ORONO, Maine — It may not be baseball season, per se, but the University of Maine baseball team has been taking advantage of the recent pleasant weather while going through its fall workouts.
Coach Steve Trimper and his staff, including new assistant coach Mike Cole, are grooming the Black Bears for next season.
Despite having lost four of his top seven hitters from 2009, Trimper is confident the Bears will be a more productive offensive team in 2010.
Senior Myckie Lugbauer, sophomore twins Ian Leisenheimer (a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American) and Justin Leisenheimer, and junior Joey Martin of Portland are among the veterans who have been making solid contact. Freshman catcher Tyler Patzalek also is swinging a good bat.
Returning starters include first baseman Martin, shortstop Tony Patane and sophomore Kyle Stilphen of Pittston, who is expected to move to third base and replace departed Jarrett Lukas of Old Town, who has left the program to concentrate on his studies.
Lugbauer is back behind the plate, while Justin Leisenheimer and Taylor Lewis have experience in the outfield.
The pitching staff will be led by juniors Matt Jebb and Kevin Scanlan and sophomores A.J. Bazdanes and Keith Bilodeau. UMaine must replace a key righthander in Pat Quinn, who has transferred after some off-field issues, while Matt Klazkiewicz also has left school.
The Bears have two proven pitchers on the shelf as senior Joe Miller and junior Jonathan Balentina underwent offseason surgery on their pitching arms.
Others expected to contribute include junior transfer Barry Keiffer and freshman righties Jeff Gibbs, Steve Perakslis and Chris Bernard of Scarborough.
“I think the biggest secret of the whole year is, who is Barry Keiffer?” Trimper said of the 6-foot-6 lefthander from Texas. “He’s probably our best pitcher right now.”
Keiffer was 5-0 with a 3.63 earned run average for the Amsterdam Mohawks of the New England Collegiate Baseball League last summer. He allowed 38 hits in 44ª innings with 36 strikeouts and 24 walks. Teams hit .226 against him.
Kyle Benoit and Jimmy Cox of Bangor, both of whom are coming off “Tommy John” reconstructive elbow surgery, are expected to be able to throw in some capacity next season.
Conference alters baseball format
The Bears will be playing under yet another new America East format during the 2010.
Trimper said the conference has approved a two-division setup under which each team will play the other two teams in its division for three-game series, home and away, then will face each team in the other division for one, four-game set, with the home field to alternate each year.
The result is 26 conference games compared to 24 last season.
The reconfiguration came after Vermont dropped its program after the 2009 season, leaving America East with six baseball programs.
UMaine is grouped in one division with Hartford and Albany, while Binghamton, Stony Brook and Maryland Baltimore County make up the other.
Trimper said the top four teams overall, based on winning percentage, advance to the double-elimination conference championship tournament.
“It ends up giving you 26 conference games and you end up having more rivalries,” Trimper said. “It think it helps us.”
Bears plan fall baseball games
UMaine has scheduled a handful of fall baseball contests at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.
The Bears are scheduled to play Academy of Baseball Canada this weekend, with a 5 p.m. game Friday and a 1 p.m. contest Saturday.
UMaine then will host a round robin Oct. 2 with Husson University of Bangor and the University of Southern Maine of Gorham. USM and Husson play at 1 p.m., UMaine and USM square off at 4 p.m. and the Bears face Husson at 7 p.m.
UMaine names baseball captains
Trimper announced recently that Lugbauer, Patane, Jebb and Martin will serve as team captains in 2010.
Lugbauer, a junior from Mahopac, N.Y., also was a captain last season.
The four-captain arrangement gives the Bears leadership representation in the infield, the outfield and on the pitching staff.
UM baseball slates Fall Showcase
Mahaney Diamond will be the site of UMaine baseball’s Fall Showcase on Oct. 11.
The camp, which is open to players ages 15-18, is designed for those who are serious candidates to become college or professional baseball prospects. The session, which begins at 9:30 a.m., will stress perfecting the fundamentals of the game while exposing athletes to coaches from UMaine and other colleges who will be in attendance.
The showcase will consist of a professional-style workout and instruction from Black Bear coaches and players at participants’ position of choice.
The program cost is $100 and includes a T-shirt and lunch. Players should bring their own gloves, bat and baseball pants, while catchers must have their own equipment.
For more information, contact UMaine assistant coach Aaron Izaryk at 581-1098 or via email at Aaron.Izaryk@umit.maine.edu.
Registration forms are available at GoBlackBears.com.