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RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team will open its 2011 campaign in Malibu, Calif. this weekend as the Colonels travel to Pepperdine to take on the Waves in a three game series. The following is a preview of the 2010 season:

Although its stated goal is to win championships, the EKU baseball program moved in the right direction in 2010 as the Colonels posted a record of 28-27, a team batting average above .300 for the second consecutive season and qualified for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament following a two-year hiatus.

Picked by league head coaches to finish fifth out of nine OVC teams in 2011, the Colonels return all but three players who saw significant action last season and have their sights set on surprising people with a deep postseason run.

Pitching

“Baseball begins and ends with pitching,” head coach Jason Stein said. “And, fortunately, our pitching staff was a bright spot in the fall and spring.”

Plagued by graduation in 2009 and injuries in 2010, the Colonel pitching staff now looks to be as strong, quality and quantity-wise, as it has been in years. Sophomore right-hander Anthony Bazzani, who turned in a masterful performance against Jacksonville State late last season and then perplexed Murray State with a near-record breaking performance in the OVC Tournament, will likely be the opening day starter. Senior left-hander Paul Duncan and senior right-hander Stephen Hefler both worked more than 50 innings in 2010 and will compete for weekend jobs this season, as will senior Chris Hord and junior Matt Fyffe, both of whom missed all of last year due to Tommy John surgery. Freshman southpaw Kyle McGrath, who set the single game Kentucky state tournament record with 16 strikeouts against Boone County as a senior, has thrown well in the preseason and will be in the mix for an immediate weekend job.

EKU also returns experienced short and middle relievers in senior closer Ryne Purcell, who tied a program record with 12 saves in 2010 and has been named to the 2011 NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List, junior right-hander Matt Harris, a 2010 OVC Pitcher of the Week who led the Colonels with 42 strikeouts a year ago, junior lefty Greg Terry, who was second on the team with a 5.76 ERA in 2010, sophomore right-hander Austin Rexroat, a midweek starter who picked up wins over Purdue and Marshall last season and solid, strike zone-pounding senior right-hander Macon Smith. Senior Jim Clancy, who served as the Colonels’ closer in 2008 and once struck out six of the first seven batters he faced in an upset over then-No. 25 Louisville, is also back after missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery.

Junior college transfer Lincoln Wagner is slated to serve as Purcell’s set-up man and could also close games in a pinch. Freshmen right-handers Blake Bottoms and Brent Cobb, meanwhile, will earn innings based on their performances.

Infield

Despite losing a pair of All-OVC middle-of-the-lineup corner infielders in Anthony Ottrando and Jayson Langfels, the EKU infield returns the team’s leading hitter from a year ago in junior shortstop Richie Rodriguez. Rodriguez batted .357 in 2010, started every game of the season in the leadoff position and was the fourth toughest batter in the OVC to strike out, registering just 0.31 strikeouts per game.

“Richie has exemplified what an everyday shortstop can do and should do, both offensively and defensively,” Stein said.

The other three infield positions, however, remain somewhat more fluid. Senior Bryce Labhart has won the opening day job at first base and, with his pesky attitude at the plate and .448 on-base percentage as a utility player last year, might bat leadoff. He will be pushed, though, by sophomore Alex Hughes and freshman Mitch Durbin, both of whom are big left-handed bats with power. There has been great competition at second base and the job will fall to, or be spread evenly among, junior Dustin Dunlop, sophomore Matt Phipps or freshman Alex Arovits. Freshman Bryan Soloman has shown the ability to field and hit for power and is, thus, the front runner at third base; however, he is also being pushed by the trio of Dunlop, Phipps and Arovits.

“Defensively, we struggled in the infield in the fall,” Stein said. “But that has been cleaned up of late and we’re excited to see how the new guys mature.”

Outfield

The Colonels return all three starting outfielders from a year ago, but with a twist. Senior Ryan Faidley, who played primarily in left field last year, will move to center field and will be counted on to provide middle-of-the-lineup power. Sophomore Austin Grisham, who played primarily in center field last year but can effectively play all three outfield positions, junior Michael Garcia, who played exclusively in right field last year and junior Jacob Daniel, EKU’s lone preseason All-OVC selection at designated hitter who has started just one game in the field his entire career, will compete for the remaining corner outfield spots. Stein noted how improved Daniel’s defense has been in the preseason and how important that is to making the outfield positions more competition-based.

Sophomore Jeff Emerich is EKU’s most valuable outfielder off the bench as he can cover ground and provide pinch-hitting. Freshman Michael Buschmann will be used primarily as a pinch-hitter and a designated hitter.

Catchers

Freshman Sean Hagen enters the season as the front runner to replace the graduated Joey Stevens. Stein noted that Hagen has the potential to be a complete catcher with the ability to catch, block, hit and handle pitchers. Behind Hagen, though, the Colonels have two solid options in freshman Steve Ferraro, who saw significant action in scrimmages this fall and spring, and junior #A.J. Jamison#, who will actually be the opening day starter at designated hitter but has started 24 games behind the plate in his career. Junior Brian Shrimpton, who started six of seven games between March 13-20 due to injuries and tied for the team lead with three sacrifice bunts last year, provides additional depth at the catcher position in 2011.