Tenth ranked Tiger baseball team to open season Tuesday at Seminole State

Coming off a season in which they won 47 games, captured its 11th conference title in the past 13 years, and finished eighth at the JUCO World Series, the Cowley College baseball team enters the 2008 season with a lot of unanswered questions.

The Tigers return just three position players that saw action in at least half of last year’s games, and return only one pitcher that started any games last season.

Thus, the question marks entering the season for the Tigers. However, the new players on Cowley’s roster got some work done in the fall exhibition schedule and hope to keep the Tigers rolling along as they open the season Tuesday at Seminole State at 2 p.m.

Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs saw some good things from his squad in the fall, but is not quite sure what to expect from this year’s team.

“I think the fall was productive in some areas, but in other areas it might have been as unsettled as we have ever been,” Burroughs said. “We have got good players, we have just got to figure out where to play them.”

Cowley had a large sophomore class last season so a lot of the returning players did not get to see much playing time.

“It is going to be an interesting year, we will be so young that it might be a roller coaster ride for a while,” Burroughs said. “But, we will never give up on the fact that will try to win another conference championship.”

Sophomore catcher/designated hitter Travis Carney (.315 average as a freshman) was really the only regular every day starter that played at last year’s JUCO World Series. However, nine players return from last year’s team.

“Those guys got a little taste of it and hopefully that will be something that will motivate them to take it to the next level again,” Burroughs said.

Sophomore third baseman Tom O’Gorman had a big regular season before suffering a season-ending injury at the Region VI Tournament played at Wichita’s Lawrence Dumont Stadium.

O’Gorman batted .320 with a team-leading 11 home runs as a freshman. He also drove in 57 runs. John Chaisson also returns after suffering a season ending injury midway through his freshman season. Prior to the injury, Chaisson batted .286 with nine stolen bases.

Kenny Hitchcock saw playing time as a part-time starter as a freshman and finished the season with a .333 batting average. Brice Cole started at third base after the injury to O’Gorman and gained valuable experience playing at the Region VI Tournament and JUCO World Series.

“Those guys got a little taste of it and hopefully that will be something that will motivate them to take it to the next level again,” Burroughs said.

A blend of freshmen and sophomores will be counted on to have big seasons for the Tigers. Along with the sophomores already mentioned, Heath Wall a transfer from Seminole State and Tyson Parks, a transfer from Creighton University will also need to step up for the Tigers.

“Those guys will be good players for us,” Burroughs said.

Freshmen Andy Petz, Frank Specht, Colt Loehrs and Bryson Ramsey are also expected to make immediate impacts.

“Those guys are going to get thrown in there, so they will be expected to do their part,” Burroughs said.

Cowley lost nearly its entire pitching staff from a year ago as 42 of its 47 wins came from players that are no longer with the team. Curt Simpson, who went 3-2 with a 3.87 earned run average is the only returning pitcher that started any games for the Tigers last season.

Simpson struck out 37 batters in 34 1/3 innings, including a school-record 14 batters struck out in a win over Highland.

“We lost a lot of innings and a lot of production from our pitching staff last year,” Burroughs said. “Curt will need to have a big year for us.”

Zach Potter, Connor Farris, and Chris O’Brien gained experience on the mound as freshmen and will be counted on to step up as sophomores.

Stephen Kohlscheen, John Maler, Calvin Drinnen, and Mike Flanagan head up a talented group of freshman pitchers. Kohlscheen, a 6-foot-5 right-hander, was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 2007 Major League Baseball draft.

Maler was selected to the Oklahoma All-State team as a senior in high school, Drinnen was an All-Ark Valley League/Chisholm Trail League pitcher at Campus High School, and Flanagan is a 6-foot-1 left-hander from Lee’s Summit, Mo.

“All four of those guys have got good arms,” Burroughs said. “They will be thrown into the fire and be looked upon to help the pitching staff. Our freshmen kids will do a bulk of the work on the mound.”

Cowley will play another difficult early season schedule as they get themselves ready for conference play.

“Our guys will be ready for our conference when it rolls around,” Burroughs said. “It will be a dog fight.”

Although the squad is young, the expectations are high for the Tigers.

“We need to make daily improvements and be more consistent than we were in the fall,” Burroughs said. “I think this club can be productive. It could be a fun year for us, there are just so many questions unanswered.”