Undaunted by a probable starting lineup that has only 2 position players returning in the same spots they played last year, sixth-year head coach Tyler Mott will look for the Battling Bishops to make another run at the North Coast Athletic Conference championship.
“There are a lot of new faces,” Mott said, “but it’s been a very, very hard-working group in terms of work ethic, consistency, and competitiveness. We’ll lean on the experienced upperclassmen, along with the talented young players, to compete once again in the conference and the region.”
The Bishops return their top 2 starters from last season in senior righthander Brandon Sega (Columbus/Upper Arlington) and sophomore lefthander Charles Cooper (Columbus/Upper Arlington).
Sega led the Bishops with 5 wins and moved to the top of the rotation down the stretch last season.
Cooper worked his way up to the No. 2 spot in the rotation and led the league in earned run average last year. He won NCAC Newcomer of the Year honors, along with a second-team all-conference citation.
Junior righthander Greg Hock (Lewis Center/Bishop Watterson), who had some impressive outings last season, looks to nail down the No. 3 spot, with sophomore righthanders Blake Adkins (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) and Paul Priddy (Greenwich/South Central) also contending for starting spots.
Long relievers include juniors righthander Billy Cooper (Westerville/Central) and Andrew Parise (Columbus/St. Francis DeSales), along with sophomore righthander Ryan Ossenbeck (Cincinnati/Anderson) and freshman righthanders Daniel Kasian (Strongsville), Peter Munger (Perrysburg), and Justin Seffernick (Rocky River).
Sophomore righthander J.J. Buckey (Toledo/Ottawa Hills), who collected 2 saves last season, and freshman righthander Nick Shultz (West Carrollton), an all-area pick in high school, headline the short relievers.
Freshman righthander Nick Huff (Brandywine, Md./North Point), an all-conference pick in high school, and freshman righthander Spencer Offredo (Westlake) also will contribute.
Junior righthander Brandon Marker (Dublin/Scioto), who saw action on both ends of the Bishop battery last season, also will contribute, as will freshman lefthander Dylan Kelly (Grand Island, N.Y.), and freshman righthander Ryan Moss (Beachwood), both first-team all-conference picks in high school.
Behind the plate, sophomore Collin Finn (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) and senior Tim Heinmiller (Gahanna/Bishop Hartley) return, but will have to fend off challenges from freshman Aaron Caputo (Strongsville), an all-conference selection in high school; freshman Ryan Froman (Strasburg/Strasburg-Franklin), a first-team all-district choice in high school; and freshman Jack Miller (Columbus/St. Francis DeSales), an all-district selection in high school.
The Bishop infield will have an entirely new look.
Senior James Toland (Stow/Walsh Jesuit), a first-team All-NCAC pick and one of the most prolific sluggers in the league, moves from catcher to first base.
Senior Ben Steele (Delaware/Hayes) and sophomore Sam Abbott (Sun Prairie, Wis.) also return. Freshman D.J. Hemm (Piqua/Lehman), a second-team all-state pick in high school, and Seffernick also look to make an impact.
The second base spot is up for grabs between freshmen Justin Dages (Green/Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary) and Taylor Hutchison (Whitehall/Whitehall-Yearling). Both were first-team all-district choices in high school.
Senior Zach Bott (Dublin/Coffman) moves from second base to shortstop. Freshman Will Sulcebarger (Westerville/North) also will compete for the starting spot.
At the hot corner, Hock is the top returnee. Huff and freshman Tyler Flaherty (Dublin/Scioto), an honorable mention all-district selection in high school, are in the mix, as are freshmen Brenden Betz (Magnolia/Sandy Valley), Brandon Henderson (Gaithersburg, Md./Glenelg Country School), and Shultz.
Junior Jack Lawson (Powell/Worthington Kilbourne), who saw increased playing time as last season progressed, is back in leftfield. Freshman Steven Moore (Hamilton), an all-conference pick in high school, and classmate Colin Pratt (Vandalia/Vandalia-Butler) will battle for playing time.
Junior Sean Vollenweider (Westerville/St. Francis DeSales) moves from third base to centerfield. Vollenweider was an honorable mention All-NCAC pick in 2011. Freshman Dan Link (Vandalia/Vandalia-Butler), an all-area pick in high school, and Offredo also look to contribute.
Buckey found a home in rightfield last year. Freshman C.J. Tosino (Hudson) also will be heard from, and Froman could see time here if not behind the plate.
Ohio Wesleyan opens its season with a weekend series at Transylvania March 2-3. A contest against regional foe Capital precedes a 7-game trip to Port Charlotte, Fla.
Games against regional opponents John Carroll, Thomas More, Case Reserve, and Otterbein lead into the NCAC schedule, which opens on April 6 at defending West Division champion DePauw. Games against Otterbein, Heidelberg, Muskingum, and NCAA Division II entity Ohio Dominican comprise the remainder of the non-conference schedule. The NCAC tournament begins with a crossover weekend May 4-5 at home sites before heading to Chillicothe for the traditional double-elimination event May 9-11.
