- After 56 games, it all comes down to one weekend in May
Wright State learned the hard way last year that a great regular season means absolutely nothing in the postseason. The Raiders ran away with the Horizon League after going 25-4 in conference play before stumbling in the league title game to last place Youngstown State. The result was a disappointing one for a squad that was aspiring to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.
With many key players returning from last year’s squad, along with some junior college additions, expectations for the Raiders this year are high.
“We tell the guys that, ‘Last year has zero relevance for this year,’” Wright State head coach Greg Lovelady said. “It is a new team, it is a new year. This team is totally different with new guys. The competition is different, so you can’t rest on what we did last year.”
- Lovelady prepares himself for second year as WSU skipper
Lovelady was officially hired as WSU’s head coach before last season after spending time as the program’s top assistant coach. He was the league’s Coach of the Year in his first year leading the program.
“I am a year wiser and the anticipation is different knowing what I am going to go through and the processes I need to do in my routine,” Lovelady said. “I am a little unsure of what that was going to be like last year.”
Lovelady said the biggest difference between last year and this year is his pregame routine. He said he spends his pregame watching video and scouting in preparation for that day’s opponent.
“Just trying to figure out matchup stuff, lineup stuff, trying to have a plan going into the game on how we’re going to pitch, especially late in the game and the kind of moves I need to make late in games,” Loveland said. “I do a lot of studying.”
Wright State excelled in late game and extra inning situations last season. The Raiders were 5-1 in games that went to extra innings.
“You think I just put this lefty in to face a lefty, but you have to know if our lefty is prepared, does he have the stuff to get that hitter out?” Lovelady said.
- Major League talent can come from Wright State
If Los Angeles Angels pitcher Joe Smith’s career is any indication, top tier big league talent can come from WSU. Travis Hissong is working his way through the New York Yankees’ organization after he graduated and completed his junior year at WSU last season. Lovelady expects others from Wright State will be looked at in the upcoming MLB Draft.
Players expected to be potential professionals are pitchers Andrew Elliott, Robby Sexton and Jesse Scholtens along with infielder Michael Timm. Lovelady thinks that Sexton and Scholtens have the best opportunity to be drafted by an MLB club.
“Jesse had a 90-93 (MPH) fastball on scout day and he is a sturdy kid,” Lovelady said. “Robby is a left hander with a good body and a fastball in the upper 80s, low 90s. They’re just prototypical guys in their draft year.”
- WSU starting the season in the south
While the Raiders have been able to take advantage of a mild Ohio winter to have some outdoor practices, WSU is going to trek south for the first three weeks of the season. The Raiders start their season this weekend in Nashville with two games versus Belmont and two against Toledo.
The following weekend, WSU visits Ole Miss for three games before heading to Lovelady’s alma mater, the University of Miami, for three games. After Miami, WSU travels to Kentucky for one game before opening its home schedule March 6 versus Buffalo.
Playing against the likes of Ole Miss and Miami is something that Lovelady expects will help the Raiders going into Horizon League play.
“The day we got here, we believed in upgrading the schedule, playing a tough schedule,” Lovelady said. “It does a myriad of things. One, it helps us with recruiting. To bring kids in and say, ‘You’re going to play against some of the best teams in the country.’ Two, it prepares us. It will be a challenge and shows us what we need to work on.”
- WSU has added depth to this year’s squad
Just like any collegiate program, Wright State had its share of players who left after graduation last year. The Raiders look to replace key pitchers Joey Hoelzel and Hissong. Also center fielder Kieston Greene played his final year with the Raiders last year.
Lovelady expects newcomers Jeremy Randolph and Anderson Hasting to play a big role for the Raiders on their pitching staff. The Raiders have Mark Fowler back after he missed all of last season with a hamstring injury. Fowler is expected to start in center field. Junior college transfer Ryan Fucci is expected to be WSU’s starting right fielder.
Freshman Gabe Snider is expected to start at first base after redshirting last year. Mitch Roman is expected to be a solid defensive presence at shortstop this year at WSU after transferring from Sinclair Community College.
“Last year, we had zero depth,” Lovelady said. We had our starting nine and that was really it. We had two infielders go down with a broken hand and a rolled ankle that really was disastrous for our depth. And then with Mark tearing his hamstring, we lost three guys in the first weekend… As of right now, we’re more prepared to give guys days off.”
