Knox Baseball Hopes Pitching Comes Through
By Paul Dendiu
The Knox baseball team will enter the 2003 season short-armed after losing its top two pitchers and starting catcher to graduation.
�It�s a rebuilding process for us,� coach Kelly Shepherd said. �It�s really going to be a struggle to find enough pitching.�
The Redskins won�t struggle to find offense. Leading hitter Ralph Diaz is back to take more swings, and will also see some time on the mound.
�Ralph led the team in batting average last year. He�ll have to do that again,� Shepherd said. �He�ll have to have a bigger year than last year at the plate.�
Center fielder Jason Cole may take some of the pressure off Diaz.
�Jason�s a good athlete,� Shepherd said. �He�s improved at the plate. If we can get him on base a couple times a game, he�ll generate some runs for us.
�We have people that can score runs. I think this can be a good offensive year.�
All the more reason for Shepherd to be worried about defense. Shepherd would like to see sophomore Kent Palm secure the shortstop position, which would free up another pitching spot.
�Our infield and outfield are pretty solid,� he said. �The major question is going to be can we throw strikes and keep walks down enough to where we have a chance to win some games.�
Ryan Marsh is Knox�s most experienced returning pitcher, but at this point, it�s unclear to whom he�ll be throwing.
�We have a couple kids competing for catcher,� Shepherd said. �They have a lot to learn.�
Scott Manns and Matt Kroft appear to be the most likely candidates, though Shepherd won�t hesitate to give talented freshman Ryan Schwartz an opportunity.
�He�s definitely someone I�m looking to for the future,� Shepherd said. �He�s a little weak with his arm strength, but he does all the little things right.�
Not much went right for the Redskins in 2002. They were 6-22 (4-10 in the NSC), and Shepherd believes those results will fuel his players� motivation.
�They don�t want to have another 6-22 year. That was miserable for some of them,� he said. �I like some of the rhetoric I hear them discussing. They are taking the steps to hopefully prevent that from happening again.�
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