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Athletics: Baseball: Preview

Gloucester County College Baseball
2008 Preview

In 2008, Gloucester County College enters the season coming off a 34-10 season.  A disappointing season for the roadrunners was filled with up and downs.

Year after year the baseball program has been synonymous with excellence.  With five national championships (1992, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2005) under its belt, 33 players advancing to the ranks of professional baseball, and countless numbers advancing to four year programs, the tradition of winning and succeeding has become customary- this year should be no different. “We are attracting high profile student athletes who are willing to work on and off the field to continue the proud tradition of Gloucester Baseball.”

Head Coach Mike Dickson holds high expectations for the upcoming season. “We are an extremely balanced team that will be able to score a lot of runs and play excellent defense.” Gloucester returns three everyday starters and several pitchers from last year’s team for Head Coach Mike Dickson.  The freshman class is one of the most talented classes as Gloucester has had in recent years.

 

Kevin Carroll readies himself for another quality at bat.

The team will be balanced throughout the lineup, the infield and outfield.  Returning starters include Kevin Carroll (Blackwood, NJ), a strong defensive infielder who has excellent hands and is a heads up player. Carroll will be asked to play short, second and third. He is a player who can run, bunt and handle the bat in the top of the order and will be asked to lead a talented group of young infielders.  Shortstop, Joe Perez (Absegami), was an All-South Jersey/All-State player who is a tremendous fielder and will hit in the middle of the order. Joe was one of the leaders in South Jersey high schools with 10 homeruns.  The roadrunners will count on three players to guard the corner infield positions.  Yoken Castro (Union, NJ) and Gary Sarno (Cherry Hill, NJ) will both see time at third base.  Yoken has excellent raw power and was an all union county selection. He should hit fourth for us in the spring. Rounding out the infield will be Adam Soley (North Penn, PA), a power hitting first basemen who will also see time on the mound, and Jeremy Clark (Woodbury, NJ), a heads up player who has good game knowledge and will pinch run.

 

Sophomore outfielder, Chris Lingham sends another shot to the gap.

This outfield group will show a combination of power and speed. All Region outfielder Chris Lingham (Pine Hill, NJ) will patrol centerfield.  Chris stole (42) bases as a freshman and again will be asked to lead off for the Roadrunners. Mid-Year transfer Jordan Fisher (Camden Catholic, NJ) will hold down right field.  Fisher an All-South Jersey/All-State player hit 10 homeruns in high school and has an excellent throwing arm from the outfield.  He will be asked to handle the bat in the middle of the order. Jordan will use a combination of power and speed as the five hitter for the Roadrunners. “Jordan was an excellent addition to our team” commented Dickson. Jordan will be able to break up the power-hitting lineup and provide speed in the middle of the order. He should be able to hit gap to gap in our ballpark and make our lineup very good. Playing leftfield will be power hitting Bryan Miller (Gateway, NJ). Miller an All-South Jersey selection will provide more power and runs batted in to the middle third of the Roadrunner lineup. Rounding out the outfield will be Jeison Camilo (Emerson, NJ) and Ryan Collins (Highland, NJ).

Gloucester will look primarily to two catchers for the 2008 season.  Sophomore John Plasha (Sun Valley, PA) returns as the starter and Freshman Shawn Molvie (Haverford, PA) will provide a solid backup. Plasha is an outstanding leader and will be able to handle the roadrunner staff.

The roadrunners pitching staff enters the 2008 season ready for the challenge of leading Gloucester back to the NJCAA World Series. Sophomore left handed pitcher Zach Whitman (Harrisburg, PA) has outstanding poise and competitiveness on the mound and will lead the staff. Hard throwing Paul Smith (Pleasant Valley, PA) was the pitcher of the year in the Mountain Valley Conference in Pennsylvania. His upper 80’s fastball should dominate hitters at this level. Sophomore transfer Dan Feldman (Gloucester Catholic) was drafted in 2006 and brings a low 90’s fastball that will help the rotation. CJ Huyett (Elkland, PA) a hard throwing right hander was a Pennsylvania All-East selection in American Legion baseball.  He was one of four pitchers on the All-East squad. “CJ has a tremendous amount of upside, he is a tremendous kid and competes with the best of them” stated Dickson. Freshman, Ryan Lally (Bucks South, PA), Jeff White (Sterling, NJ), Dave Stieg (Triton, NJ), Craig Carroll (Triton, NJ), Kyle Schneider (Bernardsville, NJ), and Nate Young (Washington Twp) will compete for the other rotation spots as well as hold down the middle innings. Ken Stanley (Washington Twp.) may emerge as the teams closer along with Adam Soley.  “We feel like we can run out any of these arms and feel we have a chance to win.”

As always, Gloucester will continue to bolster its non-conference schedule to prepare for the post season run.  This year’s schedule is as challenging as any in the program’s history.  Aside from the eighteen conference games, thirty-five games of the remaining forty will be against division I and II programs or NCAA schools.

The ten game sweep through the Florida Panhandle should be an excellent test early in the season.  Formidable foes include four games against Tallahassee Community College, South Georgia College, Darton College, Grand Rapids and a double header at North Florida community college to round it out. 

All the components of another run at the National Championship are in place. It will be the matter of staying healthy, playing aggressive baseball, and relying on the sophomore’s experience in the post season.