Wildcat Baseball

He's Back!

March 25, 2002
Catcher Dave Vincent finally turned up at the 'Cats game against Kettering Sunday. Vincent disappeared midway through the team's Spring Break road trip to California.

"What can I say, California was fun," Vincent said. "I didn't feel like coming back, so I kind of hung out in LA for a while before heading to Phoenix. ...

Conference Play Starts

March 18, 2002
The Wildcats are 6-8 in overall competition, but 0-0 where it counts, in conference. NMU opens the conference portion of the 2002 season with a trip to Flint to play conference newcomer Kettering.

"We've seen them before," Manager Rob Preseau said. "All the teams in the conference have scheduled at least a few games against them and Bay de Noc in the past few years in anticipation of them joining, so there is nothing that will surprise us about them." ...

Tom Bates Appreciation Game

March 12, 2002
The NMU Wildcats took a moment before todays game against Alaska Anchorage to recognize former player Tom Bates. The utility man was taken into custody following the team's road trip to Alaska last year. Bates has been arraigned and is serving the first year of a two year sentence in Yukon Territorial jail for assaulting a Mountie.

Bates was convicted last summer of exposing himself to a bear as the team bus stopped for gas a few miles from the Alaska border. As a Wildlife officer instructed him to cover himself, he struck the man, allegedly verbally assaulting him with ...

Road Trips, Snow Days, and Missing Players

March 9, 2002
The exhibition game scheduled for Friday in Madison, Wisconsin against the Division I Wisconsin Badgers was cancelled due to snowfall. It is the first weather cancellation the 'Cats have had since 1997 when snow put a halt to a double header at Michigan Tech. The game will likely not be rescheduled due to Wisconsin's busy Big Ten schedule. NMU hopes to put UW Madison on the schedule next year. ...

The Britt Era begins

February 4, 2002
The Jeremiah Britt Era has begun at shortstop for the Northern Michigan University baseball team. Britt, the freshman shortstop from Lapeer, MI turned more than a few heads at a winter workout recently at Beef-A-Roo Field. Britt credits his brilliance to his summer workout regimen at a trailer park in Poughipsie, NY.

"There were a lot of ruffians about," Britt remembers. "They threw rocks at me and I tried to keep the rocks in front of me and throw them at a guy standing off to my left with a large glove. It really helped me prepare for life as an infielder." ...

'Cats welcome new players

January 13, 2002
The NMU baseball team has added several new players for the upcoming 2002 season. Jeremiah Britt is an outfielder from Lapeer with great speed. He can also be inserted as a catcher if needed. "He should add to our base stealing threat," Manager Rob Preseau said. "He is fast, and never tires."

Jamie Cairns is an infielder from Menominee with great range and an adequate bat. "We may not have a true first baseman next year with the graduation of Ken Kwarciany, ...

2002 Season Preview

Posted: January 13, 2002
NMU won a conference title in 2001, so all the teams in the GLIAC will be aiming for them. Again, it looks like Rob Preseau's team will rely on pitching and defense, along with a lot of speed on the bases. The pitching rotation is strong. Although C. W. Mayher and Jim Pool have moved on, the 'Cats return Josh Pifke who hopes to have a Sophomore season as good as his first year in green and gold.

Chris Bing and Kris Koester also return to the starting rotation and newcomers Alexandre Kavelenkovich, Brian Salisbury, and Greg can make an immediate impact. Dave Peck will step in as closer, though the brief experiment of double duty as closer and DH will not be continued in 2002. Middle Relievers Vinnie Davidson and Will Phillips saw limited action last season, but may have to take on a larger role with a somewhat weakened starting rotation.

The only infielder that knows where he will play this year is Eric Ingles. The second baseman who became the spiritual leader of the "Error-Free Infield" will return for his final season. Elsewhere almost anyone can and will step in. Justin Young and Clay Roth both saw substantial playing time in 2001 and should be able to step in and start, likely with Young at first base and Roth at third.

Veteran Sean Belotte and newcomer Jamie Cairns may compete for the spot at shortstop, but the real surprise during early workouts has been Jeremiah Britt. The freshman was expected to take on a limited role as a utility player this year, but has shown flashes of defensive brilliance at shortstop and a better than average bat.

In the outfield the one-two punch of the Wislocki brothers is back, with James Haas now securely entrenched in right field. Newcomers Matt Honold and Carson Rizor have shown the speed it takes to patrol the spacious outfield of Beef-A-Roo Field.