2007 St. Bede baseball preview

Members of the St. Bede Bruins baseball team include (front row, from left) Joey Puhr, Cole Johns, Andy Bellino, Corey Turinetti and Jordan Jereb; (second row) Ty Potthoff, Luke Willand, Jim Polster, Kevin Millner, Noah Emmerling and Marty Zemanek; (back row) Eric Safranski, Mark Pyszka, Jordan Jereb, and Adam Emmerling. Missing is Tyler Duffel. (BCR photo/Brad Martin)

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SPRING VALLEY — The good news is the St. Bede baseball team had three guys hitting .385 or higher last year. The bad news is all three have graduated from the Academy.

John Bellino, who enters his 28th season at the Bruins helm with 497 career wins, welcomes 17 players to his varsity squad this season, but also a host of inexperience as well.

“Well, we don’t have a lot of experience from last year, that’s for sure,” Bellino said. “We do have two players in Adam Emmerling and Jimmy Polster who played a lot last year and Ty Potthoff who pitched a lot for us as well, but we’re going to be very young at the plate.”

With one gym, and events going on at the Academy, the Bruins have had limited time outside, more so than usual.

“Well, with the new bleachers and the ground outside we haven’t really been able to push the kids much,” Bellino said. “That’s really not a lot different from most years, though. Even though Adam (Emmerling) has experience, he won’t be able to pitch because of his knee injury in football, and right now we’re not sure how he’ll fit in, either.”

Emmerling batted .291 in 2006 and will look to step up in his senior year to lead the young squad, along with Polster.

Polster hit .326 last season, with four doubles, three triples and 12 stolen bases. Polster, who on Wednesday signed to play baseball at Rockford College, will also look to lead his young teammates to a successful season.

Also, back for the Bruins, this season, is Noah Emmer-ling, who manned the plate for St. Bede and batted .344. Noah Emmerling will likely split time at catcher, in 2007, with junior Marty Zemanek.

One thing that will be an improvement for the Bruins is the depth at pitching. Aside from Potthoff stepping up to pitch will be Tyler Duffel, Mark Pyszka, Eric Safranski and Kevin Milner.

“Mark (Pyszka) and Eric (Safranski) got some time on the mound last year and will probably see more time than others this year because they’ll be working out of the bullpen,” Bellino said. “Tyler Duffel has a good arm and will start, but we have to see how he progresses and comes along as the year goes along. Kevin Milner also volunteered to pitch when Adam Emmer-ling went down, and has a good arm, but we just have to teach him how to pitch.”

Also on the Bruins roster is Joey Puhr, Cole Johns, Andy Bellino, Corey Turinetti, Jordan Jereb, Luke Willand and Jordan Ebener.

The young Bruins’ bats will get tested right off the bat when facing rival L-P Friday, in their season opener, as one of the Cavs’ strengths is pitching.