Powerful at the plate, aggressive on the base paths, and reliable in the field. That’s a winning combination for any baseball team, and the 2011 Aces have it. With 18 letterman returning, including seven starting position players from the 2010 record-breaking team, this is the year University of Evansville baseball fans have been awaiting. This spring, third-year Head Coach Wes Carroll hopes to lead his proven offense and emerging pitching staff to the top of the Missouri Valley Conference standings and to his best finish yet at the helm.
In 2010, Evansville either broke or tied 19 different single-game, single-season and career records, including one MVC mark as the Aces finished the year 32-27 overall and 10-11 in conference play. Nearly all those players that set the new bars will be taking the field again this spring.
“We have a lot of good young men coming back this year, including preseason all-conference team selections Greg Wallace, Eric Stamets, and Cody Fick” said Coach Carroll. “But, I’m really excited to see the development of our young pitching staff, as well.”
Headlining the Aces’ returning cast are 2010 All-Missouri Valley Conference selections seniors Fick, Wallace, and Nate Smith, as well as sophomore Stamets. Third baseman and power hitter Fick garnered first-team all-conference honors after slugging a Valley-leading 19 home runs which also ranked 36th nationally, while centerfielder Wallace tied former Major League great Joe Carter’s single-season MVC record for triples with a school-record 13, the fourth-highest single-season total in NCAA Division I history and also broke UE single-season records for both hits (91) and RBI (75), while hitting a team-best .371. Smith, an outfielder, hit .283 and .333 in the MVC, while also recording 16 doubles and 13 stolen bases on the season.
Shortstop Stamets was a consensus Freshman All-America selection after earning MVC Freshman of the Year laurels, ranking as the nation’s top freshman stolen base thief with a school-record 43 steals. Overall, Stamets hit .321 in his rookie campaign with 15 doubles, four home runs and 27 RBI.
Stamets’ complement in the middle infield, junior Trentt Copeland, a first-team MVC Scholar-Athlete, also returns after hitting .322 last year and owning a .973 fielding percentage at second base. Rounding out the infield, senior Ryan Oesterle, a potential slugging threat at the plate, is an option to command first base, while Shawn Kuester will likely fill the role of designated hitter again after serving as the Aces’ toughest player to strike out in 2010, with just 10 strikeouts in 93 at-bats. Versatile senior Jared Baehl returns after a medical redshirt last season along with classmate Ty Legan. Both can fill multiple positions.
Evansville’s freshman class brings Coach Carroll a talented and deep bench with some newcomers likely stepping right into prominent roles, including Kevin Kaczmarski, one of Illinois’ top base stealers in high school, and good option to fill the void of outfielder Alex Acheson. Switch-hitter Jake Mahon will contend with sophomore Chris Pearson for time behind the plate, while Brett Wiley, Matt Wilkinson, Tim Bodine, and David Patton will add depth, athleticism, and speed to both the UE outfield and infield.
“I’m really excited to see our freshmen get out there,” said Carroll. “Especially in the first couple of weekends when they get the butterflies out of the way and settle in, and hopefully see that they can contribute on our roster.”
The Aces’ young but developing pitching staff, comprised of nearly all freshmen and sophomores, will be piloted by sophomore Sam Johns (5-4, 5.71 ERA, 54 Ks in 58.1 innings), senior Zach Taylor (3-1, 4.89 ERA, 35 Ks, in 49.2 innings), and sophomore Kyle Lloyd (2-3, 7.93 ERA in 36.1 innings). Taylor had a strong offseason, making Coastal Plain League history by tossing the summer league’s first-ever perfect game.
With a deep bullpen, including returning righties Jake Naumann and Adam Culiver, and southpaws Josh Biggs and Jordan Chavis, the Aces will have a lot of options with the addition of Ryan Billo, Sam Bohon, Peter Spear, Tyler Miller, Cole Isom, and 6’8” righty James Kohler to the mix. The versatile Fick and Copeland will also get their chances on the mound throughout the year.
Always up against a strong and competitive Valley schedule, there is no better time for the Aces to make that run to the top than this year. The Aces were chosen third in the MVC’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll behind Illinois State and Wichita State.
“The Missouri Valley Conference is what we want to prepare for and what we want to win,” said Carroll. “Every single opponent is going to be a tough one, on the road and at home.”
The Aces open the 2011 season at Memphis on Friday, Feb. 18 at 4:00 p.m. CST. The first pitch at UE’s Braun Stadium will be Friday, March 4 when the Aces host Eastern Illinois in the first game of the Dunn Hospitality Tournament. Evansville will play its first Valley contest of the season on April 8, welcoming Southern Illinois to UE’s campus.
Fans can purchase season and single-game tickets by calling 488-ACES. Have to miss a game? Go to Gameday Central on gopurpleaces.com and follow the action through WUEV’s radio broadcasts, AcesTV’s web streaming, and live game stats.
