School: Malone University
Location: Canton, Ohio
Head Coach: Tom Crank
2009 Record: 47-16, 26-6 AMC
Returning Starters: OF Marc Adams, OF Matt Anderson, INF Joe Goddard, OF Adam Heidman, INF Alex Schmid, INF Justin Shiflett, RP Bryan Bayer, SP Todd Liberatore, SP Jeffrey Shenker
Coming off a 2009 campaign that included a regular season and AMC tournament title as well as a NCCAA national runner-up finish the bar has been set extremely high in Canton. After sweeping the AMC special awards, reigning Coach of the Year Tom Crank will look to replace his departed Player of the Year Scott McIlvain, and Pitcher of the Year Adam Boudler. Fortunately for Crank, his 2010 squad returns six starters and several key components from a deep and accomplished pitching staff.
The Malone baseball team did a fine job of proving the age-old rule last season: good pitching beats good hitting. The Pioneers posted a team ERA of 3.07 in 2009. Just think about that for a second. 3.07 would be a great ERA for your top starter. Malone had a team ERA just a hair over 3. It’s quite possibly the most impressive statistic I’ve come across doing these previews. Of course, the Pios also hit .326 as a team, so it’s not hard to piece together how they put up 47 wins.
While the Pioneers lost Adam Boudler and the outstanding Sam Campitella to graduation, they return not one, but two all-conference starting pitchers. Southpaws Todd Liberatore and Jeffrey Shenker will give the Pioneers a vaunted top of the rotation. Liberatore, a first team All-AMC pick, went 8-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 2009. The senior started 11 games and tossed a couple complete games.
Shenker was no slouch himself (7-2, 3.33 ERA) earning Honorable Mention all-conference honors. The junior was second on the team with 73.2 innings pitched in 2009. Also returning is Derek Smith. The senior was very impressive in his six starts last season (3-2, 2.29 ERA). The southpaw threw complete game shutouts in two of his six starts and had a team best .231 opponents batting average.
Also vying for time in the rotation will be sophomore Camden Carter. The righty made four starts in 2009 going 3-2 on the season. Tom Crank also brought in several high profile pitchers including freshman Jared Messer from nearby Massillon Perry who could factor into things immediately.
The bullpen will be anchored once again by All-AMC closer Bryan Bayer. The junior second team all-conference selection registered 16 saves while going 2-2 with a 2.35 ERA in 27 appearances. Sophomore Nate Morrison also returns to provide relief in 2010.
At the plate the Pioneers return a trio of All-AMC picks. Returning in the outfield is first team all-conference honoree Adam Heidman. The junior hit .347 with 45 runs scored. He also swiped 11 bags in 12 attempts in 2009. Fellow All-AMC outfielder Matt Anderson also returns after hitting an impressive .365 with 41 RBI in his freshman season. The final piece of the outfield is sophomore Marc Adams. The AMC Gold Glove winner hit .265 and started 53 games.
Anchoring the infield will be senior Alex Schmid. The Canton Central Catholic product will once again man the hot corner. He was an all-conference selection on the strength of his .346 batting average. Schmid tallied 16 doubles and 47 runs batted in, both tops among returning players.
Rounding out the returning starters are fellow infielders Justin Shiflett and Joe Goddard. Goddard, a sophomore, hit .333 with three home runs in 34 games starter. Meanwhile, Shiflett, a junior, hit .272 and scored 37 times in 2009. He also proved to be an asset on the base paths nabbing a team best 12 bases.
As in the past Tom Crank’s 2010 team will go as far as their pitching carries them. The offense could take some time to click as it looks to replace Scott McIlvain, Zac Barson and Ryan Baechel. The rest of the AMC may view the loss of those key bats in concert with the departure of dominant starting pitchers Adam Boudler and Sam Campitella as the opening needed to dethrone the Pioneers from atop the conference. But with their talented and experienced pitching staff leading the way the Pioneers look to once again sweep the AMC titles in 2010. Until someone unseats them, I’m not betting against the Pioneers.
Filed under: NAIA
