SFA Baseball 2011 Preview: Catchers
2/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 3, 2011
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Lumberjack baseball team was the surprise of the Southland in 2010, posting a program-best 34 wins a year ago in just the second year under head coach Johnny Cardenas.
SFA used the best statistical offense in the SLC last year and a dramatically improved pitching staff to contend for a league title, and with 22 returners on the roster in addition to 13 newcomers, the `Jacks look to be in position once again to make noise in the league.
The `Jacks return three all-conference players from a year ago, including all-SLC lefty Tyler Herriage, first baseman Darren Crabtree and outfielder Garrett Smith to make SFA one of four schools with three preseason all-league choices for the upcoming year. In addition, Johnny Cardenas is the reigning SLC Coach of the Year.
This is the first in a six-part series previewing the Lumberjacks, position by position, leading up to the 2011 opener against UALR on February 18 in Nacogdoches.
CATCHERS
Returners: Jarid Scarafiotti, Riley Huble
Newcomers: Josh Swann
There may not have been a Southland team that got more bang for their buck from their backstops than the Lumberjacks did in 2010 as the duo of Jarid Scarafiotti and Riley Huble did nothing but give teams fits at the plate all season with a combined average of .342 and 10 homers, 25 doubles and 70 RBI.
"We are fortunate enough to have two catchers back who each had outstanding seasons last year," head coach Johnny Cardenas said. "Not only do these guys handle the bat exceptionally well, but they handle our pitching staff well and they were instrumental in the improvements that our pitching staff had last year."
After a freshman season that saw Scarafiotti win the starting catching job midway through the season after walking on to the program, he took the next step and became a potent mainstay in the middle of the Lumberjack lineup in 2010. He spent the majority of his time behind the plate, but also made 10 starts as a designated hitter and even saw some time at both corner infield spots.
He earned honorable mention all-conference honors after a year that saw him hit .306 with seven homers and 46 RBI, slugging .487 in his first full season with all of his at-bats coming in the middle third of the SFA lineup.
"Scarfiotti is one of those guys that we love how he handles the pitching staff and it's like having a pitching coach on the field," Cardenas said. "Even in the games he didn't catch we still felt like we needed him in the lineup every day and that is even more so the case this year with Bobby (Loveless) being out with an injury. We are definitely going to need his bat in there every game and being an RBI guy for us."
Scarafiotti will likely get the majority of the starts behind the plate, but once again he will have plenty of help from Huble.
Last year as a junior transfer from Hill College, Huble tied the SFA single-season batting record with a .412 average. With just 102 official at-bats for the year in 25 starts, Huble did not have enough at-bats to qualify for the SLC hitting crown; however, he still did plenty of damage when he had the chance, slugging .608 with three homers and 23 RBI while finishing with 14 multi-hit games.
Defensively, Huble was a difference maker with his arm, throwing out nearly 35 percent of all would-be base stealers.
"Riley had not only a great year behind the plate handling our pitching staff, but he was also hitting above .400 all year," Cardenas said. "He was one of our most consistent and vital hitters all year and he gives us an option to play third base too if we needed it."
Freshman Josh Swann will also provide some depth for the `Jacks behind the plate, coming to SFA after a high school playing career at Houston's Milby High School where he was a teammate of Lumberjack freshman pitcher Fabian Arcizo.
2011 Season Preview Schedule:
Feb. 3 - Catchers
Feb. 7 - Starting Pitching
Feb. 9 - Bullpen
Feb. 11 - Infielders
Feb. 14 - Outfielders/DH
-SFA-
