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By Chad Hensley, NKU Sports Information HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – With another Great Lakes Valley Conference baseball tournament championship in an even-year, the Northern Kentucky University baseball team will be looking to break the odd-year curse. The 2008 edition of the Norse stormed through the loser’s bracket by winning their last four games of the GLVC tournament after dropping their opening game to in-state rival Bellarmine 1-0. Head coach Todd Asalon, who is beginning his ninth season at the helm of the Norse, will have a bevy of talent returning that will be complemented by a strong group of newcomers. It may in fact be an odd-numbered year, but the goals of the team are still the same – win the GLVC tournament, the Midwest Region tournament, and the NCAA Division II national title. “Our expectations are the same every year which is win the conference, win the regional and get to the College World Series. It seems like every year that we are knocking on the door, but haven't gotten in. With returning so many from last year's team, I believe we can make a deep run into the post season,” stated Asalon, who has a 278-190-1 record at NKU. The Norse may have been knocking on the door in past years, but with returning players such as Kevin Dusold, Evan McDole, Kevin Jordan, Matt Winterhalter, Jack Ambrose, and Jason Cisper, NKU has a chance to step over the threshold and into the national scene. Dusold, a two-time All-GLVC and All-Region performer, will man an outfield position and has proven he can hit his share of home runs. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native has pounded out 12 long balls in his two seasons with the Norse including a team-best eight in 2008, which helped him land a nod on Collegiate Baseball’s Preseason All-America team. “You have to start with Dusold. He is a run producer and can change any game with one swing of the bat. He is also an excellent athlete and defensive outfielder. McDole, our first baseman, will hit in the two-hole this season and is very dangerous at the plate. He hits for power and average and other teams always know where he is in the order,” said Asalon when asked about the team’s top returners. McDole, a native of Alexandria, Ky., has set an anchor down at first base and could be there to stay. A powerful hitter with a solid glove, McDole batted .336 in 46 games with five home runs and 29 RBIs to go along with a fielding percentage of .984 in 386 total attempts. “I look for Evan McDole to have a breakout season. Last season he put up some impressive numbers, but was sidelined by a dislocated. I look for him to hit 10 home runs and drive in 60 runs,” said Asalon of one of his five team captains. “He is lucky to have a bunch of good hitters that surround him in the lineup. Right now scouts are aware of him, but they are looking for power numbers. By him being 6-6, 225 pounds he is fully capable of big numbers.” During the improbable run through the GLVC tournament in 2008, Kevin Jordan was dubbed “Everyday K.J.” as he picked up wins in three consecutive games over a three-day span - a first in tournament history. Jordan, a graduate of Eastern High School in Louisville, Ky., finished the season with a perfect 6-0 record in 23 appearances and a 3.45 earned run average. Winterhalter was used primarily out of the bullpen and proved to be the top closer with four of NKU’s nine saves to complement a 5-2 record in 24 appearances. Ambrose will get the starting spot in right field after batting .298 in 121 plate appearances with 22 RBIs while Cisper while be called upon to roam center field after going the entire 2008 season without committing an error in 119 total chances.
While the Norse have loads of talent coming back for the 2008 season, Asalon will have to replace the lost talent and leadership after the departure of Jon Back to graduation and Jake Shaffer to the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Back, the starting shortstop in 2008, was the team’s leader in games played and started (60), runs (59), hits (72), at-bats (221), doubles (18), walks (26), stolen bases (26), and assists (161) and set school records in career at bats (787) and stolen bases (86). Shaffer, who was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 15th Round and assigned to the Pulaski Mariners of the Appalachia League, was twice named an All-GLVC performer, picking up a first-team selection in 2008. Another unexpected player Asalon will have to replace will be Larry Pempek, the team’s starting catcher over the past two seasons. Pempek was also named a Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball, but will likely sit out the season due to an injury. Replacing those three key players may not be easy, but the depth Asalon has built over the last couple of years will make the transition go smoother. Asalon will look to the likes of Jeff Bohlen, Brett Hofmann, Brian Erie, Pat Muth, Aaron Mentz, and Justin Vanderglas to fill those voids. Bohlen, an infielder, provided the Norse with a clutch bat during the postseason in 2008 as he went a combined 13-for-35 at the plate with 10 runs, nine RBIs, three doubles, and a home run in eight games. Hofmann will move over from second to short to fill the gap left behind from Back while Erie will step in behind the plate. Muth, a graduate of Beechwood High School, will once again be called upon to start at third base. Mentz will add depth to an already talented outfield corps and will be one of Asalon’s first choices to come off the bench for pinch-hitting purposes. Vanderglas is a versatile player that could play either infield or outfield after redshirting the 2008 season. Of all the talent that returns for the 2009 season, Asalon couldn’t be any happier with the return of his entire pitching staff. Sean Munninghoff, Dave Middendorf, Ryan Schmidt, Eric Braeckel, and Brandon Slusher are back in starting roles while Jordan, Winterhalter, Andy Heston, and Andy Karpowicz return to the bullpen. Middendorf was named “Player to Watch” in 2009 by Collegiate Baseball. “Our entire pitching staff returns intact and we feel like this is the strength of the team. Our starters will be Munninghoff, Middendorf, Schmidt, Braeckel, Slusher, and newcomer Jarret Casey, a transfer from Indiana University. “Key returning bullpen guys are Jordan, Heston, Karpowicz
and Winterhalter. Brian Weis, Jay Hale (Vincennes), Bryan Baldini
(Murray State),
Jim Ryan, Brent Wethington, Josh Blaum, Jimmy Farr (Cecil C.C.)
and Robb Thompson (Cincinnati) all will play key roles throughout
the season,” said Asalon. Mack was dubbed a “Newcomer to Watch” in the 2009 season by Collegiate Baseball. “We like all of our newcomers and feel that this is the best depth that we've had here in my eight years at NKU. Joe Mack will start as our designated hitter and we look for him to hit in the middle of the lineup and be a key RBI guy,” Asalon stated. Other newcomers include Shannon McCormick, Jake Morris (Eastern Michigan), Max Colaner (Central Catholic High), Jeff Dektas (Tampa), and Robby Liller (Eastern Michigan). The talent-rich Norse will get an early test as they take on the likes of Carson-Newman College, the University of West Georgia, and Quincy University in non-conference play. A tough non-conference schedule will help the team gel together before taking on strong competition in the GLVC as the target is on the backs of the Norse after winning the conference tournament. “The GLVC is loaded with many excellent teams and many talented coaches. By us being ranked preseason No. 1, we will be the hunted for the second year in a row. When you win four of the last seven championships, teams really look to knock you down. “Bellarmine is solid and gave us fits last year and with them being so close in proximity to NKU, it is a natural rival,” stated Asalon after his team went 1-5 against the Knights in 2008. “I really like their team and they have a good young coach who does things the right way. St. Joseph's College is always talented and well coached also. They play an aggressive style which makes for an exciting series. Their pitching staff returns from last year, but they did lose many of the position players who put them deep into post season.” With a strong schedule and a group of extremely talented players, the Norse all have one thing in common – a team before individual attitude. “We have a very veteran club this year with outstanding leadership. Our team captains are Cisper, McDole, Winterhalter, Jordan, and Pempek. Everybody has a ‘team first’ mentality and that fosters a team unity. They put winning above everything. All good teams need good leaders, but it is just as important to have good followers,” conveyed Asalon. “This is a special group of kids who have a great work ethic and a very goal oriented. They know about the even year/odd year trend and they want to break that.” |
