The UW-Stevens Point baseball team may have lost nearly half of its hits and a third of its innings pitched from last season�s WIAC regular season and playoff championship team, but the fact is the Pointers still have plenty to be excited about with all but five players back from that title squad.

     The Pointers will feature six returning starters in the opening day lineup, three returning starters on the pitching staff and one of the league�s top closers, making fourth-year coach Brian Nelson optimistic for a possible fourth league championship in five years.

     �Losing two All-American guys and two All-Region players is tough,� Nelson said. �But I don�t really see us losing a lot. I think we can fill in those gaps.�

     The biggest gap will be at third base where first-team All-American Paul Molitor played every inning last season. That spot will be filled by either sophomore Matt Peterson, last year�s starter at second base, or junior Matt Peetz, who led the team with a .381 average as the starting designated hitter. Whichever player doesn�t get the start at the hot corner will likely see time at designated hitter.

     Another big spot to fill will be that of departed WIAC Pitcher of the Year Bill Verbrick, who graduated as the league�s all-time strikeout leader after throwing a 102 innings over the 64-day season last year. However, Nelson considers the starting pitching the strength of this year�s squad.

     Returning starters senior Jeff Pieper, sophomore Shane Standifer and junior Josh Blaha will lead the staff along with transfers J.C. Reinke from St. Norbert and Aaron Achterberg from Western Illinois. Junior Adam Fox will likely see some starts as well.

     �You can never fulfill what Verbrick did for this program,� Nelson said. �But our staff is spread out a little more now. Everyone needs to do their job everyday. We don�t have an ace right now.�

     Senior Jared Szews is back at closer after posting a 0.91 ERA and six saves a year ago. He�ll be joined in the bullpen by senior Eric Schlender, junior Jeremy Mueller and sophomores Jason DiGise and Kevin Pankow.

     Offensively, the Pointers will look to power-hitting junior first baseman Ryan Jones, who set school records with 14 home runs and 42 walks last season. Senior Kevin Fry, a three-year starter in the outfield, will get the start in left field.

     Other returning starters are junior shortstop Mike Hall, who played all but one inning at shortstop last season and had just 10 errors in 47 games, and junior catcher Joe Waksmonski, who hit .351 last season with seven home runs and earned second-team All-Region accolades in his first season behind the plate.

     Sophomore Matt Polomis will likely take over for All-Region centerfielder Randy Reed, while sophomore Jared Ferguson, a transfer from UW-Oshkosh, is expected to replace All-Region rightfielder Ryan Ivy. Senior Jim Olafson and sophomore Joel Brieske will also battle for outfield positions.

     Freshmen Jake Frombach and Nat Richter are the candidates to start at second base, while freshman Matt Ihde and junior Greg Treml, a transfer from Carthage, will challenge Waksmonski for catching duties.

     �We have a couple of questions defensively with guys in different spots,� Nelson said. �But we�ll learn a lot about our team early on with our tough schedule. Once we get to conference play, we should know exactly where we�re at.�

     The Pointers will play non-conference games against Division I Austin Peay State and Lipscomb (Tenn.) after opening the year on March 10 with a doubleheader against St. Thomas (Minn.) at the Metrodome in a rematch from last year�s NCAA Division III Midwest Regional.