The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball program is headed in
a new direction--figuratively and literally--under new Head Coach Mike
Stuhr.
        Stuhr and the Eagles hope to do an about-face this season after
they finished 13-20 overall last season with a third-place finish in the
North Division of the Wisconsin State University Conference.
        The fresh, new direction the Eagles are headed in is evident
immediately. The Eagles will not travel the well-beaten path to Florida on
their annual spring trip. Instead, UW-L will venture West to California to
start the season.
        Adding stability amongst the changes is a solid group of returning
veterans. Seniors Bob Clement, Jon Knez and Kurt Chapman, along with
juniors Kelly Olson, Bill McClone and Matt Goebel, will provide leadership
for a squad with a lot of new faces.
        "We're fortunate to have a core of veteran players that have really
set the tone for us with their work ethic on and off the field," Stuhr
said.  "We don't have a lot of veterans, but for what we lack in quantity,
we make up for in quality."
        Clement will perform most of the duties behind the plate. He's
coming off an excellent season in a platoon role. He batted .353 in 20
games with 12 RBI. Defensively, he committed just two errors and threw out
34 percent of would-be base stealers. "Bob is a real intense competitor.  I
think that intensity and determination provides on-the-field leadership,"
Stuhr said. "I see him as the guy who is going to drive us this year in
that area."
        Freshman Matt Roffers will spell Clement at catcher when the
grueling spring schedule begins to take its toll. Roffers is likely to play
in right field when he's not catching. He batted .343 during his prep
career with six home runs. Sophomore Randy Quade also provides depth at
catcher. He saw action in four games a year ago.
        Sophomore Chad Ducklow, a transfer from Viterbo College, will see
most of the action at first base. He hit .298 with seven home runs with 30
RBI last season with the V-Hawks. Ducklow is expected to give the Eagles a
power boost and drive in runs from the middle of the line-up. Freshman Brad
McNally will also gain experience at first base this season.  Both Ducklow
and McNally were outfielders in high school and continue to improve around
the bag.
        The remaining three infield positions provides a great deal of
versatility for Stuhr. "The infield is really competitive because we have
more bodies than positions, and we have a lot of players that are really
solid," Stuhr said. "We're going to  have more changes from game to game in
our line-up than we did in the past. Just about everybody at second, short
and third are pretty much capable of playing all three positions."
        Junior Bob Loshek should get the nod for the majority of the
starting assignments as the incumbent at second base. He possesses a
consistent glove with good bat control at the plate. He tied for the team
lead in sacrifice hits while hitting .278. Freshmen Kevin Connor and Mark
Jenks will gain experience in back-up roles.
        Both Olson and Chapman have worked-out at shortstop in the
pre-season. Chapman will likely see the most action at shortstop. He was
the Eagles' regular there last season after mending a shoulder injury. He
hit .304 with 13 extra-base hits and 15 RBI. Time at second base could also
be a possibility for Chapman. Olson is the returning starter at third, but
he will see additional time at shortstop. He batted .352 with a .505
slugging percentage, tying the school record with 13 doubles. He could also
see work at first base. Providing depth on the left side of the infield are
sophomore Jason Theobald and freshman Rick Bell. Both can fill in at
shortstop or third base.
        Juniors Bill McClone and Matt Goebel will take up residence in left
field. McClone found a home there last season, playing in 29 games and
hitting .320 with a pair of home runs and 19 RBI. A good dose of Matt
Goebel's time last season came as the designated hitter. He saw some time
last season in the outfield after making the transition from third base. He
overcame early-season struggles to hit .280 with five extra-base hits.
        Junior centerfielder Jay Katzenmeyer, a transfer from the
University of South Dakota, can close gaps in a hurry with his speed. He is
also expected to contribute offensively in the lead-off spot. He batted
.254 with 15 stolen base in two seasons with the Coyotes. Red-shirt
freshman Tom Grafenauer also possesses go-get-them speed and will move his
abilities to the outfield from the infield where he worked out last season.
        Right field will be handled by committee, according to Stuhr. When
he's not catching, Roffers will be in the lineup in right field, but
Theobald and freshman Nate Hudson are other leading candidates to see
playing time there.
        What the pitching staff lacks in experience, it may make up with
promise. "Pitching is the area, while I'm excited about it because I think
we have a lot of guys we can turn to, that someone is going to have to step
up and establish himself," Stuhr said. "Two or three freshmen are going to
have to throw a lot of quality innings for us to be successful."
        The four returning pitchers to the staff are Knez, juniors Jeremy
Brach and Scott McKenna, and sophomore Cory Anderson. The quartet combined
to throw 86 innings, compiling a 4-5 record with a 7.22 ERA.
        Two freshmen with a lot of potential are Joe Ohm and Andy Hanson.
Ohm posted an 18-5 record during his prep career, and Hanson recorded an
8-2 mark and a 0.79 ERA his senior season. Another pair of freshman with a
good opportunity to contribute immediately are Ted Bauer and Heath Walker.
Senior Jeep Huelskamp, a transfer from Arkansas Tech, is also expected to
step right in and help the staff. Others looking to provide innings are
Kelly O'Dea, P.J. Nielsen, Jamie Ziembo, Jamie Luedtke and Ben Gehde.
        "Our strengths are overall team speed and our defense," Stuhr  said.
"We're a team that is going to put the bat on the ball, but I don't think
we're going to hit the ball out of the park as much as we have the last
couple of years. We're going to scratch a little more for runs.
        "We'll look to steal some bases and be very aggressive. We'll hit
and run and do whatever it takes to move runners around," he continued.
"We have some guys who are capable of hitting the ball out of the park, but
by-and-large, we need to take the mentality that we need to be a threat to
steal and run at all times."
        The direction the Eagles plan to go this season is up, that is, up
the Northern Division standings. If the Eagles can scratch together enough
runs and have a young pitching staff develop consistency, a divisional
title is within their reach.