Bowling Green State University Athletics
Baseball Looks For Back-To-Back East Division Crowns
August 22, 2001 | Baseball
Aug. 22, 2001
By KEVIN GORDON, Sentinel Assistant Sports Editor - Powerful hitting enabled the Bowling Green Falcon baseball team to post the second-best record in the Mid-American Conference last season.
An inconsistent pitching staff prevented the team from achieving more.
The Falcons -- who led the nation in hitting with a .360 batting average and were third in scoring with an average of 9.89 runs per game -- tied the school record for wins in a season with a 36-18 mark.
Yet, BG was quickly eliminated from the MAC Tournament with two straight losses which brought the season to a disappointing end.
The Falcon pitching staff struggled with a 7.26 earned-run average, including an ERA of 8.02 in MAC play.
Freshmen dominated the pitching staff as five first-year players combined to start 32 of BG's 54 games. Seven freshmen made a total of 117 appearances last season.
Staff ace and senior Craig Menke, who was 6-1 with a 3.45 ERA, was the only reliable veteran.
As a result, the freshmen were forced to receive on-the-job training.
"We must improve our pitching, that's been one area that's been down the last couple of years," said BG coach Danny Schmitz, whose team had a 5.26 ERA in 2000. "Last year, we had to go through some growing pains. Hopefully, that will pay off in the long run."
The main lesson for the freshmen is that they have to be able to throw more than just a fastball for strikes and they have to be able to hit their spots.
"In high school, you might be able to get the fastball by hitters but it's a different story at this level," Schmitz said. "You need to have command of all your pitches."
But those talented freshmen, who are sophomores this fall, have Schmitz optimistic.
Kyle Knoblauch (5-3, 6.54) and Keith Laughlin (3-2, 7.79) should be BG's aces, and the return of senior Doug Flere will add a huge boost.
Flere, who was 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA as a freshman in 1999, missed last season because of elbow surgery. He first developed the sore arm as a sophomore.
Schmitz said there is an outside chance Menke could return for a fifth year as a redshirt. He pitched only one inning in a fall game as a freshman due to back trouble, and BG has asked the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility.
Schmitz said sophomores David Barkholz, Ryan Lindquist, Neil Schmitz (3-3), Clayton Booth (5-2, five saves) and BGHS graduate Nate Henschen also are expected to contribute again on the mound.
Freshmen Burke Badenhop of Perrysburg and Tyler Saneholtz of Anthony Wayne also will have a chance to earn a spot in the starting rotation.
Brett Baumgartner, who was 5-4 with a 9.06 ERA as a sophomore last season, has left the team.
Chances are the Falcon offense won't be as prolific as last season, but Schmitz believes his team still will have a potent attack. But BG must replace three key contributors -- outfielders Aric Christman and Lee Morrison, and third baseman Scott Dukate.
Morrison set single-season school records for home runs (18), RBI (63) and total bases (149), and Christman did the same in at-bats (224), runs (73) and hits (86). Christman had a .384 average, two points better than Morrison. Dukate batted .333 with 16 homers and 48 RBI.
Yet, senior outfielder Len Elias (.397-13-58), junior second baseman and Eastwood graduate Corey Loomis (.369-10-46), senior shortstop Nick Elrod (.365-6-37) and first baseman/designated hitter Kelly Hunt (.353-14-49) all return.
"I don't think last season will ever be repeated, but position by position we'll be fine," said Schmitz, whose team scored at least 10 runs in 26 games last season, and only two players hit less than .300.
"The freshmen got their feet wet and now they have to come back as sophomores as men. We have the makings of a good offensive team and I thought we played good defense (78 errors in 54 games) ... the pitching is the area we have to improve on."
Henschen could help ease the loss of Morrison, Dukate and Christman with a big season. He hit only .333 in 21 games last season with eight homers and 26 RBI. Henschen set BGHS' home run and RBI records.
"He was brought in for his bat and we need to get him to replace one of those right-handed sticks," Schmitz said. "That's a major need there offensively that we need to fill."
Sophomore Andy Hudak, and freshman and Lake graduate Ed Severhof will compete for playing time at third. Seniors Tim Newell will handle most of the catching duties. Sophomore and Elmwood graduate Zach King is healthy after elbow surgery last season. David Viane, who would have been a senior, decided to transfer to another school for academic purposes.
Barkholz and Neil Schmitz also will play in the outfield, along with freshmen Matt Hundley and Jeff Warnock.
NOTE: Craig Menke signed a free-agent contract with the Houston Astros after this article went to press.
