Wednesday, February 1, 2006
BLUE HOSE BASEBALL LOOKS
TO SOLID DEFENSE AND
IMPROVED OFFENSE TO KICK OFF 2006 SEASON
CLINTON, SC – The 2006 version of the Presbyterian College Blue Hose baseball team is poised to begin their season this weekend as they travel south for the Nike/OTS Division II Baseball Challenge hosted by Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. “We will rely heavily on defense and a young pitching staff that will have to step up,” said second year head coach Elton Pollock. “We will open the season with guys that are very competitive on the mound but are yet unproven,” said Pollock.
The Blue Hose will open up against host Nova Southeastern University on Friday, February 3, at 6 p.m. NSU posted a record of 32-21 during the 2005 season. The last time PC and NSU met was in 2003. NSU won the day with a score of 8-5. On Saturday PC will face No. 31 ranked Lynn University at noon. PC last faced LU in 2003 and lost with a score of 6-1. Last season, LU posted a 35-21 record. At 7 p.m. that day, PC will face, for the first time, Palm Beach Atlantic University. PBU holds a 2005 record of 30 wins and 19 losses. Before heading home on Sunday, the Blue Hose will meet up with NSU again at noon.
The Blue Hose will be looking to pre-season All-SAC selection Matt Bodie (Sr., 1B, Aiken, SC) for leadership and momentum from the start. Bodie is a .330 career hitter and was in the top three in the South Atlantic Conference in batting average during league play last season.
Pollock will be looking to some young talent on the mound to get them going this season. Sophomores Eric Tatum (Buford, Ga.), Andrew Cockerham (Millers Creek, NC) and Ben Dollar (Gaffney, SC), along with true freshman Parker Suit (Macon, Ga.) will be taking the mound this weekend for the Blue Hose.
Up the middle, Pollock expects solid play from senior pre-season All-SAC selection, second baseman Evan Sowell (Chesterfield, SC) along with junior shortstop John Berrian (Lexington, SC) and helping at shortstop will be sophomore transfer Josue Scott (Columbus, Ga.).
All around defensive improvement will be one of the keys to the Blue Hose success said Pollock.
“(The Blue Hose) will post one of the strongest offensive lineups that the school has had in a while,” said Pollock. The Blue Hose will be counting on young hitting in the form of speedster centerfielder Clay Belton, a sophomore from Ridgeway, SC, along with senior right fielder Nick Hoffner (Elcott City, Md.), and 2005 All-SAC tournament selection, sophomore DH/first baseman Russell Robinson (Mt. Pleasant, SC).
With a solid defense and a stacked offense the Blue Hose are locked and loaded, ready to fire on all opponents as the 2006 season gets under way. The Blue Hose will open their home season on Wednesday, February 8, at 2:30 p.m. against Claflin University.