Union College Athletics

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2009 Bulldog PreviewBULLDOG BASEBALLUnion College has gone to new heights each season underhead coach Bart Osborne. In five seasons, the Bulldogshave posted 40-plus win seasons four times, won theAppalachian Athletic Conference tournament once, NAIARegion XII championship twice and advanced to the NAIAWorld Series in 2008.As has been the case for Union in recent years, achievingsuccess is one thing and maintaining that success is another. Thathas been the challenge for Osborne and the Bulldogs the pastcouple seasons, and it stares them in the face again in 2009.After placing fifth at the NAIA World Series, Union willhave a big target painted on its back. And the Bulldogs’ No. 7preseason ranking makes that target even bigger.The No. 7 ranking is the highest Union has been in the pollsince April 19, 2006. However, the preseason ranking meanslittle to Osborne.“It (the ranking) means nothing to me,” said the six-yearcoach. “That’s off of last year’s team’s accomplishments. Thisyear’s team hasn’t done anything yet.”Union posted a 48-18 overall record, equaling the schoolrecord for wins, in 2008 with a balance of timely hitting andstrong pitching. The Bulldogs batted .331 with 131 doubles, 14triples and 54 home runs while scoring 548 runs to average 8.3runs per game. Adding to the team’s offensive prowess, Unionled the NAIA with 205 stolen bases.The Bulldog pitching staff compiled a 4.06 earned-run averageand registered school records for shutouts (11), strikeouts (371)and innings pitched (499.1). Union was led by ace MartyPopham who went 17-1 with a 2.27 earned-run average and133 strikeouts in 123 innings of work, earning him NAIA All-American First Team honors.And as for the NAIA World Series run, Osborne said all thatwill likely do for the 2009 Bulldogs is paint a larger bull’s eyeon their backs.“We’ll be a bigger target than we’ve been in the past,” hesaid. “I think people will want to beat us even more nowsince we went to the World Series.”Union returns a number of players from last year’ssquad, but Osborne is concerned about his startingpitching.“We’ve got some veterans back on offenseand I feel real good about our offense andour defense will be improved,” the Bulldogcoach said. “But our pitching is unprovenand our biggest question mark.”PITCHING STAFFThe Bulldogs return eight hurlers withLance Dougherty (Canyon, Texas) back as the onlyregular starter in 2008. Yet, Union has addedseven other arms to the staff, but how thingswill work out is still up in the air.“We’ve got more pitching depth (thisseason), but I don’t think we’ll have adominant guy like Marty (Popham),”Osborne said. “Our pitching is goingto be OK, but we just won’t have thatdominant pitcher.”6 • Union CollegeDougherty, a 5-foot-8 left-hander, went 8-1 in 16 starts with a2.93 earned-run average, two complete games and 48 strikeoutsin 83.0 innings of work.Right-hander Adam Snyder (Knoxville, Ky.) is back for asecond try at his junior season. His 2008 campaign was cut shortdue to an injury. In 6.2 innings of work, he posted an earned-runaverage of 14.85, but Osborne said he has the potential to be abig-game pitcher.Chaz Bargo (Barbourville, Ky.) spent the majority of hisprevious three seasons in the bullpen, setting the single-seasonrecords for appearances and relief appearances with 26 in 2007and the career mark for appearances with 66. However, the 6-foot-7 right-hander will attempt to be a starter this season for thefirst time since the 2006 season.“We’re going to experiment with Bargo being a starter,” saidOsborne. “If it appears it’s not going to work out, we’ll movehim back to the pen.”In 25 appearances last season, Bargo went 1-6 with four savesand a 4.18 earned-run average last season.Junior transfer Jason Parsons (Hamilton, Ohio) and juniorLucas Henson (Corbin, Ky.) will also help out as starters.Henson went 4-1 in 12 appearances with nine starts, a 4.26earned-run average and one save.In the bullpen, senior left-hander Russell Logsdon (BowlingGreen, Ky.) and junior transfer Chris Daniels (Wappingers Fall,N.Y.) will be the mainstays with Daniels serving in the closer’srole. Daniels will also play in the outfield.Freshman Brandon Hedrick (Corbin, Ky.) will also play thefield and see time on the mound.BACKSTOPWith the graduation of Justin Hart – the program’s all-timecareer RBI leader, Union has a void to fill at catcher. A threeyearstarter behind the plate, Hartdrove In 182 runs during hisfour-year career as well asthrowing out 39 would-bebase stealers.Osborne said thatthe team will use threeplayers to fill theposition with seniorLioney Henriquez(Brooklyn, N.Y.) receivingmuch of the time in the backstop.Henriquez spent all 2008 as theBulldogs’ second baseman. Offensively,Henriquez will hold his own afterbatting .311 with six home runs, 12doubles and 53 RBIs. He also stole36 bases in 38 attempts. Thequestion remains
2009 Bulldog Previewhow well he will handle things defensively.Sharing time with Henriquez will be sophomore Cory Estep(Harlan, Ky.) and freshman Jonathan Riddle (Eighty Eight,Ky.). Estep appeared in 23 games last season, posting a .294average with two RBIs and a run scored. At 6-foot-3, 240pounds, Riddle will prove a big target behind the plate.INFIELDOsborne feels good about the Bulldog infield despite the fact thatonly one player from the 2008 squad is currently slated to be inthe starting lineup.Senior Joe Grinstead (Bowling Green, Ky.) started 65 gamesin 2008 at shortstop, but this season he will move back tosecond, where he played during the 2007 campaign. Grinsteadled the team with a .433 average and set school records for runsscored (78) and stolen bases (46). He also lined 18 doubles, fourtriples and 10 home runs while driving in59 runs, earning him aNAIA All-American honorable mention.Junior transfer Troy Sitton (Cobden, Ill.) will manfirst base, while junior transfer Ryan Satterlee(Youngstown, Ohio) will play shortstop and withHedrick at third. Satterlee’s older brother, Erin, playedsecond base for Union from 2005-06.“The infield will be much improved with Satterlee, who isgood defensively, and with Joe (Grinstead) back at his naturalposition,” said Osborne. “Sitton is a big guy and will do a goodjob at first.”Red-shirt freshman Donnie Popham (Louisville, Ky.) willhelp out at third, especially when Hedrick is called to pitch.Senior Kris Mills (Barbourville, Ky.) will also see time in theinfield.OUTFIELDUnion returns two-thirds of its starting outfield in seniors KennyKysar (Corbin, Ky.) and Josh Ehringer (Somerset, Ky.).Hitting leadoff, Kysar batted .327 with 14 doubles and fivetriples with three home runs, while driving in 48 runs andscoring 66 times. He also recorded 41 stolen bases in 46 tries.Defensively, he was flawless in centerfield, recording 141putouts and seven assists with no errors.Ehringer is poised to become the all-time RBI leader inprogram history and could make a run a the home-run crown.The rightfielder has 20 home runs and 168 RBIs in his career,putting him 11 four-baggers and 15 RBIs away from settingthose records. Last season, he batted .332 with 21 doubles, 12home runs and 60 RBIs as he was named a NAIA All-Americanhonorable mention.Joining Kysar and Ehringer in the outfieldwill be Daniels. Though only 5-foot-11 and 165pounds, Daniels has somepower, Osbornesaid.SophomoreC.R. Berry(Roark, Ky.)and Millswillserve as backups.LINEUPThe top three spots of theidentical from last seasonHenriquez and Grinsteadthose spots. Daniels will batwith Hedrick and EhringerNo. 5 and No. 6 holes.Sitton will hit seventh witheither Mills or Trey Wheeler(Hopkinsville, Ky.) battingeighth as the designatedhitter. Mills last played in2007, batting .300 (sixhits in 20 at bats)with sixlineup will bewith Kysar,sitting in thecleanupin theRBIsbut stole 13 bases in17 tries. Wheeler hit .318 with11 doubles, two home runs and 41RBIs in 2008.Satterlee will round out the lineup in theNo. 9 spot.Last season, Union had only two lefthanderhitters in the lineup. But the Bulldogscould have up to five on any given day.With the addition of Daniels, Hedrick and Sitton,Union has added more power to its lineup. TheBulldogs had 54 home runs last year afterThe Bulldogs have stolen over 400 bases during the last twoseasons, swiping 198 in 2007 before recording 205 stolen baseslast year.And opponents can expect more of the same in 2009.“Seven of our nine in our lineup can steal and run,” saidOsborne. “Even our four-hole guy can run.”APPALACHIAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCEAfter the strong postseason run last season, Union is favored towin the Appalachian Athletic Conference in 2009. TennesseeWesleyan College and Montreat (N.C.) College are close behindin second and third.All in all, Osborne expects the race for the regular-seasoncrown to be a tough one, especially since the league has gone tothree-game series.“With the three-game series, we’ll get into more pitchingdepth, and it will reveal a true champion,” the coach said.The conference tournament has been altered to include all 10teams.SCHEDULEThe Bulldogs have 54 games scheduled with 29 at home and25 on the road. Union will open the season Feb. 7 with a homedoubleheader against Asbury (Ky.) College.The Bulldogs will open the conference slate on Feb. 28 andMarch 1 at home against Bluefield (Va.) College.WWW.UCBULLDOGS.COMUnion College • 7
Page 2 and 3: Athletic Staff DirectoryBULLDOG BAS
Page 4 and 5: This Is Union!BULLDOG BASEBALLIn 18
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Page 10 and 11: The 2009 BulldogsBULLDOG BASEBALLNo
Page 12 and 13: Player Profiles - Seniors34-JOSH EH
Page 14 and 15: Player Profiles - Juniors11-LUCAS H
Page 16 and 17: Player Profiles - Sophomores12-CORY
Page 18 and 19: Player Profiles - Newcomers30-DREW
Page 20: Bulldog Coaching StaffBULLDOG BASEB
Page 24 and 25: 2008 Statistics & ResultsThe Automa
Page 26 and 27: 2008 AAC Standings & StatisticsBULL
Page 28 and 29: 2008 All-AAC TeamREGULAR-SEASON CHA
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Union College Athletics

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