Coyote Baseball 2008 Season Preview
By: Andy Brockman, KWU Sports Information Assistant

The Kansas Wesleyan baseball team is scheduled to start its 2008 season at Fort Hays State on February 9 at 1 p.m.  The Coyotes are coming off their best season in many years as they finished 27-26 overall and won the KCAC tournament championship, and advanced to the regional tournament.  Many talented new faces, along with a great core of returning players has the team very excited for this year and are looking forward to bigger and better things.

The Coyotes return four seniors from last year’s team.  They include Dusty Romero (2B, Las Vegas, Nev. / Cerro Coso CC (Calif.)), Darell Grames (OF, Red Bluff, Calif. / Shasta CC (Calif.)), Shaun Sumter (P, Claremore, Okla. / Northern Oklahoma – Enid CC), and Ryan Smith (P, Calgary, Alberta, Canada / University of Calgary).  Romero was a 2nd team All-KCAC infielder. 

Other key returnees include Paul Bridenbaugh (So, SS, Glendale, Ariz.), Stephen Cilladi (Jr, C, Mesa, Ariz.), Ronny Romo (So, 1B, Chandler, Ariz.), Brian Dobyns (Jr, P/OF, Phoenix, Ariz. / Chandler-Gilbert CC (Ariz.)), Casey Barnes (So, P, Chandler, Ariz.), and Brandon Cole (Jr, OF, Phillipsburg, Kan.). 

Head Coach David Dawson is in his third year of coaching at KWU and says that these returners have been showing great leadership during the fall and off-season. 

“The team has more pitching depth than previous seasons," he said. "We are picked to finish third in the conference but feel that we could win it.  We’ve been working hard, have quality players, and the team is very coachable.  If our new players can adapt to our style of play and our conference then we will be in a good position to accomplish great things.”

Some of the newcomers expected to have an immediate impact include Junior College transfers Brandon Mathes (OF/P, Mustang, Okla. / Northern Oklahoma-Enid CC), Kyle Hook (C, Mesa, Ariz. / Gateway CC), David Lovett (OF, Mesa Ariz. / Glendale CC), Nick Allaire (P, Arvada, Colo. / McCook CC (Neb.)), Russell Skeete (1B, Toronto, Ontario, Canada / Cochise CC (Ariz.)), Mike Pettibone (3B, Gilbert, Ariz. / Chandler Gilbert CC), and Brock Pettyjohn (OF, Mesa, Ariz. / South Mountain CC).

It seems that the Coyotes have their swagger back after last years end of the season success.  Brain Dobyns, a three year letterwinner with the Coyotes, said, “We have a very positive outlook on this season and hope to win conference and advance farther in regionals than last year.” 

Casey Barnes, returning Second team All-KCAC pitcher added this: “We have a real strong unit and lots of talent.  Towards the end of fall practices guys started stepping up big time and I could tell that we had something special.  People showed lots of heart and dedication during our tough off-season workouts.”

The team has been practicing indoors late at night very frequently due to the undesirable weather and is looking forward to finally getting outside and playing some live baseball.  Wesleyan opens the season with 10 road games before hosting its home opener at Dean Evans Stadium as part of the KWU triangular with Hastings (Neb.) and Central Christian (Kan.) on March 1.  Wesleyan will play at Noon and 5 p.m.

-- KWU SI --