FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2008

Southern baseball starts the Darnell Era at Northeastern State this weekend

Joplin, Mo. - A new chapter in Missouri Southern's baseball history begins Saturday when head coach Bryce Darnell leads the Lions to Tahlequah for a season-opening double-header with Northeastern (Okla.) State University's RiverHawks.

Darnell, a 1997 graduate of Missouri Southern and a successful high school coach at Webb City, has replaced Warren Turner, who retired last spring after 31 years at the helm.

Darnell believes the Lions are improved over last year's team that finished 18-32 overall and 11-24 in the MIAA.

"For openers, we have more depth with 37 players on the roster," Darnell said. "Hopefully, we won't have any major injuries during the year, but if we should we have some players who can fill in."

Pitching and defense are two areas Darnell addressed during recruiting and in workouts last fall.

"We were last in the league in defense last year," he said. "Pitching and defense go hand-in-hand. If your defense is good, it will help the pitchers. And, if our pitchers can throw strikes, that will help the defense.

"I believe we're going to be OK offensively. We have some kids who can hit and we have a pretty good mix of left- and right-hand hitters."

Darnell said he expects to start a pair of right-handers on the mound against Northeastern in the two seven-inning contests. Jeff Katchmar, 5-foot-11, 195-pound junior from Thompson, Manitoba, will pitch the noon opener. Ryan Verfurth, 5-11, 180, junior transfer from Crowder College and a native of Billings, Mo., is ticketed to open the second game.

"Everyone else will be available in relief," Darnell added.

Veterans could fill four of the eight positions on the field, excluding pitcher.

Juan Hernandez, junior outfielder from Orlando, Fla., will start in center after batting .331 last season. Matt Mantle, junior from Picher, Ok., has been shifted to the outfield after playing short and third his first two years here. Mantle, who batted .387 last year, will also see action on the mound and could be the Lions' stopper out of the bullpen. Scott Klassen, senior infielder from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, will start at third base after hitting .333 last year.

Either Matt Imrie, junior infielder from Orland Park, Ill., or Cliff Wheeler, senior infielder from Pittsburg, Ks., will start at second base. Imrie is beginning his third season with the Lions while Wheeler joined the team last year after transferring from Mississippi Valley State.

Newcomers fill the other positions on the field. C.J. Matthews, a sophomore transfer from Crowder College, will start behind the plate. He's a native of Green Forest, Ark. Derek Ezell, a junior transfer from Kansas City (Ks.) Community College will open at first base. Either Seneca freshman Skyler Rawlins or sophomore transfer Fernando Lugo will start at shortstop.

The right fielder will be Kenny Hart, a left handed power hitter from the Bronx, N.Y., who transferred from Connors (Ok.) State. Mantle is expected to start in left field, but he could share time with Eric Clark, Webb City junior who transferred from Labette County Community College.

Darnell said the batting order lists Hernandez in the leadoff position, followed by Imrie or Wheeler, Hart, Matthews, Katchmar, Klassen, Mantle or Clark, Ezell and either Rawlins or Lugo.

Northeastern State, coached by Sergio Espinal, brings a 2-2 record into the twin-bill. The RiverHawks swept nationally ranked Central Missouri 8-6 and 9-8 but lost to St. Gregory's 8-6 and to Harding University 3-0. Jacob Lago and Chris Bennett, who picked up the pitching victories over Central Missouri, are expected to start.

Infielder Joel Eusebio leads the RiverHawks with a .636 average. His seven hits include a home run, triple and double. He's driven in three runs and scored four. Infielder Scott Sittel is batting .357, outfielder Kyle Davidson .353 and outfielder Kevin Campbell .333.

The Northeastern roster includes two Grove, Ok., products, junior infielder Sean Bridges and sophomore right-hand pitcher Josh Thorton.