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Pilots #14 pre-season;
find stride mid-March

Click here for the 2006 Pilots baseball Roster

The 2006 edition of the LSUS Pilots baseball team was (NAIA) No. 14 in the pre-season poll, but struggled early and dropped off the NAIA’s chart in the first regular season poll.

In mid-March, however, the Pilots found their stride (18-8), returned to their No. 14 national ranking and found themselves on top of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (8-3) after taking two of three from the then-No. 11-ranked Belhaven College Blazers in Jackson, Miss. In “games back,” the Pilots and Blazers (20-9, 10-5) were tied for the conference lead, but the Pilots held the percentage lead.

The Pilots took the No. 14 pre-season ranking into the 2006 campaign on the strength of collecting a 43-21 overall record in 2005 and bowing out in the Region XIII championship game in front of a capacity crowd at Pilots Field to the Lee University Flames.

Head Coach Rocke Musgraves quickly began preparing for the 2006 season. Graduating just four seniors, the core of the 2005 GCAC Regular Season Championship club has returned for what Musgraves believed in his pre-season assessment of the team could be the best season ever.

“We lost four seniors last year who were big contributors to our success,” Musgraves said, “but we have developed a lot of young arms and hitters over the past couple years who are ready to step up and fill those spots.”

The Pilots will look to senior right-hander Tyler Lewis and junior left-hander Kevin Jewell to carry the bulk of the load on the mound in 2006.

While the Pilots are confident in their pitching staff they have assembled for the 2006 season, the Pilot offense has potential to put up some very impressive numbers at the plate. Dustin Bissonnette returns for his senior year after being selected the GCAC Player of the Year in 2005 and eclipsing the LSUS All-Time single season hit record with 99 base hits en route to a team leading .444 batting average.

The Pilots are also excited about the return of home run and RBI leader Dusty Maddox. The starting center fielder belted 11 home runs and 65 RBI in 2005 and was selected to the First Team All-GCAC and Region XIII lists.

The Pilots will also introduce Tyler Williams to the GCAC. The 6’0 senior right fielder from the University of Missouri will solidify the Pilot outfield as well as hit in the middle of the lineup with his Big 12 experience and skills.

“I think our schedule shows that we are ready to play any team, anywhere and expect to be highly competitive against those teams,” Musgraves said in looking at the 2006 season. “That type of attitude carries over to your players which you hope prepares you for a successful postseason. I believe we are deserving of the No.14 ranking but we will have to prove it on the field.”