| MT baseball hopes for better results in 2012 |
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By: DAVID HUNTER, dhunter@murfreesboropost.com
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Posted: Sunday, February 5, 2012 5:20 am
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A few days ago, the MTSU baseball team began preseason practice.
Players and coaches agree they want to improve its performance after last season’s poor record when the Blue Raiders did not even make their conference’s postseason tournament.
The team and coaching staff said last week they have put last season behind them, but they have not forgot it.
“It should be motivation from last year that they do not want this to happen again,” MTSU head coach Steve Peterson said.
One of this year’s returning members from that team, sophomore Hank LaRue added, “We want to come back and have a better season. We are more focused on this year, then being concerned about last year.”
LaRue also mentioned, the team has also not forgotten about the 2011 campaign in which the team finished (18-37, 9-21) record and tied for last in the SBC.
In order for the Blue Raiders to get back in the hunt for another SBC title, like in all divisions of baseball, Peterson said pitching and defense will be key in how well the team will do this season.
“Anybody in baseball will tell you, you got to have pitching and defense to win,” Peterson, who is entering his 25th season at the helm of the program.
Last year’s staff was ranked ninth out of 10 teams in the SBC with an 5.85 team era. Sophomore Paul Mittura had the lowest ERA out of the starters with a 4.53.
However, the 2012 pitching staff is a mix of returnees and newcomers, including one former Riverdale star, Johnathan Frebis and former Blackman ace Jonathan Sisco, who transferred from Volunteer State Community College. Another pitcher, senior Nick Montgomery, who has experienced success with the Blue Raiders is back after missing last season because of injury.
Montgomery will be part of a small senior class, which also includes outfield/pitcher Matthew Drake, and left fielder Justin Guidry.
Last season, Guidry had the highest batting average out of the returning hitters. His average was .349 with 13 doubles and 32 RBIs.
Peterson said he hopes to put him in left field this season and wants to keep him there after playing several potions during his Blue Raider career.
Once again, the Sun Belt race will be tough and the team wants to continue its success inside the conference. Since joining the SBC in 2001, the Blue Raiders have won three regular season titles, two tournament titles, and four berths in the NCAA tournament. The last one came in 2009.
“Right now, our goal is to get better each day,” LaRue said. “We want to be right there in the mix, and compete for the regular season title, and then try to win the tournament.”
In the meantime, the SBC is known around the country as one of the best. Regularly, the league has sent as least two teams to the NCAAs for the past several years, last season it sent three.
The 2012 season begins Feb. 17 against Kansas. |
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