Experience leads Bengal baseball

If experience is the best teacher, then the Bengal baseball team should be ready for a return trip to the NJCAA Division II College World Series.
“If you go back to teams in our past who succeeded at the highest level, we have always had a sophomore group with the experience that this sophomore group has,” LSU Eunice head coach Jeff Willis said.
“You can’t say enough about innings that were played, at-bats or innings pitched,” the coach said.
Willis said the experience of the middle will help including catcher, second base, shortstop and centerfield along with an experienced pitching staff.
LSU signee catcher Jordan Romero (Catholic-Baton Rouge) and shortstop Brennan Bozeman (Parkview Baptist) will help lead the Bengals this season.
“Our defensive strength starts with our shortstop,” Willis said. “He has proven to be one of the best defensive shortstops we ever had.”
Centerfielder Madison Nickens (St. Amant) recently committed to the University of Maryland
“We have a lot of experience of the middle and really good players,” Willis said.
Joining Nickens in the outfield will be LSU transfer sophomore Cade Stone (West Monroe) and Jesse Lee (LaSalle Academy), who transferred from the University of Rhode Island.
Steven Sensley (University High), who redshirted last season and has signed with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns can see action in the outfield along with David Scott Lafleur (St. Edmund).
“We have a tremendous amount of depth in the outfield with veteran experience,” the coach said. “They will be pushing each other and vying for playing time.”
Red-shirt sophomore Trey Caswell (St. Edmund) could see action at third base or second base after being voted a team captain for the second season.
Infielder Will Watson (Neville) transferred from Southern Mississippi and could play third, second or first base.
“We have some talented pitchers, they just need to be consistent,” Willis said of the pitchers looking to replace All-American Chad Reeves. “In our rotation, we have three guys are fighting for the Friday night starter role.
“We can’t win at a high level if we can’t pitch at a high level,” the coach said.
LSU transfer right-hander Mitch Sewald (Rummel) had a great fall series, according to the coach. “He is 6-7 and throws 95 miles an hour.”
Auburn signee Ben Braymer (Catholic-Baton Rouge) joins righthander Sam Walley (Taylorsville, MS) who led the nation in saves last season.
Sophomore righthander Zack Hamilton (Parkview Baptist) returns and will see time as a middle reliever along with righthander Hayden Guidry (Bridge City, Texas) who transferred from UL Lafayette and will head to McNeese next season.
Hamilton could factor in as the fourth starter, according to the coach.
Yavapai Junior College (Az.) transfer righthander Haden Shipman (Brownsburg) can also bring another quality arm into the mix.
Right-hand sophomore Hayden Marze (Westminster Christian Academy) will miss the season after Tommy John surgery.
“They will compete with each other,” Willis said of the pitchers. “They are very a competitive pitching staff - not just against other teams but one another.”
The transfers will be an crucial part of the Bengals success this season, according to Willis.
“You always worry about transfers but these guys have fit in very well,” the coach said. “They are huge additions to our team.
“If you look over the years that we won (championships), we have always had transfers who played huge roles and were difference makers.”