Baseball sets sights on successful campaign

Muskingum, under the guidance of veteran Head Coach Gregg Thompson, is looking to improve and build success in the Ohio Athletic Conference in 2019. The Muskies' path to success will be guided by the return of 13 letterwinners.

Leading the way will be the senior All-OAC Honorable Mention Evan Hinds and senior outfielder Ben Van Wey.

Hinds earned his first All-OAC honor in 2018 after posting a 5-3 record with a team-best 3.28 ERA for the Muskies. He fired 68.2 innings en route to notching 46 strikeouts which was tied for most on the squad.

Van Wey hit .287 with 17 RBIs and six doubles. He started 37 games and registered 39 hits and scored 27 runs.

Also returning to aid the Muskie lineup are senior outfielder/catcher Marc Ibarra, senior catcher Michael Pagano, senior infielder Nate Mejia, junior infielder/pitcher Holden Martin and sophomore outfielder Matt Stewart.

Ibarra hit a career-high .269 with 30 RBIs and 10 doubles. Pagano appeared in 37 games, and hit .286 with 20 RBIs and nine doubles. Mejia batted .244 with nine RBIs and three doubles. Martin appeared in 32 games, hitting .258 with 12 RBIs and two home runs. Stewart batted .319 with 24 RBIs, six doubles, and three triples.

Coach Thompson will also have the benefit of a strong first-year class, coupled with veteran returners, to help add depth and talent to the 2019 roster.

Muskingum opens the campaign in Fort Pierce, Florida as they will play seven different teams during its Spring Break trip with the first game being on Sunday, March 3. The Muskies open home play on Wednesday, March 13 against Denison and open OAC play Saturday, March 23 at Wilmington.