LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University baseball team is set to kick off the 2009 season, one that looks very promising for the Bald Eagles.

LHU head coach Paul “Smokey” Stover, who enters his 18th season at the helm of Lock Haven, is very excited about 2009 and what it can bring for his team and Haven baseball fans.

The Bald Eagles will bring a wealth of talent to the diamond this season in several different forms.

Up and down the lineup, Lock Haven will feature power in its hitters and will also field an extremely athletic team at all the field positions, which Stover feels are two of the teams biggest strengths.

Stover calls this team the most athletic in his tenure and that’s a characteristic that has him and the Bald Eagles excited about the upcoming campaign.

Combined with the pure athleticism that dots his roster, Stover also calls his infield incredibly sound, which will prove to be a major factor as the season goes on.

The biggest question mark for Stover is the pitching, which could be the difference in the Bald Eagles success.

The talent is certainly there as LHU features a solid staff of seven pitchers, all of whom can see innings for Lock Haven, while a making an impact.

Pitching:

Although pitching remains a question mark, the talent is evident as the Bald Eagles have a solid staff returning. Plenty of that experience returning comes in youthful-forms returns , which is an undeniable bright spot and strength for Lock Haven.

Stover says he doesn’t yet have a clear-cut ace, but notes that this staff as a whole has the potential to very good.

Stover knows and stresses the talent is there; he just has to see his pitchers perform and react on the mound come crunch time.

Junior Josh Rote (McElhattan, Pa./Central Mountain) returns after the leading the team on the mound in 2008. He went 4-3 with a 4.58 ERA and a team-high 39 strikeouts. The left-hander held batters to .245 batting percentage a year ago.

Rote, a local product is 7-5 lifetime for the Bald Eagles and will prove to be a huge force on the mound this year.

Lock Haven returns five pitchers that saw action a year ago on the mound.

Junior Bobby Fiala (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Everglades) has seen some solid innings on the mound for LHU and should prove to be a key in the rotation this season. Fiala went 2-6 last year after going 3-3 in 2007. He’s recorded 35 strikeouts in each of the last two seasons.

Stover calls Fiala and out-and-out competitor and a mentally tough guy.

A huge key to Lock Haven’s staff this season is the youth as four sophomores return, all of whom saw some action as rookies.

With one year under their belt, their experience should be a huge factor in LHU’s success.

The four sophomores are Tyler Rumsey (Mansfield, Pa./Mansfield H.S.), Jordon Yohn (Three Springs, Pa./Southern Huntingdon), Andrew Simonik (Jermyn, Pa./Lakeland), Tyler Golden (Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone).

Rumsey, Yohn and Simonik all saw a number of innings for LHU and that experience will certainly pay off in ’09. Rumsey was second in the team in ERA, Yohn was third on the team with 33 K’s and started eight games for LHU.

Stover feels all three have come a long way, saying Rumsey is going to be in the 1-2 mix.

Golden could easily be listed as a newcomer after only limited time during his rookie campaign after making the transition from the football field back to the baseball diamond.

Golden’s potential has Stover very excited and says he’s not afraid to get on the mound.

A newcomer, who has Stover very excited is Jeremie Cook (Venice, Fla./Venice), who is also a member of the LHU’s NCAA Division I wrestling team. Cook redshirted this season on the mats after being a National Qualifier during his rookie season.

Stover loves Cook’s demeanor on the mound and calls him a fierce competitor. Cook brings some solid pitches to the table and should be a factor for LHU. His strong arm could also have him see some time in the outfield.

Jeremy Lombardo (Dickson, Tenn./Pennridge) missed last season, but returns looking to make an impact on the pitching rotation.

Catcher:

Leading the way behind the plate will be a familiar face for LHU fans. Senior Ted Stake (Lewistown, Pa./Indian Valley) will be looking to cap off a solid crimson and white career.

Last season Stake started all but seven games recording 93 putouts. At the plate he had 13 RBIs and two home runs.

Stover says Stake looks good behind the plate and is swinging the bat well, giving the Bald Eagles consistency at both spots.

Adding depth behind the plate will be sophomore Brian Kochik (Snow Shoe, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) and junior Scott Gaston (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergen Catholic).

Kochik, a local-product has really found his college swing since having a standout career at Bald Eagle Area High School and Gaston also adds strength to the designated hitter spot.

Infield:

Leading the way at first base is senior Matt Palko (Freeland, Pa./Hazleton Area), who brings a strong offensive and defensive presence to the field for LHU.

The 6-foot-2-inch Palko led the team in RBIs and homeruns last year with 34 and seven, respectively.

Yohn, a pitcher could also see time at first.

Junior-College transfer Christopher Williford (Norfolk, Va./College of Southern Maryland) leads the way a second base.

Williford is a player that has the coaching staff very excited as he brings a strong bat to the lineup and a tremendous presence at second.

In 2007 at Southern Maryland, Williford led the team in every major offensive category. He hit a solid .446 with 58 hits, five homeruns, scored 43 runs and tallied 34 RBIs.

Sophomore Kevin Kochka (Norristown, Pa./Methacton) returns to help solidify the second-base position. He hit .312 last season, which was third-best on the squad.

Two transfers look to lockdown the shortstop position as Ryan Griffin (Lansdale, Pa./Montgomery County C.C.) and Cody Young (Bellefonte, Pa./Allegany College of Maryland) join the Bald Eagles.

Both players are the total-package and could be dynamic forces in the infield for LHU.

Griffin was the 2008 MVP for Montgomery County Community College and Young two-time MVP at Allegany College of Maryland. For two straight season Young led Allegnay in batting average and stolen bases, while also earning team Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Joe Crane (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock South), the only freshman on the roster adds depth and potential to short.

Third base could see anther new face in the form of Nick Martyak (Doylestown, Pa./Mansfield Univ.). The junior played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Mansfield and Martyak looks to lock down the hot corner in ’09 for the Bald Eagles.

According to Stover, Martyak looks comfortable at third and brings with him a very strong hitting presence. He’s a player, who has all the tools Stover noted.

Outfield:

The Bald Eagles outfield is another strong point as it’s loaded with speed.

Stover has a number of players, who can get the job done in the outfield and he says that he could easilty rotate players with ease and never miss a beat on the field or at the plate.

Lock Haven’s outfield will bring with it a force offensively and defensively.

Returning to lead the way in right field is senior Zach Schuler (Mt. Wolf, Pa./Spring Grove), who led the team in hitting last year. He hit a team-high .351 in ’08 with a team-high nine doubles, four triples. Schuler also drove in 32 runs and recorded a team-high .507 slugging percentage.

Center field will be manned by redshirt-junior Evan Petro (Johnstown, Pa./Richland). He hit .310 last year with a .440 slugging percentage.

Leading the way in left is redshirt-junior Mark Strouse (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley) was second on the team last year with a .330 batting average. He led the team in stolen bases with 11 and drove in 28 runs. He had 59 hits, four homeruns and three doubles.

Stover knows he’s got athletes all over the field and up and down the lineup, which truly excites him for the upcoming season.

The Bald Eagles jump right into it and face off with some of the top teams in the region right from the gun. They’ll face a very tough schedule in Florida on their annual trip south.

Lock Haven was picked fifth out of seven teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll. Slippery Rock University was tabbed as the preseason favorite.

The Bald Eagles are scheduled to begin the 2009 season tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 19) night at Builder Invitational, hosted by the Apprentice School in Newport News, Va. LHU is set to take on PSAC-foe Kutztown University at 6 p.m.