Cougar Men Will Look to Youth to Round Out Team

With just seven sophomores and 23 freshmen on its roster, the Cougar baseball team will rely on several newcomers to help the Cougars continue their winning ways in the 2007 season.

St. Charles will need some of the young players to step up and help make up for the loss of two-year starters Trey Keene, Blane Boss, Zach Weiss, and Adam Minter.

“I think we recruited some very talented kids, but we needed to because we lost a lot of key players from last year’s team,” Cougar head coach Chris Gober said. “I think we have players who are very capable and are just waiting their turn.”

Some of the key newcomers include catchers Jon Spencer and Josh Farley, infielders Ed Morelli, Zach Kinkeade, and Brett Barylski. Battling for time in the outfield will be Jeff DeKalb, Bryce Kay, Leigh Gilpin, Kyle Shillings, and Kyle Lasley.

DeKalb played for Francis Howell High School as did St. Charles recruit Kyle Corcoran, an All-State performer in high school. Kay is slated to start in right field, while Lasley and Gilpin will push for playing time at one of the corner outfield spots. Kyle Shillings, a redshirt freshman transfer from Rockhurst University, will battle for the team’s starting centerfield job.

At first base, Zach Kinkeade and Brett Barylski, a transfer from Lindenwood University, will battle for time at the position. Sophomore Tyler Arnold and freshman Ed Morelli are among the players competing for the starting third base job. Shortstop Josh Street and second baseman Aren Cummings are the Cougars lone returning starting position players. Street earned All-MCCAC honors as an infielder in 2006. Street hit .372 with 13 doubles, four home runs, 48 RBIs, and 8 stolen bases.

Cummings, who split time between the mound and second base, compiled a record of 5-3 with 2 saves and a 2.84 ERA. He came on strong toward the end of last season and batted .315 with 10 doubles, four home runs, and 19 RBIs.

 “Josh and Aren are great players, they will have to carry us early in the season, until the others get situated in their roles,” Gober said.

Cummings and fellow sophomore Bob Bauer (4-0, 5.03 ERA) return to anchor the Cougar pitching staff.

“Those two guys have earned the right to start the season in the starting rotation,” Gober said. “After that we have Ryan Carbah, Dominic Marchesi, D.J. Politte, Trevor Zugmasier, Eric Mitchell, and Andy Maus, who could fill those roles. Our pitching should be as good as it was last year, from top to bottom.”
That’s saying a lot, considering last year’s pitching staff compiled a record of 32-20 with a combined 3.91 ERA.

Gober sees the region being wide open. “It will be very competitive,” Gober said, “I don’t think there is any one team that really stands out, but there are probably four or five teams that have a realistic chance of winning the region.”

Despite having such a young squad, the Cougars should be in the hunt for conference and region championships. And like every year, their goal will be to reach the JUCO World Series and then win it.

“We will need to learn to be consistent every day this year,” Gober said. “Our older kids will have to carry us, and our pitching will have to keep us in games until we figure it out offensively and defensively. The young kids have worked hard and are eager to prove they belong here.”

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