Bruins Baseball Season Preview - Recap '06

The Bellevue University Bruins enter the 2006 season with high expectations once again. After winning the 2005 regular season Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship, the Bruins begin their season with goals of a National Championship. Their 2005 record included 54 wins and 14 losses, finishing the season ranked 14th in the NAIA National poll after being ranked as high as fourth. They have competed in the NAIA College World Series 9 of the past 11 seasons, including a 1995 NAIA National Championship. During Head Coach Mike Evans tenure, the Bruins have won 17 Conference Championships, nine Region Championships, and five Super-Regional Championships to accompany nine NAIA World Series appearances.

The 2006 Bruins squad has 11 returning players headed by All-American Honorable Mention and All-Region players, Scott Madsen (SS) and Joe Evans (2B). JP Lapointe (OF) and Blake Busson (OF) round out the returning position players that received All-Conference honors. Other returning position players are Mike Pratt (C) and Brian Boyer (OF). Bellevue’s returning pitching staff includes starting pitchers Jimmy Wilson (RHP) and Casey Wernke (LHP), relief pitcher Mike McGregor, and red-shirt freshmen Joey Rickard and Adam White. Lapointe (.444, 42 RBI), Busson (.408, 32 SB), Madsen (.379, 36 RBI), and Evans (.341, 33 RBI, 42 SB) will lead a powerful offensive attack that had a .361 team batting average. Mikel McIntyre (OF), Nick Rivera (3B), Dion Parks (1B), and Scott Raterman (DH/UTL), all transfers, will fill in for the loss of four starting positions players.

The team will look to new leaders with the loss of All-American Jess LeCasse and LHP Ron Madej to the Major League Baseball draft. Wernke (4-1, 4.30 ERA, 38 SO, 37.2 IP) and Wilson (9-1, 2.36 ERA, 89 SO, 61 IP) will lead a pitching staff that last year recorded a school record 644 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.78. The staff will include strong senior experience with the additions of Noah Russo (RHP), Brandon Kelley (RHP), and Brian Mayfield. Transfers, Tyler Espland (RHP) and Omaha native Frank Smagacz (LHP), will round out the pitching staff heading into the 2006 season.

The Bruins will play a competitive early season schedule with games against Cumberland University (TN) and Embry-Riddle University (FL), both NAIA World Series Qualifiers, Oklahoma City University 2005 National Champions, and NCAA DII West Virginia Wesleyan University. Bellevue will start their season on February 17 with a double-header against Northwood University in Dallas, Texas. Bellevue will head to Florida for their spring break trip starting on March 6 and will open their conference schedule on March 24 against Park University.

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