A look into STLCC Archer’s 2015 baseball season
By: JONAH DURBIN
Staff Writer
The Saint Louis Community College Archers baseball team finished the 2014-15 regular season with a 34-23 overall record. They defeated Three Rivers Community College, 10-4, in the NJCAA Region XVI Tournament on May 8 and Seminole State College, 3-2, in the South Central District Tournament on May 17.
Head Coach Scott Goodrich is entering his third season managing the STLCC Men’s Baseball team. Garrett Bauer is entering his third season as the team’s pitching coach.
The entire team has high expectations for the upcoming season, Goodrich said. The Archers only returned one position player that got a significant amount of at-bats, Goodrich said.
“I am excited about all of the good players we have this year,” Goodrich said.
Sophomore Dave Prost, catcher, said he has been playing baseball since he could walk. Prost hit six homeruns and drove in 33 runs with a .308 batting average while catching the majority of the innings last year.
He looks to build on his 2014 performance and has high expectations for the upcoming season, Prost said.
“Our expectation for this year is to make it to the Grand Junction, which is like the World Series for the NJCAA,” Prost said.
The Archers posted a team ERA [earned run average] of 6.00 in 2014 through 420 total innings [57 games]. Sophomore Seth Mesey, pitcher, amassed a 6-5 record and posted a 5.40 ERA through 68.1 innings, striking out 66 batters, last year.
Mesey was 2-0 in the regional tournament. He looks to play the role for the team again this year, Mesey said.
“[The goal] is to have a repeat of last year, but go further and win the regional championship,” Mesey said.
Sophomore Joey Lodes, pitcher, finished with a 4-2 record and an 8.15 ERA through 35.1 innings in 2014. He looks to come up big in those important innings this year, Lodes said.
“[The goal] is to repeat last year, but go further,” Lodes said.
They [Archers] returned a few guys that got fifty to sixty plate appearances last season, Goodrich said.
“We are counting on them [players] to do a little bit more this season,” Goodrich said.
The Archers have guys that can pitch well for them and give them a chance to win. If this team is going to be successful they need to hit, Goodrich said.
“Their mindset is that they are going to hit. If we are going to win, we are going to have to hit. In my opinion, it is who can hit good pitching. If we are not successful offensively, then we are going to have a lot of trouble,” Goodrich said.
If you can get to the other guys best, then you have a better chance to win, Goodrich said.
“At their level, everybody has good pitching and good defense. So, in order to win and be successful, we need to hit and score runs,” Goodrich said.
