Return to Pointer View home page April 1,  2005

Mission: a second consecutive PL title, NCAAs 

Photos and story by Eric S. Bartelt
SeniorStaff Writer

What can they do for an encore? Army baseball ventured into uncharted territory with a 37-15 record last season, obliterating their previous win total of 26 in 1997.

This season 18 lettermen return to the squad bringing hope that the team can reach even greater heights.

On the eve of beginning their defense of last year’s Patriot League championship, the Black Knights (11-5) roll into Lehigh Saturday with a 10-game winning streak. If they reach their goals of winning the Patriot League championship and making the NCAA Regional once again, it would be the first time in school history that they would achieve those feats in back-to-back seasons.

Army’s success on the diamond has been cultivated from head coach Joe Sottolano’s first recruiting class, who are now seniors, and a couple of blue-chip sophomores that have brought an electric atmosphere to Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field.

“(Our seniors) have done a tremendous job, they’ve been through the growing spurts to where we are now,” Sottolano said. “When they leave here, their ghosts, so to speak, will stay back with these other players. (Their success) is going to mold this program for many years to come.”

The leader of that senior corps is catcher Schuyler Williamson, who adds a blend of power and speed to his natural leadership abilities as a backstop to guide the Black Knights.

Williamson, a preseason All-America candidate at catcher, hit an academy record 12 home runs last year, while adding 18 stolen bases. He has started the season slow this year, but he believes it’s a matter of time before he breaks out.

“I have all the confidence in the world in myself, even though I’m struggling right now,” said Williamson, batting .212 with no homers. “But it doesn’t matter because we’re on a (10)-game winning streak and that’s the way I try to approach things. If I can help this team win, to accomplish our goal of winning two championships in a row, that’s why I come to the ballpark.”

Sottolano likes the dimension that Williamson offers the team as a catcher who can steal and the intangibles of making others around him thrive.

“We’re blessed that he’s with us. Schuyler is a tremendous player,” Sottolano said. “He has the ability to make others around him better and that’s the important thing. He’s not just a good player. Good players are good by themselves, but Schuyler’s a great player because he makes others around him better.”

Williamson, who at times calls his own pitches, has had a hand in making the pitching staff much better. Last year’s squad finished 12th nationally with a 3.44 earned run average. So far through 15 games this year, the pitching staff has produced a 2.95 ERA with six shutouts led by senior Justin Kashner and sophomore Nick Hill.

Kashner (3-1, 0.59) and Hill (4-0, 0.67) have been lights out heading into April’s league play as the two have combined for 64 strikeouts and only seven walks in 57.1 innings pitched.

Pitching is the straw that stirs the drink at West Point, and in addition to Williamson, pitching coach Fritz Hamburg has brought an amazing feel of control to the staff.

“Coach Hamburg and Schuyler have helped me progress a ton, both mechanically and the mental side of the game,” Hill explained. “Pitchers Wes (Bumgardner, 2004 graduate), Kash (Justin Kashner) and Danny (Pluff) taught me so much last year and this year to bring me along and teach me where I’ve gone right or wrong.

“Schuyler is an excellent backstop. (He and) coach (Hamburg) both do their homework on the hitters, so I’m working more against the game rather than the hitters,” Hill added.

Sophomore outfielder/pitcher Milan Dinga is another player who adds an amazing dimension to the team. He features a 94-mph fastball while sharing the closer role with juniors Dan Pluff and Monte Jones, and also leads the team through 15 games with an astonishing .491 batting average.

“(Milan’s) another one of those individuals that every pitch, every swing to him is the most important pitch or swing of the game,” Sottolano said. “Nick Hill, (senior 2nd baseman) Nate Stone and Schuyler are also the same way. Williamson and Stone (who hit .414 last year) are doing extra hitting every day.

“I don’t know if anyone works harder than any of those (four) guys, they’re very passionate about what they do,” added Sottolano, whose taken Army to the NCAA Regional twice since becoming head coach in 2000.

 Sottolano has high aspirations for some of the plebes on this year’s roster. Freshmen designated hitter/catcher Chris Simmons (.264, one home run) and outfielder/pitcher Cole White (2-0, 0.75) have already contributed this season, but for the team to win championships Sottolano says he needs everyone to contribute.

“Our goal is for everyone to progress and get better each and every day we go out and practice,” Sottolano said. “There’s going to be injuries. There’s going to be opportunities and situations where we’ll need to call on specific people, especially when we have pitchers who play other positions and we’ll need different guys to fill the void defensively and contribute out there.”

As Army meets their stiffest competition, Lehigh, in the Patriot League this weekend, Sottolano believes his team has the ability to compete and win another championship. And, more importantly, he believes the team has the character to win.

“If we play the way we’re supposed to play, I think we’ll like what we’ll achieve at the end of the year,” Sottolano said. “The players understand that and if we focus on the thing we can control the most and that’s us, we’ll win.

“If we take care of us then all those other teams will be the ones that have to play catch up,” Sottolano added. “I’m pretty pleased with what we have here as (a team).”