After capturing a rare Ivy League championship for Columbia last year, the Lions baseball team will resume play on Friday against undefeated Lamar in Southeast Texas.
Despite the team's recent successes, the Lions are a different team this year, and enter opening weekend with position battles at 2nd base and the corner outfield spots.
After losing Jay Banos on the first day of spring practice to a torn achilles tendon, an injury eerily reminiscent of Lion basketball player Brian Grimes' on his first day of practice, left field has become a glaring vacancy. Among the competitors for the spot are freshman giant (and starting goalkeeper for the soccer team) Alex Auricchio, freshman Anthony Potter, and the probable opening day starter, senior Jon Tasman.
The graduation of Noah Cooper, the league's batting champ last season, creates another hole in right field. Freshman speedster Billy Rumpke is expected to take his place.
Another promising freshman is Jon Eisen, who may well get the opening day start at second base. Also being considered for left field, Eisen has impressed so far this spring. Senior Kyle Roberts has been hampered by injuries this spring, but would, in theory, get his spot back when he recovers. Then there is Chris Meininger, who started the double play which sealed the team's first Ivy championship in decades. He is also contending for the left field spot abruptly vacated by Banos.
The Lions can find solace in their proven returning starters, however. Senior captians Joe Scarlata and Mike Roberts are both experienced and both have the opportunity to dominate the Ancient Eight. Scarlata will head up a rotation that will also include the team's leader in wins from a year ago, Sophomore Geoff Whitaker. Roberts, on the other hand, returns as the starting third basemen, and will be joined in the infield with senior first basmen Ron Williams, who will likely bat third in the lineup, and sophomore shortstop Alex Ferrera, who showed good poise and a good arm along with some power while earning the starting shortstop gig in his first year with the team.
Then there's Nick Cox, the much-hyped, five-tool centerfielder who was named to the Freshman All-America team last year. He may already be the most dangerous all-around player in the league.
Do not expect too much from this team on opening weekend, or throughout the rest of the conference schedule for that matter. They will be travelling heavily over the next month, and their opponents will have all had more games under their belts than the Lions.
Until the Ivy season begins, we will not truly know if this team can repeat as champions of the league.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment