March 8, 2004
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Head coach Dennis Martel looks to an improved offense and depth on the mound for the 2004 Illinois Wesleyan baseball team.
The Titans, who return 18 lettermen from a team that was 24-15 overall and 11-10 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, opens their season at Millsaps on Sun., March 14.
"I think we are a real solid contender for the conference championship," said Martel, whose 16-year record is 385-254-3. "We are better offensively overall than last year, have good size and power in the lineup and are a very good defensive team."
Among the returning starters is sophomore rightfielder Cory Lapinski (Niles, Maine East HS), who was a second team all-CCIW selection last spring. Lapinski was second on the team with a .344 average and led IWU with five homers, nine doubles, 22 runs batted in and a team-best .547 slugging percentage.
Joining Lapinski in the outfield will be sophomore leftfielder Joe Howard (Downers Grove, Montini HS), who led the Titans with a .356 batting average with 12 doubles and 20 runs batted in.
Targeted to play centerfield will be sophomore Pat Cinquegrani (Barrington, Fremd HS), who hit .250 in 22 games in 2003 and freshman Mike Berry (Crystal Lake, Prairie Ridge HS), who has been impressive in preseason workouts and will also see action as a pitcher.
Martel also returns four infielders who were starters in 2003 - sophomore Brian McCabe at first base, senior Rob Blumberg at shortstop, and junior Mick Curran at third base, along with senior Chuck Nelson, who saw action in 33 games as a utility player last year.
Curran (Orland Park, Sandburg HS) batted .336 with nine doubles, four homers and 25 runs batted in while McCabe (Cary, Cary-Grove HS) hit .277 with nine doubles, four home runs and a team-best 27 RBI.
Nelson (Elk Grove Village, Conant HS) was IWU's co-"Most Improved Player" as he batted .305 with four doubles and 18 runs batted in.
After a summer pitching for the Twin City Stars, Blumberg (Freeburg HS) is ticketed to be a starting hurler for the 2004 Titans. Last spring Blumberg batted .207 as the shortstop but is a steady fielder and he was also the Titans' closer, earning a 3-0 record with two saves, allowing no runs in eight innings.
Sophomore Dave Dobosz (Lombard, Glenbard West HS) is a first baseman/designated hitter and was 1-0 as a pitcher last season and sophomore Nick Chilczenkowski (LaFox, Geneva HS) is a utility infielder who could also be designated hitter.
Junior Jason Shearn (Wheeling, Buffalo Grove HS) is the incumbent at catcher after starting 16 games there last spring, batting .292 with a double and nine RBI. Shearn will also be used as a pitcher after going 2-1 with a 0.75 ERA and fanning 16 in 12 innings in 2003.
Reserve catchers include sophomore Tanner Springer (Bloomington, Tri-Valley HS) or freshmen Eric Sander (Morton Grove, Niles Notre Dame HS) and Josh Bidzinski (Belvidere, Rockford Boylan HS).
Martel has a large but untested mound staff as he looks to replace graduated Steve Brook and Erik Zier, both of whom were five-game winners last season. The starters with the most experience returning are senior Rich Berthold (Elk Grove, Conant HS) and sophomores Brandon DuBois (Beecher HS), Drew Himes (Princeton HS) and Russ Koper (Bartlett HS).
"I really like our pitching staff and think it has great depth and balance between left-handed and right-handed throwers," said Martel. "It's the hardest-throwing staff I've ever had."
Berthold was 3-3, Koper was 2-0 and Himes was 1-1.
Seniors Nick Heinz (McHenry HS) and Jason Trotter (Macon, Meridian HS) and sophomore Tod Moore (St. Charles, East HS) will add to the Titan bullpen and Lapinski will come out of rightfield to serve as the closer.
Freshman Robert Inzinga (Glen Ellyn, Glenbard West HS) will also see work on the mound.
The Titans, whose .968 fielding percentage was second in Division III last spring, have a 24-game home schedule that includes Division I Illinois State (April 21) and hosting a seven-team tournament at Horenberger Field March 25-28.
