Clarion University's 2002 Baseball season gets underway Feb. 25^th in Fort Myers, Florida with high hopes under third year head coach Scott Feldman.

The Golden Eagles begin their Florida Spring Training Trip on Monday, February 25^th playing a single game against St. Vincent at 6pm. The team continues with a doubleheader on Tuesday against Saginaw Valley (Mi.) and eventually caps the trip on March 3 with a twinbill against Regis. The eagles will play 10 games.

About the 2002 season? "We will rely on pitching experience, team speed and a solid defense up the middle to reach our goals this season," said Feldman. "Our goal is to gain one of the two PSAC-West playoff spots and we can accomplish that with this team."

Clarion posted a 10-25 overall record last year and a 2-18 record in PSAC-West play. Clarion batted .298 as a team and belted 13 home runs while drawing 128 walks and converting 15 of 20 attempted stolen bases. The pitching dipped to a 7.68 ERA and that is expected to bounce back this season. In 2000 the Eagles were 17-18 overall and placed third in the PSAC-West with a 10-10 league record. The Eagles ihit .289 in 2000, but had an impressive 4.78 ERA.

Clarion’s leadership roles will fall on captains Mike Brown (Sr. Bellefonte) and Dalaine Ofchinick (Sr. N. Braddock/Woodland Hills).

Brown, a three-year starter at second base, returns for his second season as a team captain. Last year he hit .229 (19 for 83), but led the team with 24 walks and had an on base percentage of .413. In 1999 with wooden bats Brown batted .278 with 18 walks, and in 2000 he hit .213 with 25 walks and a .417 on base percentage.

Ofchinick, Clarion’s starting shortstop, returns after hitting .352 a year ago (37 of 105), while scoring 20 runs, posting 7 doubles and 16 rbi’s. He also led the team in stolen bases (8 of 10) and drew 12 walks. He transferred to Clarion from CCAC South.

The Clarion infield will be anchored by the return of Brown at second and Ofchinick at short, with Brandon McCliment (So. Philipsburg Osceola) at first base and likely Ricky Cruz (Jr. Erie - Cathedral Prep) or Lee Myers (So. Washington - Canevin) at third.

McCliment saw action last year and hit an impressive .333 (1 of 33) with 4 doubles and 3 rbi’s. Cruz, a transfer from Mercyhurst NE and Myers, a transfer from Mount St. Mary’s have solid credentials. Cruz has excellent speed and hit .401 at Mercyhurst NE. He was also an All-Metro selection at Cathedral Prep in Erie. Myers was a strong contributor at Canevin High hitting .450 and helping his team to the 2000 WPIAL title.

Also looking for time in the infield will be freshman Doug Rowell (Harrisburg/Bishop McDevitt). A shortstop, he also canplay the outfield and pitch.

The catching chores will be handled this yer by sophomore Adam Allshouse (So. Brookville) and junior transfer Geremy Hoover (Clearfield - Ph. Osecola). Allshouse gained catching experience last year and is solid behind the dish. He batted a strong .404 (21 of 52) with 2 home runs and 16 rbi’s. Hoover, meanwhile can catch and play the outfield. A versatile and athletic player, Hoover is expected to hit in the #4 spot in the lineup and is termed "the besthitter on the team" by Feldman. He transferred to Clarion from D-I Cleveland State and earned 2 letters. Sitting ot this season is junior Pete Vuckovich (Conemaugh Valley). Vuckovich, the son of former Clarion All-American, Cy Young Award winner and former Pittsburgh Pirates Pitching Coach, had knee surgery in the Fall and is expected to return to the Eagles in 2003.

Sophomore Jared Frey (Mechanicsburg/West Perry) will start in center field and anchor the outfield in 2002. Frey hit a solid .333 last year (19 of 57) with 10 rbi’s, including 5 doubles. He strong arm and speed will help him patrol the outfield. Also looking for time will be junior Matt Eppley (Johnstown - Bishop McCort) or red-shirt freshman Brad Malaspina (Burrell) in left, with Hoover likely to start in right. Speedy freshman Jason McGlone could also see time.

Eppley batted .246 (14 for 57) last year while hitting .545 as a freshman. Malaspina red-shirted last year and can play all 3 outfield spots. McGlone, who received the Wollaston Scholarship, is the fastest runner on the team and hits well from the left side.

Pitching will undoubtedly play a major role in the Golden Eagles success in 2002. Senior tandem Dave Graham (Erie - Central) and Nate Baumgardner (Lewistown) will be the #1 and #2 starters on the staff. Last year Graham led the staff with a 3.90 ERA and a 4-6 record while tossing 57.2 innings. In 2000 the lefty was 6-4 overall, tossed 61 innings and had an ERA of 4.57. The three-year starter has notched 157.2 career innings and posted an 11-16 career record with a 4.34 ERA.

Baumgardner had a strong sophomore campaign with a 6-3 record, tossing 61 innings with only a 2.36 ERA and walking only 14. Last year he slid to an 8.74 ERA and a 1-7 record in 45.1 innings. He has tossed 125 career innings with an 8-11 overall record and a 5.11 ERA.

Jared Nash (Sr. Ellwood City - Riverside) has also had a strong career. A three-year contributor he posted a 2-3 record last year while firing 29.1 innings and a 7.06 ERA. As a frosh in 1999 he pitched 21.1 innings and had a 4.22 ERA. Nash will likely be Clarion’s closer this season.

Also looking for mound time this year are senior Jeff Spoljaric (Harrisburg) sophomore Brad Adamski (Valencia/Mars) and freshmen Steve Sherman (Seneca/Cranberry), Nate Simpson (Brookville/Clarion Limestone) Jake Yale (Brockport/Brockway), Bill Young (Grampian/Curwensville), Matt Hutson (Washington/McGuffey) and Mike Whitling (Knox/Keystone). Spoljaric has thee letters, while Adamski pitched 22 innings as a freshman and was 0-4.

CLARION NOTES: Clarion’s Northern Season will begin on March 16^th with a home twinbill against PSU-Altoona... The PSAC-West opener is March 28^th against Lock Haven... this is the second year at the "new" field which was moved to the Northern end of the complex.