PAGE 28E AUGUST,1996
KUED·SPORTS
LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
Randall reloads staff with young guns
Continued from page 26
are pitchers. Eight are freshman pitchers.
"In the 14 years I've coached,I've never put a bigger emphasis on recruiting than I did this year," Randall said.
Randall is happy with his young guns.
Barrett, a stopper last season with eight saves, returns. So do Josh Wingerd (1-1, 5.66 ERA), Chris Williams (2-1, 9.32 ERA), Linus Williams (2-0, 8.18 ERA) and Aric Peters (2-6, 9-26 ERA).
Peters, who never regained form after sitting out a season nursing an arm injury, is penciled in as a starter. So is Vince Peters, a hard-throwing senior who caught Randall's eye when he threw 26 straight strikes during tryouts this fall ... then failed to achieve academic eligibility.
"Aric Peters is throwing great for Hays (Larks) this summer. We hope he regains his starting form," Randall said. "Barrett is pitching well. Then it comes down to throwing a lot of young guys in there big, strong, young guys.
"We got a lot of young guys I like. Last year, we didn't have a lot of guys with good velocity. I think all the guys coming back will be better pitchers,
and I think all the guys coming in are going to have more talent, just inexperienced."
The Jayhawks should have plenty of experience around the infield. KU returns two sophomore third basemen in Nick Frank (who hit .348, No. 3 on the team as a freshman) and Andy Juday (.289), a senior shortstop in Joe DeMarco (.338) and a senior first baseman-outfielder in Justin Headleu (.333).
Catcher will be platooned by junior Josh Dimmick (.322) and Mike Dean (.291) and incoming freshmen Shane Wedd and Logan Overman.
When Headley is in the outfield, Frank, Dimmick, Sparky Wilhelm or senior Aaron Wilmes will man third.
And DeMarco might move to second if freshman Paul Levins lives up to his billing at short.
"Joey's going to play somewhere, maybe second base if Levins handles shortstop like we hope he does," Randall said. "Then again, Andy Juday is playing second for Hays. It should be very competitive."
Byrd's early departure to the professional ranks left a void in center — and Randall hoped he filled it by signing juco center fielder Kevin Nannini from Merced, Calif.
Left and right will be
soon as I take him off first base all the infielders are mad at me
joe DeMarco returns for his senior year. A shortstop all of last year, he might move to second this season.
FILE PHOTO
"We expect Kevin to be an excellent center fielder. And Stephen's going to be a factor his senior year."
manned by a combination of Headley, Dean, Eric Vann, Les Walrond and Stephen Matthews.
"I thought if we didn't sign a center fielder, Justin would
have been our center fielder," Randall said. "He's outstanding defensively, wherever you put him. He's the best first baseman I've coach, and he's an outstanding outfielder. As