Preview: Baseball ready for season to start with Arizona trip
The Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team is set to begin the 2016 season with a 12-game, nine-day trip to Arizona beginning March 12. The Falcons, a team which has finished as the NACC runner-up each of the past two seasons, are more than ready to get the 2016 season underway in the The Grand Canyon State next week.
CUWFalcons.com takes a look at some of the things you need to know in preparation for the 2016 Baseball Season.
The Next Step? While the NACC season doesn't begin until April 2 and the focus is certainly on the spring trip, the Falcons will be looking to take the next step at the NACC Tournament this season. CUW has finished as the runner-up to Concordia Chicago each of the past two seasons. The tournament will once again be played at home for CUW at Kapco Park.
Pitching Staff: The Falcons did lose a few key pieces to the rotation as Carter Buuck (transfer), Tyler Adams (graduation), Joel Sharon (graduation), and Michael Winter (graduation) are all gone from last season. Still the Falcons return junior Andrew Heideman (Bakersfield, Calif.), who led the team with 66 innings last season and struck out 47 batters. Senior Josh Ruppel (Belgium, Wis.) is also back in the fold after posting a 3.55 ERA over 38 innings, while senior Tyler Gross (Wauwatosa, Wis.) and junior Dylan Gausman (Eagan, Minn.) will factor in, among other returners and newcomers this season.
Thyssen's Record-Breaking Season: Sophomore Nathan Thyssen (Appleton, Wis.) had quite the debut season with the Falcons last spring. As a freshman, Thyssen roped 11 triples, leading Division III in the category. The NACC All-Freshman Team pick, as well as a Second Team All-NACC selection, had six of those triples on the Falcons spring trip in Arizona last season.
Plenty of Offense Back: Thyssen isn't the only player returning to the lineup this season as the Falcons have a host of players who will be back in the fold in 2016. Among those is fellow All-Freshmen Team pick, outfielder Michael Szeszol (Lake Bluff, Ill.), who took over the leadoff spot midway through the season last year and posted impressive numbers, including leading the team with 15 steals.
In the infield the Falcons return juniors Matt Schubert (West Bend, Wis.) and Isaac Tewes (Chaska, Minn.). Both players started over 35 games last season with Schubert scoring 28 runs, while Tewes finished second on the team with 28 RBI. Also back is catcher/outfielder Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.), a player who scored 29 times last season and stole eight bases.
Add in some talented freshmen and other returners who should push for playing time, and the Falcons offense should have no shortage of options this season.
Spring Trip History: The Falcons will be heading to Tucson for the third straight season under third-year head coach Eddy Morgan. In 2014 CUW posted a 4-3 mark, while last season the Falcons went 4-6 while facing three top-five ranked teams. In terms of national rankings, the schedule doesn't appear as daunting this season, but CUW still faces two teams receiving votes in the latest D3Baseball.com poll (Cal Lutheran and George Fox), as well as the defending MIAC Tournament Champions St. John's.
The Falcons trip will begin Saturday with a twinbill against the Johnnies. Live stats for all 12 games in Arizona will be available with links at CUWFalcons.com.
