McLean optimistic for ’14 season

It’s a wonder Allen Community College head baseball coach Val McLean hadn’t invested in a batch of antivenom over the last couple of years.
To say Allen was snake-bitten is putting it mildly.
For two straight seasons, the Red Devils lost their top five pitchers for one reason or another.
McLean’s squad lost its starting pitching staff prior to the 2012 campaign after his top five hurlers were signed away shortly before the start of the spring semester by four-year schools.
“Poached,” he described it then.
There were no such issues with universities stealing Allen’s pitchers last spring, for an equally distressing reason.
“They were all injured.”
McLean’s decimated staff of leftovers averaged more than 7 walks per game in 2013 as the Red Devils limped home with a 10-35 record.
What a difference a year makes, although McLean still was holding his breath as recently as the semester break.
“None of our top three pitchers threw a single inning in the fall,” McLean said. “But they’re all healthy now.”
The rebuilt pitching staff leaves McLean optimistic Allen can return to the upper echelons of the rugged Jayhawk Conference. The new season begins this afternoon with a doubleheader against Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock.
“I’m much more comfortable about where this team is now than I was last year at this time,” McLean said.
The three front-line starters are headlined by J.D. Prochaska, a sophomore left-hander out of Lawrence. Prochaska was among the injured pitchers forced out of action last season.
“J.D. has done a great job after he underwent Tommy John surgery,” McLean said.
Prochaska throws in the 89-91 range, “and he has good command of all his pitches,” McLean said.
Another left-hander, Independence, Mo., freshman Derek Pike, offers pinpoint control of three pitches, McLean said.
Lest the opponents get too comfortable facing southpaws, Allen’s third starter is right-hander Trever Kreifel, a 6-2, 210-pound freshman out of Nebraska City, Neb.
“He’s more of a power type pitcher,” McLean said. “His pitches will top out between 86 and 89.”
Rounding out the staff are Kansas City, Mo.’s, Zach Maskill and Newton’s Keil Stauffer.
“They both have shown a lot of promise already,” McLean said. “One of our challenges is all of our starting pitchers are freshmen” except for Prochaska, who hasn’t pitched at the college level yet because of his elbow injury. “We’ll be inexperienced for a while until things settle down.”
Supplementing the pitching staff is a four-man relief corps of Bryan Enriquez, Geoffrey Borque, Chris McPherson and Chase Cunningham.
“The thing about this group is all throw strikes,” McLean said, “and they’re all competitive.”

A NUMBER of familiar faces fill the Red Devil lineup.
Sophomore catcher and Iola native Drew Walden will split time at the backstop with Austin Griffin, freshman, Rogers, Ark.
“One will catch the first game of a doubleheader,” McLean said. “The other will catch the second. Both are very strong defensively. They’ve shown a lot of promise with the bat, too.”
Another former Iola High standout, Levi Ashmore, will bat leadoff and play shortstop. The all-state performer in high school “is a very good all-around player, offensively and defensively,” McLean said. “He’ll have the green light to run all season long.”
Iola sophomore Clint Heffern will back up Kyle Foster at second base.
“Kyle is a good, complete player,” McLean said. While not a prototypical power hitter, Foster swings the bat well, can drive the ball, and will bat cleanup.
Heffern will see plenty of playing time late in games as a defensive replacement.
“He’s such as good defender that we want to get him plenty of time,” McLean said. “I can see us inserting Clint in games when we’re protecting a one- or two-run lead.”
When Kreifel isn’t pitching, he’ll be Allen’s starting first baseman.
“He’s a big guy with plenty of power,” McLean said. “He makes a big target at first, too.”
Trey Francis, sophomore, Manhattan, will man third base and pitch as the Red Devils’ closer, when necessary.
“Trey’s a complete ball player,” McLean said. “He didn’t pitch at all for us last season.”
Cole Slusser was a spot starter for the Red Devils in 2013. The Topeka sophomore will play left field.
“He’s improved quite a bit from last season in all aspects of his game,” McLean said. “He’s one of our top speed guys, too.”
Sean Maruo, freshman, Wichita, brings good speed and a powerful arm to center field. Ryne Martinez, freshman, Topeka, transferred to ACC from Texas at the semester break. He’ll play right.
Chase Eggleston will start as Allen’s designated hitter. He’ll be backed up by Jake Waters, freshman, Kansas City, Kan.

HELPING with the Red Devils this season is first year assistant coach Jake Kraft, an all-conference player for the Red Devils. Prior to his coaching stint, Kraft was the head freshman coach at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City. He will coach Allen’s pitchers and catchers.
“Jake brings a lot of enthusiasm to the team,” McLean said. “The kids already have responded well to him.”
Allen’s home schedule begins Feb. 24 against Oklahoma Wesleyan.
McLean notes the Jayhawk Conference sports some of the most talented junior college teams in the country.
“Cowley’s going to be good, Neosho’s going to be good,” he said. “Coffeyville should have a good team. I really don’t see a lot of difference this year between the first place team and the last place team. It’s going to be a dogfight every time out.”