Play ball! YSU to begin its season

The Penguins will play three games against New Orleans starting Friday.

By JON MOFFETT

Vindicator Sports Staff

YOUNGSTOWN — It’s been a long and tough winter, even by a penguin’s standards.

That’s why Rich Pasquale and the YSU baseball team are anxious to get out of the batting cages and onto the diamond.

“It’s going to be very nice to see green grass,” Pasquale said at a press conference Tuesday.

YSU begins it season Friday with a three-day trip to Louisiana for consecutive games against the University of New Orleans.

“We’re very excited,” Pasquale said about getting back on the field. “We’ve been waiting for this since May 19 when we got knocked out [of the Horizon League tournament] by Butler.”

The Penguins will return 21 lettermen from the 2009 squad that went 16-35. Of those, four of the top five starting pitchers will take the mound again.

“With the pitching staff that we have right now, with a good one-two punch, I think we really have a good shot,” he said.

The Penguins have an uphill road to climb at the start of the season.

YSU will play 20 consecutive road games before its home opener against Canisius March 31 at Cene Park in Struthers.

YSU’s remaining 20 home games will be played at Eastwood Field in Niles.

Pasquale said the long road trips have their advantages and disadvantages, but the main thing is simply playing, regardless of the location.

“It’s going to be tough,” he said. “It’s always a challenge playing on the road because there’s a lot of high percentages for home teams with victories and that kind of thing.

“It is a challenge, but it’s just good to get out and play.”

Pasquale stressed the team’s pitching staff as being the linchpin for a successful season. When asked what fans could be excited about and what to expect out of the season, he indicated the men on the bump will be the difference-makers.

“I think the arms [are the biggest improvement], not only the quality but the number of arms,” Pasquale said. “We were short on arms last year and I just feel that we’re able to do some more matchups, going lefty vs. lefty, that sort of thing toward the end of the game.”

Pasquale said he believed there was only one left-handed pitcher on the team last year. There are five southpaws on the roster for opening day.

“We’ve been talking all along since the fall about pitching and defense,” Pasquale said. “That’s going to help us win a lot of games, but more importantly the league championship.”

The team’s first Horizon League game will be a March 26 rematch with Butler, which was eliminated from the 2009 tournament by eventual champions Wright State.

Pasquale hopes an infusion of young talent coupled with the experience of some older players will translate to a nice mix and plenty of wins.

The team features 12 seniors, five juniors, five sophomores and 11 freshmen on the opening-day, 32-man roster.

Of the dozen seniors, five have been with the program for four seasons, and four others have been involved for two years. Pasquale said their leadership will be invaluable to an up-and-coming team.

“That [experience] is really going to help us in maturing,” he said. “Already the senior class is a great bunch, helping out the younger guys because they see the talent that is in the younger group.”

Of the 32 players on the roster, 20 are from Ohio and five are from Pennsylvania.

Players from the Youngstown area include Tom Clayton (Poland), Joe Iacobucci (Boardman), Armani Johnson (Boardman), Jim Kinnick (Austintown Fitch), Kevin McCulloh (Boardman), C.J. Morris (Canfield), Alex Oles (Austintown Fitch), Anthony Porter (Boardman) and Corey Vukovic (McDonald).

Pasquale said he has a good feeling about the team and believes it can capture of the six seeds for the conference tournament in May.

He said he’s seen a good attitude among his players, who are ready to play for real.

“When guys get out of the hitting cage, or after a pitching does his bullpen [session], there is a lot of positive talk, and that starts with how the coaching staff is and our approach. We are constantly talking about their positive things, things they need to work on, but really just staying positive.”

The Privateers’ power hitters offer an early test for the Penguins arms. But Pasquale said his rotation will be up to the challenge.

“They swing it,” he said. “They’re very well coach ... They are just a good, quality team in the South.”

One of the things Pasquale is most excited to see is the return of ace pitcher Aaron Swenson, who was named Horizon League Pitcher of the Year in 2008 but was limited last season with an injured back.

Swenson pitched 90 innings for the Penguins in 2009, struck out 70 batters and had a 6.10 earned run average.

Now healthy, Pasquale said the senior is ready to rebound.

“I love when he’s out there,” he said. “You know you have a good chance to win that day. And he’s helping with the younger arms.”

jmoffett@vindy.com