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The Wilkes University baseball team will open their 2008 season on Monday, March 3, when they take on Moravian College in a doubleheader at 9 a.m. in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
The Colonels are coming off a season in which they fashioned an overall record of 24-12 and copped their first conference championship since the 1994 team claimed the Middle Atlantic Conference crown. Wilkes also made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1978 a season ago. Wilkes returns 16 players from last season’s squad, including first team All-Freedom Conference outfielder Kyle Follweiler. Follweiler hit .370 during his junior campaign with eight doubles, four triples, five homeruns and 33 runs batted in. He also served as the team’s closer and had a 0-1 record with four saves and a solid 3.27 earned run average. Head coach Joe Folek, who garnered Freedom Conference Coach of the Year honors last spring, also welcomes back three second team All-Conference honorees in senior third baseman Chris Mayerski, senior pitcher/outfielder Corey Helfrich and senior pitcher/catcher Brad Woznisky. Mayerski had a .302 average at the plate with seven doubles and two triples. He led the Colonels with eight homeruns and 37 runs batted in. Helfrich, who fashioned a 6-2 record on the mound with a 6.54 earned run average, was the top hitter for Wilkes with a .387 average at the plate. He cracked a team-high 11 doubles, while also chipping in with one homerun and 29 runs batted in. Woznisky went 3-4 on the mound with a 4.08 ERA and hit at a .294 clip with four doubles, one triple and two homeruns. “Follweiler, Mayerski, Helfrich and Woznisky will be at the front of our lineup and we are expecting big numbers from them offensively,” stated Folek. “Each has the ability to hit for both average and power, so they will be a major part of our offense. Woznisky and Helfrich will also be in our starting pitching rotation, while Follweiler will be called on as a closer once again this season. These four players will serve as our captains this season, so we will count on them to lead the way.” Along with Mayerski, the Colonels also return senior Anthony Giuffrida, junior Geoff Miller and sophomores Mike McAndrew, Shawn Ward and Mike Brennan in the infield. Miller started 31 games at second base a season ago and hit .248 with one double and three triples. McAndrew was outstanding as the team’s starting shortstop. He hit .328 with six doubles and one triple, while also leading the team with 41 runs scored. Freshmen Bill Sisko, Woody Covington, John Paul Palmer and Shane Keister will also vie for time in the infield. The Colonels have a wealth of experience in the outfield thanks to five returnees, including Follweiler and Helfrich, who saw plenty of playing time last season. Junior Eric Wetzel played in 34 contests and had a .250 batting average that included two doubles and two homeruns. Junior Andrew Garofoli hit at a .311 clip with two doubles and one homer and sophomore Tom Buckler, who is also one of the team’s top hurlers. Freshmen Dwight Smith, Anthony Barge and Al Clocker are expected to push for playing time as well. The Wilkes catching corps is led by sophomore Randy Dengler. Dengler appeared in 19 games as a rookie and hit .259 with five doubles and three homeruns. Others who could see time behind the plate include Woznisky, Garofoli, Mayerski and senior Jordan Padams, who played in 15 games last spring and had a .276 batting average. The Colonels starting mound rotation features Woznisky, Helfrich, Buckler and junior Justin Huff. Buckler earned MVP honors at the Freedom Conference Tournament after posting a 2-0 record and tossing a four-hitter in an 8-1 victory over DeSales in the title contest. He concluded the season with a 3-3 record and a 5.37 ERA. Huff was a perfect 4-0 on the mound with a 4.05 earned run average. Others who will look to break into the rotation include juniors Ed Kamenas and Keith Rhinehammer, sophomores Ward, Brennan and Frank Sokola, and rookies Covington, Palmer and Ian Moore. The Wilkes bullpen will be anchored by Follweiler and Giuffrida. Giuffrida pitched in a team-leading 13 games last season and was outstanding. He posted a 3-0 record with two saves and a 4.32 earned run average. “I am very pleased with our pitching staff,” said Folek. “I believe that both our starting rotation and our bullpen will be solid and deep. I feel that this is going to be one of the strengths of our team this season.”
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