When the Ohio Northern baseball team takes the diamond this spring, head coach Gene Stechschulte is confident in one thing above all others.
"The bulk of our season will be dependent on how our senior-dominant pitching staff does," Stechschulte said. "It's a pretty good situation, pitching wise, to have those guys. If we stay healthy on the pitching side, that will take some of the pressure off the hitting side."
And while Stechschulte is confident in his pitching staff's ability to be effective and carry the team, he wants even more out of them.
"It's just a matter of taking the next step," Stechschulte said. "I want them to take the next step from being good to being elite players."
The first goal for Stechschulte and the Polar Bears will be to determine who the top of the rotation guys will be and who will anchor the bullpen. Seniors Nate Bye (Thorntown, Ind./Western Boone), Jack Schaller (Bowling Green), Troy Wagner (Liberty Township/Lakota West). Josh Mohr (Oregon/Clay) and Scott Beaton (Novi, Mich.) and junior James Fisher (Castalia/Margaretta) all logged more than 20 innings in 2019.
Bye led the charge, boasting an earned run average of 2.97 in 63.2 innings pitched. He started 10 games, going 5-3, logging 44 strikeouts and twirling two complete games.
Schaller also went 5-3, in eight starts, with a 2.84 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 44.1 innings thrown. Wagner tossed 41 innings, finished with a 3-2 record, and registered a 3.29 ERA with 24 strikeouts. Mohr ended the season with a 2-2 record in 39.2 innings pitched, logging an ERA of 4.54 with 27 strikeouts.
Fisher and Beaton did their damage out of the bullpen. Fisher had a 3.41 ERA in 29 innings tossed with 30 Ks, while Beaton recorded a 6.20 ERA in 20.1 innings pitched with 13 strikeouts.
Junior Michael Rocco (Orlando, Fla./Zionsville, Ind.) will look fortify the lineup. He returns after hitting .401 last season with 28 runs batted in and six doubles.
Fellow junior Matthew Burkett (Maumee) hit .329 with 24 RBIs, one home run and 10 doubles. Senior Phil Buckingham (Wayne/Elmwood) had a batting average of .310 with 20 RBIs and three doubles.
While the Polar Bears hit north of .300 as a team in 2019, Stechschulte identified one area of improvement he'd like to see at the dish.
"We didn't slug, so that's our focus this year," Stechschulte said. "Some of the guys will hopefully do that, being a year older and getting stronger in the weight room. But it's more about the approach, and the pitches we swing at. … We have to do more damage when we're in the box, especially the guys that are in the middle of the lineup."
Northern begins its season Feb. 22 and 23 in Louisville, Ky. against Dubuque (Iowa), Aurora (Ill.) and Spalding (Ky.). The Polar Bears travel to Auburndale, Fla., for the RussMatt Invitational in early March before a road series at Rose-Hulman (Ind.).
ONU hosts Trine (Ind.) in its home opener March 17, and starts Ohio Athletic Conference play at home against Marietta March 21. The OAC Tournament runs from May 7-9.
