Tenth Edition January, 2004

2 0 0 4 S E A S O N P R E V I E W

The rebuilding project continues with the 2004 edition of High Point baseball as the Panthers prepare for another campaign at George S. Erath Field. The Panthers are entering there 6th year of competition at the NCAA Division I level, and are coming off a disappointing 14-37 season. But optimism abounds considering it was just head coach Sal Bando�s first recruiting class. �You go into every season expecting to win, expecting to make the tournament and expecting to play for a championship,� stated Bando. �That is our mindset and that is our goal, and this year is really no different. However, it is a process and it takes time. I think with time will come talent and chemistry, but our main concern is a mental state that we are still searching for. As we continue to recruit and develop some of our young guys, you�ll see leaders emerge from the pack, and when that happens you�ll see the transformation of our club. Time will tell if this is that year. I just hope to continue to grow throughout the spring and be playing our best baseball come May.�

The 2004 Panthers are a different looking team, as the pre-season depth chart features 13 newcomers, just four returning pitchers with 25 or more innings, and only two returning starters. The projected line-up is new two through six and three fourths of the pitching rotation will be making there debut. �Much like last year, a lot of the guys we�re counting on to contribute are first timers. While that is always a concern in Division I baseball and the Big South, we feel our talent level has improved.�

PITCHING The backbone of any team�s success at any level is the strength and depth of its pitching staff. The Panthers,

who compiled a 6.83 ERA last year, will look to five newcomers and eight returning arms to give them that strength and depth. Former draftee Matt Kniginyzky, rated the top pro prospect in the Big South by Baseball America last year, is slated as the Panthers Friday night starter. Kniginyzky went 1-9 with a 4.50 ERA in 2003, striking out 51 in 64 innings pitched. �Matt has always had the arm,� says pitching coach Phil Maier. �What has us so excited is his development of a third pitch and the experience he gained last year. He continues to improve and you can see his confidence growing with every outing, but having the confidence in that third pitch will do wonders for him.� Lefthander Mark Shorey, coming off a freshman year in the pen that netted 5 saves with an ERA of 4.07, enters his sophomore campaign as the Panthers number two starter. Shorey struck out 30 in 24.1 innings pitched while also amassing over 100 at bats as a two way player. Josh Cotten, a transfer from Campbell University, will be going both ways for the Panthers, as he is projected to hit in the middle of the line-up and pitch on Sundays. �Josh has the unique distinction of being both a 6-5 left handed pitcher and a right handed power hitter. He was the biggest surprise this fall by far. We knew about the power we were inheriting, but we didn�t anticipate him being as polished of a pitcher as he showed,� said Bando. The number four and midweek start will be in the hands of southpaw Bob Helman, a JC transfer from Elkridge, MD. Helman is coming off a sophomore year at Catonsville Community College where he earned all-conference honors and led his team to the NJCAA World Series. Coming out of the bullpen and being asked to keep a lead will be seniors Clayton Gordner, Phil Leake,Travis Motsinger, and former two way sophomore Matt Christie. Gordner is coming off a junior season that saw him go 4-0 with a 4.62 ERA. He struck out 35 in 37 innings pitched. The coaching staff anticipates Phil Leake to close out his career with his best season to date, while the side armed Motsinger will continue to throw from down under. Motsinger is coming off a junior year that saw him lead the team in appearances (19) while striking out 27 in 34.2 innings of work. The strong armed Christie had over 100 at bats last year as a freshman, but is being converted to a pitcher, his more natural position. Rounding out the staff and competing for innings will be situational left-handers John Antignano and NickZaio, 6-4 right hander John Wanger, and freshman Jordan Reisman. Antignano hails from Florida and has showed signs of pitchability, while Zaio had a good fall and continues to develop into a competitor. Wanger has a high ceiling and could be in the mix when it is all said and done, while Reisman also impressed this fall showing an ability to make pitches when it counted. Freshman right hander Kevin Lamb is red shirting.

CATCHING Newcomer Matt Keever, a Hickory native and left handed hitting transfer from Surrey Community College, will begin the year as the Panthers number one catcher. Keever is coming off a 2003 season where he hit .414 with 11 HR�s and 55 RBI�s, earning all-region honors. �The thing we love about Keever, besides his arm,� says pitching coach Phil Maier, �is that he will keep the ball in front of him by any means necessary. He is a little guy, but he�s strong, and he�s hard not to notice. If his swagger and effort are contagious, we are going to be alright.� Not far behind is senior Jayson Hoffman and red shirt freshman Justin Pinyan, a Rowan county product. Hoffman has averaged 126 at bats a year for the past three years, and will close out his career this spring. He handles the staff as good as anyone. Pinyan has always been known as a catch and throw guy. His defensive skills may be the best of the bunch. DJ Hendricks rounds out the catching corp. An injured arm has set him back, but Hendricks can run and has showed some bat speed in limited opportunities.

INFIELDThe Panther infield is where the biggest change has been made, as three of the four opening day starters are

either newcomers or starting for the first time. The lone returning Panther is everyday second baseman Rey Rojas. Rojas led the team in average (.288), at bats (191), runs (28), hits (55), RBI�s (27), and stolen bases (19) last year. �I�m pretty excited when it comes to the topic of Rey Rojas,� says Bando. �Rey bleeds baseball, which I love, but he was out of character as our number three hitter last year. Between finding a consistent swing with the wood this past summer and moving him to the lead off spot, I think Rey is going to have a big year. He can do a lot of things well. Now I�d like to see him do a couple things great.� Joining Rojas on the right side of the infield is transfer Seby Renta, a 6-2 210lb Puerto Rico product. Renta won the job this fall with a sweet and consistent left handed hitting stroke, and should help the Panthers offensive drought from last year.

On the left side of the infield is newcomer Matt Calcagni, an Ontario, Canada product. Calcagni will begin his college career as the Panthers starting short stop, as he possesses good hands, great lateral movement, and a great arm. �Cal should be able to carry the load defensively at short,� states Bando. �He has shown some skills defensively that have impressed us. He plays a premium position, so as a freshman, if he can catch and throw the ball, he�ll help us.� At third is red shirt junior Matt Richardson. Richardson is moving from second base to third, and has a nice left handed bat. He has amassed over 50 at bats the last two seasons as a back-up, and should flourish with the long awaited opportunity. Not far behind is sophomore Anthony Bell. Bell is the Panthers lone utility player, as he can play all of the positions in the infield. He is a good athlete with good speed and a good bat.

Junior Nate Hawley and senior Brent Myers may also see time in the infield. Hawley is transferring in from St. Clair County Community College in Michigan where he played short everyday and was a captain. Myers is a left handed hitter and gifted defensively, who amassed 67 at bats last year before a season ending injury. Corner infielder and Pittsburgh, PA product Jon Pavlack is red shirting.

OUTFIELD The Panthers received some unfortunate news in the late fall when sophomore outfielder Nick Thompson was shut down due to arm problems that resulted in surgery. Although Thompson hit only .215 as a freshman, he led the team in at bats (191), was second in doubles (10), third in RBI�s (21), and third in stolen bases (10). �While losing Nick was a blow, it won�t cripple us,� explains Coach Bando. �Nick is young, but is our best arm and our best runner. He has some very attractive tools. Losing him means we lose range in the outfield and speed in our line-up. But we have other options, and that will allow us to be stronger in other areas.� Those options begin with newcomer Chris Ramirez, a product of Kirkwood Community College in Iowa. Ramirez will open up as the everyday center fielder but may play a little right as well. �Chris has showed up every day physically and mentally since he stepped foot on campus,� said Bando. �He should be a major contributor.� Returning to left field is sophomore Matt Gorman, an East Cobb product who as a freshman hit .243, led the team with 27 walks, and had 45 hits, third best on the team. �Matt is one of those guys that get it,� explains Bando. �His patience and pitch selection at the plate is very good. Two years ago we had two players with over 40 walks each. That not only helped their on base percentage, it created scoring opportunities for the team, and it gave guys hitting after them better pitches to hit. If we can get nine guys up and down the line-up to have Gorman�s approach, we will have the offensive machine that we are striving for.� Joining Ramirez and Gorman in the outfield is newcomer Corey Stang, another Canada product hailing from British Columbia. Stang is transferring in from Northeastern Oklahoma Junior College, where he hit well over .300 in consecutive years. He was the Panthers most consistent hitter this past fall and showed a great approach, and will begin the year hitting 3rd. With the outfield being the Panthers deepest position come the players that are providing the depth. Senior Chris Draska, junior Ken Keesee, and red shirt freshman Josh Doane all will be vying for at bats this spring. Draska stands 6-3; hits left, and has great power to right. Keesee returns for his third season as a Panther after amassing over 100 at bats in each of the last two years, while Doane will be making his debut. Doane is coming off a summer where he earned all-star honors in the Great Lakes Collegiate League.