As opening day nears for the University of Evansville baseball team, we'll be looking at some of the storylines heading into the 2016 season, which will begin on Friday, Feb. 19 at South Alabama.

EVANSVILLE – When looking forward to the 2016 season, it was no surprise that University of Evansville head baseball coach Wes Carroll wasted little time in referencing his senior class.

The Purple Aces are looking to build on a 29-24 campaign a year ago and return to the level that saw them take home the 2014 Missouri Valley regular season championship. In order to do so, the team will be depending on the contributions of upperclassmen in key spots all over the field. This reliance on experience is what has Carroll excited for the 2016 season.

"This is a unique year for us in that we have a significant number of seniors that we expect to contribute," said the eighth-year head coach. "I think that's usually a winning formula for any mid-major baseball program. If you're heavy in upperclassmen, it can really set the tone for your team."

In all, four seniors have appeared to lock up positions in the UE starting line-up at this point, highlighted by outfielders Josh Jyawook and Shain Showers. Another two, Jonathan Ramon and Eric McKibban, are expected to get the nod as part of the infield, and starting pitcher Connor Strain as well as closer Brent Jurceka will lead the pitching staff.

POSITIONAL PREVIEW: Infield

The importance of the senior class is immediately obvious in the Aces infield as McKibban and Ramon have laid claim to first and third base, respectively, heading into this weekend's opening series.

"We're going to have a lot of experience in our infield this season," Carroll said. "We have seniors on the corners, a shortstop with a lot of Division I experience and a JuCo transfer at second. It's essentially an upperclassman infield, and I think it will set up really well for us throughout the season."

Offensively, Ramon has been the star of the group, and he's coming off a 2015 season that saw him post a .304 batting average over 50 games. He finished tied for the team lead in home runs with five, and he was second in doubles (14), triples (3), slugging percentage (.485) and runs batted in (48). Meanwhile, McKibban, one of just two players from a year ago to start all 53 games, hit .236 last season, but he ranked as one of the team's most patient hitters with 28 walks and a .343 on-base mark.

"Ramon has had a lot of at-bats throughout his career, and hopefully, he's set up for a monster senior season," Carroll explained. "McKibban has done a lot with his swing, and he looks extremely polished right now after working with [Aces assistant] Jake Mahon during the fall and winter. He's an excellent defensive first baseman, and he's a great student-athlete for us."

Shortstop Stewart Nelson, the other returner in the projected starting infield for UE, is also hoping to show off his defensive prowess, and Trey Hair, a transfer out of Fort Scott Community College, is lining up to carry a productive role in the Aces line-up.

"We have an infield that can really catch the ball, and Stewart Nelson will play a big role in that," Carroll said. "He's an extremely good defensive player, and he's going to bring a little bit of speed with him as well. Trey is going to be a big left-handed bat for us and he might end up as our clean-up guy. He has the ability to drive gaps, and he has a really good approach to hitting. His plate discipline might be the biggest key to his success."

Freeland, Stamets Invited to Big League Camps

Two former UE standouts will be looking to get off to ambitious starts when spring training begins next week as both Kyle Freeland and Eric Stamets earned invites to their respective Major League camps.

Freeland, the No. 8 overall pick in 2014, spent last season with the Modesto Nuts, a high-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. He made just seven starts in that time due to an injury, posting a 4.76 earned run average over 39.2 innings of work. He would improve those marks in the Arizona Fall League, finishing this past November with a 4-1 mark and a 2.84 ERA. The Denver native won four of his final five starts, posting a 0.73 ERA with a .233 opponent batting average.

Eric Stamets, a sixth-round pick in 2012, will participate in Cleveland Indians camp after spending last year in AA ball with the Arkansas Travelers (Los Angeles Angels) and the Akron RubberDucks (Cleveland Indians). A native of Dublin, Ohio, Stamets played in 95 games last season, hitting .248 with the Travelers over 62 contests and .197 with the RubberDucks over the remaining 33.

The last UE baseball player to appear in a Major League game was Jamey Carroll, who played for seven organizations over the course of his 12-year career in the majors, including both the Rockies and the Indians.


#AcesAces