2007 Season Preview

Clarion University’s 2007 Baseball team gets underway in Fort Pierce, Florida on Saturday, March 10^th when the Golden Eagles square off against Post University (Ct.) at 7:30pm.

Clarion will continue its trip with two games on Sunday including a 4pm start against American International and an 8:45am start against Nyack College on Sunday. Clarion has 10-games scheduled overall and will conclude the trip on March 16^th against Post University at 8:45am.

"We’re looking forward to the trip and the season getting underway," said Clarion eighth year head coach Scott Feldman. "The Florida trip gives us an opportunity to get everyone some valuable experience and gives us a tool to evaluate everyone on the team. We want to come out of Florida prepared for the tough PSAC-West schedule."

Feldman begins his eighth season at Clarion with a career record of 108-192-1. Feldman, the 2005 PSAC-West "Coach of the Year", led the 2005 Golden Eagles to a PSAC-West first place tie with a 12-8 conference mark and finished the season with an overall record of 25-22-1. Clarion lost in the PSAC tournament to Kutztown 9-2 and Shippensburg 9-4.

Last year the Golden Eagles were 14-32 overall, but a solid 7-13 in PSAC-West play finishing tied for fourth with Lock Haven.

The Golden Eagles posted an 18-29 overall record in 2004 and a 5-15 mark in the PSAC-West, while the 2003 Eagles were 17-31 overall and 7-13 in the PSAC-West. Clarion was 7-35 overall and a 3-17 in the PSAC-West in 2002 and the 2001 squad was 10-25 overall and 2-18 in PSAC-West play. In Feldman’s first season (2000) he led the Eagles to a 17-18 overall mark and a 10-10 record in league play.

Last season the Golden Eagles hit .292 as a team, scored 196 runs (4.3 per game) and had a team pitching ERA of 7.66, up from their stellar 5.06 ERA in 2005.

Gone from last year’s team are first team PSAC-West players Jason Warner (catcher) and Chuck Roller (relief pitcher), but returning are second team PSAC-West choices Adam Shaffer on the mound and infielder Jake Yackovich.

"I think we will be a much more consistent team this year," said Feldman. "For the first time in eight years we have a starting line-up that does not have a true freshman out there and that should help us maintain a consistent level of play. Our goal this year, no different than in the past, is to make the last week of the season meaningful. Whether its possibly clinching a title or making the PSAC Playoffs, we want that last week to be important," closed the Clarion mentor.

Providing quality leadership on the field will be senior pitcher Adam Shaffer (Seneca/Cranberry) and third baseman Jake Yackovich (Murrysville/Franklin Regional).

Shaffer, second team PSAC-West selection in 2006 as a starting pitcher, had the lowest ERA in the PSAC in 2006 with a 1.84 final posting. A Co-Captain in 2007, he had a 2006 record of 2-4, tossed 44 innings, walked 25, struck out 21 and yielded 32 hits. In 2005 he had 8 appearances last year and started 5 games while compiling a 2-2 record. He tossed 33 innings, yielded 35 hits, walked 20, struck out 24 and had an ERA of 3.55. Shaffer was 0-4 in 2004 with an 8.64 ERA, tossing 25 innings with 14 strike outs and 24 walks. For his Clarion career he has a 4-10 record, pitched 102 innings, yielded 36 earned runs, 62 walks, 59 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.18.

Yackovich, who is moving to third base from playing first a year ago, also was a second team PSAC-West choice in 2006. He was second on the team in 2006 with a .333 average (41 of 123) plus had 8 doubles, 2 triples, 2 hr’s and 16 rbi’s. In 2005, as a freshman, he batted .227 (17 of 75) with 5 doubles and 8 rbi. In two seasons he is hitting .293 (58 of 198) with 13 doubles, 2 triples, 2 hr’s and 24 rbi’s.

The infield will return veteran shortstop and leader Matt Petrowsky (So. Johnstown - Bishop McCort), along with Yackovich at third base, newcomer Andy Petruska (Fr. Pgh - Central Catholic) at second base and freshman J.T. Baker (Kissimmee, Fla.) at first base. Also ready for time will be Ben Watkins (So. Johnstown/ Conemaugh Twp.) at second, Kirk Hays (So. Brookville) at first, and Paul Baker (Fr. Emporium/Cameron County) at shortstop.

Returning to start at shortstop is talented sophomore Matt Petrowsky. Last year Petrowsky hit .318 (48 of 151), led the team in runs scored (29) and doubles (12), added 2 triples, 3 hr’s and 23 rbi’s with 3 stolen bases.

Petruska, a freshman and a 2005 grad from Central Catholic, has good hands and a quality bat. He hit .417 as a senior and .424 as a junior in high school and was an all-section player both seasons.

Baker (JT), a freshman eligible from Florida, was an all-conference player at Osceola High, hit .320 his senior year with 25 rbi’s (2005).

Watkins, who saw time at third last year, could play the infield when not on the mound. He hit .136 (6 for 44) with 3 rbi’s.

Hays hit .233 in 21 games last year (10 of 43), with 2 rbi’s.

Baker (Paul), a freshman, could see time at third and on the mound. From Cameron County, he hit .527 as a senior with 7 hr’s, was the team MVP and a Big 30 All-Star.

Feldman feels the outfield will be a strength this year with Dustin Watt (Sr. Monroeville/Gateway) patrolling center field, Cole Cook (Sr. Brookville) in left and Doug Brown (Jr. Slippery Rock/Laurel) and Cedric Johnson (Jr. Rochester, N.Y.) in right.

Watt, a Co-Captain this year who will cover a lot of ground in center field, returns with a .314 average (38 of 122) from last season. In 40 games he scored 22 runs, hit 6 doubles, 1 triple, 18 rbi’s and stole 4 bases. In 2005 Watt posted a .310 average (18 of 58) with 2 doubles, 6 rbi’s, 10 walks and 2 stolen bases. Watt played in 37 games in 2004 and hit .189 (18 of 95) with 12 rbi’s. In his career he is hitting .269 (74 of 275) with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 36 rbi’s and 8 stolen bases.

Cook, from Brookville, hit .253 in 31 games last year ((21 of 83) with 3 doubles and 6 rbi’s. In 2005 he hit .284 (23 of 81) with 3 doubles and 10 rbi’s. At Clarion he is hitting .257 (47 of 183) with 16 rbi’s.

Brown meanwhile moved to the outfield last year, but is also a quality third baseman. He hit .233 in 35 games last year (20 of 86), while scoring 15 runs, posting 1 hr and 7 rbi’s with 4 stolen bases. In 2005 he hit .238 (24 of 101) with 2 doubles, 1 triple and 9 rbi’s.

Johnson transferred to Clarion from Mercyhurst Northeast where he was a strong hitter. Cedric batted .467 in 2005 and .400 in 2006 under Ryan Smith. He is from Gates Chili High School in Rochester, N.Y.

Also ready to see time in the outfield will be Jimmy Collins (Jr. Clearfield), Ben Donlin (Fr. Brockway) and Travis Rhoads (Fr. Clarion-Limestone).

Collins, who needed off-season shoulder surgery, is preparing to return to action sometime this Spring. He came to Clarion from ACC-Maryland and was part of the team that placed 4^th at the Junior College World Series. At Clearfield High he hit .403 as a senior and .478 as a junior for Sid Lansberry.

Donlin, a freshman from Brockway, hit .407 with 2 hr’s as a senior earning All-Conference honors.

Rhoads, who played at Clarion-Limestone and former Clarion All-American Brad Frazier, is an extremely fast outfielder with experience in center. He hit .370 with 15 steals for the Lions last year.

Junior catcher Jordan Premick (Gibsonia - Hampton) will start behind the dish, while Jeremy Womer (So. West Middlesex) and Ryan McBurnie (So. Brentwood) look to contribute.

Premick is very strong defensively and will start the season as the Golden Eagle starter. He hit .185 playing in 30 games last year. He was 10 of 54 with 2 doubles, 1 triple and 6 rbi’s. He also hit .214 in 7 games in 2005.

Womer played at Seton Hill last year as the Griffins went to the NAIA World Series. He also was an all-section player at West Middlesex.

McBurnie was the WPIAL batting champion in 2004 with a .653 average at Brentwood and is a strong pitcher.

Clarion’s pitching staff in 2007 expects to be very solid behind a good starting rotation and lots of help from the bullpen. The Eagles will feature #1 starter Adam Shaffer (Sr. Cranberry) and #2 Ben Watkins, #3 Jason Buck (Gr. Brookville), #4 John Hynes (So. Brooklyn. N.Y.), #5 Billy Geiger (Sr. Saegertown) and #6 starter Craig Garza (Jr. Aliquippa/Penn State Beaver).

Shaffer, who compiled the lowest ERA in the entire PSAC last year at 1.84, is ready to lead the Eagle mound staff.

Watkins, the #2 starter, had a very strong finish to the 2006 season. He finished with a 1-4 overall record while tossing 37.2 innings, 9 appearances, 6 games started, 2 complete games, 42 hits, 17 earned runs, only 10 walks and 29 strike outs.

Buck, from nearby Brookville, pitched at Burlington County College (03, 04) and at the University of Bridgeport (05, 06) and has plenty of experience. He is a hard thrower with experience.

Hynes, a sophomore from James Madison High in Brooklyn, sported a 36-4 career record with the Golden Knights and an ERA of 1.07.

Geiger, a veteran on the staff, pitched 33.1 innings last year, had a 1-4 record and 2 complete games. He walked only 14 batters while striking out 17. Two years ago Geiger pitched in 9 games and posted a 1-0 record while tossing 17.1 innings, walked 5, struck out 7 and had a 5.71 ERA. Geiger also tossed 34 innings in 2004 and notched a 3-1 record and with an 8.47 ERA.

Garza, the #6 starter, was 2-5 as a starter last year throwing 35 innings with a 9.51 ERA. He walked 3 and struck out 15. In 2004 at PSU-Beaver he was 8-2 and was an all-conference pitcher.

Working out of the bullpen will be Nate Semovoski (So. Monaca/Center), Eric Weiser (So. North Clarion), Jason Krimsky (Fr. Monroeville - Gateway), Tim LaBarge (Fr. Shelby, Oh.), Nick LaManna (Fr. Lancaster, N.Y.) and Paul Baker (Fr. Cameron County).

Semovoski gained valuable experience last year pitching 12.1 innings.

Weiser, a KSAC 1^st team pitcher in 1998 at North Clarion, pitched at Edinboro in 1999 and has collegiate experience.

Krimsky pitched at Gateway high School a year ago, LaBarge was team captain and voted by his teammates as Shelby’s top pitcher in 2006 and LaManna comes to Clarion from Lancaster (NY) high. Baker is a power pitcher who could turn into a closer.

The PSAC will be in its third year in 2007 of its new playoff format. Three teams from the West and East will again qualify for the PSAC Championship Tournament (It had been the top 2).

CLARION NOTES: The West now has California, Indiana, Lock Haven, Slippery Rock, Shippensburg and Clarion ... All PSAC-West games will be on Friday and Saturday, with Sunday serving as the make-up day ... Each team will play the same opponent four games in a weekend (home and home) ... Clarion opens PSAC-West play on March 30 when the Eagles host Shippensburg for a DH at Memorial Stadium ... March 31^st Clarion travels to Shippensburg ... The finale PSAC-West weekend is set for April 27-28 against IUP... The final home game is against IUP on April 28^th... The PSAC Championships are set to begin May 3 and they will be at Williamsport this season.... The last two years they were at State College at the Shaner Sports Complex.