Developing number-two starter key for Jacket baseball
As many in this area saw with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, pitching can take a team to the promise land, even if it has a lackluster line-up. Case in point, prolific pitching can end 20-year losing streaks.
While the baseball team did accomplish a first in program history by winning the Eastern College Athletic Conference South championship last season, the next step forward for the program has to be reaching the Presidents’ Athletic Conference postseason, something the Jackets haven’t done since 2005. In order for Waynesburg to place in the top-four of the conference standings, it must develop a number-two starter.
The Jackets suffered a huge blow in the preseason when they found out that starter J. Jay Paskert was leaving the team. The then-sophomore started the most games (13), led the team in wins (8), struck out the most hitters (53) and ate the most innings (89) for the Jackets last season, en route to earning second-team All-PAC awards. In doubleheaders, fans knew when Paskert was starting game one and then-freshman Brian Resnik was starting game two, Waynesburg had a fighting chance, no matter the opponent.
Coming into this season, with a pitching staff made up of six freshmen, two inconsistent sophomores and two upperclassmen, who combined for just eight appearances in 2013, Resnik was the only pitcher Waynesburg fans could put faith in.
In every game he’s pitched this season, Resnik has given the Jackets a chance to win, or at least look respectable in a loss. In the first game of the season, he didn’t give up a run against LaRoche. He struck out nine Mount Union Purple Raiders in Florida and gave up just three earned runs against the defending Ohio Athletic Conference champions. To compare, Waynesburg’s pitchers gave up 15 runs against Mount Union in game two of the twin bill.
He’s gone the distance in three starts; never giving up more than three earned runs in his complete games. He threw six strong innings Friday against Saint Vincent and set the tone Tuesday in the game one win against Thiel.
Like Resnik did last season, someone on the Jacket pitching staff has to step up and become a player head coach Mike Humiston has confidence giving the ball to in game two of doubleheaders, after Resnik pitches game one.
Leading the pack may be freshman Luke Carter, who also plays third base. In five starts, the three-time regional Saegertown High School Pitcher of the Year has pitched the most innings (26.1) behind Resnik this season. Carter has surrendered 25 runs, but only 14 of them have been earned.
Sophomores Tyler Prevost and Connor Furwa have also made the most of their opportunities. Most notably, Prevost’s relief appearance Friday against Saint Vincent when the Bearcats were within striking distance and Furwa’s appearances against Penn State Behrend’s high-powered offense and game two start versus Thiel.
After graduating a senior-laden team last season, combined with Paskert’s departure, it was obvious that the team was going to have to work in players with little to no collegiate experience. But as he said earlier this season, does not want to use inexperience as an excuse for conference losses.
While the season is still in its infancy, it was Waynesburg’s slow start in conference play last season that ultimately cost the team a chance at the PAC playoffs. With the three and four spots in the conference wide open behind Washington & Jefferson and Thomas More, Waynesburg has the chance to get there if it develops it’s pitching. The hitting is there.