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Explorers have new faces as season opens Friday
By Cash Kruth
Published: Thursday, May 29, 2008 11:48 AM EDT
As the Midland Explorers prepare to open their season this weekend in Kitchener, Ont., manager Clint Beane is excited for the season to get under way — and for good reason.
With a mix of returning veterans and key newcomers, Beane thinks his squad has a good chance to improve on last season’s 30-13 record. Beane also believes the Explorers can better their fifth- and 14th-place finishes, respectively, at the ASA Major National Tournament and the International Softball Congress World Tournament.
“We have a lot of new players and I’m pretty excited about (the season),” Beane said. “We’ve had a couple guys retire from playing and one move on, but I picked up another pitcher and a couple outfielders.”
The newcomers include utilitymen Chad Ferguson and Calvin Miller, outfielders Dan Skillings and Brad Ezekiel and pitcher Brian Urquhart.
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Urquhart will join veteran Grant Patterson, who earned ASA First team All-American honors in 2007, in the circle for the Explorers.
Urquhart, Patterson and second-year Explorer Mike Joseph will look to work together to fill the void left by Doug Gillis, who will suit up for Aurora (Ill.) in 2008.
Gillis, who was both an ASA All-American and an ISC All-World performer during his time with the Explorers, had been an Explorer since 1998.
“It’ll be a big loss for us,” Beane said of Gillis’ departure. “Doug was a good pitcher for a lot of years and he decided some different scenery might be better for him.
“We’re going to miss him, but we wish him the best of luck and we really appreciate everything he did for us throughout the years.”
Another key loss for the Explorers was the retirement of centerfielder Dave Frick, whom Beane called “one of the best I’ve ever seen in the game.”
Despite the departure of Frick, Beane thinks the addition of Skillings will make the outfield more potent on offense.
While the Explorers lost Gillis’ arm and Frick in the outfield, one area that doesn’t concern Beane is the infield, which returns all its starters from a year ago.
Second Team All-American catcher Craig Crawford returns behind the plate, while Kyle Beane, who earned Second Team All-World honors at the ISC World Tournament, returns at first.
Third baseman Eddy Ketelhut returns to the hot corner, while the double-play combination of second baseman Steve Horning and shortstop Todd Schultz is also back.
Clint Beane is also excited about the three home weekends the Explorers have at Currie Stadium in Emerson Park.
The Explorers’ first home tournament will be June 13-15 at the seventh annual Boulevard Lounge Tournament. The team also will host doubleheaders against the Ashland Mets from June 27-29, as well as two doubleheaders against the Argentina National Team on July 19-20.
“I’m always happy when we can play in Midland, because we have some very good fields and we all like to get the opportunity to play in Midland,” Beane said.
Regardless of whether they play in Midland or elsewhere, Beane said all the games the Explorers compete in are in preparation for the ASA and ISC tournaments.
“Last year we really had good tournaments and some tough games, and we played a lot of games but didn’t finish like we would’ve liked to,” Beane said. “But, that’s why we play all these games and do all of this traveling during the year — to get ready for those two tournaments.”
The Explorers’ first game at the Legends of Fastball Tournament in Kitchener, Ont., is at 9 p.m. Friday against CPI (N.Y.).
