Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team will open the 2010 season on the road with a non-conference game at Southwestern Assemblies of God University tomorrow night in Waxahachie. The Cru and Lions will face off at the Waxahachie Sports Complex beginning at 6:00 PM.
UMHB will then travel to Tyler for three games in two days at the 2010 Eaton Classic hosted by U.T.-Tyler on Friday and Saturday. The Cru will open the 2010 home schedule with a 2:00 PM non-conference game against Trinity University next Tuesday. That game will close out a busy first week that will see UMHB play five games in seven days.
UMHB returns six starting position players, the ace of the starting rotation, six total pitchers and 22 total letter winners this season. The Cru went 22-17 overall and 12-9 in ASC play and qualified for the ASC Championship Tournament before falling to Mississippi College in a first-round series. UMHB returns two First Team All-West Division selections in OF
Joseph Villegas (.465, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 19 stolen bases and P
Jared Hopper (6-4, 3.55 ERA, 94 strikeouts). Outfielder
Andrew White (.333, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 45 runs scored) also earned All-West Division Second Team honors last season. UMHB will also welcome back three players who earned ASC Honorable Mention All-West honors last season in third baseman
Josh Fredrick (.299, 8 HR, 47 RBI), catcher
Ryan Moreau (.310, 14 RBI, 24 walks) and catcher/designated hitter Derek Draeger (.385, 6 HR, 31 RBI). P's
Adrian Montoya (1-1, 3.50 ERA),
Andy Evans (0-0, 4.50 ERA) and
Cameron Arnett (0-0, 12.00 ERA) all started games on the mound last season and will compete with a talented group of newcomers for spots alongside Hopper in the starting rotation. First baseman
Seth Lynn (.350, 1 HR, 21 RBI) and shortstop
Kyle Flynn (.243, 12 RBI) are also returning starters for UMHB this season.
Head coach Micah Wells is in his ninth season with the Cru and assistant coach Derek Dunaway is in his fifth year with his alma mater. The Cru has advanced to the ASC Championship Tournament three straight years. The Cru was picked to finish fourth in the ASC West Division in the league's annual Preseason Coaches and Media Poll this spring.
