Cougars Set for Title Defense in 2004

DANVILLE, Va. - Although snow may be found in some of the shaded areas on campus, the Averett University baseball team is ready to get the 2004 season underway with some newly found respect.

After cruising to the 2003 Dixie Conference Championship, with 77 hits in six games, the Cougars were picked number one in the USA South Conference pre-season coach's poll. That is not a bad pick, considering Averett returns seven batters from last season's line-up and their top-four starting pitchers. Seniors Eddie Guessford, who was the team's top hitter, and Gene Yost, Averett's season (nine) and career (18) record holder in home runs, are among those returning in the batting order. Add a talented recruiting class, and the ingredients for a successful season seem to be in place.

"Offensively, I think we've got a lot of punch there," said Averett head baseball coach Ed Fulton. "We are a little short on team speed, but we can overcome that with guys that have good technique."

The Cougars' offense was red hot last season, as they held a team batting average of .322 and averaged more than seven runs per game. Guessford led the team with a .462 average and a school record breaking 53 runs batted in last season. He earned first team all-conference, all-tournament, and All-America honors as a junior in 2003. Guessford is one of two returning outfielders at right field. According to Fulton, Guessford has put in a lot of hours during the off-season and should again be one of the league's best players.

"Eddie is an animal," said Fulton. "You have to run him out of the weight room and he's always doing the extra running. He's the fastest guy on the team and probably the best arm in the outfield, yet he continues to work on his speed. Eddie has a lot of power in his swing, but he's constantly trying to increase his strength potential."

Yost belted nine homers for the second consecutive season in 2003, while holding a batting average of .354. He also contributed with 39 RBIs at the plate. However, Yost's most important contributions to the team came while he was on the mound.

Yost made 13 pitching appearances and posted a record of 10-1. He held a conference-best 2.40 earned run average, while fanning 101 batters. Yost was named the Dixie Conference Tournament's Most Valuable Player, and was also selected to the all-conference first team.

"I don't expect any hesitations from Gene's performance," said Fulton. "He's a very talented guy. If he can handle the bumps in the road without getting frustrated, or down on himself, I expect another big year out of him."

Expected to join Guessford in the outfield are Jason Inge, junior, and senior Mike Cassidy. Last season Inge batted .312 with 26 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, while making no errors in 40 games. Cassidy was a starter early last season, before Guessford moved to the outfield. Cassidy had 14 hits in 61 at-bats as a junior. Fulton said he likes Cassidy's scrappiness as a defender.

"I like to call him a little dirt dog," said Fulton. "He is not a great thrower, he doesn't have great power, he is not a great runner, but he just plays the game well."

Another player that could crack the starting line-up in the outfield is freshman T.J. Bray. Bray played at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, VA under head coach Wiley Lee, who played ball with Fulton on the 1986 USA National Team.

Cassidy is expected to man the left field position, with Inge in center and Guessford in right field.

The Cougars return their entire infield from last season's Dixie Championship team. At first base is senior Kevin Bundy, who started all 41 games in 2003. He batted .340 as a junior with 41 RBIs. Fulton said he is very dangerous swinging the bat and has a knack for coming through in crucial times.

"He has been a big clutch hitter for us in the past," said Fulton about Bundy. "When others in the line-up were struggling, he would come through. Shoot, he had seven home runs last year. A lot of people don't realize that."

The Averett middle infielders include senior Chris England and junior Vondell Johnson. Johnson was the starting second baseman last season, while England held the shortstop position. Johnson tallied 30 hits in 36 games last season, and was named to the 2003 All-Dixie Conference Tournament team. England posted a .247 batting average, but drove in 24 RBIs during his junior season.

"Chris (England) is an unsung type of guy," said Fulton. "He is a very important part of our team, but yet he seems to be in the shadows. He has the ability to not only beat you with the bat, but to also beat you with his glove."

Senior Kyle Hoehne will also get some action in the middle infield.

Sophomore Ben Rezeli is expected to occupy the third base position. He played in 24 games as a freshman, while starting in 14 outings. Rezeli posted a pair of home runs last season and may sneak-up on opposing pitchers in 2004.

Averett's pitching staff should be as lethal as they were in 2003, as the team allowed only 3.97 earned runs per game. Left hander Yost returns as the Cougars' ace. He held opponents to a .215 batting average last season and led the team with eight complete games.

Second in the pitching rotation is expected to be junior Kenny Payne. Payne struck out 63 last season, but posted a 3-6 overall record and a 4.27 ERA. However, Payne proved he had talent during his freshman season in 2002. Fulton said he is confident with Payne on the mound, despite last season's struggles.

"Kenny pitches a lot better than he showed last season," said Fulton. "He had some tough luck involved in some of those losses. If he pitches the way he is capable of, we could have two Yost-like arms sitting out there."

Others in the rotation may include junior Longwood University transfer Ben Robertson, junior Jon Marr, sophomore Drake Shumate, and senior Brandon Vaughan. Marr posted a 5.08 ERA and a 5-2 record in 2003, while Shumate held a 3.43 ERA and a 2-1 record as a reliever. Vaughan appeared in eight games in middle relief, as he posted an ERA of 2.50.

Shumate and Vaughan could continue to see action as relievers, as may sophomore Kevin Wells, junior transfer Conrad Smith, and junior left-hander Paul Saunders. Averett has 13 pitchers on staff, including six left-handers.

One of the only question marks for this year's team is at the catcher position. Fulton will have to find someone to replace two-year all-conference selection Greg Stevens, who completed his eligibility last season. The front-runners for that position are J.T. Hyler, junior, and freshman Will Mooney.

The tentative batting order will include Johnson at lead-off, followed by Inge at the number two spot in the order. The three-thru-six spots in the order may intimidate opposing pitchers, as those players combined for 24 home runs and 188 hits last season. Yost is expected to fill the third spot, Guessford the fourth, Bundy the fifth, and Rezeli in the six-hole. England, whomever starts behind the plate, and Cassidy are expected to complete the order at the six-thru-nine spots.

Last season's Cinderella story is this year's team to beat, and the Cougars appear to be ready to defend their title. Take into account that Averett plays in one of the toughest conferences in the nation, don't be surprised to find the Cougars in the hunt for a College World Series berth when May rolls around.

The Cougars opened their season on February 7 with a double-header sweep of Southern Virginia University. Averett defeated the Knights by a 8-0 final in game one and by a 6-0 margin in the nightcap.

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