West Chester prepared to open title defense on Friday

By ANDREW THAYER | Contributing Writer

@AndrewThayerTU

After winning the Division II National Championship in 2012, expectations for the West Chester Golden Rams baseball team are understandably high entering Friday's season opener.  

Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s annual NCAA D-II Preseason poll had the Golden Rams ranked No. 1 in the country after their 2012 title run.  

However, West Chester head coach Jad Prachniak does not want his team to take too much notice of the preseason hype.

“We’ll talk about [the polls] directly with [the players] and I reference where we are depending on the polls and basically how insignificant those polls are,” Prachniak said.  “Last year we had a different team and a different set of challenges.”

West Chester returns a legitimate ace and weekend conference starter in junior Joe Gunkle.  The six-foot-six-inch right-hander started 12 games for the Golden Rams in 2012, finishing 10-1 with a 2.07 ERA. He capped off his stellar season by tossing shutout in the championship game against Delta State.    

“He is the true definition of an ace," Prachniak said. "He is very reliable and to have that guy start your weekend game one and just know that you probably won’t have to go to your bullpen, and he usually gives you a very consistent outing.” 

Junior right-handers Fred Breidenbach, who won nine games last year, and Matt McAllister are also expected to be in the starting rotation.  In the bullpen junior Kyle Weary will return as the closer after saving six games and recording a 2.20 ERA in 2012.  

Offensively, West Chester will have to find a way to replace the production of Joe Wendle, Jack Provine and Reid Pulford, all lost to graduation.

Jordan Wlodarczyk returns as the Golden Rams' primary offensive threat after hitting .348 with 32 RBI’s in 2012.   

“It was good to be in the middle of the lineup [last year]," Wlodarczyk said. "I think our lineup was good one through nine last year and I think that it should be again this year."

Despite the new-look offense, the goal remains the same for the Golden Rams.

“What we want to do is get back to North Carolina," said Wlodarczyk. "We are really deep in our pitching this year.  Pitching and defense is what wins and I think that our defense is going to be just as good as last year.  Our goal is going to North Carolina once again."

West Chester opens the season on Friday with a three-game set in Greenwood, S.C. against Lander University.

- Andrew Thayer is a journalism major at Temple University. Pictures courtesy of West Chester athletics and Scott Rowan.