· Rice diamond notes (.pdf)
SAN ANTONIO — Depth and potential. That would be the two-word description of Sherman Corbett’s 2007 UTSA Roadrunners. Corbett, now in his seventh season, believes this year’s team has more depth than a year ago and the potential to be one of the better teams in school history.
“The abilities we have on the mound, combined with our returning position players, should give us the opportunity to compete for a conference championship this season,” Corbett, the winningest coach in UTSA history, said. “We had some questions during the fall, but the newcomers came in and answered them. I feel good about those players filling some spots for us this season.”
The expectations have not gone unnoticed within the conference, as the Roadrunners were picked to finish second and third by the league’s SIDs and coaches, respectively, in the West Division in the preseason polls. UTSA received five first-place votes in the SID poll and was just three points behind Texas-Arlington. The Roadrunners picked up three first-place votes from the coaches and were six points (51) behind co-favorites Texas-Arlington and Texas State.
Despite losing first-team All-Southland Conference performer Lee Todesco and three other key contributors to the Major League Baseball Draft (Michael McKennon, Noah Tritz, J.R. Voyles), the Roadrunners return five positional starters, two-thirds of their starting rotation and 17 letterwinners from last year’s squad that posted the second-most victories in school history (37-22). With 19 newcomers added to the mix, UTSA enters the season with great depth at every position.
| Seniors Josh Ruffin (above) and Blake Brannon return to lead UTSA's starting rotation. |
Starting pitching
In what is expected to be the strength of this year’s squad, three-year veterans Josh Ruffin and Blake Brannon, both seniors, will anchor the top of the rotation, while newcomers Bradley Chovanec and Ryan Proudfoot will round out the bottom half.
Ruffin, a 2006 first-team All-SLC selection and one of three captains on this year’s squad, once again will fill the role of No. 1 starter. The Humble native appeared in 21 games a year ago, starting 16, and led the team with an 8-3 record and 3.17 ERA (No. 2 in school history) in 116.1 innings pitched. He tossed a league-leading five complete games and school-record four shutouts, while recording 10 quality starts and limiting the opposition to a .240 batting average.
The 6-foot-2 right-hander was a preseason first-team all-league choice and he enters his final campaign with a UTSA career record four shutouts. Ruffin also ranks fourth in ERA (4.51), sixth in innings pitched (235.2), seventh in complete games (six) and 11th in strikeouts (139).
“Josh has made great strides in the last year,” Corbett said. “He brings quality stuff to the mound and is a durable guy who has the ability to go deep in games. He’ll be the guy we count on to get us off to a positive start on the weekends.”
In his first year as a full-time starter, Brannon posted an 8-6 mark and 3.77 ERA in 100.1 innings with five complete games and three shutouts (No. 2 in UTSA history). The 6-2 righty was untouchable in the final month of the season, winning his final five decisions, three of which were shutouts. The Brenham native enters his final year on a UTSA-record 29 scoreless innings streak.
“Last year was a turning point for Blake because he began to trust his abilities,” Corbett said. “He has become a complete pitcher and has the chance to have another great season for us.”
A junior transfer from Blinn JC, Chovanec is a 6-foot-4 right-hander who brings a live arm to the rotation. He throws strikes and allows hitters to put the ball in play, allowing the defense to make plays behind him.
Proudfoot, a true freshman who posted a 15-3 career record at Brookhill School in Lindale, has a solid, three-pitch arsenal (fastball, curveball, change-up). The 6-3 righty utilizes all three at any time in the count and brings maturity, intensity and confidence to the mound.
Junior righty Mark Ruffin (3-4, 7.17 ERA, 37.2 IP in ’06) and sophomore southpaw Andy Benedict (2-0, 6.33 ERA, 21.1 IP) both have starting experience and are candidates to start mid-week games this season.
Bullpen
One of the biggest holes to fill is the departure of Tritz, who posted an 8-0 mark and UTSA-record eight saves in a school-record-tying 31 games last year. Corbett believes he has found his replacements in freshman Zach Calhoon and junior J.T. Mackey.
Calhoon, a 6-2 right-hander from Klein Collins High School, and Mackey, a junior transfer from Texas-Brownsville, both had an outstanding fall season and are expected to share closing duties this season.
“We entered the fall with questions on who would replace Noah, and Zach and J.T. stepped in and threw the ball extremely well,” Corbett said. “They both have the makeup to close games. They won’t blow hitters away but will get outs with their secondary pitches.”
Senior Josh Blakley will serve as the team’s top setup man. The 6-1 righty pitched in 24 games in his first season at UTSA and posted a 3-2 record with one save and a 3.32 ERA in 43.1 innings of work.
Mark Ruffin, who appeared in 18 games a year ago, and Benedict, who saw action in 10, will pitch in long relief.
Senior Noah Miles, redshirt freshmen Cole Gleason and Michael Susaneck and true freshmen Kevin Clarke and Jake Sillavan also could see action out of the bullpen in 2007.
| Junior catcher Zach Etheredge is one of three captains this season. |
Catcher
Tri-captain Zach Etheredge returns for his third season behind the plate. The junior from Boerne hit .226 with 17 extra-base hits and 31 RBIs last season. Defensively, he committed just two errors (.994 pct.) and threw out more than 25 percent of runners attempting to steal.
“Zach is a very intelligent player,” Corbett said. “He reads game situations well and is a great blocker. Offensively, I look for him to make great strides this year.”
True freshmen Ryan Rummel and Thomas Diamond will provide depth behind Etheredge.
First base
UTSA must replace Todesco, who started 171 games during his four-year career. Corbett plans to play junior transfers Josh Wilson and Trent Lockwood and sophomore Danny Cornejo at the position, with Wilson getting the first shot to open the season.
Wilson hit .360 with 20 doubles, 13 homers and 60 RBIs in helping lead Temple JC to the 2006 Junior College World Series, a first in school history.
“Josh brings a power bat to the middle of our lineup,” Corbett said. “He has a good eye and is very selective at the plate. Trent has tremendous power and I expect him to be a guy who drives in runs. The more at bats he gets, the better he can be.”
Second base
Sophomore James Keithley, an honorable mention All-SLC choice as a true freshman, moves from his role as utility man to second base this season. He has some big shoes to fill in replacing Voyles, a four-year starter whose name can be found all over the school’s career record book.
“James has the ability to be one of the top second basemen in the league,” Corbett said. “He found his way into the lineup last season and that speaks to his athletic ability.”
A San Antonio native, he started 55 games at four different positions and hit .268 with 34 runs scored and 26 RBIs.
Senior Brandon Koger, a 43-game veteran, and Rummel will back up Keithley.
| Senior Ryan Saltzgaber (above) is a preseason second-team All-SLC pick, while junior Marshal Davis is a team tri-captain. |
Third base
Two-year incumbent starter and preseason second-team All-SLC pick Ryan Saltzgaber returns for his final season at the hot corner.
A native of Abilene, he is a career .289 hitter who has started 106 games the past two years. Last season, he hit .289 with 11 extra-base hits and 22 RBIs en route to honorable mention all-league accolades.
“Ryan is going to do the little things we need in order for us to be successful,” Corbett said. “A lot of what he does will not show up in the box score, but he is a team-first guy who gets the most out of his abilities.”
Cornejo and Rummel will provide depth behind Saltzgaber.
Shortstop
Junior Marshal Davis is back after starting 55 contests at shortstop a year ago. Voted as a team captain, the Conroe native will lead off this season.
He hit .259 with a team-high 40 walks as a sophomore and ranked second on the club with 44 runs scored.
“Marshal is a solid all-around player,” Corbett said. “He has a good arm and range, and offensively, he’s a switch hitter who has a good eye and puts the ball in play.”
If needed, Keithley will slide over to short in the event Davis needs a day off.
Left field
Junior transfer Greg Sillivent has shown tremendous athletic ability in the preseason and he brings a potent left-handed bat to the lineup. Corbett has penciled him into the No. 2 spot to start the season.
Last year at Blinn JC, he hit .413 with 36 runs, 16 doubles, three homers, 25 RBIs and was good on 20-of 23 stolen base attempts.
“Greg is a very athletic player who has the potential to make an impact offensively this season,” Corbett said.
Redshirt freshman Tim Palincsar, sophomore Eric Johnston and junior Phillip Allen also could see time in left.
| Sophomore Michael Rockett, a preseason first-team All-SLC choice, became UTSA's second Freshman All-American a year ago. |
Center field
Sophomore Michael Rockett, a preseason first-team All-SLC choice, had one of the best freshman seasons in school history a year ago.
He was a Freshman All-America and second-team all-conference selection after hitting .352 with 32 runs scored, 14 extra-base hits, 32 RBIs and five stolen bases. The Sugar Land native also was solid in the field, committing just two errors. UTSA was 31-16 with him in the starting lineup.
“Michael loves to play the game and he plays hard,” Corbett said. “He has shown a great amount of improvement from last season and I think he has the potential to be one of the top center fielders in the nation.”
Allen and senior Mitch Ponza will back up Rockett.
Right field
Corbett plans on going with a platoon of Allen and Ponza to start the season.
“Both players are solid defensively,” Corbett said. “They run well, cover a lot of ground and have good arms.”
Schedule
The Roadrunners will be tested early and often this season and nowhere is that more apparent than the opening day opponent, consensus preseason No. 1 Rice.
The 55-game schedule is highlighted by six opponents that qualified for the 2006 NCAA Tournament (Baylor, The College of Charleston, Houston, Rice, Texas and Texas-Arlington), a pair of early-season tournaments and a full slate of SLC action.
The 27-game home schedule features five games at Wolff Stadium and, for the first time in school history, nine of the team’s 22 contests at Roadrunner Field will be played under the lights.
“Our philosophy has always been to put together a competitive schedule to prepare us for conference play and this year is no exception,” Corbett said. “We’re going to have the opportunity to play several NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago, but I think this team is up to the challenge.”