IPFW Opens 2016 Campaign At Alabama A&M

Friday, February 19

Huntsville, Ala.

3 P.M.

Purdue Fort Wayne

Alabama A&M

2/18/2016 4:06:00 PM | Baseball

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – IPFW will open its 2016 baseball campaign with a four-game series at Alabama A&M University of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in Huntsville, Alabama this weekend, February 19-21. The Mastodons of eighth-year head coach Bobby Pierce enter their season-opening series after finishing a program-best 28-26 a year ago, including a runners-up finish at the 2015 Summit League Baseball Championship. IPFW and the host Bulldogs are scheduled to play a single game Friday at 2 p.m., a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.

2015 RECORD: 28-26 (Home: 11-9; Away: 11-15; Neutral: 6-2)
Summit League: 13-16 (third place regular season)
Summit League Tournament: 2-2 (Tournament runners-up)
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 20/14

PITCHING
Projected Rotation: Evan Miller (So., RHP), Mitchell Ley (Jr., LHP), Trevor Storie (Sr., RHP), Damian Helm (So., LHP)

IPFW will open 2016 with a starting pitching rotation of Miller, Helm, Storie and Ley. Miller was 6-5 with a 4.50 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 80.0 innings last season, earning Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America and All-Summit League Second Team accolades. Helm was 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA and six strikeouts in 8.1 innings last season. Storie was 4-8 with a 6.13 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 76.1 innings last season. Ley, a transfer newcomer, was 5-6 with a 5.47 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 74.0 innings last season at Lake Land (Ill.) College.

Experienced Bullpen: Brandon Pease (Sr., LHP), Kyle Orwig (Sr., RHP), Jake Weber (R-Jr., RHP), Brandon Phelps (R-So., RHP)
Key Newcomers: Jordan Martin (Jr., RHP), Tanner McAninch (Jr., RHP), Dru Sebastian (R-Jr., RHP), Logan Tabor (R-Jr., RHP), Josh Van Beek (Jr., RHP), Adam Neal (Fr., RHP)

HITTING
Projected Lineup: CF: Brandon Soat (Sr.), LF: Evan VanSumeren (Sr.), 1B: Kendall Whitman (Sr.), RF: Shane Trevino (R-Sr.), SS: Greg Kaiser (R-Sr.), DH: Brock Logan (R-So.), 3B: Shannon Baker (R-So.), C: Jonathan Valenzuela-Reece (Sr.) or Zak Kellogg (So.), 2B: Jackson Boyce (Jr.)

The Mastodons return all of their position starters from 2015, led by All-Midwest Region First Team honoree and Second Team All-Summit League selection Kaiser, who hit .361 with 10 home runs, 16 doubles and 43 RBIs. Also earning All-Summit League Second Team honors a year ago were Trevino (.307, 6 HRs, 12 2Bs, 48 RBIs), Soat (.294, 6 HRs, 19 2Bs, 45 RBIs), Whitman (.288, 6 HRs, 8 2Bs, 44 RBIs) and Logan (.295, 3 HRs, 6 2Bs, 28 RBIs). Logan was a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America honoree, as well. The other returning starters include VanSumeren (.312, 3 HRs, 14 2Bs, 40 RBIs), Valenzuela-Reece (.256, 6 2Bs, 15 RBIs), Boyce (.267, 2 2Bs, 16 RBIs), Baker (.250, 5 HRs, 3 2Bs, 21 RBIs) and Kellogg (.190, 3 RBIs).

Experienced Depth: Grant Wilson (Sr., OF), Alex Reuille (R-Fr., C), Sean Herberger (Sr., C), Kaleb Zimmer (Sr., OF), Isaiah White (R-So., OF)
Key Newcomers: Brandon Yoho (Fr., IF), Garrett Mohler (Fr., IF)