Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU Baseball Kicks Off 2005 Season This Weekend
February 25, 2005 | Baseball
Feb. 25, 2005
Bowling Green, Ohio - Bowling Green State University baseball begins its 2005 campaign this weekend with three games at Murray State University, Murray, Ky. The Falcons and Thoroughbreds play a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m. EST. and a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.
Murray State enters the series with a 2-1 record. The Falcons ended the 2004 season with a 28-19 record overall and a 13-11 ledger in the Mid-American Conference West Division, just missing the MAC postseason tournament. BGSU returns seven starters and 27 lettermen from that squad, including 10 seniors.
BGSU Head Coach Danny Schmitz begins his 15th season at the helm for the Falcons with a career-record of 376-344-4, just 24 wins away from victory number 400. Pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, Tod Brown, begins his sixth season with the Falcons, assistant coach Dave Whitmire begins his fourth season at BGSU, and former Falcon Spencer Schmitz will serve as a student-assistant.
Captains for this year's team include seniors Andy Hudak (Toledo, Ohio), Matt Hundley (Warren, Ohio), and Kyle Knoblauch (Blissfield, Mich.).
Junior Nolan Reimold (Greenville, Pa.) will lead the offensive charge after being named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Mideast Region First Team and All-MAC First Team in 2004. The right-fielder finished last year 15th in the nation with his .749 slugging pct., 31st nationally with his .404 batting avg., and 32nd nationally with 1.21 runs-batted-in per game (57 total). Reimold led the Falcons in 12 categories and was twice named the MAC Player of the Week. He finished the season on a 13-game hitting streak.
The only departure in the field for the Falcons was David Barkholz, who started in center field for the past three seasons. Filling that spot will be senior Jeff Warnock (Cincinnati, Ohio), who had his best year a Falcon last season, batting .353 with six doubles, eight stolen bases, and was named All-MAC Second Team. Also seeing time in the outfield will be sophomore Kurt Wells (Perrysburg, Ohio), and freshmen Jared Dickman (Fremont, Ohio), Andrew Foster (Bowling Green) and David Quick (Johnstown, Ohio).
Sophomore Eric Lawson (Milford, Ohio) earned All-MAC Second Team honors at second base a year ago as a freshman. He finished third on the team with a .363 batting avg. to go along with 11 doubles, five home runs and 38 runs scored. His partner up the middle should be senior Jimmy Lipari (Clinton Twp., Mich.) at shortstop, who turned in his best season at BGSU in 2004. Lipari posted career-highs in batting avg. (.373), doubles (9), RBIs (26) and stolen bases (5). Competing for time at shortstop and second base will be juniors Bobby Majer (Euclid, Ohio) and Dash Yost (Fremont, Ohio).
Returning at the corners for BGSU are junior Tyler Wasserman (Oregon, Ohio) and 5th-year-senior Andy Hudak (Toledo, Ohio). Wasserman brings a very good glove at third base while Hudak (first base) has 33 career doubles and is fifth all-time at BGSU with a .371 career batting avg. Other competitors at first base will be junior Steve Raszka (West Chester, Ohio) and sophomore Josh Dietz (Plymouth, Ind.).
Behind the dish will be a quartet of candidates, including RS-sophomore Josh Stewart (Dayton, Ohio) who batted .324 in 28 starts last year, sophomore Mike Barnard (Milford, Ohio) who had 14 starts with a .270 avg., and seniors Kevin Longstreth (Middle Point, Ohio) and Jesse Sobol (Pepper Pike, Ohio).
On the mound, the Falcons will have its deepest lineup in many years. Starting seniors include RHP Burke Badenhop (Perrysburg, Ohio), RHP Kyle Knoblauch (Blissfield, Mich.), and LHP Keith Laughlin (New Riegel, Ohio), as well as junior Tom Oestrike (Flat Rock, Mich.). Badenhop pitched a career-high 64.0 innings in 12 starts last year and Laughlin pitched a career-high 51.0 innings and 61 strikeouts in nine starts. Knoblauch and Oestrike are each coming elbow surgeries.
Sophomore LHP Alan Brech (Harrison, Ohio) and RS-sophomore Greg Becker (Celina, Ohio) will also see time in the starting rotation. Brech had a 3.60 ERA in 40.0 innings of work with 36 strikeouts and just 10 walks for his rookie season. Out of the bullpen will be senior Matt Hundley (Warren, Ohio), who had three saves and a 4-1 record in 23 relief appearances in 2004. You can expect to see sophomores Adam Gumpf (Perrysburg, Ohio) and Greg Mentrek (Hermitage, Pa.) involved, as well, after steady rookie campaigns.
