2005 Baseball Preview

Overview

Next year. 

The good thing about the previous statement is that it was made prior to last year. 

Going into the 2004 season, the youthful Bears knew they were going to struggle.

However, no one expected the talented pitching staff to be hit with quite so many injuries including a span of the season where the team’s top six arms were sidelined at once.

Lenoir-Rhyne, though, showed tremendous resistance and pieced together a 23-25 record with an 8-13 mark in the South Atlantic Conference, good for a sixth-place finish.  Along the way, the Bears defeated several of the league’s top teams (Catawba, Tusculum and Wingate) and won a few contests in their last at-bat.

As the team enters the 2005 campaign, Frank Pait and the Bears are still thinking about their objective made before last year.

With six regulars and the team’s top pitchers returning to go along with a host of talented newcomers, L-R looks to make its move back to the top of the conference standings this year.

Catching
Not only is senior John Verdinek (High Point, N.C./Appalachian State University) is back after starting the last two years behind the plate, the Bears have plenty of depth to replace the departed Brian Tester with three newcomers including senior transfer Matt Keever (Hickory, N.C./High Point University), who will battle Verdinek for the starters’ job.

Pitching
Injuries ravaged, literally and figuratively, what was supposed to be one of the best pitching staffs in the league in 2004.  However, the team’s front-line starters from the last two years – seniors Justin McLeymore (Cherryville, N.C./Cherryville HS) and Bobby Kennett (Englewood, Fla./Lemon Bay HS) and junior Andrew Cooper (Belmont, N.C./East Gaston HS) – are back but it was a pair of freshman who made the difference last season.  Dennis Downey (Waynesville, N.C./Tuscola HS) and Jesse Jordan (Englewood, Fla./Lemon Bay HS) came into their own as freshman in 2004 and could make a even bigger impact in 2005.  The pitching staff’s strength comes in its versatility where many arms could start or come out of the bullpen.  L-R is also hopeful sophomore John Patterson (Hickory, N.C./East Carolina University), the team’s top reliever, came bounce back from injury and return to form this year.  Even with the abundance of returning starters, freshmen Dan Poindexter (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth HS), Jesse Beane (Collettsville, N.C./West Caldwell HS) and John Passwater (Bridgeville, Del./Woodbridge HS) are said to have the ability to start this year.

Infield
This will be the biggest area in transition although the Bears should be set at shortstop and first base with sophomore Taylor MacCurdy (Charlotte, N.C./Providence Day HS) and junior Matt Sigmon (Catawba, N.C./Newton-Conover HS).  MacCurdy defensive ability is already well-known and the standout sophomore has added 15 pounds in the off-season and is looking to improve his bat.  Sigmon, a 2004 All-SAC honoree led the team in hitting last year, flirting with .400 the whole season, and has developed into one of the best hitters in the conference.  Jason Bridges, the league’s best defensive second baseman last year, needs to be replaced and freshman Lee Jones (Wilmington, N.C./Emsley A. Laney HS) appears to be the frontrunner.  Third base is also a position vacated by a graduated senior (Brian Neill) and the Bears are looking at sophomore transfer Mike Nolan (Wilmington, N.C./Louisburg JC) to fill the void. 

Outfield
The Bears have the potential to roll out one of the best outfields in the league.  All three starters are back in junior leftfielder John Pugh (Asheboro, N.C./Asheboro HS), junior centerfielder Matt Wiley (Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte HS) and sophomore Gregg Morgan (Severna Park, Md./Riverdale Baptist HS).  Pugh is outstanding with the glove and Wiley, a 2004 All-SAC First-Team pick, went on a torrid hitting streak to end 2004.  Morgan was one of the best newcomers last year although may see a battle for playing time from another sophomore:  Jordan Ackley (Walnut Cove, N.C./South Stokes HS).