Challenging 2011 season for CC baseball!

JCOnline
A year ago, Central Catholic's baseball team left Victory Field knowing that seven starters returned in defense of the Class A state championship it had just won.

On Friday, the Knights celebrated the realization of that goal after a 4-2 victory over Tecumseh.

But seven of this year's starters have graduated, including pitching ace Taylor Glaze and the first five hitters in the lineup. Does that change the program's expectations for next season?

"Nothing less," Glaze said, echoing the same words Dru Anthrop spoke after leading CC to the 2009 title. "Another state championship, and we'll go for three in a row."

Graduating with Glaze are center fielder Scott Windler, left fielder Cole Hruskovich, catcher Reed Drysdale, shortstop Chas Bobillo, first baseman Jason Aldridge, third baseman Billy Fusiek and pitcher/outfielder Ben Cramer.

Those eight seniors combined to bat .347, scored 67.5 percent of the team's runs and accounted for 66 of the Knights' 87 extra-base hits.

Designated hitter Austin Munn batted .366 with three home runs and tied for second on the team with 29 RBIs as a sophomore. Second baseman Danny Anthrop, a .339 hitter from the No. 9 spot as a sophomore, may be the area's fastest player and could end up in the leadoff spot.

Junior Devin Morgan often spotted Drysdale at catcher, and freshmen Ryan DeBoy and Jake Churchill are expected to take bigger roles in 2011.

"They're going to be pretty good," Drysdale said. "We've got some freshmen that can hit the ball around the field. I look forward to following them in the papers next year, because I think they'll make noise, definitely."

Glaze went 8-0 over the past two state tournaments, including semistate and state championship victories in each season. Waiting to inherit the ace role is Brett Haan, who went 7-2 with a 1.22 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 46 innings.

"He's talked about it all the time," Munn said of Haan. "He knew Taylor was going to dominate this year, and it's his year next year."

Munn (5-1, 3.05 ERA) and Nick Stone (3-1, 3.36 ERA) should cement another strong rotation.

The only program to win three state titles in a row, and four in a five-year span, is Jasper. The Wildcats won single-class titles in 1996 and '97 and Class 3A titles in 1998 and 2000.

The chance to equal that feat gives Central Catholic extra motivation.

"They can do it," Glaze said. "They've got the pitching, they've got the bats. They've just got to have the heart, and I think they have it."