Buccaneers look to take another step in 2012

  • By DAVID SHELTON
    Special to The Post and Courier
  • Posted: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 12:01 a.m.
    UPDATED: Friday, March 23, 2012 9:40 p.m.
  • Text size: A A A
Charleston Southern shortstop Alex Tomasovich.
Provided/Charleston Southern shortstop Alex Tomasovich.

Charleston Southern head baseball coach Stuart Lake is looking for his program to take another step up the ladder in the very competitive Big South Conference.

The 2011 baseball season, Lake's third with the Buccaneers, was one of the best in recent memory for the program. CSU won 29 games, fourth-most in school history. The Bucs' 15 wins in Big South play were the second-most in school history and only the fourth time the program has posted a winning record in conference games.

Lake was named the conference coach of the year after improving the program by 12 wins overall and winning nine more games in conference play.

Gone from that team, however, are 11 seniors and a junior pitcher who signed a professional contract. Five of the team's top eight hitters have graduated, along with pitchers responsible for 17 of the 29 victories. The 2012 Bucs will look a lot different, but Lake is confident that the talent level is equal to that of a year ago.

"I'm not so concerned about the players we have because I know how hard they have worked since last year to earn their own opportunity," said Lake. "If I have a concern, it's that I haven't seen them in a CSU uniform playing in a real Division I college baseball game. I'm excited to see some of these new guys perform."

Anchoring the pitching staff will be seniors Charlie McCready, Patrick Dolan and closer Corey Deighan. McCready, a left-hander, was 6-2 with five saves and a 2.29 earned run average last season. Dolan, a Summerville High graduate, was 3-3 a year ago with a low 90s fastball.

Deighan recorded seven saves last season and is closing in on the school record for saves in a career.

Junior college transfers Ryan Gunther and Kevin Buran are expected to make immediate impacts. Gunther is a Stratford High product who began his career at Elon before

transferring to Spartanburg Methodist for the 2011 season.

Sophomores Levi Mauldin and Kyle Ward saw action on the mound last season and freshman Austin Weekley of James Island could contribute as well.

CSU has depth at catcher, starting with senior Blake Hunt, a fifth-year player who missed a large part of last season with a knee injury. Junior Drew Woodall has gained significant experience and sophomore Dennis Buckley is a solid defensive receiver who also pitches. Derek Moses, a junior college transfer, will see time as well.

The strength defensively, as well as in the batting order, resides on the left side where junior Jaren Sustar returns at third and sophomore Alex Tomasovich returns at short. Justar hit .342 with 41 RBI last season while Tomasovich hit .351 with 12 doubles.

Sophomore Cody Austin and junior college transfer John Faircloth are working early at second base. Sophomore Thomas Levander and freshman Robbie Streett will add depth in the middle infield.

The most versatile player on the team is senior Walt Quattlebaum, who will start at first base this season. Quattlebaum is a proven hitter (.355, 33 RBI) and has played every infield position during his career at CSU.

"He led the team in hitting during the fall and I expect him to have a big year for us," said Lake.

CSU's outfield will be entirely new and much less experienced than last year's unit that included a couple of four-year starters.

Freshman Bobby Ison, an all-state performer from Stratford High, will start in centerfield and hit near the top of the order. Freshman Evan Still of North Augusta also was an all-state player and will see time in left, along with sophomore Brian Welch, who played in 25 games last season.

Junior Nick Berry, who prepped at West Ashley before a stint at USC Sumter, will work in right field and will see time on the mound. Freshman Chase Shelton of Brookland-Cayce and sophomore Zach Hagaman will work in right and also pitch in relief roles.

"I feel like we can put a quality college player at every position," said Lake. "We're a work in progress early on, but I feel like we can be a very competitive baseball team if we can develop some depth on the mound."

Schedule

FEBRUARY

17--Georgetown, 2 p.m.; 18--Georgetown, 2 p.m.; 19 - Georgetown, 1:30 p.m.; 22 - Savannah State, 2 p.m.; 24 - Marshall, 2 p.m.; 25 - Marshall (DH), 11:30 a.m.; 26 - Marshall, 2 p.m.

MARCH

2 - Southern Miss (at Auburn), 2 p.m.; 3 - at Auburn, 1 p.m.; 4 - Purdue (at Auburn) 1 p.m.; 6 - Georgia Southern, 2 p.m.; 7 - USC Upstate, 2 p.m.; 9 - Rider, 2 p.m.; 10 - Rider, 2 p.m.; 11 - Rider, 1:30 p.m.; 13 - at South Carolina, 7 p.m.; 14 - at Savannah State, 5 p.m.; 17 - Penn (DH), 11:30 a.m.; 18 - Penn, 1 p.m.; 20 - at The Citadel, 6 p.m.; 21 - College of Charleston, 3 p.m.; 23 - High Point, 2 p.m.; 24 - High Point, 2 p.m.; 25 - High Point, 2 p.m.; 27 - at College of Charleston, 6 p.m.; 30 - at Campbell, 6 p.m.; 31 - at Campbell (DH), 2 p.m.

APRIL

4 - The Citadel, 3 p.m.; 6 - at UNC Asheville, 3 p.m.; 6 - at UNC Asheville (DH), 1 p.m.; 10 - at USC Upstate, 6 p.m.; 11 - UNC Wilmington, 3 p.m.; 13 - Gardner-Webb, 2 p.m.; 14 - Gardner-Webb, 2 p.m.; 15 - Gardner-Webb, 2 p.m.; 17 - at Clemson, 6:30 p.m.; 18 - Savannah State, 2 p.m.; 20 - at Presbyterian, 3 p.m.; 21 - at Presbyterian, 2 p.m.; 22 - at Presbyterian, 1 p.m.

MAY

2 - at Georgia Southern, 6 p.m.; 4 - Winthrop, 2 p.m.; 5 - Winthrop, 2 p.m.; 6 - Winthrop, 2 p.m.; 11 - at VMI, 7 p.m.; 12 - at VMI, 5 p.m.; 13 - at VMI, 1 p.m.; 15 - at UNC Wilmington, 6:30 p.m.; 17 - Coastal Carolina, 2 p.m.; 18 - Coastal Carolina, 2 p.m.; 19 - Coastal Carolina, 2 p.m.; 22-26 - Big South Conference tournament