20 season in 2007 and the school’s third straight appearance in the NAIA Region VII Championship tournament in La Crosse, Wis., last May. The Saints finished in a four-way tie for second place in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference and won a pair of tie-breaking playoff games over Purdue North Central and Trinity Christian to earn the league’s second automatic berth into the six-team Region field.

Some familiar faces, led by shortstop Brad Netzel and right-handed starting pitcher Justin Vaughan, are among the players lost from that 2007 squad but plenty of experience returns for the 2008 club.

Breaking down the Saints, position-by-position:

Catcher – A pair of Saints handled virtually all the catching chores last spring and both return this year. Junior Karl Gotsch started behind the plate or as the club’s designated hitter in 33 of 38 games and finished with a .294 batting average.  Owner of a very strong arm, Gotsch nailed 18 of 33 runners attempting to steal last season. Sophomore Pat Grady started 34 games, most of them behind the plate but he also opened games in left field and at third base. He hit .296 on the year and caught 14 of 19 base stealers.

“Both Karl and Pat are outstanding catchers and we’re fortunate to have that type of experience behind the plate,” said Gillespie.

Three big freshmen will also get looks at the catching spot. Brent Walters (6-1, 190) from Lisle, Nick Dziuban (5-10, 200) from nearby Wilmington and Florida product J.C. Shoop (6-4, 235) not only give Gillespie some talented depth at catcher but also provide some great athletic skills. Dziuban and Shoop both played on the Saints’ football team this fall.

“Walters is potentially as good as either Gotsch or Grady,” said Gillespie. “He just needs the college-level experience. I’m anxious to see Dziuban and Shoop this spring since they missed fall ball while playing football. I saw Dziuban play last summer and he was considered one of the best high school hitters in our area as a senior. We’ll work Shoop at first base as well because with his size he could be a big hitter for us.”

First Base – Junior Steve Kehr was the mainstay at first a year ago but he also played some in the outfield after classmate Dan Higgins was lost for the season with a foot injury. Kehr, a left-handed hitter, batted .320 and led the Saints with two home runs and 39 RBI.  Jeff Dybala, who redshirted last season, is the likely backup at first and may also be used in the bullpen as a right-handed pitcher.

“Kehr is a great hitter and an outstanding glove man at first base,” said Gillespie. “I’m a firm believer that you cannot have a good defensive club without a very good first baseman. Steve will dig up a lot of poor throws and make his fellow infielders look good again this spring.

“Dybala may be one of the better hitters on our team so we will probably see him getting at bats as a DH for us as well,” added Gillespie.

Senior Adam Altobelli played the majority of the time at first as a junior in 2006 but redshirted last spring after undergoing elbow surgery.  The left-handed thrower returns as a fifth-year player this spring but will most likely concentrate solely on pitching.

Freshmen Shawn Hohenbery and Wayne Coffey will also be available for some first base duty.

Second Base – A pair of freshmen – Steve Witczak and Dave Weyer -- manned this spot last season and another freshman will likely be the starter in 2008. Witczak is ticketed for a move to shortstop this spring while Weyer elected to transfer after the 2006-07 school year. Joliet Township product Artie Morales impressed Gillespie and the coaching staff in fall practice and enters the spring as the Saints’ second baseman.

“Morales was the three-hitter at JT last season and very seldom strikes out,” said Gillespie. “He has some power and is a tough out. He’s an above average second baseman and how he plays defensively for us as a freshman remains to be seen. He’s a competitive player and I’m confident he will do well.”

Bobby Markatos, another freshman who hails from Stagg High in Palos Hills, is the likely backup at second base. He missed fall ball after suffering a broken foot in his second game as the Saints’ starting goalkeeper in soccer. Markatos can play all three infield spots (third base, shortstop and second base) and also pitched some at Stagg.

Shortstop – The biggest hole that Gillespie must fill in 2008 is in the position that most coaches will tell you is the most important defensive spot on the field. Four-year starter Brad Netzel left USF last spring after leading the team in hitting (.412), games played (started all 52), runs scored (52), hits (80), doubles (18), slugging percentage (.531) and on-base percentage (.531). Needless to say, he was a first-team all-CCAC pick and a big loss for the Saints.

Witczak will make the move over to shortstop after starting 28 games at second base last year. He hit .312 as a freshman and was perfect in 16 stolen base attempts.

“Steve is the best all-around base runner and probably the most exciting player on our squad,” said Gillespie. “He has the potential to steal 40 bases and will be our leadoff man. I look for him to hit around .350 and have an on-base percentage of about .450. He played shortstop in high school and we were successful in moving him to second base last year. Now, we are asking him to move back to short and I’m sure that he will handle the transition well.”

Markatos is the primary backup at shortstop as well. Junior utility player Geoff Reiter hopes to bounce back from injuries that sidelined him the past two seasons and get some playing time in the infield. Freshman Robert DeLong also is a candidate at the middle infield slots.

Third Base – Sophomore Andy Zurales will get the first look in the hot corner this spring. Gillespie is unsure how things will work out at third since Zurales did not participate in fall practice due to his commitment as the starting tight end on the Saints’ football squad. Zurales hit .264 as a freshman designated hitter last year. He posted an impressive .426 on-base percentage, the second-best mark on the club behind Netzel.

“I expect Andy to be one of our top three hitters this spring,” said Gillespie. “He has good power and a great attitude. He can be a good third baseman. My only concern right now is his footwork at third.”

Another option at third base is Higgins. A starter in right field as a freshman, Higgins suffered a season-ending foot injury near the end of the season-opening Florida trip last spring. Gillespie considers him one of the Saints’ best outfielders but also feels that he can play a solid third base if the need arises.

“We didn’t look at Dan at third base until the last two weeks of fall practice,” said Gillespie, “but we liked what we saw. We know he has the arm strength to play third as he has one of the best and most accurate arms among our outfielders. He will be in our lineup somewhere and will be one of our key players.”

Outfield – There are four players that Gillespie would not hesitate to call regulars in his outfield. But not even a 56-year head coaching veteran has figured out a way to play four guys in the outfield at the same time.

“That is one of my biggest challenges this year,” said Gillespie. “I know that one way or another, things will fall into place but it is an interesting and a good dilemma to have when you have four quality players vying for three spots.”

Sophomore David Heasley returns in center field where he enjoyed an outstanding freshman season. Heasley hit .311 and made just four errors defensively. He started 48 of the Saints’ 52 games in center. He also made five pitching appearances, including two starts.

“I truly think David will be the best center fielder in the conference this year,” said Gillespie. “He gets a tremendous jump on the ball and catches almost everything that is hit his way.”

Higgins, mentioned earlier as a candidate for potential playing time at third base, will return in his accustomed spot in right field.

“Higgins is your typical right fielder,” said Gillespie. “He has a strong and accurate arm and is a tough guy. He can hit, run, field and throw. He’s just a very solid ballplayer.”

Senior Steve Pollard was a reserve for much of 2007 but came on strong in the final third of the season and earned a starting job in left field. His .353 batting average was second only to Netzel on the team and he led the Saints with 20 stolen bases in 25 attempts.

“Steve really gave us a lift in the latter part of the season and in the conference and region playoffs,” said Gillespie. “With Witczak and him at the top of the batting order, we should really have the fastest 1-2 hitters in the conference.”

The fourth outfielder is senior Brian Davis, who transferred to USF last year but redshirted as he recovered from shoulder surgery.

“Brian could be a great addition for us this season. He missed all of last year but came back this fall and started to show us what he can do,” said Gillespie. “He has the best pure swing on the club and can hit for power. He runs exceptionally well. He has the talent to lead us in any of the hitting categories. It will be very interesting to see how he comes back from his surgery and his year off.”

Other outfielders to watch include sophomores Joe Prohaska and Tom Serruto and freshman Tom Whelan. Prohaska is the lone one of the three with any USF experience, as he hit .118 in four starts as a freshman. He may also get some playing time at second base.

Pitchers – Gillespie likes the makeup of his pitching staff and is hopeful that a couple of key pitchers are able to come back from injuries that sidelined them for all or part of last season.

Right-hander Jason Novak enters the spring at the top of the Saints’ rotation. His 3.36 earned run average from 2007 is the lowest among USF’s returning pitchers. He posted a 5-4 record in a team-high 11 starts, led the staff with 39 strikeouts and tossed five complete games.

“Based on how he finished last season, Jason is our No. 1 starter heading into the spring,” said Gillespie. “He pitched very well for us down the stretch and is a great competitor.”

Erik Panek had a difficult sophomore season after earning all-CCAC honors as a freshman in 2006. The right-hander finished just 2-5 last year with a 4.71 ERA.

“Erik was never really sharp last year so we are hoping that he can return to the form he showed as a freshman,” said Gillespie. “He is a quality pitcher and a key part of our rotation.”

Joe Koehler posted impressive numbers as a freshman in 2007, working as both a starter and a reliever. He finished with a 6-1 record and a 3.46 ERA.

“Joe has been a successful pitcher his whole career,” said Gillespie. “He was the best pitcher on the team at Mount Carmel High School in the Chicago Catholic League. He has a sidearm delivery that gives hitters trouble.”

Senior southpaw Altobelli and sophomore right-hander Brandon Kvistad are the two pitchers that are coming back from injuries. Altobelli missed all of 2007 after undergoing “Tommy John” surgery. He was one of the Saints’ top hitters in 2006 but hasn’t pitched since first injuring his elbow early in that season. Kvistad won a pair of impressive starts on the Florida trip to begin his collegiate career. He battled an arm injury for most of the spring after that and returned for just a couple of late-season relief appearances.

“If ‘Alto” is healthy, he will be a big factor on our staff,” added Gillespie. “He would be the only lefty in our rotation and his experience would be a big plus for us. Kvistad pitched outstanding prior to his injury. If he throws this year like he did on the Florida trip last March, he will be one of our top pitchers.”

Other pitchers expected to make contributions, either out of the bullpen or as starters, include junior lefty Dan Leddy, freshman southpaw Mitch La Buda and freshman right-handers Will Bausch, David Hexdall and Mark Ahern. Erik Zehme, another left-handed freshman, is academically ineligible for the spring semester and will not make his Saints’ debut until next season.

The Schedule – The Saints open the season for the third straight year with a 10-day, 15-game trip to the Orlando, Fla., area.  “The competition is always outstanding down there and we look forward to some tough games again this spring,” said Gillespie.  “We have played teams from North Dakota, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia the last two years.  It’s a great trip for us and gets our season off to a good start.”

Defending CCAC champion Saint Xavier is again the team to beat in the league in 2007.  “We managed to beat Saint Xavier three times in five meetings last year after losing all six the previous year,” commented Gillespie.  “But the two they won were the two that counted in the conference standings. It’s always a battle when we play them and I’m sure it will be again this year.

“Olivet Nazarene has a new coach and returns a lot of players from a team that also made it to the regional last spring,“ said Gillespie. “Olivet, Purdue North Central and Trinity Christian all tied us for second last year and I expect them all to be tough again this season. The CCAC is a very good league. We can’t overlook anybody in the conference.”