Indians baseball seeks return to champion status

With a solid core returning from last season’s state runner-up squad, the Chipola Indians will begin their quest for a return to the NJCAA World Series this weekend in Panama City.
Chipola will face Young Harris today at 11 a.m. on the first day of the Gulf Coast Tournament at Gulf Coast Community College.
The Indians will be guaranteed three games in the tournament, which includes teams from Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
Chipola brings a talented team with key veterans in place to start the season. Indians coach Jeff Johnson said he is happy with the team he has right now.
“We’ve got a good little nucleus back,” the coach said. “Any time you get the middle of your infield back and one of your best hitters, that’s a good thing.”
Sophomores Blake Newalu and Andy Fermin make up the middle for the Indians, with second baseman Fermin one of Chipola’s top hitters last season with a .331 average and 43 RBI.
Outfielder Joey Rapp returns after belting 10 home runs last season, driving in 34 runs, and batting .356.
Duncan Midkiff and Austin Wright return to the mound for Chipola, as the two combined for 74 innings and 97 strikeouts in 2009.
Johnson added to the pitching staff in January with a pair of foreign-born right-handers.
Cuban-born Miami native Rodney Quintero and Panama’s Johnny Cristi give the Indians’ staff a dimension Johnson said it sorely needed.
“I felt like coming out of the fall, we needed some more depth on the pitching staff,” the coach said. “We didn’t throw enough strikes, and both of these guys are strike-throwers.
“The depth of the pitching staff really means a lot when you get to Panhandle Conference play. Both guys seem to understand what they’re doing, so that will strengthen us up.”
Johnson also sought to fill a hole behind the plate with the January addition of freshman catcher Aaron Etchison from Pendleton, Ind.
Freshman Lavon Washington, a first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2009 draft, will play center field for the Indians, and lead off.
Canadian freshman Jonathan Gilbert will also work in the outfield, with left-hander Cody Martin playing first, and 6-foot, 3-inch freshman Michael Revell playing third, while also giving the Indians some pop in the middle of the order.
“Revell really swung the bat well in the preseason,” Johnson said. “I expect a lot from him. We expect him to be a run-producer for us.
“I feel pretty good about all of our first-line players. We just can’t stand a lot of injuries to position players, so we have to stay healthy, and we have to get them to play hard and for the right reasons. If we do that, we have a chance to have a pretty solid club.”
While the lineup features a wealth of talent, Johnson said he was perhaps most comfortable with what he has seen from his pitching staff.
“I think our pitching depth is a strength for us. We have more than we’ve probably had in the past, we just need guys with command to throw strikes better and get the offspeed stuff going,” the coach said.
“But I’m pleased with the depth. I’m pleased with having some quality arms with good velocity. I think that can be a strength of the team. We just have to learn how to pitch and compete every day.”
The ingredients are there to make a run at a third state championship in four years, but Johnson said there’s still something missing.
“I think as far as our talent level, we’re fine. The big key for us is to learn how to compete on a daily basis, and to learn how to win the close ballgames,” the coach said. “It was too easy for this team to lose in the fall. That’s not a good habit to have.
“We have to teach them how to win the close games, to go out on a daily basis and compete how you need to compete to win. That’s very important for this group. But if we make the normal strides you’ve got to make, we’ve got a chance to be right in the middle of the race for a district title. I’d be disappointed if we were not.”
Johnson said he was happy to get the season going this weekend, and eager to see his team show him it has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
“I don’t know if we’re ready, but it’s time to play,” the coach said. “We’re facing some good competition this weekend.
“But this team needs to learn how to play harder. It doesn’t matter how good your talent level is, you’ll get beat if you don’t work hard every day and come out with your best game. These teams around here enjoy beating us, so we have to understand that and be ready to go daily. If we do that, we’ll be successful.”
The Indians will make their home debut on Feb. 5-7 in the Fibercare JUCO National Classic.
Chipola will take on Walters State on Feb. 5, then Middle Georgia and St. Petersburg on Feb. 6, with a return match against St. Pete on Feb. 7.
It will also be Chipola’s “Alumni Weekend,” which will feature former Indians like Buck Showalter, Jose Bautista, Alan Horne and Josh Storm.
There will be an alumni game and a home run derby on Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Chipola Field.