As opening day is approaching March 4th at Alice Lloyd the Laker baseballers have been working hard to build off their USCAA National Tournament Appearance last season.
The Returners
The young Lakers only have 2 upperclassmen on the roster this year with Ronaldo Acosta and Riley Luebke. Coach Chad Geier will be counting on all of his returners. Geier said, "They each have their own special ways of contributing to this team winning whether it's leadership or with their play." Isaac Fitzgerald returns for the Lakers after a strong freshman season. Fitzgerald hit .298 and drove in 27 runs last season. The Lakers will need Fitzgerald to be strong again at the plate this season. Dan Borchers and Luebke also returns for the Lakers on the mound. They will look to bring stability to the young pitching staff. Borchers went 2-0 with 16 strikeouts for a 5.97 era, while Luebke logged 50.1 innings pitched going 2-5 for a respectable 4.83 era.
The Newcomers
Geier mentioned he is very excited to see how Billy Lanman and Dustin Lewis do this season. Their speed, ability to play great defense, and being pesky hitters is going to be something special to watch this season. On the mound the Lakers will be young, but Coach Geier likes the direction the pitching staff is moving right now. Carson Schuman is an exciting young pitcher to watch for the Lakers.
What Coach Says:
Coach Geier on team expectations: "My expectations are to get these young guys on the team to understand what it truly takes to win ball games sooner then later. It takes more than talent to win. It takes a team who understands each other, thinks alike, has that refuse to lose mentality, and is clicking at all times with each other. With the new faces in the lineup I expect ups and downs early but the goal is to limit the downs as these younger guys adapt to this level of baseball."
Coach Geier on offensive outlook: "I am excited about the potential of our offensive lineup. We have good mix of gap power and speed. We won't hit 30 home runs but with the aggressive style of play these guys show will allow a few to grab some extra bases at times. We have a lot more depth this year and can count on a lot more guys to come off the bench and contribute at any point in the game."
Coach Geier on pitching/defensive outlook: "We took a hit losing our number 1 and 2, but we have guys that have stepped up and filled those roles. We expect them to do a great job for us this year. One thing I am excited to see is our team defense. I expect our defense to be on top of our game as I believe that is the strength of this team. Our middle infield have some of the best defensive qualities our program has ever seen in my 5 years here. They have great hands and very high baseball IQs. Our outfield will be young but very talented with great speed and arm."
Games to Watch:
Lakers take on many USCAA National powers in Cincinnati Clermont, Cleary University, and Rochester College. The Lakers have 30 home contest and 16 road contests.
Cincinnati Clermont: March 26 and April 1
Cleary University April 2 and April 15
Rochester College March 29th
Final Thoughts:
Lakers have the desire to get back to New York for back to back small college World Series appearances. Coach Geier is excited to see how this young team gels and how they handle adversity. Come check out your Lakers March 6th for their home opener versus OSU Lima.