Millersville University

Third-year Millersville baseball coach Jon Shehan doesn’t like the word “expectations.” He’s believes in earning results on the field. That’s why he wasn’t bothered in the least when his 2010 team—despite being the deepest and most talented of his tenure—was picked fifth in the PSAC East in the PSAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

Shehan’s team doesn’t consider itself a fifth-place team, though. The squad intends on taking that next step as a program. In each of Shehan’s first two seasons at Millersville, the Marauders climbed one rung on the ladder of success. In year one it was an improbable PSAC East Championship. Last year, the Marauders posted a 24-23 record, the program’s first winning season since 2002.

It is only natural, then, that the team expects to move up one more rung, challenge for another PSAC East crown, return to the postseason, play for the conference championship. While those outside the program viewed the 2009 season as a success, the coaches and players acknowledged the winning season but were quietly disappointed. They expected to play in the conference playoffs but instead missed it on tiebreakers with a 10-14 mark division record.

A lesson was learned: Don’t expect victory, earn victory.

“After winning the PSAC East in 2008, last year’s team thought they could just walk out there and win,” said Shehan. “(Starting centerfielder) Corey Phelan got hurt, and that was a low point. But we’ve worked a lot harder this year. The kids know what it takes to win a conference title. The older guys have battled for it already. They know what it takes on the field. They’ve set the bar a lot higher by the way they went about working in the offseason. We got better as a coaching staff preparing the players. All the way around, we are learning as a group about how to get better off the field in our preparation.”

While Shehan created a stockpile of young talent, achieving the lofty goals of 2010 lies in the hands of a core of veterans that includes five returning position starters and six returning starting pitchers.

Headlining the group is redshirt junior Derek Kline, who last year emerged as one of the most versatile players in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region. Already an all-conference pick as a first baseman, Kline took to the hill as the team’s No. 2 starter against PSAC East teams, and in June, Kline became the fifth Millersville player to be selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. The Detroit Tigers selected him in the 34th round, but he elected to return to school and hone his pitching mechanics.

The Marauders are also buoyed by the return of Phelan. The former ABCA Atlantic Region Gold Glove winner missed the entire 2009 season with a knee injury, but his return provides another bat in the middle of the lineup, speed on the base paths and range in the center.

In all, the Marauders return 16 of the 23 players that won letters a year ago. And the vacated positions--third base, shortstop and designated hitter—are being filled by either young players ready for an opportunity or veterans making a position switch.

Shehan, with 48 wins boasts the most successful first two seasons in school history, is confident in his personnel and is also excited about an addition to his coaching staff. He added Bob Preli as the team’s pitching coach, and Shehan sees Preli’s coaching already making a difference.

Preli came to Millersville after two seasons at the University of the Ozarks where he coached three All-Americans and 20 all-conference picks. Preli also worked as a scout for the Cleveland Indians.

“Bob brings a different philosophy,” said Shehan. “In my first two years, we had young pitching coaches. With Bob, he brings 30 plus years of baseball experience. He’s been a very successful pitching coach. When you have that much experience, and you’ve been dealing with young men for the last 20 years, you know how to communicate with them. Communication is the biggest part of coaching. It’s as big as knowing the mechanics, the right drill to do or making the right move. He knows how to deal with the personnel. Experience is priceless.”

Players and coaches set the 2010 goals internally so don’t ask Shehan what he expects from his 2010 team.

“With the talent, depth and experience we have, and with the work we’ve put in, we should win more than we lose,” said Shehan. “I’ll leave it at that. The kids’ goals are extremely high this year, but things have to work out. We have to stay healthy and make decisions off the field to be successful on the field. We also have to get hot at the right time.”

There are so many variables in the game of baseball. That’s why the 2010 Marauders shrug off that preseason ranking and want to settle it on the field.


Millersville returns three All-PSAC East performers in the infield in Derek Kline, Miles Gallagher and Ryan McCormick and the other two spots—second and third base—will likely be filled be veterans as well. But Shehan starts his third-straight season with a different shortstop.

McCormick, a two-year starter at second base and stellar defender, makes the switch to fill a hole left by Lance Miller, who graduated after hitting .257 in an injury-riddled 2009. In 2008 and 2009, Millersville struggled to field the ball at short, committing 34 errors. Making outs is no problem for the slick fielding McCormick, who committed just eight errors in 221 chances last year and had a hand in 32 double plays.

The plan to move McCormick to short was crafted by Shehan even before the 2009 season came to an end. As soon as the offseason began, McCormick started working at his new position. He played 50 games at shortstop in the River Valley League and played there throughout the fall, so Shehan has little doubt that the transition will be anything but smooth.

“He has very good instincts,” said Shehan. “I fully expect him to have a solid year. He doesn’t have a typical shortstop’s arm strength, but for the arm strength he lacks, he makes up for it with his feet and his hands. He gets rid of the ball extremely quick. He has good carry on his ball and turns a double play well. I think we are going to gain by having him at short.”

McCormick is also the team’s table setter. After batting .205 as a freshman, he boosted his batting average to .331 as a sophomore. He displayed patience and a good eye, drawing 21 walks to 12 strikeouts. He was also hit by a pitch 11 times, and his .448 on base percentage was second on the team.

The starting second base job is a two-man battle between sophomore Mike DeSanto and heralded freshman Carlos Medina. DeSanto gained valuable experience as a freshman, starting 20 games at shortstop and batting .258. When Shehan decided to move McCormick to short, he asked DeSanto to move to second in an effort to keep his developing offense in the lineup.

Medina, also a shortstop by trade, has given DeSanto plenty of competition. An All-Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 pick at nearby Manheim Township, Medina helped his team to 95 wins and a state finals appearance in four seasons. He not only batted .358 as a senior, but he also set the school’s single season record for assists.

According to Shehan, the winner of the position battle will be decided by the player swinging the hot bat early the season.

The mainstay of the infield the Marauders’ lineup is Kline. He enters his third season as the starter at first base and as either the No. 3 or No. 4 hitter. He led the team in nearly every offensive category, batting an impressive .393 through 47 games. Of his team-high 66 hits, 17 were doubles and five were home runs. He also drove in 33 runs and led the team in slugging (.595) and on base percentage (.449).

He was an All-Atlantic Region selection by two organizations and an All-PSAC East First Team pick last year. In just two seasons, he has climbed into the Millersville top 10 for career doubles and should finish the season ranked among the leaders in average, hits, RBIs and home runs.

With Kline becoming a top-notch pitching prospect, the natural reaction is to think his hitting would suffer in 2010, but Shehan disagrees.

“I am not worried at all about his hitting,” said Shehan. “His swing looks great right now, and I can’t wait to turn him loose.”

When Kline is on the mound, Shehan has several options for first base. The leading candidate entering the season is redshirt freshman Ryan Chesler. The Owen J. Roberts product was a standout catcher, but with two veterans returning, Shehan had to find a way to get his bat into the lineup. Chesler will not only play first base, but he will also see time behind the plate, as the designated hitter and in one of the corner outfield spots.

“Chesler has shown promise,” said Shehan. “He is one of the most athletic kids on the team. He has versatility. We can put him at first, right field or DH. His bat is going to get him in the lineup on a daily basis. It’s nice to have athleticism behind the plate because we can find guys at bats in other positions.”

Also vying for time at first base is the left-handed hitting Keith Spencer and right-handed hitter Charlie Haley. Both juniors are more comfortable in the outfield but can play first in a pinch.

Shehan, a former Millersville catcher himself, has the nice problem of finding three talented players at bats. Part of the solution is playing Chesler at first base and DH, but he still has all-conference senior Miles Gallagher and solid sophomore Kasey Cooper.

Gallagher was named All-PSAC East last year, but he is still one of the most underappreciated players in the region. Over the last two seasons, he’s caught 84 of the team’s 97 games, hit .291 with a .348 on base percentage and swiped 23 bases in 27 attempts. Last year, his average dipped from .301 to .282, but he upped his power numbers, hitting six home runs and boosting his RBI total by 13 to 29.

His combination of power and speed gives Shehan the option of batting him second or fifth in the lineup. Shehan says that Gallagher will play nearly every day, and when he doesn’t, he’ll call on the more than capable Cooper.

With Gallagher holding on to the starting job, Cooper’s opportunities were limited during his freshman season, but he still hit .297 with a .447 on base percentage in 16 games and 12 starts. He also has an outstanding arm that keeps runners off the base paths. With the coaching of Shehan, he will only continue to improve.

Production at third base is the biggest question facing Shehan. In the last two seasons, the hot corner gave the coaching staff fits. Players at that position posted a field percentage below .900. Last year’s starter, Scott Slembecker provided an upgrade defensively and added some pop with five home runs, but he graduated, leaving the starting job up for grabs.

Shehan hopes the solution to the dilemma at third base is senior Kent Gerdes. Gerdes spent the majority of his two seasons at Millersville as a part-time outfielder, hitting an impressive .311 in 2008 but batted just .170 in an expanded role last year. Despite last year’s season-long slump, Shehan knows Gerdes is capable of returning to form.

“We’ve been prepping Gerdes for that role since early in the summer last year,” said Shehan. “I made sure he got some quality time at third base. Right now he’s getting the starting nod this weekend. He’s done fairly well, and we know he can swing the bat in the conference. We are looking for someone who can field .950 there, and if we catch the ball, our hitting and pitching should pick up whatever we are losing offensively at any position. If he swings the bat and catches the ball, he’ll play.”

Challenging Gerdes is athletic freshman Jeff Heisey. The Donegal High School product was an All-Lancaster-Lebanon League selection as a catcher, but with the depth of talent the Marauders possess behind the plate, Shehan recruited Heisey as the ultimate utility player. Heisey is skilled enough to catch if needed, but is getting a look at third base and is also pushing for a starting position in the outfield.

Sophomore Zac Martin, a left-handed band, provides depth at three infield positions.

With Phelan returning from injury, the Marauders have four outfielders with PSAC East experience. Sophomore Chris Edgar and Adam Boyd impressed in their first year, and junior Keith Spencer is a left-handed bat with 49 career games under his belt.

Phelan is a do-it-all player for the Marauders, hitting for average, speed and wreaking havoc on the base paths. In 89 games during the 2007 and 2008, he hit .326 with five homers, 53 RBIs and stole 24 bags in 27 attempts.

Despite all he does with the bat, Phelan’s biggest impact may be with his glove. His range routinely takes hits away, and in 2008, he totaled 177 putouts and a .989 field percentage. He totaled 19 outfield assists in two seasons. Shehan projects Phelan to hit either third or fourth in the lineup this year.

Without Phelan in 2009, Shehan relied on Edgar, Spencer, Gerdes and the graduated Cody Wile in the outfield for the bulk of the season. Edgar suffered an injury diving for a fly ball against Shippensburg, leaving the lineup void of a true center fielder. Shehan called on Boyd, who sat out the first 29 games with the intent of redshirting. Boyd, a left-handed hitter with plenty of speed, stepped into the No. 2 spot and hit .345 with a .419 on base percentage over the final 18 games. He also stole five bases in seven attempts. Boyd moves to left field with Phelan roaming center, but according to Shehan, he will be in the lineup every day.

The starting job in right field is between Edgar and Heisey, and it may end up as a platoon situation with Edgar starting against righties and Heisey against lefties. Edgar was a steady performer in his rookie season, hitting .286 in 29 starts. He doesn’t have a ton of pop in his bat (one homer, two doubles) but has good bat control. Edgar also posted a 1.000 field percentage in 63 chances. Shehan likes Heisey’s versatility, and the freshman hit .480 for Donegal as a senior.

Regardless of which player gets the start, Shehan likes the look of his outfield.

“Chris had a solid year last year, but we hope his numbers will continue to improve offensively,” said Shehan. “Jeff is pushing. He and Edgar have been battling for an outfield position. It’s going to come down to the first couple of weekends, and we’ll see who is swinging a hot bat. I don’t think we are losing anything defensively by putting Heisey, Edgar or Boyd out there. Phelan will be a regular out there as long as he stays healthy.”

Also in the outfield mix are Spencer and fellow junior Charlie Haley. Both players saw action a year ago, but Shehan is hoping for some more offensive production. Freshman lefty Walter Bishop will see most of his time on the pitching mound in year one, but could certainly contribute at the plate with his gap power.

Shehan is hopeful that Preli’s tutelage along with an extra year of collegiate work for his six returning starters and three bullpen specialists can turn around a pitching staff that has posted an ERA higher than 6.00 in each of the last two years. An impressive recruiting haul of five freshman hurlers also bolsters the bullpen.

“Having six returning starters is huge,” said Shehan. “The kids know how to prepare as a starter this year. We had some many young arms contributing last year, and even Kline had no idea what he was doing early in the year. We gave him the ball, and he went out and threw. But now they know what is expected of them preparation wise so they can go out and pitch a seven inning or a nine inning game, or get us to the closer.”

The surprise of the 2009 season was Kline, who despite never pitching before, posted a 2.87 ERA with three complete games in six starts. In his final start of the season, he went toe-to-toe with eventual seventh-round draft pick Darin Gorski of Kutztown in front of a host of MLB scouts. He worked 6.2 innings, scattering four hits, two unearned runs and fanning seven.

Kline was raw, but his stuff was undeniably good. His fastball clocked into the 90’s and his breaking ball was more than effective. An offseason of hard work only made him better.

“When you are one of the five or six guys drafted from the PSAC, and you are the only one in the last five years to return to the conference after being drafted, you should be considered one of the best in the league,” said Shehan. “(Kline) has high expectations, but he’s a mature kid. He hasn’t lost that focus on his hitting. He hasn’t lost focus on his workouts. He expects a lot out of himself.”

Kline is joined by senior southpaw Forrest Mengle at the front of the rotation. Mengle developed into a top-notch PSAC starter last year, posting a 6-3 record with two complete games and a 3.27 ERA. His 52.1 innings pitched were a team best, and he walked just 18 while striking out 36. Shehan says that Mengle goes about his preparation like a professional, and it has paid off. His ERA has dropped substantially in each of his three seasons on campus.

Kline and Mengle form one of the top starting tandems in the PSAC East, but for the Marauders to challenge for a division title, they need senior Ryan Stauffer, junior Zack Eckley, sophomore Brooks Rothschild and sophomore Kyle Belanchick to perform at a high level.

Stauffer was a six-game winner and No. 1 starter in the team’s run to the PSAC East crown two years ago. But last year, he struggled to a 1-3 record with a 9.82 ERA in 40.1 innings of work. Stauffer tweaked his delivery in the offseason, though, and his preseason performance has the coaching staff talking.

“(Stauffer) has been the surprise of the spring,” said Shehan. “He pitched in the River Valley League, which is one of the best summer leagues out there. He faced a lot of big-time Division I players and dropped his arm slot to a high three-quarters position. He has a lot more movement on his fastball, and we have seen some absolutely dominating performances in intrasquad workouts. He’s been tough to hit, the balls moving all over the place, and we really like what we are seeing from him.”

Eckley flashed potential during his first two seasons, winning four of his nine decisions. His ERA swelled to 7.27 in 2009, though, so Shehan hopes Eckley can return to his 2008 form when he posted a 5.89 ERA in 47.1 innings.

Rothschild arrived at Millersville in the fall after a season at Division I Mount St. Mary’s. Rothschild went 10-1 during his high school career at Calvert Hall in Pasadena, Md., but made only five relief appearances in his first collegiate season. Still, Shehan likes Rothschild’s potential.

“Brooks has conference-type stuff,” said Shehan. “He has a good fastball, breaking ball and changeup. He’s still young. He didn’t get a lot of experience last year at (Mount St. Mary’s), but he’s going to get an opportunity to start some games this year. Hopefully over time he’ll develop into a conference type of guy, and who knows, maybe part way through the year he’ll be that guy. He is very competitive and athletic. He has a very good arm and sets standards high for himself, which we like. Sometimes he expects too much out of himself so he’ll have a little bit of a learning curve. But we expect big things from him in the future.”

Belanchick, a 6-2 lefty, hopes to build off a strong finish to his freshman campaign. His season ERA was 6.39, but he was 3-0 with a 3.89 ERA over his final five starts.

Shehan’s recruiting class provided some much-needed depth to a depleted bullpen. “Our bullpen is a lot deeper than it has been in the last few years,” said Shehan. “I can look out there and see potential starters two or three years from now, or a guy that I know can get left-handed hitters out or someone that is going to give right-handed hitters problems. Having some set-up guys and specialists out there is helpful.”

Freshman Walter Bishop is a sidearm left-hander with sink on his pitches, and sophomore Andrew Hunt is another lefty specialist, who made 12 appearances as a freshman. Freshman right-hander Aaron Wilkins was a two-time All-PAC-10 First Team honoree at Boyertown High School, and classmate Chris Whitman is a crafty right-handed pitcher from Bishop Shanahan High School that excels at changing speeds and keeping hitters off balance. Jason E. Long is a 6-4 righty with a mid-80’s fastball that will eventually challenge for a starting spot. He was named conference pitcher of the year while playing at Southern Huntingdon High School and held opponents to a .091 batting average.

One of the most intriguing moves in the offseason was sophomore Jason S. Long moving from the rotation to closer. The left-hander went 2-3 with a 4.65 ERA during a solid freshman season, but Shehan noticed that Long excelled the first two times through the lineup.

“He has two very good pitches and moving him into that role will make him more successful,” said Shehan.

The Marauders also return sophomore right-hander Mike McMonagle, who suffered a season-ending arm injury early in the season. He made 15 relief appearances as a rookie in 2008 and adds experience to a young bullpen.

The Marauders open the season with four games at Georgia College & State from Feb. 19-21. Region games against Alderson-Broaddus, Chowan and Saint Augstine's, dominate the non-conference schedule. PSAC Eastern Division play opens at home on March 12 against nationally ranked and PSAC East preseason favorite West Chester.