Baseball Begins Fall Preparations

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Coming off a trip to the 2008 Big 12 Championship title game, the Kansas State baseball team will begin fall practices on Monday in preparation for the 2009 baseball season.

K-State will conduct 28 practices over the next five weeks, followed by a seven-game Fall World Series, which runs Monday, Oct. 27 through Tuesday, Nov. 4.

K-State will use the fall as a time to acclimate 19 newcomers – including 15 true freshmen – to Division I baseball. The Wildcats’ incoming class was ranked 27th in the nation during the spring by Perfect Game Crosschecker.

Kansas State returns 16 players from last year’s squad that went 29-29 overall. Of the 16 returners, six seniors – Drew Biery, Jordan Cruz, Lance Hoge, Rob Vaughn, Todd Vogel and Dane Yelovich – each received extensive playing time in 2008 and look to lead K-State in the 2009 season.

The Wildcats will welcome back six position players in Vaughn (catcher), Justin Bloxom (infield), Biery (infield), Adam Muenster (outfield), Yelovich (outfield) and Jason King (outfield). Three pitchers that collected at least one start in 2008 – A.J. Morris, Hoge and Vogel – will also be back for 2009, while relief pitchers Thomas Rooke and Justin Lindsey return for their sophomore seasons.

Head coach Brad Hill enters his sixth year at the helm of the Wildcats and holds a record of 150-180-2 in Manhattan and 568-219-2 overall. Pitching coach Sean McCann also returns for his sixth season, while K-State welcomes new hitting coach Andy Sawyers.