The Harper College baseball team begins its season on Saturday down in Vincennes, Indiana. With several returners from last year’s 24-win team and a strong group of first-year players, head coach Cliff Brown‘s squad looks poised for a solid season.
The Hawks’ opener with Jackson Community College set for Friday was postponed, so the Hawks will play Jackson, Glen Oaks Community College and host Vincennes University on Saturday and Sunday (game times TBD). Harper’s home opener is slated for March 17 against Kishwaukee College.
Harper returns nine players from the 2014 squad, including Tyler Crussen (Wheeler, Ind. /Wheeler), Kevin Conrad (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot), Matt Ittersagen (Wheeler, Ind./Wheeler), Chuck Terron (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek), Angelo Curtis (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic), Austin Eliades (Palatine, Ill./Palatine), Eric Orozco (Melrose Park, Ill./Immaculate Conception), Andrew Haney (Milton, Wis. /Milton), and Chris Simon (La Grange, Ill./Marmion Academy) (redshirted).
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“This year we want to be able to finish the job and go to the World Series. The mentality is to win the World Series.” Terron said. “Whether it’s conference or non-conference, we want to be able to be as prepared as possible for each game.”
“We are looking to continue to build on last year and see how these sophomores progress,” Brown said.
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Here is a positional breakdown of the 2015 squad:
Infield
The Hawks have a bevy of options in the infield, including Kevin Conrad (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot), Brad Demmon (Schaumburg, Ill. /Hoffman Estates), Billy Chandler (Buffalo Grove, Ill. /Buffalo Grove), Riley Halter (South Elgin, Ill. /South Elgin), Ryan Nudd (South Elgin, Ill./St. Edwards), Roy Pettingill (Mount Prospect, Ill. /St. Viator), Frank Diaz (Lockport, Ill. /Lockport), B.J. Wingerter (/Hersey), and Ernest Woodbury (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows).
Conrad, who won a 2014 NJCAA ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award®, will likely see a lot of time at first base. Demmon will likely see time at third base, and Chandler will play shortstop and other infield options.
Halter will likely be playing second base, and Nudd offers the Hawks versatility at both second base and shortstop. Pettingill may play a little first base as well serve as the team’s designated hitter, while both Diaz and Wingerter are capable middle infielders.
Catching duties will likely fall on a combination of Nick Leone (Elmhurst, Ill. /York), Clint O’Neal (Farmer City, Ill./Blue Ridge), Halter, Haney, Woodbury, and Conor Trier (/Huntley ).
Outfield
Harper has an experienced group of outfielders but may also mix in some new talent as well. Crussen, a Second Team All-Conference player last year, will play center field. Terron, Curtis, and Eliades will likely see a lot of time at the corner infield spots.
Newcomers Matty Donovan (Chicago, Ill./Saint Patrick), Jake Miller (Valparaiso, Ind. /Valparaiso ), and Matt Hayes (Princeton, Ill./Princeton ) will figure into the mix for outfield as well.
Pitching
Ittersagen and Oroczo are the top returning pitchers from a year ago, and Simon will be in the mix after redshirting last year.
Harper has a solid group of new arms, including Brandon Kaminski (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic ), Nicolas Zanayed (Northlake, Ill. /Proviso West), Gabe Farrowe (Bloomingdale, Ill. /Lake Park ), Nate Paprota (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central), Austin Royse (Elgin, Ill./Larkin), Eddy Valenzuela (Melose Park, Ill. /West Leyden), Jason Obermaier (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Conant), Rich Carusiello (Mount Prospect, Ill. /Hersey ), O’Neal, and Demmon.
Multiple Position Players
Several Hawks will be utilized in multiple roles during the season:
- Riley Halter (South Elgin, Ill. /South Elgin) IF/C
- Brad Demmon (Schaumburg, Ill. /Hoffman Estates) P/3B
- Austin Royse (Elgin, Ill./Larkin) P/OF
- Nick Leone (Elmhurst, Ill. /York) C/3B
- Andrew Haney (Milton, Wis. /Milton) C/1B
- Matty Donovan (Chicago, Ill./Saint Patrick) OF/IF
- Clint O’Neal (Farmer City, Ill./Blue Ridge) P/OF/C
- Gabe Farrowe (Bloomingdale, Ill. /Lake Park ) P/OF
- Nate Paprota (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) P/OF
- Roy Pettingill (Mount Prospect, Ill. /St. Viator) 1B/DH
- Ernest Woodbury (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows) C/3B
Additions to the Coaching Staff
Coming into this year, Brown added Nick Naranjo, Isaac Valdez, and Issie Sopena to the coaching staff.
Conference Schedule
The N4C has made a big change for 2015, as each team is now scheduled to play 24 total conference games. In past years, there were only 12 conference games. Harper opens its conference slate with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 28 at Joliet Junior College.
“It’ll be nice to have home and away doubleheaders against each opponent, so it’s as even as possible. We’ll get to see who the road warriors are, and the best team has to win on the road,” Terron said.
In 2014, the Hawks finished second with a 10-2 record in conference play behind only Madison College, who had an 11-1 mark. The WolfPack finished 45-17 overall and took third place at the 2014 NJCAA DII Baseball World Series. Joliet Junior College finished third in the conference with a 9-3 mark and was 39-17 overall. Triton College (4-8 N4C), College of DuPage (3-9 N4C), Rock Valley College (3-9 N4C), and Milwaukee Area Technical College (2-10 N4C) will all look to make a leap up in the standings this year.
Postseason Play
The Region IV Sectionals will be played May 9-10, followed by the Region IV Baseball Finals at Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg May 15-17. If the Hawks were to win the region title, they would travel to Kinston, North Carolina for the 2015 NJCAA DIII Baseball Championship May 23-29.
Resources for the Season
