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Experience to be key for UD baseball

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By Doug Harris, Staff Writer 12:51 AM Thursday, February 9, 2012

A mild winter has allowed University of Dayton baseball coach Tony Vittorio to hold outdoor workouts at a time when the team is normally cooped up indoors.

He just wishes he could have started a little earlier.

Because of a change two years ago in UD’s academic calendar, students have been given more time off over the winter holidays. The NCAA doesn’t permit coaches to hold workouts unless school is in session, and Vittorio and his staff had to push the start of their individual instruction from early January to the middle of the month.

“It’s just a long break,” Vittorio said. “Heck, we miss the guys when they’re gone that long, and I’m sure they miss being a college student for five weeks.

“But I don’t think we missed a beat there. ... Last year we had great leadership, and this year we do, too. That’s huge to trust 18- to 22-year-olds to get better when they’re not before your eyes. I feel this is the best senior class we’ve had not only from a baseball standpoint but from a leadership and confidence standpoint, too.”

The Flyers, who begin the season with a three-game swing Feb. 17-19 in Spartanburg, S.C., have plenty of reasons to be so eager for the opener. Although they’ve lost catcher Danny Welch (who signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics) and lefty pitcher Cameron Hobson (a Seattle Mariners draftee), the Flyers return virtually every other key player from a team that went 32-27 overall and finished third at 15-9 in the Atlantic 10.

Senior Burny Mitchem (8-2, 2.07 ERA) leads one of the league’s top starting staffs, which also includes classmates Tim Bury (4-2, 3.23) and Mike Hauschild (9-7, 3.59).

The Flyers finished second nationally last season in walks per nine innings at 2.05.

Shortstop Brian Blasik, who hit .359, was a first-team all-conference pick, while first baseman C.J. Gillman (.378) was a second-team selection.

Outfielders Mike Coughlin (.311) and Bobby Glover (.306) also swing potent bats. Gillman led the team with 41 RBIs, while outfielder Zach Stewart, a Wayne High School graduate, was second with 39.

Vittorio said Gillman “should have been maybe the (A-10) player of the year last year. He has that type of ability.”

UD also was seventh nationally in steals in 2011 with 121.

Pegged to finished third in the A-10 preseason poll (behind favorite Charlotte and second pick Rhode Island), the Flyers are still chasing their first NCAA tournament berth and can get there by winning the league tourney, a feat that has eluded them.

“Our motto is to expect to win it. That’s the next step for our program,” said Vittorio, who is in his 13th year.

“I think we fell a little short last year because we didn’t have enough on the mound. We had a really good team. But I don’t think we had a lot of depth on the mound. Going into this year, our strength is our experience. ... Coming off a 32-win season and third-place finish, with a lot of experience back, obviously I feel real good about this year’s team.”

Wright back: The Golden State Warriors have recalled forward Chris Wright from the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League. The former UD star appeared in three games with the Wizards, averaging 20.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.33 blocks.

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