Older, Colonels look to improve on '09 success

Despite tying with Manhattanville for first place in the Freedom Conference last season with an 11-5 conference record, the Wilkes Colonels were picked to finish sixth in this year's standings. This would be understandable were Wilkes not returning nine seniors (its largest senior class in the last two decades), and coming off a season in which they won 29 games, the school record for a season. Despite the clear lack of preseason faith in the Colonels by coaches around the conference, senior criminology major and shortstop Mike McAndrew has a tremendous amount of faith in his team.

"I like that we were picked low because it gives us more to prove," said McAndrew. "I'd rather be [sixth]; last year we were picked to finish fifth or sixth, too. It makes us work harder."

"We expect to win the MAC with our returning guys," said Joseph Folek, the head coach of the Wilkes baseball team.

They certainly have the tools to do just that. Returning are many members of the team that played consistently enough to run off an 11-game win streak last year, while outscoring their opposition by 117 runs over the course of the season (an almost three-run differential per game).

Among those returnees is senior catcher Randy Dengler, a reigning first-team all-region selection.  During his sophomore campaign last season, Dengler batted .348 with 41 RBI, good for second on the team, while also leading the team with eight long balls.  Also returning is sophomore Matt Ruch, who was second on the team last season with a .390 batting average, and tied for the team lead with 44 RBI.

On the mound, the Colonels return senior Tom Buckler.  Last season, Buckler led the team with nine wins and 58 strikeouts en-route to a second-team all-region selection.

With any luck, they will be able to contend for the school record for wins yet again with the currently constructed team. Their first game is tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. against Muhlenberg College in Allentown.

"The target on our back is bigger because last year we set the record for school wins," said Folek. "I think our guys are up to the challenge. In fact, they're looking forward to it."