Quality opponents to prerpare Grizzliess

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By Bryan Ault, March 18, 2010

“We’re excited,” head coach Lance Marshall said. “It’s a good opportunity to play some really good teams.”

 

Senior Paul Strack agrees.

 

“We play some good competition this weekend,” Strack said. “We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

 

“As long as we work as a team, we’ll get a couple of wins,” senior Michael Duncan said. “Our preparation is our strength. Our team unity is a strength.”

 

Concordia advanced to the NCAA Mid-East regional in 2009. Webster won the St. Louis Conference and 24-straight games in 2009.

 

Concordia and Webster are opponents the Grizzlies don’t face on a regular basis.

 

“They don’t play us very often,” Strack said. “We go in not knowing about them just like they go in not knowing about us.”

 

“[They have] good players and good coaching,” Marshall said. “Both of their histories show really strong programs.”

 

The Grizzlies are coming off back-to-back victories against No. 11 Adrian College and DePauw University. 

 

“We think we can play with anybody,” Marshall said. “We just have to prove it on a daily basis.”

 

The Grizzlies are 4-3.

 

“It’s about where we thought it would be,” Marshall said. “We have a lot of new faces to the program. Guys are picking stuff up. It’s a very challenging sport in that you’re not on the field prior to your first two games. You really have to learn a lot about your team on the field.  We’re learning. We’re young, but we’re improving.”

 

“There’s definitely room for improvement,” Duncan said. “If we keep working, we will still get the results we want.”

 

Strack agrees.

 

“There are parts of our game that we need to tighten up, but I’m confident that we will get there,” Strack said.

 

Jordan Klinedinst leads the Grizzlies with a .533 batting average with eight hits. Senior Ian Sanders leads team in hits with 10 while Alex Boone has a team-high nine RBIs. Boone also has two home runs. Luke Mehringer leads the team in strikeouts with 18 after 20 innings pitched.

 

Concordia is 8-1 overall. Zach Tropp leads the team in batting average with .441 after 34 at bats. Pitcher Ryan Thorsen is 2-0 and has not allowed any runs. Through nine games, Concordia has recorded total 111 hits, including 32 doubles, five triples and three home runs.

 

Webster is 1-0. In their 2-1 victory over Benedictine University, Victor Valdes leads the team with a .750 batting average. Pitcher David Mueller allowed just one run in the win. In their season opener, Webster recorded six hits, including two doubles and a triple.

Franklin plays Webster Friday at 7 p.m. and Concordia Saturday at 1 p.m.