Season Outlook

Graceland Returns 17 Letter-winners, in its Quest to Win the Heart of America Regular-Season

Under the guidance of Coach Brady McKillip, the Graceland baseball program has become very competitive in the Heart of America Athletic Conference over the last four seasons. Graceland was a program that had never been to an NAIA Regional in their history before his taking over in 2001, but GU ended that in 2002 as they qualified for the Region V Tournament and have been close the last two seasons.

Over those last two seasons, it seemed as if Graceland was right on the verge of putting everything together to find themselves as Regional Qualifiers every year. In 2003, they put a line-up on the field everyday that averaged an amazing 9.58 runs per ballgame and finished the season ranked 11th nationally in total offense, but due to some key injuries to several members of the pitching staff, found themselves to come up short, as they finished 10-10 in the conference, one place out of possibly qualifying for a second straight appearance in the Regional. The 2004 season found Graceland in a rebuilding year as they graduated 10 seniors from the previous squad. Although it was probably the most talented recruiting class brought in by Coach McKillip since he has been there, the Jackets struggled early. They had a great mix of junior college pitching which was keeping them in every game yet they had only one senior in the line-up on a daily basis.

With this the Jackets began the year 2-5 and then would endure a 17-game losing streak in which they lost eight games in the last two innings. “I think for the most part that it just took our young guys some time to adjust to the speed of the college game all around,” said McKillip. “We had a line-up of 18 and 19 year olds and were playing day in and day out against 21 and 22 year olds. That would be a tough adjustment for anybody.” Coach McKillip was right and as the guys adjusted they began to win some ballgames going 17 and 13 to finish the season. They even pulled off two quality wins against Culver-Stockton and Grand View who were both nationally ranked at the time.

After all of this, the Jackets only graduated four seniors, returned 21 players and brought in another top-notch recruiting class that included one Division I transfer, six junior college transfers and 11 freshmen. After finishing 2004 the way they did and basically the whole team returning, you can understand why expectations are high for 2005. “As a coach, you want the expectations for your team to be high yet attainable,” McKillip said. “We are not going to go around saying we will win the World Series but we are going to take those expectations one at a time and start by winning some games. The rest will take care of itself. I’m glad our team and university have those expectations for us because it shows that we have worked hard to implement a winning system and get the players that will produce in it.”

While the fifth-year head coach knows that even though he has 17 letter winners returning, the Jackets still have a lot to prove both to themselves and their opponents. While McKillip says the 2005 squad is the deepest since he has been at GU, close to half the roster has not played a game at the college level. The Jackets may start off slow, with six of their first 10 games against opponents who received votes to be nationally ranked, but are talented enough to play deep into the post-season.

Pitchers
The 2004 staff will be guided by new pitching coach Adam Clarke. Adam will begin his first season as the lead assistant and pitching coach. In 2003, Adam was a student assistant in charge of coaching the junior varsity as well as assisting with the pitchers.

As a first year pitching coach, Adam will have plenty of depth to work with as the Jackets return five starters from last season and three bullpen arms. To go along with those returning, the Jackets signed three junior college and five high school arms during the off season to help solidify the staff. “Adam did great things with the staff this fall,” according to McKillip. “He instilled a hard nosed attitude and a great work ethic in all of them. If he gets the same results this spring, we will be very competitive.”

The Jacket staff tied or set four team pitching records in 2004, including most strikeouts (265) and lowest opponents batting average (.307). In addition, the Jackets had three pitchers that tied or broke four individual records throughout the season. All of them return for Graceland in 2005.

“It’s nice to take over a staff that has a lot of experience as well as some young talent that is waiting their chance to contribute,” Clarke said. “We have a couple of young guys who will see a fair amount of innings early, but they have the ability to help us win.”

Although the Jackets only had one all-conference selection last season, Clarke takes comfort in the fact that five of his top six starters could all be seniors, something all pitching coaches would like to have.

Leading the way is all-conference honorable mention selection Ryan Brickman. Ryan was 5-4 on the season, 3-2 in the conference and led the Jackets in several statistical categories, including wins (5), innings pitched (62), strikeouts (46) and tied for the lead in starts (11). The senior right-hander from McAlester, Okla. transferred to Graceland last season from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M junior college where he saw time as both a starter and reliever. In 2004, Ryan’s biggest wins were a 3-2 victory over Grand View College when they were ranked #25 in the nation and a five-hit shutout over conference opponent Evangel on their home fields. “Ryan is an incredible competitor, he loves to take the ball no matter who it’s against and he demands the best out of his teammate’s every time out,” Clarke states. “That is one of the reasons we selected him as a team captain for 2005.”

The Jackets are also excited to have right-hander Aaron Kentner return for his senior season. Aaron, who hails from Leon, Iowa transferred to the Jackets last season from Ellsworth Community College where he was a starter his freshman year and the closer for the Panthers during his sophomore year. In 2004, Aaron was slated to be the closer for the Jackets but due to the early struggles was moved to a starter to strengthen the rotation. He was second in ERA (4.97) and led the team in saves (3) and lowest opponents batting average (.244). In addition, Aaron set a team record for fewest hits/innings pitched at (0.94) allowing only 39 hits in 41.66 innings. Coach Clarke added, “Aaron gives us another quality starter as he possesses a great fastball, curve ball and an above average change up. He was also chosen as a team captain for 2005 as he works extremely hard and instills this attitude in all of his teammates.”

David Anderson also returns for his senior season in 2005. The lefty from Independence, Mo., was all-state in baseball and went to the University of Kansas out of high school but transferred to Maple Woods Community College during the spring of his freshman year where he went 9-1 for the Centaurs. A shoulder injury put him on the shelf for over a year. He joined the Jackets in the fall of 2002, where he red-shirted to continue rehab on his shoulder. In 2004, David showed signs of the past as he tied for the team lead in starts (11), and was second on the team in appearances (17), innings pitched (47) and strikeouts (44). David’s best game in 2004 was a 2-0 victory over MidAmerica Nazarene where he went six innings allowing three hits, no runs and struck out nine. “David is probably our most talented pitcher, when he is on he can beat anybody,” Clarke stated. “He will be one of our main guys in 2005.”

Fighting it out for our final three starting roles will be two seniors and a freshman. Senior Matt Riley will probably have the first crack at it. The right-hander from Middletown, Ohio, also transferred in last year from Ellsworth Community College where he was a two year starter. Last Season Matt went 4-5 as a non-conference starter winning his last four starts all against NCAA opponents, including back to back six-inning appearances against top 25 Division III Simpson College and Division II Truman State. “Matt has the ability to be a top four starter for us. We just need him to pitch early like he did at the end of last season,” Clarke said.

Also in the mix is senior Josh Chernoff. The righty from Penticton, British Colombia, was a transfer from Vernon Junior College in Texas last year. In 2004, Josh went 3-3 for the Jackets in seven starts. “Josh is a big kid that throws a heavy ball, which makes him hard to hit,” stated Coach Clarke. “He does tend to struggle with control now and then but if he can get that taken care of he will see plenty of innings.” Finally, Chris Hayes also has a chance to be in the rotation or the closer come this spring. The freshman right-hander threw great this fall and possesses an above average fastball and a great curve ball as his out pitch. Chris who comes to Graceland from Oakville, Ontario, where he played club ball for the Canadian Thunderbirds also showed the ability to swing the bat which gives the Jackets some more options to get him in the line-up either in the outfield or at DH.

The Jacket bullpen is solid with returning veterans Josh Meyer and Buddy Cronk, both of whom could see time as starters if the Jackets get into trouble. Meyer a righty from Blue Springs, Mo. came back in 2004 off of a red-shirt year in which he broke his non-throwing hand during the first week of the season. In his return he set a single season record for appearances in a year (19) formerly held by now pitching coach, Adam Clarke. Josh went 2-4 with two saves and was third on the team in strikeouts (38) and innings pitched (42). “Josh is a work horse out of the pen for us,” Clarke said. “He can close a game out or he can give you innings and keep you in a game if a starter struggles early. He will be a key guy for us in 05.”

Right-hander Buddy Cronk will be right there with Meyer as a mainstay in the bullpen. Last season Cronk, who hails from Jay, Okla., transferred in from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M junior college and led the Jackets in ERA (4.81). Buddy made 10 appearances including two starts last season, in which he threw a combined nine innings allowing three earned runs and struck out nine to go 1-1 beating NCAA Division II Truman State University. Clarke adds, “Buddy is that guy that every pen needs, he is just consistent no matter what situation you put him in.” Johnny Stewart is the only other returnee in the bullpen. The sophomore left-hander from Brighton, Ontario, made 11 appearances last season mainly as a match-up guy to left handed hitters but did make one start during the season. “Johnny is a durable guy that can pitch every day for us if needed,” Clarke said. “He showed this fall that he has the ability to get right-handers out as well which will increase his use this spring.”

GU welcomes three transfers in red-shirt freshman Kyle Palmer, junior Jason Bennett and junior Tanner Stone, while freshmen Brian Kennedy, Terry Hogg, Kyle Lovell and Jeremiah Groulx will add depth.

Catchers
The catching position should be stronger for the Jackets in ‘05. As they return sophomores Mark Jurczynski and Matt Proctor while adding freshman Henry Duke Jr. “We feel that the catching position should be much improved for us this season,” McKillip said. “Mark had a great final three weeks of fall ball and is someone that we think can produce in the bottom half of our line up. Matt offers us great defense behind the plate and the pitchers like the way he calls a game. With the addition of Henry, we will have the opportunity to keep them all rested and healthy for the entire season.”

Mark was the main catcher last season starting 33 games behind the plate and appearing in 40. He hit .288 with three home runs and 26 RBI in his first season. The sophomore from Toronto, Ontario, has shown a knack for getting the big hit when needed, none bigger than his two-out two-run single in the bottom of the seventh to beat Culver-Stockton last season.

Matt brings defense and an uncanny ability to call a great game from behind the plate. The Barrie, Ontario, native started 17 games behind the dish during his freshman year. Although he struggled a bit at the plate, he has shown the ability to hit at the college level.

Henry joins the Jacket catchers this spring as a first semester freshman. Hailing from Oakville, Ontario, Henry has played for both the Canadian Thunderbirds and Ontario Bluejays in the CEBC. Last summer he hit .362 with 14 RBI’s while also seeing time in the outfield.

Backing up the trio is a pair of sophomores, Allan Hughes and Francis Ambrosia, who will also be working some in the outfield in 2005.

Infield
Despite losing two-time all-conference selection Fraser Vernon to graduation, the Jacket infield will remain solid, being anchored by freshman all-conference selection Tyler Moe at third base and junior Kyle Olson at first base. The Jackets were also able to fill some holes up the middle and add depth at first by signing Division I transfer Matt Calcagni at short stop and junior college transfer first baseman Bob Mosel. Add in red-shirt sophomore Aaron Fuller and red-shirt freshman Jason Goff along with some talented under-classmen and the Graceland’s infield is one of the deepest it has been under McKillip.

It’s hard replacing a player who led your team in hitting on virtually one leg and hit a dramatic walk-off home run in his first at-bat after surgery, but the Jackets will turn to junior Kyle Olson and junior college transfer Bob Mosel. Olson, a left-handed first baseman from Marion, Iowa, transferred to Graceland from Kirkwood Community College last season and filled in nicely playing in 33 games after Vernon went down with his knee injury. Mosel, a junior from Blue Island, Ill., transferred to the Jackets this year from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. The left-handed hitter knocked in 34 RBI’s while hitting .305 for the Greyhounds. “Both these guys have experience going into the season, whoever gets it done at the plate will be the guy this spring,” McKillip said.

Sophomore Victor Tso and freshman David Athy will also battle for some time at first. Tso, from Edmonton, Alberta, was in the program last season and has really dedicated himself to getting stronger this off-season. David joins the squad after being an all-conference player both his sophomore and senior years in high school. The right-hander from St. Charles, Iowa, is a defensive wizard making only one error this fall. “Victor and David both need to be more consistent at the plate but are very solid on defense and could see time late in ballgames as defensive specialists,” McKillip stated.

Taking over the reigns at second base will be red-shirt sophomore Aaron Fuller. Hailing from Honolulu, Hawaii, Aaron looked good at short stop this fall but due to the departure of junior college transfer Derek Gallier will move to second this spring. As a freshman in 2003, Aaron started 21 games at third base for the Jackets hitting .356 with nine doubles and 16 RBI’s. A true utility player, Aaron can play both positions up the middle as well as third base and even catcher. “We are so happy to have Aaron back this season, we truly missed his bat in our line-up last year,” McKillip stated. “Aaron can play anywhere, if someone gets hurt or is struggling, Aaron can fill in, but he should be in the line-up somewhere.”

Backing him up will be sophomore Kyle Finley. The Vernon, Co. native came to the Jackets last season from Colby Community College. Kyle played last season at short stop on the junior varsity squad but will be better suited at second base. “What Kyle lacks in size and ability, he more than makes up for in heart and determination,” McKillip adds.

The Jackets had to go out and get a short stop for 2005 as freshman Tyler Burnell who played all 54 games last year will red-shirt this season. Division I transfer and team captain for ‘05 Matt Calcagni will undertake that role for the Jackets. The sophomore from Brampton, Ontario, started all season last year as a freshman for High Point University in NC. Matt proved he was the real deal this fall hitting .388, scoring 11 runs and stealing nine bases in 39 total plate appearances. “Matt is the vocal leader of this team, he never quits, no matter what the situation,” McKillip said. “Matt is solid in every aspect of the game and our guys feed off of his energy. He will definitely make an impact this spring.”

Third base is just as deep for the Jackets in 2005. All-conference honorable mention selection Tyler Moe is back after playing all 54 games last season as a freshman. The right-handed hitter from Oakville, Ontario, led the team in five offensive categories last season, including at-bats (171), hits (56), home runs (7), RBI’s (31) and total bases (88) while hitting .327. In addition, he set two individual team records in games played and at-bats. Tyler was selected as the Team MVP for 2004 and currently has an eight game hitting streak going into the 2005 season. McKillip adds, “Tyler was our big bat in the line-up last season without a lot of protection and he never seemed to disappoint. With the likes of Fuller and Hayes in the line-up protecting him he could have an even better year than 2004.”

Looking for a chance to contribute is red-shirt freshman Jason Goff. Hailing from Blue Springs, Mo., Jason transferred to Graceland last spring from Neosho County Community College and was forced to red-shirt due to transcript problems. Jason had a solid fall and could be a key player this spring. Jason too is extremely versatile, he pitched and played first base throughout high school, making the move to third when he got to college, but he is athletic enough to play second and some outfield. “Jason is a hard nosed player that loves to get dirty on the field. He always puts the team first and will sacrifice his body to make a play or get on base,” McKillip said.

Junior Vince Federowich will transfer back to Graceland from Lock Haven University and first semester freshman Jeremiah Groulx will also look to contribute where they can on the infield. “This is the deepest we have been in the infield since I have been here,” McKillip said. “If someone is struggling or gets injured, we have the luxury to sit them down or rest them without losing much.”

Outfield
The Jackets are just as deep in the outfield as they are in the infield. They return all three starters who played 54, 53, and 51 games respectively last season in Adrian Kerr, Kalev Betancourt and Tyler Belanger. Betancourt is the lone senior of the position players. The Hollister, Calif., native came to Graceland by way of Monterey Peninsula Community College last season. He was second on the team in triples (3) last season and third in hits (43) and RBI’s (29). On the defensive side Kalev set a team record with 10 assists from centerfield last year. “Kalev is great in center, if it is hit, he can get to it. He doesn’t have great speed but his ability to get a jump on the ball is incredible,” McKillip said. “He also has an extremely strong and accurate arm from the outfield. He will be a key on both sides of the ball for us.” Backing him up will be four underclassmen.

Sophomore Allan Hughes who came to Graceland as a catcher moved to center in the fall. At the plate, the Brampton, Ontario, native showed the ability to control the bat very well with a little bit of pop. Challenging him for the back-up role will be freshmen Chris Ricketts, Andy Cecil and Rafael Cedeno. Ricketts, from Toronto, Ontario, showed a lot of power this fall and a ton of potential. Harrisonville, Mo., native, Cecil played football for the Jackets in the fall so his time to prove himself will be in spring practice, but he was an all district player in high school. Rafael comes to Graceland all the way from Caracas, Venezuela, having played the last four seasons in the Leoncio Martinez League.

Belanger struggled a bit offensively last season after moving from second base to left field due to some injuries early in the year. The junior from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, still played great defensively not letting his offensive struggles affect the rest of his game. He was still third on the team in runs scored (25) and home runs (5) and should improve on these numbers in 2005. “Tyler did a great job for us defensively last season switching from second base to left field,” McKillip said. “Hopefully he can get back on track offensively to where he was his freshman year.”

Battling Tyler for the starting position will be freshman Chris Hayes. Hayes who is also on the Jackets pitching staff had a great fall with the bat showing tremendous power and a great arm in the outfield. “Chris is a rare two-way guy that will contribute whether he is on the mound or in the field,” McKillip said.

Also in the picture are sophomore Francis Ambrosia and freshman Justin Russell. Like Hughes, Ambrosia has made the switch to left field from catcher. The Niagra, Ontario, native does bring some experience with him as he started 21 games last season for the Jackets at catcher and designated hitter. Hailing from Brampton, Ontario, Russell will have to adjust a little bit to college level pitching but has good speed in the outfield.

Kerr turned in an impressive first year at GU, setting single season records for games played (54) and stolen bases (26). In addition he led the team in runs scored (36), triples (4) and was second in hits (47) and at-bats (169). After moving to the lead-off spot in the fourteenth game of the season, he hit .307 (43-139) scoring 32 runs and driving in all 15 of his RBI’s. Kerr also had seven outfield assists to go along with his offensive production. “Adrian was our offensive catalyst last season, we went as he did when we finally got him in that lead-off spot,” McKillip added.

Set to back him up will be junior college transfer Matt Prignitz and freshman Ricky Eusebio. Prignitz, who comes from Marion, Iowa, transferred to Graceland from Marshalltown Community College. He had an impressive fall hitting .380 until getting hit by a pitch and breaking his wrist. He should see no setbacks from the injury going into spring practice. Honolulu, Hawaii, native Eusebio also played well toward the end of fall practice coming up with several big hits in the Blue/Gold World Series.

Although the Jackets only have one senior in Betancourt for position players, they are extremely experienced with all those projected to start having played in at least 30+ games last season. “Unfortunately, we will lose Kalev from our line-up after this season but the future is very bright and it starts February 19,” McKillip said.

2005 Schedule
Once again, Graceland will face a tough schedule, playing 21 of their 63 games against teams that qualified for Regional play in 2004. During the first month, the Jackets must fight through a treacherous non-conference schedule, playing their first 10 games on the road, before traveling to Lindenwood for the non-division conference opener on March 12.

“We will definitely see what we are made of early and will need to be on top of our game from the start,” McKillip said. “The first three and a half weeks will be used to get ready for our non-division conference opener.”

With one team nationally ranked and two others receiving votes, the conference race figures to be very competitive, making the Jackets goal of winning the conference title a daunting task. “The heart may be the most competitive it has ever been from top to bottom since I have been here,” McKillip said. “I think there are five or six teams who could win it with three or four of them in our division.”

Fans will have an opportunity to be apart of an exciting season at North Park, starting with the home opener with Park University on March 4. The 29-game home schedule features Heart of America double-headers against Benedictine, MidAmerica Nazarene, Avila, Baker and William Jewell along with marquee non-conference games against William Penn, St. Mary’s and Grand View College.