Next man up: Young bats leading baseball team's lineup
Fans will want to make sure they have a program handy when they head to Theunissen Stadium to see the 2013 baseball team.
Despite returning 15 letter winners from last year’s team that went to the Mid-American Conference championship game, the Chippewas lineup features several new faces.
“When you look top to bottom, we have a lot of guys who have stepped up,” said head coach Steve Jaksa.
CMU returns just 33 percent of its runs scored (129 of 386), 34 percent of its hits (206 of 605), 27 percent of its home runs (11 of 40) and 27 percent of its RBI (91 of 341).
Still, through 22 games this season, the many new faces have been stepping up.
Freshman outfielder Logan Regnier has been the most impressive underclassman so far. He leads the team in batting average (.321) with 26 hits and 13 RBIs, and has solidified the lead-off spot.
But, two other players, redshirt freshman Neal Jacobs and freshman Zach Fields, have also been impressive.
Jacobs, a 6-foot-2, 201-pound native of Avon, Ohio, sitting out last season with a redshirt was key in his success this season.
“I had a year and a half to improve before I even took the field. It paid off.” Jacobs said. “It was big. You learn a lot of things. The pace, thought process and preparation in college is way different from in high school. Redshirting was key in getting used to that.”
Jacobs spent the summer playing for the Butler Blue Sox in Pennsylvania as part of the Prospect League. In 50 games, he hit .284, four home runs and drove in 26 runs. Jacobs said the experience over the summer was also key in his preparation for the 2013 season.
In a four-game weekend series at Marshall on March 15-17, Jacobs hit two home runs and had 10 RBIs, leading CMU to three victories.
“I was seeing the ball well, and I felt comfortable at Marshall,” Jacobs said. “I played at that stadium in the summer Prospect League, so it almost felt like a home game being back there.”
Jacobs has started all but one game this season. He is third on the team in batting average (.275) and RBIs (15).
Fields, a 6-foot-5, 259-pound native of Dearborn Heights, put a chance to play professionally on hold to come to CMU.
He was drafted in the 38th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft by the Texas Rangers, but, for Fields, the decision to come to college was an easy one.
“I wasn’t physically or mentally ready for pro ball,” Fields said. “I didn’t like how I was doing in the fall, and I got discouraged early on. When I thought about myself in pro ball, it probably would have been bad. I would have been outmatched. I feel really good about the decision I made.”
This season, that decision has paid off. The freshman has started all but three games between first base and designated hitter. He is hitting just .221 but is second on the team with 16 RBI.
Regnier, Jacobs and Fields have led the offensive youth movement for CMU, but Jaksa thinks others have filled in admirably as well.
“I’m really pleased with those guys in practice and the things that they’re doing individually,” Jaksa said. “But it’s important to note that we have a lot of guys that have been contributing and need to.”
Jaksa mentioned guys like junior shortstop Noel Santos, who transferred from Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi, and his trio of young catchers Alex Ornelas, Dylan Goodwin and Tyler Huntey.
When talking about Regnier, Fields and Jacobs, Jaksa thinks there is still plenty of room for growth.
“Those guys have made progress, and we’re happy with where they're at,” he said. “But we want them to take it to another level. As they play, they’re going to get better. They have to learn, and they can only learn by playing.”
If things keep going the way they are, the loss of most of their offense from last season shouldn’t be an issue. Meanwhile, the young players on the roster are embracing the old adage of next man up, and so far it’s working.
“I think our play has been big,” Fields said. “Most of our freshmen have been real mature, not letting the big stage and the jump to college get to them. We’re just going out there and playing. Our team has a lot of confidence in each other.”
The Chippewas are scheduled to play their first home conference series this weekend at Theunissen Stadium against Bowling Green. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Friday.
