BLOOMSBURG – Returning a majority of its lineup with some experienced pitchers, the Bloomsburg University baseball team will have one of the most talented teams in the conference and is looking to continue to make strides from a season ago on its way to a successful 2013 campaign.
 
“Our experience is an important factor for our team,” Bloomsburg head coach Mike Collins said. “Our best feature is our toughness as a team. Our group fights harder for every pitch in every game. That's what gives us the biggest edge.”
 
The Huskies went 25-20 in 2012 with a 12-12 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division to place fifth in the final standings.  This season they feature three seniors and 12 upperclassmen that should blend well with some terrific young talent that have the team amped to get its season underway.
 
Collins enters his eighth season as the Huskies head baseball coach. In his first seven years, Collins has led the Huskies to 131 wins. Bloomsburg's 25 wins last season were the most since 1999, and its 12-12 mark in the PSAC East snapped a 14-year streak of below .500 conference records.   
 
“I feel we have a very deep lineup coming into this season,” Collins said. “Looking at our pitching staff, like all other schools, we will be counting on our top four guys staying healthy and ready to go when we need them to. We have a lot of guys competing for roles right now, and I think that will only make us stronger moving forward.”
 
The Huskies open their season on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at the Builder Invitational in Newport News, VA.  Over the course of the five-day tournament, the team will take on The Apprentice School, Briarcliffe, Lock Haven and Kutztown.
 
“This weekend gives us a chance to play with the lineup a little bit and allow guys to fill certain roles to find out what our best nine is,” Collins said.  “It's a good time to further define how we will use our players when it comes to pinch hitters, pinch runners, and late relief options.”
 
Starting Pitching
 
Senior Bryan Morris (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Catholic) and junior Kyle Hunter (Lehighton/Lehighton) are Bloomsburg's top returning pitchers and enter the season as probable Friday starters in conference play.  Morris was an All-PSAC East second team pitcher last season and had a team-high six wins in 10 appearances on the mound. His 54 innings and 34 strikeouts led the club and he will be looked to for similar numbers this season.
 
Hunter looks to return to his dominant, PSAC East Freshman of the Year form from two years ago after suffering a shoulder injury last season.  The junior has responded well to his rehabilitation though according to Collins, and has been throwing the ball very well.
 
“If those guys pitch to their potential and pitch as they have in the past, I feel we will be very difficult to beat on Fridays,” Collins said.  “They will play a significant role to our teams' success.”
 
Junior Casey Cooperman (Allentown/Parkland) will be featured in the starting rotation after throwing over 106 innings over the last two seasons.  He picked up three wins with a 3/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio last season and will be counted on to continue to throw a lot of strikes and pitch deep into games.
 
Fellow junior Eric Geedey (Elverson/Twin Valley) has a strong possibility to be the No. 4 starter for the Huskies.  He made just two starts last season, but walked just five batters in 13.1 innings. Coach Collins is optimistic about Geedey's play this season as he feels the junior is stronger than he's ever been with improved velocity and a very good changeup. Sophomore Cody Heane (McClure/Indian Valley) is also a strong candidate for the No. 4 spot in the rotation.
 
The Huskies play 12 non-conference games before opening PSAC play on Mar. 22 against defending NCAA champion West Chester. Freshmen Alex Carpenter (South Williamsport/South Williamsport) and Jack Fritz (West Chester/Rustin) could all have opportunities to pitch in some non-conference games early on this season.
 
Bullpen
 
Senior right-hander Matthew Dean (Gilbertsville/Boyertown) returns as Bloomsburg's top reliever. He pitched 20.2 innings in relief last season and had an outstanding 18 strikeouts with just three walks.  A four-year member of the Huskies, Dean has only walked eight batters in his career and should expect increased innings this season.
 
“Matthew gives us a great strength in the bullpen,” Collins said. “He has had a lot of experience for us in the bullpen and has come into tight situations and had success in the past.”
 
Junior Nick Donofry (Newtown/Council Rock North) held a 2.53 ERA last season in a limited role, but is expected to respond with improved numbers this season in reaching his highest potential. Sophomore southpaw Tyler Hill (Lehighton/Lehighton) throws a lot of strikes and can use a variety of pitches to force hitters into groundballs. 
 
Junior Gino D'Amato (Hazleton/Hazleton) should expect to see more time out of the bullpen.  He has shown signs of dominance in the past and can use his velocity to get opposing hitters out.
 
Sophomore Jared Schaffer (Perkasie/Pennridge), along with freshmen Sean McCloskey (Warminster/Archbishop Wood), Matt Hurd (Orefield/Parkland), and Matt Jaskolka (Warren/Warren Area) are all guys Bloomsburg can count on to throw strikes and provide depth to the pitching staff.
 
Right-hander Shane Wert (Hegins/Tri-Valley) will redshirt this season due to injury in his sophomore season, and Ryuta Amaike (Whitehall/Whitehall) will redshirt in his first year in the maroon and gold.
 
Catchers

The combination of junior Tim Kurucz (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) and senior Nickolas Eversole (Lewistown/Indian Valley) behind the plate give the Huskies great options in every game.  Opponents only attempted 35 steals in 45 games against the Huskies last season, the fewest in the PSAC.  In comparison, Bloomsburg attempted 101 steals, third highest in the PSAC.
 
“I'm very proud of our catchers and I believe it is one of the greatest strengths of our team,” Collins said.  “As a group, I think we have the best group of catchers in the PSAC.  Especially defensively, Tim and Nick give us tremendous play behind the plate and work very well with our pitching staff.”
 
Kurucz could see the most time at catcher with Eversole moving over to first base.  Kurucz was a .283 hitter with 21 RBI in 2012.  Eversole was an All-PSAC player two years ago and has had a great career at Bloomsburg. He hit a career-best .287 last year and was one of two Huskies with two home runs.
 
Freshman Corey Baiada (Harleysville/LaSalle) was named the Player of the Year in the Philadelphia Catholic league as a senior last year. He led LaSalle to a Pennsylvania AAAA State Championship, and was a first team All-Southeast Pennsylvania player. He gives the Huskies a great offensive option while learning the position from Kurucz and Eversole.
 
Infield
 
Eversole will be Bloomsburg's primary first baseman.  Along with being a solid offensive player, Eversole is very athletic and a great leader.  He will work a lot of walks, work deep into counts, and has enough power to compile RBI's from the middle of the lineup.
 
Freshman Joey Casselberry (Eagleville/Methacton) broke almost every offensive record at Methacton High School.  He comes to Bloomsburg as a very decorated freshman, earning All-Southeast Pennsylvania honors and was a three-year player in the Carpenter Cup in Philadelphia. Casselberry provides Eversole with a solid backup at first, and could also see time as the designated hitter.
 
At second base, junior Aaron Russell (Montoursville/Montoursville) is one of Bloomsburg's top defensive infielders.  Not only is he consistent and reliable with the glove, Russell is a team offensive player and an excellent bunter who will work a lot of walks.  Last season, he drew 15 walks with 24 runs scored.
 
Sophomore Pete Edgar (Hatfield/North Penn) will backup Russell at second baseman. He swings the bat well and could give the Huskies another option for a pinch hitter down the stretch. 
 
Redshirt sophomore Tim Ravel (Sinking Spring/Wilson) returns at shortstop after an All-PSAC second team performance in his freshman campaign last season.  He batted .313 with two home runs last season while stealing 15 bases.  This year, Ravel will move up to the leadoff spot in the lineup and use his high on-base percentage to put pressure on the defense and score runs.
 
“Tim is the emotional heartbeat of the team,” Collins said. “He plays hard, is an inspirational teammate and leader in terms of his action and how he plays the game, and is a competitor in the batter's box.”
 
At third base, freshman Brian Almand (Haddon Township, NJ/Paul VI) has impressed in his short time at BU and could find his way into the starting lineup early in the season.  Almand is a very athletic freshman who can play shortstop or second base as well, but will see the most time at third due to his great arm strength.
 
Junior Nick Mazza (Carbondale/Carbondale) can be described as the 'ultimate utility guy'.  Mazza batted .273 in 22 at-bats last season, but is expected to be utilized more this season.  He is capable of playing all four infield positions, and will be Bloomsburg's first player off the bench in case of injuries or in doubleheaders.
 
Freshman James Ott (Massapequa/Massapequa) can play first and third base for Bloomsburg.  He swings the bat well from the right side of the plate, and could see time as a pinch hitter and in the designated hitter role.
 
Freshman infielder Cooper Redding (West Chester/West Chester B. Reed Henderson) will redshirt this season coming out of West Chester B. Reed Henderson High School.
 
Outfield
 
Junior centerfielder Brad Smith (Morgantown/Twin Valley) enters his third year in the maroon and gold after starting each of his first two seasons. He hit .290 last year and .336 in his freshman season while starting in 85 of his 87 career games. He was 13-for-15 in stolen base attempts last season and uses his speed and defensive ability to keep the Huskies in games.
 
“Brad is a guy who will lower our team ERA with his ability to run everything down in the gaps,” Collins said.  “He is our best defensive outfielder, and could possibly be the best centerfielder in the PSAC. He covers a lot of ground and takes runs off the board.”
 
Sophomore A.J. Stump (Reading/Antietam) saw limited time as a freshman last year, but is expected to see time in left field in 2013.  This past fall Stump won the team award for Most Improved Player. He worked hard in the weight room, is a great defensive outfielder, and is able to drive the ball hard offensively.
 
Bloomsburg returns starter Josh Schroeder (Scranton/West Scranton) in right field.  The sophomore batted .250 with six doubles last season and has a fantastic arm in the outfield.  Redshirt sophomore Jordan Schainholz (Bellefonte/Bellefonte) continued to make great progress at the plate last fall and could also see time at the designated hitter spot to keep his dangerous bat in the lineup.
 
Season Outlook
 
The Huskies aim to return to their postseason form of 2011, and with the competitive play in the PSAC, expect this year's divisional race to come down to the final weekend once again.
 
“Our conference is so tight in the Eastern Division this season,” Collins said.  “There is so much parity that it is so difficult to judge where teams will rank late in the season. With our depth and experience in big game situations, I am confident we will be playing for a championship in May.”