ITHACA, N.Y. -- With a veteran lineup and a talented, young pitching staff, the Cornell baseball team is gearing up in an effort to claim the program’s second Ivy League Gehrig Division title in the last four years.
The Big Red returns eight of its nine starting position players from last season, with four of them garnering All-Ivy honors a year ago. Cornell returns 13 lettermen from 2007, while only losing three, and welcomes nine newcomers to the roster, seven of which will help bolster a pitching staff that lost its top starter and closer from last season.
“One of the things we feel good about is that we have a lot of experience coming back,” said Tom Ford, the Ted Thoren Head Coach of Baseball. “We’ve got a pretty good core of juniors and a couple of seniors thrown in there as well.”
Offensively, the Big Red lineup appears to be solid, with the top six run producers returning from last season. Leading the way in the lineup is third-baseman Nathan Ford, who hit .338 a year ago with a team-best 27 runs batted in. Also coming back after hitting above .300 last season is outfielder Domenic Di Ricco, who hit .329 with a team-high 31 runs scored to go along with his 12 RBI.
“We feel pretty good with our chances to score some runs this year,” Ford said. “I think that’s one of our strengths, something we don’t have to worry about this year.”
On the mound, the Big Red faces the task of replacing last season’s number one starter, Jim Hyland, and closer, Blake Hamilton, but a trio of starting pitchers return, in addition to several quality relievers. The pitching staff will also be helped by a number of talented freshmen, giving Ford a multitude of options from both the left and right sides.
“The success of this team will depend on how quickly the young guys can develop,” Ford said of the pitching staff. “There’s a few who are ready to go, and there’s a few returners with experience, but not necessarily the numbers. The key will be seeing if they can pitch to their potential.”
Defensively, the Big Red appears to have another solid season in store after setting a school record for fielding percentage in 2007. Cornell returns a player at each position, eliminating the adjustment period that comes with integrating new faces across the diamond. More importantly, the Big Red returns its core of players up the middle, with senior Adam Jacobs behind the plate, senior Jimmy Heinz at second, junior Scott Hardinger at shortstop and senior Brian Kaufman in center field.
CATCHER
Jacobs is the incumbent behind the plate and performed well in his first season as the team’s primary backstop last year. Jacobs was one of the top catchers in the Ivy League at stopping the opposition’s running game, throwing out 11-of-23 would-be base stealers. Jacobs’ 47.8 percent success rate at throwing out base-runners was best among regular starting catchers in the league. Jacobs also provided some power at the plate, slamming three home runs and driving in 13.
Incoming freshman Mike Lopez was slated to open the season as the top backup to Jacobs, but an injury suffered in the preseason will likely have him out for the entire season.A pair of returnees, senior Tony Bandanza and junior Eddie Timpano, provide additional options, while junior Nathan Ford can also fill in at catcher if necessary.
“It really helps when you’ve got a guy back there who can throw, helping slow down opposing runners,” Ford said of his senior catcher. “Lopez is solid, but we’ve got some work to do with his footwork and mechanics, but come game time, he gets the job done. We’ve just got to fine-tune him a little bit, and his bat has to come along a little bit as well. Plus, we’ve got Eddie and Tony, so we think we’re in pretty good shape, depth-wise.”
INFIELD
With Cornell returning All-Ivy honorees at three of the four infield spots, the lineup appears pretty well set, with the only question being which of a number of players will see regular time at first base.
The double-play combination of Heinz and Hardinger gives Cornell pitchers an experienced security blanket up the middle. The duo combined to turn 18 double plays last season. Additionally, both players had solid seasons at the plate. Heinz batted .285 with a team-best four home runs to go along with 28 runs scored and 22 driven in, both good for second on the team. Hardinger, meanwhile, hit .244, but drove in 10 runs while scoring 16 times. The pair also combined for just 16 errors in 365 total chances for a combined fielding percentage of .956. Both players were recognized following the season with second-team All-Ivy League honors.
“Jimmy and Scott have been working together for quite a while now, and they’re very consistent,” said Ford. “They make the plays they’re supposed to make and athletic enough to make some great plays as well. Scott, we felt, could have gotten votes for team MVP just on his defense alone. He’s got great range, a great arm, and is very athletic.”
Nathan Ford will hold down the hot corner after earning second-team all-league accolades last season. Ford led the team in batting among all regulars with his .338 average, while his 27 runs batted in were the most on the team. Ford also scored 16 times and hit a pair of home runs while starting every game. The starting quarterback on the varsity football team, Ford also showed off his versatility by starting 11 times behind the plate for the Big Red, where he made life difficult on opposing base runners, throwing out six of the 14 runners.
“All three of those guys are pretty sound fundamentally and have great hands,” Ford said. “With our defense, we always preach on being consistent, and with those three, we’re pretty confident we’ll have that consistency.”
Junior Kyle Groth will likely get the first shot at filling the vacancy at first base after playing 20 games there a year ago. Groth hit .263 last season with a home run, nine runs scored and 17 driven in. Groth also provides the Big Red with flexibility, being able to play in the outfield, where he started five times last season.
“At the end of the fall, Kyle was swinging the bat pretty well,” Ford said of the junior from Delray Beach, Fla. “He’s got some work to do defensively, but he’ll make a great play once in a while.”
Another option at first base is freshman Mickey Brodsky, a left-hander who was brought in primarily for his pitching experience. Also in the mix at first base is fellow freshman Jadd Schmeltzer, who brings tremendous size and power to the lineup.
“Mickey swung the bat very well in the fall, and though we were looking at him more as a pitcher, the more we’ve seen him, we also like him at first,” Ford said. “With Jadd, obviously we want a guy who can pick the ball at first, but yet, we also know he’s going to swing the bat well.
“We feel there’s three pretty good possibilities, and maybe the odd guy out there gets some DH time, but we feel we’ve got a lot more competition there than we’ve had in the past,” Ford added.
The Big Red has talent in reserve on the infield. Sophomore newcomer Jerry Vitiello is likely the top option at both of the two middle infield spots, though freshman David Polhemus can also spell either Heinz or Hardinger. At third base, sophomore Steven Dannaway and junior Casey Brett will see time as the backup to Ford. Brett missed all of the 2007 season with a back injury and is still working his way back into playing shape, while Dannaway saw action at third base last season when Ford was behind the plate and did a solid job defensively.
OUTFIELD
Five returning players are in the mix for time in the outfield, and each possesses the speed and defensive ability to track down balls in Hoy Field’s gaps. Highlighting the options are a pair of players who have received All-Ivy honors in the past. In left field, junior Domenic Di Ricco earned recognition last season after batting .329 with a team-high 31 runs scored to go along with 12 runs batted in and eight stolen bases in nine attempts from the leadoff spot. In center field, senior Brian Kaufman looks to rebound from his struggles during his junior season and regain the form that saw him earn All-Ivy honors as a sophomore. Last year, Kaufman started the year hot, batting .304 in non-league games, but cooled during Ivy action to a .215 average, though he still belted three home runs, had three triples, 25 runs scored and 20 runs batted in to go along with his team-best 11 stolen bases.
“We’re pleased with the way Di Ricco hit in the leadoff spot, so we assume he’s going to return in that capacity this season,” Ford said. “The key is getting Kaufman back to how he can play. I expect him to come back and swing the bat like he should this season.”
The third outfield spot is up for grabs among a trio of returning players. Seniors Ry Kagan and Kaleb Hutchinson and sophomore Nate David — moved from the infield during the offseason — will each get a shot to earn regular time in the outfield. Kagan and Hutchinson both saw time last season, with Kagan appearing in 24 games and batting .231 with 10 runs scored and nine driven in. Hutchinson, meanwhile, has battled injuries since having an outstanding freshman campaign in 2004 and will look to regain the form from that season when he hit .288 with three home runs and 17 runs batted in. David saw action in three games as a defensive replacement in the infield, but with the infield loaded with returners, he has moved to the outfield and shown promise in the fall.
“All five of those guys can play defense — they all have pretty good speed and can track the ball down, so whatever position, whoever’s out there, we’re not going to have to look for a defensive replacement for any of them,” Ford said. “They’re going to cover some ground, and to us, the value of our defensive outfield is going and tracking balls down that might otherwise go for extra bases. I’m comfortable with any of those five defensively.”
PITCHING
With the lineup and defensive alignment set, the biggest key to a successful season lies with the pitching staff. Four pitchers from last season depart, the biggest two losses being Jim Hyland, who started nine games and posted a team-best 3.81 earned run average, and Blake Hamilton, who earned three saves on his way to first-team All-Ivy accolades as a relief pitcher. Still, Cornell returns three starters and a handful of relievers to go along with seven impressive freshmen looking to make an impact this season.
Senior Walker Toma will anchor the pitching staff, at least during the early part of the season, though he could move to the bullpen to provide late-inning stability later in the year. Toma made seven starts among his 10 appearances, and will likely open the season in the starting rotation. Also coming back are a pair of sophomores, Tony Bertucci and David Rochefort. Bertucci struck out 27 and walked just 15 in his first season for the Big Red, pitching 47.1 innings, despite posting a 1-5 record in nine starts. Rochefort, meanwhile, worked 28.1 innings and had a 0-1 mark in six starts to go along with his 5.40 earned run average.
A trio of relievers from a year ago will also see additional work this year. Right-handers Stephen Osterer, a junior, and Bryce Klinesteker, a senior, will combine with lefty sophomore Matt Hill to form an experienced group of relievers, though Klinesteker could also break into the starting rotation.
“Toma will probably start in the rotation, but we might put him back in the pen after a couple of weeks,” Ford said. “We feel good about Bertucci, and we know he can pitch for us. He had a good summer. Steven and Matt will probably be relievers, and Rochefort and Klinesteker are going make a push for the rotation as well. All of those guys are going to get their opportunities to get innings for us.”
While the six returners form the nucleus of the pitching staff, it will likely be the development of the freshmen that will determine the success of the season. Seven of the nine newcomers have experience on the mound, and will provide versatility from both the left and right sides.
Corey Pappel is perhaps the most intriguing newcomer to the pitching staff after spending last spring with the Canadian Junior National team in Florida playing against Major League Baseball Instructional League players. Other key freshmen hurlers include Dan Lea from Allentown, Pa., and Will Keehn from San Luis Obispo, Calif., though all seven could see significant innings for the Big Red.
“If by the end of the season Pappel’s not our number one starter, I’d be surprised,” Ford said. “I’m very comfortable with all of those guys out there on the mound right now. It’s the guys who are going to throw consistently who are going to get most of the innings. How we mature as a staff is going to be the biggest key to our success.”
SCHEDULE
The Big Red has a difficult early season schedule, but one that should prepare the squad for the rigors of the Ivy League. Highlighting the opening part of the season are weekend trips to Virginia and Philadelphia, where the Big Red will take on quality squads like Virginia, Villanova and Temple, before heading south to Florida for spring break. In the Sunshine State, the Big Red will take on perennial national power Miami, in addition to games against power conference teams in Pittsburgh and Penn State.
“There’s nobody on our schedule that we can just show up and win against,” Ford said. “We’re going to have to play and pitch well to give ourselves a chance to win. Anybody can beat us, and we can beat anybody. I think it’s good for the program to play ranked teams and see how we match up.
“We’re going to approach all of our games the same way; play as hard as we can and play as smart as we can. If we do that, I’m going to be happy,” Ford said. “It’s going to prepare us well for the Ivy League, and our guys are excited for it.”
The Ivy League season opens on March 29 with a doubleheader against Harvard in the home opener at Hoy Field. Gehrig Division play begins on April 12 at Penn.
“In the past, we’d dug a hole against the other division, then did pretty well against our division,” Ford said. “Last year, we did what we were supposed to do early, but couldn’t put it together at the end of the season. Obviously, this year, the plan is to get off to a good start and get in position to be playing for something the last couple of weekends of the season.”
With an experienced lineup and some talented hurlers on the mound, the pieces are certainly in place for the Big Red to make a run at the Ivy League crown.
“This year’s seniors were on the team the last time we won a division title, so I think that will help a lot,” Ford said. “If we can get consistency on the mound, I think we can make a pretty decent run at the division, and I think we have the arms to do that.”