As the Tigers enter another new season, head coach Jay Lewis is ready to guide the Tigers through another successful season in hopes for a top finish in the North Coach Athletic Conference. Wittenberg must face the loss of standouts Bryan Magoteaus, Aric Thomas, and Brent Parke, but returns a strong nucleus of upperclassmen as well as a host of new faces to the field.
Top returners in the outfield for the Tigers include senior Brian Davis (Newark, Ohio/Lakewood) and sophomores Lance Dill (Bellville, Ohio/Clear Fork) and Scott Hirsch (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain). Dill is also a contributor at the plate with at .325 batting average as a freshman.
In the infield, expect to see contributions from sophomore Ryan Born (Marion, Ohio/Pleasant) at first base, sophomore Bryan Burke (Cleveland, Ohio/Brunswick) at shortstop and junior catcher Brad Pochard (Findlay, Ohio/ Findlay) behind the plate. Born, an honorable mention All-NCAC pick last season is the top returning batter with a .356 batting average last season. Burke knocked in four homeruns in 1999 and is expected to once again play a key role at the plate for the Tigers. Pochard who split time catching with recent graduate Shawn Burton last year will step up to fill that spot.
Wittenberg returns an excellent pitching staff that has both experience and youth that will continue to dominate the conference. Top returning pitchers this season are seniors Randy Pore (Bellville, Ohio/Clear Fork) and Cory Winfield (Marion, Ohio/Harding).
Head coach Jay Lewis is also looking to several newcomers to play an immediate role in the success of the Tigers this season. Expect to see sophomores Karl Friedhoff (Summan, Ind./East Central) and Nick Allen (Dayton, Ohio/Butler) and freshman Collin Schaer (Madison, Ind./Madison), Jay Nunn (Bellefonaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) and Adam Abraham (Granville, Ohio/Granville) playing contributing roles in 2000.