Normally a pre-season rank of fourth in the nation would be enough, but it is just the beginning for the 2009 Biola baseball squad who have their sights set on a trip to Lewiston, Idaho for the first time in four years with a roster filled with All-Conference talent.
The Eagles’ 2008 season ended with consecutive losses to Fresno Pacific and Concordia in the region II tournament after a third place Golden State Athletic Conference finish.
However, it is easy to see why the 2009 squad is ranked above any other GSAC school, including back-to-back champion Azusa Pacific.
The Eagles return six starters from last year’s lineup including All-GSAC performers in seniors Hawkins Gebbers, Nick Rotkowitz and David West, who lead a potent lineup filled with experienced upper classmen.
Second baseman Gebbers, a pre-season NAIA All-American, continues to be a force in the NAIA after a 2008 hitting streak that lasted 22 games and ended with a grand slam against California Baptist late in the season. Gebbers’ .426 average paced a lineup that had every single starter hit over .300 as well as three bats off the bench hitting .298 and above.
Included in that starting lineup is junior outfielder Chad Pace, entering his second season with Biola, whose eight homers finished him second on the team only to Gebbers.
Leadoff hitter Chris Foreman, a 2007 All-Conference selection, returns for his senior season after posting an excellent .429 on base percentage and swiping a team high 25 bases in 2008.
The lineup is not the only strength for Biola in ’09, as the bullpen gained a handful of arms prepared to shut down the opposition late in games.
Junior transfer Billy Vopinek comes to the Eagles from Cypress Junior College and may see significant time at first base, but will anchor the bullpen as the Eagles’ closer.
Lefty juniors Adam McNaught and Justin Rodriguez provide head coach John Verhoeven with flexibility late in games to matchup against left-handed hitters, a luxury the Eagles did not have at the end of the 2008 season.
While the only questions about the Eagles are about the pitching staff, it is not because of the quality of arms.
“We are known around the conference as a pitching school,” Verhoeven explained. “So (any doubts about the rotation are) not because we don’t have quality arms, it’s really because a majority of our guys are unproven at the college level.”
Senior Brian Albert returns at the top of the rotation after a solid 9-3 season in 2008 in which he won eight straight decisions to finish the year.
After Albert, much of the rotation is unproven, but junior Mike Frisina and sophomore Calen Pennington will attempt to quell some of those doubts.
“One of the strong points of our team is that we are so senior based,” said Albert. “Right now the rankings don’t mean anything. It’s nice to be recognized but it would be a lot better to finish it at the World Series. We are so old and such a mature team that we should get the job done and win games.”
After hosting Chapman on Thursday the Eagles kick-off the season with a week-long, competitive trip to Hawaii.
