SELINSGROVE, PA - The 2001 season turned out a season of growing pains as the Crusaders fell to last place in the Commonwealth Conference after making the playoffs in 2000, despite the leadership of six senior position players and four returning pitchers.

This year, only three starters return to the squad, but a solid core of sophomores and juniors are ready to step into the available slots, as well as an athletic and talented freshman class waiting in the wings. After last year’s 11-16 overall, 4-10 Commonwealth Conference performance, the Crusaders are hungry to improve in 2002.

With Harold E. Bollinger Field ready for play only minutes before last year’s Commonwealth Conference opener against Elizabethtown, last year’s team didn’t have a field for practice until mid-March. No such problems will occur this year, though. Bollinger Field is transforming into one of the best facilities in the Commonwealth, as a batting cage will be installed later this spring.

Fourth-year head coach Tim Briggs, who earned Commonwealth Coach of the Year honors in his rookie season of 1999, will lean on the freshmen and sophomore classes that take up over two-thirds of the roster to help push the Crusaders toward their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1995.

“It brings some question marks,” Briggs said of the team’s youth. “But it does bring some excitement. We could definitely surprise some people.”

Joining Briggs on the bench this spring are third-year assistant Sean Noonan and former Crusader standout pitcher/right fielder Denny Bowers.

THE INFIELDERS

The infield will rebuild this year, after losing three reliable starters from the 2001 campaign, as first baseman Lyle Hosler (the team’s Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Hitter), second baseman Chris Knickerbocker(.310, 15 runs, eight doubles, team’s “best fielder”) and third baseman Mike Sauers (.308, five doubles, four stolen bases) all graduated.

The lone starting returnee is senior shortstop Matt Springman (Montoursville, PA/Montoursville H.S.). Springman hit .203 last year, with three doubles, six RBIs and nine runs scored. He had the game-winning hit against Albright on April 21, driving in Travis Zook with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning for the 2-1 win.

Sophomore Andrew Pratt (Ridgewood, NJ/ Ridgewood H.S.) and freshmen Adam Donlevie (Stratham, NH/Exeter Area H.S.) and Sean Gardner (Bayport, NY/Bayport-Bluepoint H.S.) may also see time at shortstop.

Sophomores Ben Nyce (Elliotsburg, PA/West Perry H.S.) and Bob Haile (Sunbury, PA/Shikellamy H.S.) played behind Sauers last year and enter a four-way battle for the starting spot this season. Nyce played in five games in 2001, chopping out four hits in just 12 at-bats, driving in five runs and adding a double. Haile split time between third, first and catcher, appearing in seven games, hitting .235 (4-of-17) with three runs and three RBI. Freshman Greg Dobson (Morganville, NJ/Marlboro H.S.) and sophomore Pete Coolidge (Wellsboro, PA/Wellsboro H.S.) may see time at third during the season.

Junior Jason Yablonski (Tunkhannock, PA/Tunkhannock Area H.S.) is the favorite to take over Knickerbocker’s slot at second base. Last year, Yablonski split time at designated hitter, second base and shortstop, hitting only .143 (5-of-35) but garnering a .318 on-base percentage. He also added seven runs, a triple and four RBI on the year. He was a Pennsylvania Athletic Conference first-team All-Star at second base while at Beaver College in 2000. Freshmen Matt Hess (Hagerstown, MD/ North Hagerstown H.S.) and Andrew Salemme (Pittsburgh, PA/ Fox Chapel Area H.S.) will also see time at second.

First base may be the most open position as Scott McQuiggan (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown H.S.) is the only returning player with experience at first base. Last year, McQuiggan hit .273 (3-of-11) with three runs and a double in time at first and at designated hitter.

Also fighting for the starting job at first are Donlevie, Haile and back-up catcher Ben Clift (Downingtown, PA/Blair Academy).

“We have enough depth, I think, right now across the infield that we can play a bunch of different people and find out who’s swinging the bat and who’s doing what they’re supposed to do,” Briggs said.

THE OUTFIELDERS

Junior Clay Nixon (Perrineville, NJ/The Peddle School) is the only returning starting outfielder from last season’s club. Nixon struggled in his first season as a Crusader, garnering only five hits in 49 at-bats, but showing off his great arm, tying for the team lead with two outfield assists. He handled all 24 chances in right field flawlessly.

Fighting for starting jobs this year are the extremely athletic and talented sophomore crew. Nate Trick (Montoursville, PA/Montoursville H.S.) earned a letter last year, appearing in eight games and hitting .267 (4-of-15) while scoring four runs and walking four times for an on-base percentage of .421.

Gerohn Lanns (Pickering, Ontario/Pickering H.S.) had shoulder surgery at the end of last season and appears better than ever, after showing signs of explosive ability last year. Lanns knocked a 350-foot home run in his first start last year against Catholic. He finished the year with a .179 average (10-of-56), 11 runs, four extra-base hits and six RBI.

Josh Fuller (Lock Haven, PA/Central Mountain H.S.) impressed in his first start last year, knocking three hits against Misericordia. Fuller finished his season hitting .139 (5-of-36) with four runs scored and two RBI.

“We have a bunch of guys who earned letters but were moved in and out last year at times,” Briggs said. “We also have some good young people. Matt Smart (Wharton, N.J./Pope John XXIII H.S.), Brock Boddie (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell H.S.), and Tim Larson (Lanesboro, Mass./Mount Greylock H.S.) are all three very good athletes that will without question see time.”

Freshman Chris Matje (Chalfort, PA/Central Bucks West H.S.) will join the outfield after the trip south.

THE PITCHERS

Six pitchers return with NCAA game experience and a crop of six newcomers will bolster the 2002 Crusader staff.

While only four regular pitchers from last season return, two pitchers with Commonwealth Conference starting experience return and two others with game experience return.

Sophomore southpaw Adam Martin (Millersville, PA/ Penn Manor H.S.) assumed the role of staff ace late in the 2001 season, winning the team’s Best Pitcher Award for his 1-1 record and 2.67 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 27 innings last year. Martin’s best performance of last year was a 6 1/3 inning stint in a 2-1 win vs. Albright on April 21, as he gave up one run while allowing six walks and four hits for a no-decision.

Senior Patrick Quillian (Nichols Hills, OK/Casady H.S.) will also look to help eat conference innings this year. Quillian pitched in nine games last year, starting five, finishing with a 2-3 record, 13 strikeouts and a 7.39 ERA in 28 innings.

Senior John Jezorwski (Moosic, PA/Riverside H.S.) will also see action in the starting rotation. Jezorwski pitched 23 1/3 innings in eight games (four starts), and finished with a 2-3 record and had an 8.49 ERA.

Closer Matt Springman is back after a stunning debut in the fireman role last year. Springman appeared in eight games, saving five games to finish second in the Commonwealth Conference. In 9 2/3 innings, he struck out six batters and finished with a 1-0 record and a 4.66 ERA.

Sophomore right-handers Joe Guistina (Rochester, NY/Spencerport H.S.) and Trick also saw action last year. Guistina carried a 6.94 ERA in 11 2/3 innings and Trick finished 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in seven innings.

Briggs can also look to a very talented freshman class to eat innings this year, including left-handers Smart, Boddie and Matt Dwyer (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley H.S.). Right-handers Dobson, Gardner, and sophomore Pratt may see time on the mound.

“We have some good young people,” Briggs said. “We’ll have to see what happens. I think the depth this year is better than the depth last year.”

THE CATCHERS

Senior Travis Zook (Belleville, PA/Indian Valley H.S.) returns as the starting backstop. Zook came on as a freshman to not only earn the team’s starting job at catcher, but also become the best defensive catcher in the league.

As a sophomore, Zook gunned down 19-of-39 potential base stealers, and hit .366 with six doubles, three home runs, 23 runs and 27 RBI.

Last year, he continued that success, hitting .329 with a home run, a triple and eight doubles for a team-leading 10 extra-base hits. He also led the team with 16 RBI and threw out 13-of-33 would be base-stealers.

“Obviously our team leader is Travis,” Briggs said. “He has been probably for the last three years. He brings an enthusiasm and work ethic and obviously a skill level. He’s probably one of the best players in the league.”

Backing him up will be Clift, who earned a letter last year, after hitting .286 (4-of-14) in seven games. Clift may also see time at first base and designated hitter. Haile may also seem time behind the plate.

THE SCHEDULE

Susquehanna will tune up for the 2002 season by playing eight games in four days in Ft. Pierce, Fla. After returning north on March 8, the Crusaders will open the season at Bollinger Field on March 15 against Lock Haven before opening the Commonwealth Conference season with a doubleheader against Messiah on March 18.

The Crusader schedule expands this year after the NCAA changed its rules, allowing Division III schools to play up to 40 regular-season games. The Crusaders have scheduled 33 games this year after playing only 27 last season.

The Commonwealth Conference also changed its schedule, expanding from 14 games to 21. The eight teams will play each other three times, with one nine-inning game being held at one school’s site and a double-header of two seven-inning games being scheduled at the opposing school’s field.

The Crusaders face Albright at home on April 5 at 3:30 p.m. before travelling to Reading to play the Lions on April 6. Last year, the Crusaders split a heated double-header with the Lions, including a 2-1 opening game win in which Matt Springman got the winning hit in the bottom of the seventh inning.