KSU’s baseball team will open their season against Jacksonville State on Feb. 15. The team is currently in spring practice preparing for the upcoming season.
Head Coach Mike Sansing commented on the team’s preparation: “We are just trying to get off to a good start, and the key is staying in shape,” Sansing said.
Sansing has coached 22 baseball seasons and has the most wins of any baseball coach in KSU history.
“Preparation is not a whole lot different. At this point it is more about repetition and getting off to a good start; one of the keys is being in shape physically where your arms have seen a lot of pitches. We have participated in a lot of inner squad games for this reason,” Sansing said.
KSU’s preparation and conditioning last year lead to a birth in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship. The Owls plan for it to play as much of a major role this year in their success, as it did last year.
This year the team has phenomenal depth defensively. Justin McCalvin, James Connell and Kevin Kyle all return to the mound this season. The team has high expectations for McCalvin this season. He is one of several players on the team that are Major League Baseball prospects and can play a major role in a successful season for KSU’s baseball team in 2013.
“I think we’ve got several pitchers that are getting some strong interest from the scouts. Justin had a really good summer and has increased a lot of velocity in his throws.
I think several of these guys will get some looks from the major league scouts this spring,” Sansing said.
Captain Peyton Hart, a veteran senior for the Owls, makes his return to the defense this season giving them another advantage. Hart is another MLB prospect and as a senior brings not only his athletic ability to the team but his knowledge as well.
“Having Peyton is like having another coach out there for us. He has been in the infield for four years, and was a red shirt freshman but he brings a lot to our team,” Sansing said. “He knows what I’m thinking, as we go into things I will hear him address things in terms of strategy and what we’re doing before I can get to it. It’s great having him around.” Offensively, additional hitters have been added to the roster giving the team more depth. This will aid returning hitters Andy Almonte, Chris Mcgowan and Max Pentecost. The KSU baseball team last year held a batting average of .292, which was second in the conference. These three returning hitters hit a total of 170 hits and 22 home runs. The three hitters also had a significant amount of RBIs. Their performance last year gives the Owls offense confidence for success this season.
When asked about the advantage of having Andy Almonte, Chris Mcgowan and Max Pentecost on the team, coach Sansing responded sincerely: “I think those guys are in the middle line up, and if you are in the middle lineup in college baseball your about run production. They can put up good RBI numbers. Those are your favorite players, the ones that can put up RBIs. Getting RBIs will allow us to put up numbers offensively,” he said.
Last year the Owls lost in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship. This year they are not only trying to make it back, but are trying to win it.
“I think we are really strong offensively last year, but we had a couple of injuries that set us back. This year we have added depth making the conference championship definitely a reachable goal for this team,” Sansing said.
The goal of KSU’s baseball team this year is to score offensively. The difference between last year’s team and this year’s team is the added depth on the offense and defense. The Owls are hoping that with a lightning-fast offense and a wise veteran defense, they will soar past the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship and go to Regionals.
The primary leaders for the Owls this year are James Connell and Peyton Hart. The captain’s lead the team in practice plans to lead the players to victories on the road and at home.
“They have great experience from past leaders, and they do a tremendous job in the class room. They are great people on and off the field; and that’s why they are our captains,” Sansing said.
The Owls will soon begin preparing exclusively for their opener against Jacksonville State. KSU hopes to start the season off with a winning record and get a significant lead in the conference. People can expect to see hard work, enthusiasm and veteran leadership from the KSU baseball team during the 2013 season. Added depth behind the plate and on the mound is sure to earn the Owls wins in the diamond this year.
