ORU Favored in Mid-Con Preseason Poll

[orustatboy]

From the conference website . . .

ELMHURST, ILL. ? After winning the last seven regular-season titles and eight consecutive Mid-Continent Conference Championship crowns, it is no surprise that Oral Roberts is the preseason favorite to take home the 2006 baseball title in a vote of the league?s seven coaches. The Golden Eagles (36 pts., 6 first-place votes) were a unanimous selection after garnering six first-place votes (coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams). Western Illinois (29 pts.) finished second in the preseason voting, followed by Southern Utah (25 pts., 1 first-place vote) and Centenary (20). Rounding out the poll are Oakland (16), Valparaiso (15) and Chicago State (6).

Oral Roberts (42-20, 22-2 Mid-Con) will look to rebuild after losing several players due to graduation, including two-time Mid-Con Player and Pitcher of the Year Dennis Bigley. However, much of the Golden Eagles pitching staff remains in tact, led by All-Conference selections Daniel Greenwalt, Nick Jones and Taylor McIntyre. Greenwalt was a first team selection a year ago after posting a 2.38 earned run average (ERA) with 57 strikeouts. Jones (8-2, 2.30 ERA) and McIntyre (3.27, 99 K) were second team honorees. Offensively, Oral Roberts will be led by sophomore outfielder Kelli Minissale and senior outfielder Tim Torres. Minissale garnered first team all-star accolades with a .292 average, while Torres gained second team recognition after posting a .309 average with 34 runs scored and 30 RBI.

Western Illinois (24-34, 14-10) will rely on senior infielder Ryan Schmidgall, senior pitcher Bobby Mahon and sophomore outfielder T.J. Kistner. Schmidgall was one of the Leathernecks top offensive threats a year ago, boasting a .316 batting average to go along with 47 runs scored, 40 RBI and a team-high 14 doubles. Mahon returns as the staff ace in 2006 after notching a 3.18 earned run average and a .280 opponent?s batting average. Kistner contributed on both sides of the ball for WIU last season with a .388 slugging percentage and .375 on-base mark.

Southern Utah (26-28, 12-10) welcomes four all-conference performers back to the fold, including first team selection Justin Sotelo. The senior outfielder was eighth in the Mid-Con with a .332 average. He was also among the league leaders in runs scored (40) and doubles (14). Second team honorees Trever Dimick and Jeff Oliverson hope to lead the Thunderbirds to their first-ever Mid-Con title. Dimick was sixth in the conference in batting with a .345 mark. He also chipped in 28 runs scored and 28 RBI. Oliverson contributed on both sides of the ball for the T-Birds with a .325 batting average, nine home runs and a team-best 1.95 earned run average.

Last year?s tournament runner-up Centenary (27-30, 12-12) hopes to get over the hump in 2006 with the help of senior outfielder Tim Ryan, junior pitcher David McElroy and junior lefty Brandon Fulenchek. Ryan accounted for a .315 batting average, .440 slugging percentage and 41 runs batted in last season, while McElroy, who was a second team all-star, was the squad?s steadiest pitcher with a 4.11 ERA and a team-high eight wins. Fulenchek came on strong at the end of the season, including a solid outing in the Mid-Con Tournament. He posted a team-best 3.61 ERA to go along with 29 strikeouts.

Oakland (14-38, 9-15) returns All Mid-Con second team performer Chad Winkler, as well as senior pitchers Aaron Hines and Kevin Hale. Winkler pounded out 45 hits en route to a .271 batting average. The senior third baseman/outfielder also accounted for 22 runs scored and 24 RBI. Hines was second on the team with a 4.28 ERA and 37 strikeouts, while Hale accounted for a 4.91 ERA, three wins and a save.

Valparaiso (21-31, 10-12) is in search of its first post-season berth since 2003 and will look to first team All-Conference performers Mike Arensdorff and Kevin Perri to lead the way. Arensdorff registered a conference-best .382 batting average last season and finished in the Top 10 in the league in hits (78 ), doubles (20), RBI (43), total bases (110), on-base percentage (.431) and slugging percentage (.539). Perri was third in the Mid-Con with 53 runs scored and tied for the league lead with six triples. He also had a healthy .348 batting average.

Chicago State (6-50, 3-21) and first-year head coach Vern Hasty will rely on John Torres to help the Cougars move up the conference standings. Torres posted a team-best .330 batting average to go along with 30 runs scored and 31 RBI. He accounted for 15 extra base hits.

The top four teams based on the regular-season standings will compete for the Mid-Con Baseball Championship at J.L. Johnson Stadium in Tulsa, Okla., May 25-27. The winner of the double-elimination tournament will take home the league?s automatic bid into the NCAA Baseball Tournament.

2006 Mid-Con Baseball Preseason Poll

Team, Pts. (1st)

1. Oral Roberts, 36 (6)

2. Western Illinois, 29

3. Southern Utah, 25 (1)

4. Centenary, 20

5. Oakland, 16

6. Valparaiso, 15

7. Chicago State, 6

[amac531]

Any idea when we getting updated bio's on the website. Hope it's before the season starts.