BABSON PARK, Fla. – Baseball season is almost here, and the Warriors Baseball program has been training in the offseason for a while now. They started to prepare for the 2012 season on January 16, 2012, and they will open their season versus a Crooked Lake Rival, Warner University, in a double-header on Saturday January 28, 2012 at 12 pm.

The Warriors finished their 2011 season with a 30-26 record and 13-14 record in The Sun Conference where they tied Warner University and University of South Carolina Beaufort for the fifth place, and with The Sun Conference tiebreaker rules, Webber took the fifth seed in the conference tournament. The tournament was a double elimination, their first loss came to St. Thomas University (1-4), then they were eliminated by USCB with a 3-8 score.

Warriors' 2011team rankings for the NAIA were:

• Ranks Number 11 in Division I in Putouts per Game (25.554)
• Ranks Number 12 in Division I in Innings Pitched per Game (8.518)
• Ranks Number 16 in Division I in Steal Attempts per Game (2.732)
• Ranks Number 16 in Division I in Total Stolen Bases (121)
• Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Caught Stealing (32)
• Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Stolen Bases per Game (2.161)
• Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Innings Pitched (477.000)
• Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Putouts (1431)
• Ranks Number 19 in Division I in Chances per Game (36.607)
• Ranks Number 20 in Division I in Total Chances (2050)
• Ranks Number 22 in Division I in Caught Stealing per Game (0.571)
• Ranks Number 25 in Division I in Fielding Pct. (0.961)
• Ranks Number 31 in Division I in Opp Batting Average (0.258)
• Ranks Number 31 in Division I in Earned Run Average (3.830)
• Ranks Number 31 in Division I in Total Assists (540)
• Ranks Number 33 in Division I in Total At Bats (1765)
• Ranks Number 39 in Division I in At Bats per Game (31.518)
• Ranks Number 40 in Division I in Total Batters Struck Out (343)

Warriors' 2011 individual rankings for the NAIA were:

• Longbrake Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Fielding Pct. (1.000)
• Ovens Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Fielding Pct. (1.000)
• Lane Ranks Number 17 in Division I in Total Innings Pitched (101.100)
• Mathis Ranks Number 21 in Division I in Total Assists (158)
• Mathis Ranks Number 26 in Division I in Assists per Game (2.926)
• O'Gara Ranks Number 29 in Division I in Total Innings Pitched (94.000)
• Goldstein Ranks Number 43 in Division I in Chances per Game (7.700)
• Lane Ranks Number 43 in Division I in Innings Pitched per Game (6.333)
• Lane Ranks Number 44 in Division I in Hits Allowed per 9 (7.11)
• O'Gara Ranks Number 44 in Division I in Total Batters Struck Out (81)
• Goldstein Ranks Number 47 in Division I in Total Chances (385)
• Ovens Ranks Number 49 in Division I in Hits per Game (1.404)
• Ovens Ranks Number 50 in Division I in Doubles per Game (0.340)

The offseason workouts went well, and the coaches were pleased the level of conditioning they have. Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, Steve Rassel, MBA, CSCS, stated, “Each year the workouts got continuously better the 3 years I have been here, and this year is no different.” “The guys worked really hard in and out of the weight room, getting stronger and faster each day,” noted coach Rassel. He also noted that the players continue to work hard, even into the start of the season, and he is excited to see them play this 2012 season.

Notable loss from the 2011 season was catcher, Nate Goldstein. He was ranked number 43 in Division I in Chances per Game (7.700), and ranked number 47 in Division I in Total Chances (385).

Key returners for the 2012 season are the top 3 pitchers (Sophomore Rob Lane, Sophomore Ryan O'Gara, Senior Chaz Abeln), all the infielder, and the three outfielders.

Chaz Abeln played in 11 games and had a 3.49 ERA with a 2-3 win-loss record. Ryan O'Gara played in 16 games with a 3.54 ERA with a 5-6 win-loss record. Rob Lane played in 16 games and had 2.49 ERA with a 6-4 win-loss record. Hunter Ovens was one of the leaders for Webber with a .384 average, .564 slg%, where he was 172 times at bat, had 66 hits and 34 runs.

The Warriors played 56 games and their batting average as a team was .278 and .334 slg%, they were 1765 times at bat, and had 262 runs. Their opponents' batting average was .260 and .327 slg%, they were 1795 times at bat and had 233 runs. The Warriors stole 121 out of 153 bases (.791), to 45 out of 81 bases (.556) for their opponents.

The expectations are high for the 2012 WIU baseball team with 8 seniors returning. Webber has also acquired new pitchers, who will be competing with the returning pitchers and they will be pushing the returners to reach a higher level every practice, which will transfer to the games.

Head Baseball Coach, Brad Niethammer, stated, “Potential is there to have a great season. Everything looks good on paper; we just have to see if we get it done on the field.”

Visit www.webberathletics.com for up-to-date information and game recaps.