Feb. 15, 2007

In each of the past four seasons, the Villanova baseball team has improved its batting average and runs per game from the previous season. Last season the Wildcats averaged 6.4 runs per game while batting .296, figures that represented a climb of 42 percent and 17 percent, respectively, from four years ago. This spring 10 hitters return to the lineup from last season, including five starters and a total of seven players who saw action in at least half of the team's games.

If Villanova is to continue the trend of improving its offensive numbers, it will need to get significant contributions from its returning players and do an effective job of matching up its hitters in the right situations. When sixth-year head coach Joe Godri examines the makeup of his squad, he thinks that the right pieces are in place for the Wildcats to have another strong season offensively.

"We have a very deep team offensively and have gotten more athletic with guys who can play multiple positions in the field," Godri said. "We are going to put a pretty good lineup on the field and I think our depth will allow us to play situational baseball better than we ever have."

The offense will be expected to support a relatively young pitching staff that Godri believes will start the season healthy, a change from last season. Villanova returns two of its top three starting pitchers as well as key arms in the bullpen, but will also rely heavily on a group of newcomers to fill roles on the mound.

"The bullpen is extremely deep and we want to get back into a mode where if we have the lead in the middle innings we can feel very confident about protecting it with the back of our bullpen. Our success in the past has coincided with strong pitching out of the bullpen and that will continue this season. We had some unknown quantities last season and not all of our key guys started the season healthy. This year a healthy, deep bullpen will make a noticeable difference in our results."

Villanova will contend with a rigorous non-conference schedule and a slate of 27 BIG EAST games. Highlighting the non-conference calendar is a three-game series against Alabama in late February. The Crimson Tide finished last season ranked No. 10 in the national polls and came within one game of reaching the College World Series.

The Wildcats open their home schedule in early March with back-to-back home tournaments, beginning with the Villanova Baseball Classic and followed by the Villanova Baseball Bash. In conference play, the Wildcats will play at home against five opponents and go on the road for four other series.

"We have a really nice schedule early in the season that should prepare us for what we need to do in conference play," Godri said. It will be a positive experience for our guys to play in a great environment at Alabama. We will also see good competition during our spring trip to Florida, where we have played well in the past. One of the big things about our BIG EAST games this season is that we will get five series and 15 games at home, whereas last season we were on the road for five series."

The goal for the Wildcats will be the same as always, to dominate local competition and reach the BIG EAST Tournament. Villanova has gone 59-20 against non-conference teams in the past three seasons but has not qualified for the conference tournament since 1997.

"The coaching staff is very excited about this year's team," Godri said. "We are still a younger group but the sophomores and juniors that make up the bulk of the roster have all played a lot of college baseball to this point in their careers. The recipe for success will be the same as in years past. We need to do a good job of getting wins in February and March and will have to start out strong at the beginning of conference play."

AROUND THE HORN

Catcher

Villanova will begin the season with all three of its backstops getting significant playing time. Seniors Andy Wendle (New London, Pa.) and Jim Gillin (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) will figure prominently in starting roles and sophomore Wesley Borden (State College, Pa.) will also be an important contributor. In addition to seeing time behind the plate, Gillin will have an opportunity to DH during games and Borden has the ability to play first base.

First Base

A group of players can be expected to share time at first base this season, and competition early in the season will dictate who winds up in a primary starting role. The players who will be used at first base early in the season include sophomore Joe Rosati (Havertown, Pa.) and junior Robert Parks (Brick, N.J.). Rosati batted .259 while playing the outfield as a freshman last season, and Parks has batted .324 as a reserve the past two seasons. Junior Gus Guida (Martinsville, N.J.) and sophomore Wesley Borden (State College, Pa.) could also be options at first base, in addition to junior Dan Terpak (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and freshman Tommy Grandieri (Media, Pa.).

Second Base

One of the Wildcat newcomers will have a familiar look, as junior Timmy Poydenis (Vero Beach, Fla.) can be expected to start at second base. Poydenis played for Villanova as a freshman in 2004 before going to Brevard County Community College last season. He returns as a transfer to the Wildcats and has two years of eligibility remaining.

Third Base

Returning in the infield for Villanova is junior Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.), who played shortstop as a freshman and second base as a junior. In his first two seasons Shunk has started all 104 of his career games and batted .331 with a .414 on-base percentage. Shunk was a third team All-BIG EAST selection in 2005 and should once again bolster the middle of the lineup.

Shortstop

Junior Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) established himself as a force at the top of the lineup last season and is slated as the starting shortstop for the second straight season. In 2006, Arcadia batted .324 with a .407 on-base percentage and team-highs of 55 runs scored and 19 stolen bases.

Left Field

Junior college transfer Dan Terpak (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is currently projected to start in left field. A strong right-handed bat, Terpak is expected to fill some of the power vacated by the graduation of leading slugger Jeremy Hunt last season. Terpak comes from the same junior college, St. Petersburg College, that Hunt played at before joining the Wildcats. He will have two years of eligibility remaining at Villanova.

Center Field

Sophomore Joe Cotter (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) and freshman Justin Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.) will each have a chance to earn playing time in center field. Cotter is the team's best defensive outfielder and possesses great speed on the bases, while Bencsko is a left-handed hitter who has potential to be an impact bat in the lineup.

Right Field

As a freshman last season, Matt McFolling (Chicago, Ill.) batted .304 and was the team's third-leading hitter in conference games. He will be given the chance to win the starting job in right field along with junior James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.), a fellow left-handed hitter. Dolbier led the team with 35 RBI his freshman year and has one of the strongest outfield arms on the team.

Designated Hitter

Because of the depth on this year's roster, Villanova will have a great deal of flexibility with the designated hitter spot. The role will be filled early in the season by a number of different players, based on the status of platoons at other positions on the field. Senior Jim Gillin (Broomall, Pa.) and sophomores Joe Rosati (Havertown, Pa.) and Matt McFolling (Chicago, Ill.) could be among the players sharing time at DH early in the year.

Bench

Villanova's depth comes from the versatility of the players on the roster, many of whom will be used at multiple positions throughout the season. With at least some of the starting roles undetermined heading into the season, the Wildcats will have the opportunity to evaluate their personnel in a variety of spots. Freshmen Tom Ricciutti (Westfield, N.J.) and Colin Sabean (San Mateo, Calif.) will see time as reserves in the infield. Additionally, pitchers Tommy Grandieri (Media, Pa.), Brian Streilein (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Gus Guida (Martinsville, N.J.) are each capable of playing positions in the field.

Starting Rotation

Anchoring the top two spots in the rotation this season are senior Mike Loree (Gillette, N.J.) and sophomore Josh Eidell (Pottstown, Pa.). Loree owns 37 collegiate starts and more than 220 innings pitched in his career and is battle-tested with strong starts over the past two seasons against national powers Texas and Florida. Meanwhile, Eidell broke through as a freshman last season to post a 4.83 ERA over 60 innings while being thrust into the middle of the team's rotation in conference games.

Three others who will be in the mix for starting games will be juniors Jordan Ellis (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) and Bill Hoffman (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) as well as freshman Chris Pack (Hinsdale, Ill.). Ellis led the staff in wins in 2006 while Hoffman went 2-0 with a 4.29 ERA in his return from a medical redshirt the year before. Pack enters as the team's top pitching recruit in this year's class. The three pitchers will each have an opportunity to distinguish themselves early on and eventually fulfill the role of the third weekend starter in conference series. The remaining two will make the majority of the starts in midweek games.

Bullpen

Junior Gus Guida (Martinsville, N.J.) was the primary closer last season and compiled a 3.51 ERA while allowing just 16 hits in 25.2 innings pitched. He is expected to once again close out games this season and solidify what should be a strong relief corps for the Wildcats. Junior Frank Jankowski (Berwick, Pa.) and freshman Brian Streilein (Staten Island, N.Y.), both right-handers, will be used in late-inning setup roles. Jankowski has been used in situational relief roles the last two seasons and is coming off a strong fall season, while Streilein is expected to develop into a top contributor at the back of the bullpen.

Senior Nate Hall (Longmont, Colo.) and junior Ryan Wendler (Conshohocken, Pa.) will each see action in long relief. Both have filled a variety of roles on the team thus far in their career, with Hall serving as a setup man to Guida last season. Wendler started seven games and went 4-2 with a 3.81 ERA last season, at one point tossing 25 consecutive scoreless innings. Sophomore Kyle Carver (Aldan, Pa.) will also be used out of the bullpen after making a successful collegiate debut last season.

The Wildcat bullpen will be bolstered this season by the presence of several left-handed arms who will be used in situational spots. Returning sophomore Ryan Shockley (Seaford, Del.) will be joined by incoming transfer Andrew Stiffler (Bedford, Pa.). Giving Villanova additional depth are freshmen A.J. Anido (Devon, Pa.) and Kevin Crimmel (Harrisburg, Pa.).

Coach Godri's Take

"We want to get off to a good start offensively and go out and produce runs early in games," Godri said. "Our mindset is that we are talented enough where we shouldn't find ourselves having to scratch for only 1-2 runs to win games. I think our offense can support the pitching staff much better this season.

"Like everyone else, we also need to do our best to stay healthy throughout the season. Although with so many games there are bound to be injuries and people missing games, we feel that this season we have viable backups at every position and that anyone is capable of stepping in and taking advantage of an opportunity to play. The best we can hope for is to get off to a good, solid start to the season and then go from there."