THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602180193
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEITH POMPEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
At the end of last season, Virginia Wesleyan coach Nick Boothe decided his team, which finished 15-22, had two problems.
``Last year's team lacked in talent, but they had big egos,'' Boothe said. ``The coaching staff took responsibility and recruited our butts off this past summer. We brought in 26 new faces. And we told all of the returning players that they would be in a dogfight for a position.''
When the Marlins take the field today at Mount Olive, rightfielder Jim Shannon from Bayside High in Virginia Beach will be the only returning starter. And a freshman - righthander Aaron Wells - will start on the mound.
But Boothe says he hasn't decided who will start at the other positions.
``It's a good possibility that four or five freshman will be starting,'' Boothe said. ``If not, they will be getting quite a bit of playing time.''
Isn't starting a bunch of rookies against Mount Olive, a Division II opponent that was a national power in the NAIA, taking a risk?
``No,'' Marlins assistant Chris Parsons said of his Division III program. ``We think we have better athletes now than the team we had two years ago that went 28-6.
``Today we just want the Marlins to go out there and play hard. Win or lose, we are asking them to play hard. If our team can do that with the talent we have, then the wins and losses will fall into place.''
Like today's game, Wesleyan's next five games are against Division II teams. At this point, Boothe says he's mostly concerned about finding the right combination before conference play.
But Parsons said, ``If we can hold our own against scholarship players, that will be great. I feel like we have great players. And that should set up what should be an interesting season.''
One area that already has turned heads is the pitching staff.
``In the past, I had 12 guys who pitched but I could only use six or seven,'' Parsons said. ``This year, I could probably feel comfortable using 10, 11 pitchers.''
VIRGINIA WESLEYAN SCHEDULE
Feb. 18, at Mount Olive (DH), 1 p.m.; 27, at Barton, 2:30 p.m.
March 2, at VWC Tourney, TBA; 3, at VWC Tourney, TBA; 6, at Christopher Newport, 3 p.m.; 9, Frostburg State, noon; 10, at Mercyherst, 1 p.m. and at Chowan, 4 p.m.; 11, Wisconsin/River Falls, 11 a.m.; 16, Washington & Lee, 2 p.m.; 17, Emory & Henry, 1 p.m.; 21, vs. Tufts at Chowan Classic, 3:30 p.m.; 22, vs. Chowan at Chowan Classic, 10:30 a.m.; 23, vs. Newport News Apprentice at Chowan Classic, 1 p.m.; 26, at Eastern Mennonite (DH), noon; 30, Lynchburg (DH), 1 p.m.
April 2, Randolph Macon, 3 p.m.; 3, Christopher Newport, 3 p.m.; 5, Mary Washington, 3 p.m.; 6, Guilford (DH), 1 p.m.; 10, at Randolph Macon, 3 p.m.; 11, Cazenovia, 3 p.m.; 13, at Hampden Sydney (DH), 1 p.m.; 16, Salisbury State, 3 p.m.; 17, Chowan, 3 p.m.; 20, Bridgewater (DH), 1 p.m.; 24, at Methodist, 3 p.m.; 26[-28, at ODAC Tourney, TBA.] by CNB