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With season set to begin, Nevada Griffons hope to repeat last summer's success
By Jason Peake
Daily Mail Sports Editor
NEVADA -- After a stellar 2011 season ended on a national stage, Ryan Mansfield is hoping for an encore performance in 2012.
Mansfield led the Nevada Griffons summer collegiate baseball team to a third place finish at the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita last August. The team also won the South Division of the MINK League a summer ago.
"We did pretty well last year," Mansfield said Thursday. "I think it was the most successful season the Griffons have had in 10 or 11 years. I wish I could take all the credit, but it's the players."
And with 10 returning contributors from last year's group, Mansfield has the goals set high this summer.
"In my time here, that's the most we've ever had returning," the fifth-year coach said. "I think that's a good sign. I do have high expectations. I think the returning kids do, too.
"Every summer is a different summer, though," he continued. "Yes, we were very successful last summer, but this is a new summer. 2011 is done and over with. But we got close enough to the championship game that we know it is possible. I'd love to be there this year. That's the goal."
Pitching staff
The Griffons have four returning pitchers on this year's roster.
Lefty Steve Kuligowski (6-0, 170) started nine games on the mound last year and finished the regular season with a 1.46 ERA with 46 strikeouts for the Griffons in '11. Kuligowski is a recent grad of North Park University and is expected to return to Nevada this summer.
"He has very good stuff on the mound," Mansfield said. "I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he shows up."
Nevada grad Ron Johnson (6-0, 208, RHP) is back with the Griffons this summer. He is a member of the team at William Jewell. Johnson threw out of the bullpen last summer.
"He got better as the season went on," Mansfield noted.
Mansfield expects Johnson to be a relief pitcher or possibly a closer this summer.
Laurent Zenoni (6-0, 180, RHP) is another returning pitcher.
"He throws a lot of strikes and has a good slider," Mansfield said. "And he's always pretty jacked up about baseball."
Zenoni (Tulsa, Okla.) plays for Drury and will likely be a relief pitcher.
Chris Mullins (6-2, 180, LHP) of Fort Scott CC should return after joining the team at the mid-season point last summer. Mullins (Oklahoma City) will likely pitch out of the bullpen, as well.
Mansfield expects a lot of newcomers to round out the pitching staff. He added he'll have at least 12 to 14 pitchers on the roster this summer.
Position players
Six position players return this summer after making nice contributions a year ago.
"I've never had this many position players returning before, so I'm interested to see how that works out," Mansfield commented.
As far as middle infielders, Stuart Jeck (Pittsburg, Kan., Fort Scott CC) will return for the Griffons. Now playing at West Virginia, Jeck had 24 hits in 24 games last season and hit .267 during the regular season.
AJ Krist is a returning corner infielder. A recent graduate of Grand View, Krist (West Des Moines, Iowa) batted .333, with 37 hits and 22 RBIs last season for Nevada.
"He did very well for us last year," Mansfield said, adding that Krist can play third, first or DH. "He's another player that's graduated and looking to get signed."
Josh Samuelson (Omaha, Neb.) also returns after playing third and first last year. Samuelson also pitched at times for Rockhurst this past spring. A season ago, Samuelson batted .310 with 36 hits for the Griffons.
Rick Hepworth (Round Rock, Tex.) returns as a first baseman and DH. At 6-7 and 245 pounds, the imposing Hepworth batted .299 last season and hit four home runs.
As far as outfielders, Brad Wilson (Jefferson City) returns after batting .358 with 34 hits last summer. Wilson, who plays for Central Missouri, can play any of the outfield spots.
"He's a very hard-nosed player," Mansfield said. "He's one of those guys you're glad he's on your team. He goes all out."
MJ Sartin (Hamburg, Ark) is another outfielder. He is a recent grad of Missouri Southern. Sartin played for the Griffons in 2010 and is back with the team.
There are no returning catchers this year.
Mansfield noted the group of returners should be key performers.
"Offensively, I'm comfortable with what we've got back," Mansfield said. "And pitching-wise, I'm pretty excited to see what we have. A lot of the guys we've signed put up a lot of good numbers in school. How that translates to summer-collegiate ball is always a crapshoot."
Newcomers
A large group of newcomers is expected to arrive in town this weekend.
"We'll have a lot of first-year guys," Mansfield said. "We'll see Saturday."
(Some of the roster spots are not yet confirmed, so those names are unavailable.)
MINK League
Mansfield said it's hard to tell at this point who the preseason favorites in the MINK League are. St. Joseph could have 14 returning players this season, and along with Nevada, could be a top program.
Season set to begin
The Griffons will host the Midwest Nationals on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
"It's basically an exhibition," Mansfield noted, adding he'll use as many players as possible.
MINK League action begins on June 1 and June 2 when the Griffons host Ozark.
The coaching staff
Entering his fifth year as Head Coach, Mansfield is now coaching at Central Methodist in Fayette, Mo. An Arizona native, Mansfield graduated from William Woods and spent several years as an assistant coach at Fort Scott CC.
Mansfield will be assisted by Justin Parrish and Justin Sumner this summer.
A pitching coach, Parrish is on the staff at Valley City State University in North Dakota. Sumner, a Rich Hill native, will work with the infielders and hitters. He's on the staff at Lawson State.