Oct. 28, 2009

Cullowhee, N.C. - As Major League baseball opens its annual Fall Classic between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies, the Western Carolina Catamount baseball team continues a series of its own. WCU will hold game two of its intra-squad World Series scrimmages on Wednesday night at 9:30 pm as a part of fall practice.

The NCAA regulates a period of 45 days in which the team can have up to 30 practice dates during the off-season. Head coach Bobby Moranda and staff, which began the fall working through individual work-outs with players, opened official fall practice in late September. However, consistent rain throughout the fall has delayed practices and forced the team to move sessions.

The Catamounts, which lost a combined 11 players from last year's 35-20 squad due to graduation, the MLB Draft and two transfers, have spent the majority of the fall establishing a roster and defining individual roles to enter the 2010 season.

The 2010 Catamounts will return seven players that started 21-or-more games a season ago, including reigning Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, second baseman Ross Heffley. The Snellville, Ga., native, who spent the summer playing in the prestigious Cape Cod League, is WCU's top returner at the plate after hitting .391 with 18 doubles, four homers and 51 RBI in his rookie season.

Stephen Notaro, who led the squad with a career-best 13 home runs a year ago, headlines a combined six senior position players for Moranda's squad. The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native legged out 10 doubles with 13 home runs after starting 42 of his 48 games played behind the plate. He is joined by classmates Trevor Collias, Dylan de Graaf and Rembert Rollison in the outfield, with Tyler Kirkpatrick along the infield and catching counterpart, Russell Robertson.

The pitching rotation is headlined by a pair of seniors in Jason Sullivan and Daniel Ottone, while sophomore Kyle Stewart is expected to see his role increase after starting in seven of his 12 appearances a season ago. Reliever Brandon Johnson also figures to have an increased role as a set-up man for the Catamount staff.

Divided into two squads - Purple and Gold - the Catamount baseball team opened its annual Fall World Series last Sunday (Oct. 25) at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium, on-campus in Cullowhee. The event is scheduled for a best-of-five series, with the team planning five scrimmages regardless of final outcome.

The Gold Squad, under the direction of assistant coach Bruce Johnson - who was elevated from undergraduate assistant to a full-time volunteer role in place of former head assistant Grant Achilles who took a position at his alma mater, Wake Forest - claimed an early 1-0 series lead in the opening, nine-inning affair after holding on for a 13-11 win.

Trailing 13-6 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Purple Squad, under the leadership of assistant coach Alan Beck, mounted a five-run rally. Senior Daniel Ottone, who stepped into a bases loaded jam in the ninth, surrendered a three-run double to right center by classmate Stephen Notaro as the Purple Squad pulled to within two. Yet, the Cary, N.C., native struck out the final three outs to strand two base runners to preserve the win in the non-save situation.

The squad was scheduled to hit the diamond for game two on Tuesday, but weather again played a factor in postponing the scrimmage.

In addition to practice and intra-squad scrimmage sessions this fall, the Catamount baseball team also welcomed home alum, including former head coach Todd Raleigh and Bill Haywood, during WCU's Family Weekend a week ago. As has been par for the course, rain dampened festivities on Friday, Oct. 23 forcing the cancellation of the scheduled tournament rounds at the exclusive Old Edwards Club in Highlands Cove.

This fall, Moranda has also unveiled plans for the "1,002 Club," a baseball-specific booster club, head by inaugural president, Greg Parsons. A rallying cry and mission statement for the Western Carolina baseball team and fans alike, the "1,002" mantra started during the Keith LeClair era and represents the mileage from Cullowhee to Omaha, Neb., home of the College World Series.

Contributions to the "1002 Club" will go 100% into the WCU baseball program's scholarship fund and will help complete the mission of competing in Omaha.

Moranda hopes to release the full 2010 schedule - which in addition to a full complement of SoCon match-ups features a home-and-home with Tennessee, road trips to Clemson and Georgia, and participation in the Keith LeClair Classic in Greenville, N.C. - following the conclusion of the 2009 WCU Fall World Series.

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