The winds of change have been circling around the Loyola baseball team all off-season.
Despite a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference championship in 2002, Loyola saw the need for something new.
Head coach Don Moreau — who holds the Loyola record for career wins — has been replaced by former Division I hitting coach Gregg Mucerino.
And the ‘Pack has moved its home field from Wesley Barrow Stadium to Segnette Field.
Beginning tomorrow, Loyola will set out to prove that change can be a good thing.
“This year is a completely different year,” said communications senior ad and starting pitcher Brad Showalter. “It’s not connected with last year. We have a new coach, a new way of thinking and a new way of playing. The system, the philosophy and the attitude are all different.”
Last year, Mucerino served as the hitting coach for College of Charleston, which finished 36-22.
He is optimistic that his methods will benefit the team.
“The philosophy is a combination of my time in professional baseball and as an assistant in Division I. We took a hodge-podge of playing experience and rolled it into one.”
The Wolfpack posted a 21-12 conference record last season, but only finished 31-32 overall.
According to Showalter, that is something a new coach with a new philosophy can only help.
“It’s a good thing for the program. We’re going to take what we have and improve upon it. The new philosophy we have this year is better for the program.”
Assistant coach Brett Simpson agrees with Showalter and adds that the team is coming together.
“It’s been good, and we’ll be extremely prepared,” he said. “We have all three weekend pitchers back, which is a big help. And the guys that came in over the fall have been good additions.”
Even though Loyola won the GCAC last year, Mucerino says he feels no pressure as new coach because of the losing record overall.
“I have a desire to get this team to Idaho, where the national tournament takes place,” he said. “There’s no bigger pressure than that (playing in nationals).
“We’re working hard every day to achieve that goal. Our depth is a question. But we have a chance to compete and repeat as GCAC champions. We want to be above .500, and the seniors have put that as the team’s goal.”
Those seniors are the three weekend starting pitchers.
Management senior Scott Schenck will start Saturday in the season opener against Thomas University in Thomasville, Ga. According to Mucerino, Schenck is the team’s best all-around athlete, and he will play first base when he doesn’t pitch.
Accounting senior Tory Western, who was a NAIA academic all-American last season, will pitch and play third base. He is slated to start the second game Saturday’s doubleheader.
Showalter, who was named to the NAIA all-Region 13 team last season, finished 10-6 and will provide strong leadership. He will take the mound for the Wolfpack on Sunday.
But it is center fielder Ryan Moity, communications senior, whom Mucerino calls the heart and soul of the team.
“He is our offensive key. He’s a tough player. As he goes on offensive, so goes our whole team,” Mucerino said.
The team will also benefit from six recent transfers. Paul Williams, economics junior, has spent time at Delgado and the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Loyola plans to use him as its everyday shortstop.
Accounting sophomore Matt Mornick, who hit .426 as a high school senior in Miami, could see time in the outfield if he heals properly from a torn ACL.
Speedy pre-engineering sophomore Greg Veltri, who transferred from Mercer University, will hit leadoff and play right field.
Other transfers include: Chris Chappuis, political science senior, who will contribute as a utility man; biology freshman David Lauricella provides power from second base; and Pat Menesick, computer science freshman, who, according to Mucerino, swings the bat well for a freshman.
Communications junior Jeff Quates, the team’s designated hitter, was the Wolpack’s leading hitter last year with a .365 batting average.
Jeff Pippenger, general management sophomore, is a back-up catcher and closer who throws a lot of strikes.
Out of the bullpen, the Wolfpack will also feature Gian Balsamo, psychology sophomore, and left-hander Jeb Bauer, management junior. Balsamo has a good breaking ball and Bauer is tough on lefties.
The team opens play with a three-game series against Thomas University this weekend. The ‘Pack starts conference games on Feb. 7 against Belhaven College.
Mucerino said the team will face two main challenges, especially in the first month of the season: the grueling travel and the quality of the teams on its schedule.
“We play several Division I teams that have played high quality and have been to the postseason; plus, we have a tough league schedule,” he said.
“One detriment is that we spend lots of time on the road at the beginning of the season. We will find out what we’re made of early.”
Loyola baseball coach Gregg Mucerino gestures toward home plate during a practice at Segnette Field, the team’s new home. Mucerino, who replaced career wins record holder Don Moreau over the summer, has emphasized focus and attention to detail this pre-season. (Ignacio Chacon)
