Baseball 2/3/2017 7:28:00 PM

OCU strives to prove itself

Stars take on 13th-ranked York at 10 a.m. Saturday

Oklahoma City University will build its 2017 hopes in baseball around an old standby: the long ball.
The Stars look to launch line drives and home runs and plate runs while holding opponents with a deep pitching staff this season.
Oklahoma City has traditionally fielded one of the nation's top offenses. The Stars once again ranked among the NAIA's top 10 in batting average, home runs, slugging percentage, hits and doubles while going 38-19 in 2016.
The Stars begin the year 10 a.m. Saturday against 13th-ranked York (Neb.) at Jim Wade Stadium. Fans can watch OCU live by clicking here. Single games cost $7.95, while a season pass costs $59.95.
"Anything else short of going to Lewiston and competing for a national championship is a disappointing year," said OCU coach Denney Crabaugh, who has led Oklahoma City to 1,352 victories, 12 NAIA World Series appearances and the 2005 national championship in 28 years. "We have a good power team up and down the lineup. We are going to be able to score a lot of runs. Our pitching staff is going to be solid. We have depth. How good that depth is depends on the development of our young guys."
Jared Baker will look to lead OCU along that path. Baker, a senior outfielder from Edmond, Okla., drew preseason all-American acclaim after being an honorable-mention all-American and first-team all-Sooner Athletic Conference. Baker produced a .400 average, 27 doubles, 13 homers and 63 RBIs as a junior.
"He has come back determined," Crabaugh said of Baker. "He wants to get to Lewiston. His attitude, work ethic and leadership is evidence of that."
With Baker pacing the offense, Baker's longtime teammate Holden Lyons anchors the pitching staff. Lyons, a senior right-hander from Edmond, Okla., will fill critical a role in the bullpen and if necessary, in the rotation. Lyons posted a 1-2 record, 2.12 earned run average, four saves and 30 strikeouts in 34 innings last year. Baker and Lyons came to OCU after starring at Edmond North High School.
"He will be the most versatile pitcher we have," Crabaugh said. "He is coming off a solid year."
Here's a position-by-position breakdown of OCU's team:

Infield

Holdovers Skyler Bean, Garrett Foster and newcomer Branden Grieger will hold down the middle of the infield defense.
Bean and Foster each showed pop while playing second base and shortstop last year. Bean, a senior from Garland, Texas, provided OCU with a .284 batting average, six doubles, three homers and 15 RBIs in 2016. Foster, a junior from Ardmore, Okla., added a .304 average, 10 doubles, two triples, two homers and 33 RBIs.
Grieger, a senior from Simi Valley, Calif., came to the Stars from New Mexico State. He was a JUCO all-American for New Mexico Junior College a couple of years ago. Crabaugh on Grieger: "He's got a lot of juice. He has surprising power. He attacks the ball at the plate."
Shaun Corso has experience playing infield while hitting .270 with two homers and 24 RBIs for West Virginia the past two years. Corso, a junior from Lancaster, Pa., has shown fine defensive skills in the outfield as well. "He is another guy who could supply power," Crabaugh said.
Jerame Littell aims to show the hitting skills that helped Northern-Enid to the NJCAA Division II World Series. Littell, a senior from Stillwater, Okla., transferred to OCU from Texas-Arlington.
Crabaugh values Littell's leadership abilities. "He has work ethic second to none," he said.
Freshmen Dillon Goddard and Seth Jones aided El Reno (Okla.) in a deep run into the Class 5A state tournament last year.

Outfield

Cory Linn posted a .385 average with six homers and 31 RBIs in 2016. Linn, a senior from Moore, Okla., made second-team all-league despite logging only 85 at-bats last year. "We are counting on him adding power to our lineup by playing a full season of at-bats," Crabaugh said. "He is in much better shape this year."
Joe Lytle has provided powerful offense at catcher and outfielder for OCU the past two years. Lytle, a junior from Yukon, Okla., accumulated a .375 average, 14 doubles, two homers and 40 RBIs last year. He was second-team all-SAC and hit a walk-off homer vs. Bemidji State (Minn.). Crabaugh said, "He's coming off two solid years."
Lane Milligan will impact the game in several ways. Milligan, a junior from Englewood, Colo., hit .297 with four homers and 46 RBIs for New Mexico as a sophomore. He will man catcher and an outfield spot this season.
"He's a guy who I think has the tools," Crabaugh said. "He can hit for average, power and drive in runs. He's the fastest guy on the team."
Hunter Aguirre expects to contribute his left-handed bat and lefty pitching arm. Aguirre, a junior from Oklahoma City, hit .383 with five homers and 31 RBIs for Butler (Kan.) last season.
"He has been better than expected," said Crabaugh. "He swings a good bat and will provide at-bats off the bench."
Caleb Davis, a freshman from Yukon, Okla., was honorable-mention Oklahoman all-city and all-state.

Pitchers

Mark Simon became OCU's most starting reliable pitcher last year, making a team-best 13 starts. Simon, a senior righty from Houston, went 7-4 with a 4.70 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 76.2 innings for the Stars. "He is looking good," Crabaugh said.
Matt Young will try to repeat his performance from 2015. Young, a junior righty from Glendora, Calif., was 9-0 with a 3.14 ERA then. "He's healthy now," Crabaugh said. "He is a top-of-the-rotation guy."
J.R. Holloway is the prototypical power pitcher. Crabaugh said of Holloway, a junior righty from Grapevine, Texas, "He is the hardest thrower on the staff. He has secondary pitches that are solid."
Roberto Delgado also figures to be power pitcher. Delgado, a junior righty from Killeen, Texas, went 7-6 and struck out 98 in 79 innings for New Mexico Junior College as a sophomore. "He throws hard with a lot of movement," Crabaugh said of Delgado. "He throws strikes."
Anthony Rosati, a senior right-hander from Copiague, N.Y., transferred from West Alabama, where he was 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA. Craig Knoche, a junior righty from Tempe, Ariz., brings his 6-foot-9 size from Chandler-Gilbert (Ariz.), where he was 1-0 with a 3.08 ERA.
Tanner Andrews will be called upon to be a starter or a long reliever. Andrews, a junior right-hander from Asher, Okla., put together an 8-3 record, 4.01 ERA, five saves and 83 strikeouts in 76.1 innings. Crabaugh said, "He will fill multiple roles."
OCU's bullpen will be comprised of Kolin Marley, Bryce Milligan, Tyler Milligan, Garrett Pike, Chance Weinstein and Ken Williams. Ricky Parra, a junior from Bronx, N.Y., will redshirt.

OCU received votes but fell short of a spot in the top 25 for the first time since 2009. The Stars will look to show that they can be contenders.
"It's a slap to the tradition of the program," Crabaugh said about being left out of the top 25. "It's based upon what we did last year. We have to prove ourselves. If we want to be rated higher, we have to win ballgames and show that we belong."

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Players Mentioned

#21 Jared Baker: OF; 6' 1"; Senior; L/R

#8 Skyler Bean: INF; 5' 9"; Senior; R/R

#4 Garrett Foster: INF; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#24 Cory Linn: OF; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#25 Holden Lyons: RHP; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#11 Joe Lytle: C; 6' 0"; Junior; L/R

Ricky Parra: RHP; 5' 10"; Junior; R/R

#18 Garrett Pike: RHP; 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#16 Mark Simon: RHP; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#7 Chance Weinstein: RHP; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#9 Ken Williams: LHP; 5' 8"; Senior; L/L

#32 Matt Young: RHP; 6' 4"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#21 Jared Baker
: 6' 1"; Senior; L/R
: OF

#8 Skyler Bean
: 5' 9"; Senior; R/R
: INF

#4 Garrett Foster
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#24 Cory Linn
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#25 Holden Lyons
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#11 Joe Lytle
: 6' 0"; Junior; L/R
: C

Ricky Parra
: 5' 10"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#18 Garrett Pike
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: RHP

#16 Mark Simon
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#7 Chance Weinstein
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#9 Ken Williams
: 5' 8"; Senior; L/L
: LHP

#32 Matt Young
: 6' 4"; Junior; R/R
: RHP