2008 LSUS Baseball Outlook
January 14, 2008
Shreveport, La. - The LSUS baseball team hit the field last week with hopes of another championship season as preparation for the 2008 season begins.
With the return of two position player starters, several quality pitchers and a highly rated 14-member recruiting class, the Pilots will look to improve on their 40-15 record from last year, which included a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament championship.
Preseason #11, LSUS Baseball Outlook
Coach: Rocke Musgraves (309-191 with the Pilots)
2007 Record: 40-15
2007 Finish: Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament champions
Top Returnees: OF Quenton Shamsabady (.340, 1 HR, 1 3B, 6 2B, 18 RBI); DH Bryan Stebbings (.319, 1 HR, 9 2B, 34 RBI); 2B Andrew Blubaugh (.271, 3 2B, 1 3B, 18 RBI); IF Jeff Ledet (.268, 2 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBI); OF Ricky Sanders (.262, 2 3B, 2 2B, 5 RBI); RHP Victor Hernandez (1-0, 3.28 ERA, 24 IP, 14 K, 8 BB); RHP JV Lafitte ('06 Stats: 4-2, 3.79 ERA, 57 IP, 57 K, 29 BB)
Top Newcomers: 1B/DH Craig Barnes, Louisiana-Monroe transfer; OF Brandon Bravata, Delta State transfer; 1B Jeffrey Garidel, LSU transfer; RHP Cody Lott, Navarro CC; RHP Richard Pharr, Southeastern Louisiana transfer; SS Robert Pharr, Southern Arkansas transfer
Key Players Lost: RHP Matt Clayman, 3B Bryan Cooksey, OF Chris Frye, LHP Kevin Jewell, SS Brandon Magierowski, OF Colin Moro, RHP Daniel Welch
2008 Outlook: The Pilots posted a school-best 40-15 record last season, and were the 2007 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament winner. A couple of position player starters are back along with several quality pitchers, including RHP JV Lafitte who returns after sitting out the 2007 season following Tommy John's surgery.
A superb recruiting class that features 14 players was also brought in to supplement the returners. "We have a lot of new faces who are extremely talented," said head coach Rocke Musgraves. "We have to do a good job of combining the new with the old in order to be successful this season."
Although the Pilots lost several key players off of last year's team that won the GCAC tournament title, high expectations still surround the program for the 2008 season. The Pilots enter 2008 with a #11 NAIA preseason rating.
