In The Dugout – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28, 2003
In the strong tradition of Ohio State baseball, head coach Bob Todd has once again filled his roster with several new faces to ensure a strong future for the program. This season’s freshman class includes seven fielders, each hailing from the state of Ohio.
So far this season, Wes Schirtzinger has seen the most action of any of the Buckeye freshman fielders. Schirtzinger has played 28 games in both left and right field and has started 13 games.
Schirtzinger began playing baseball before he could walk, swinging whiffle ball bats while sitting on his father’s knee. The All-Ohio selection and two-time all-district and all-league honoree also is the most local of any freshman fielder, hailing from Westerville, Ohio, where he attended Westerville North High School.
For Schirtzinger, much of the decision to attend Ohio State came from this local connection.
“Ohio State is close to home,” Schirtzinger said. “I can still see my family a lot. I also had a great recruiting visit and they also play my style of baseball. They like to run a lot and I’ve always been a speed-type player on the bases.”
Jedidiah Stephen from Caldwell, Ohio has seen action in 14 games, starting in eight games so far. Stephen was an All-Ohio team member his senior year and was a four-time all-district and all-conference honoree. He was a two-time team captain and guided Shenandoah High School to two league championships. The well-rounded athlete also was a two-time all-state basketball and football honoree.
The third baseman and shortstop said coming to Ohio State was an easy decision after hearing so many good things about the team’s reputation.
“When I began being recruited, all I heard was how good the coaching staff was and how great of a program it is,” Stephen said. “It was almost a no-brainer. It’s a great opportunity to come here and play for a team like this.” Outfielder Drew Thomas also has experienced significant playing time early on for the Buckeyes with 10 starts in 15 games so far. The native of Mechanicsburg, Ohio was an All-Ohio team honoree as a high school senior and was a two-time all-district and four-time all-city selection. The versatile athlete also was captain of his high school football team, spending time playing quarterback, running back, wide receiver and on defense.
Thomas is a hard working, gritty player, eager to make a statement any time he is on the field.
“I’m an aggressive baseball player,” Thomas said. “I love giving the fans action. I’m an outgoing, hardworking player. I just want to do the best I can and perform to the best of my ability.”
Thomas was attracted to Ohio State by the friendly attitude of the team and coaching staff.
“When I came to visit, I felt close to the players,” Thomas said. “They’re very inviting. They don’t treat you like a freshman; they treat you like you’re a part of the team.”
Jacob Howell, Philip Mattingly, Kris Moorman and Greg Uland have yet to see playing time for the Buckeyes this year and likely are candidates to redshirt, but their contributions are key to the team’s development.
Howell, an outfielder from Ashland, was a three-time all-area selection as a part of the Ashland Arrows and always dreamed of being a Buckeye.
“I’ve been a Buckeye fan since I was a kid,” Howell said. “It was always a goal to play at Ohio State, but I never thought it would happen. When they began talking to me, I was on cloud nine. It’s been an absolute dream come true.”
Howell will help add speed to the squad, both in the line-up and on the field.
“I try to get on base by bunting and hitting line drives,” Howell said. “I just try to get on base any way possible. I’ve also been working a lot on my arm strength. Making plays in the outfield with my arm is definitely a big part of my game.”
Like the rest of the freshman class, Howell enjoys every chance he has to strap on his cleats.
“I’m a guy who has loved to play the game since I was 5,” Howell said. “I love to go out and have fun. I love every minute of practice. It’s worth every moment I spend out on the field.”
Moorman, a utility player from St. Henry also played football, but concentrated mostly on baseball, where he was a four-time first team All-Ohio honoree. For Moorman, the entire Ohio State experience persuaded him to become a Buckeye.
“The atmosphere here is great,” Moorman said. “Ohio State has an excellent baseball tradition. I have been a Buckeye fan my whole life, so this was always a dream of mine. Everyone here treats you like family.”
Mattingly, who is from Ottawa Hills, attended Ottawa Hills High School, where he was a three-time all-conference selection and helped lead his team to three conference championships and two Ohio High School Athletic Association Final Four appearances. He also played defensive end and running back for the school’s football team and was a two-time all-conference honoree on the gridiron.
Mattingly is a converted third baseman and is playing catcher for the first time in his long baseball career. The move is a challenge he embraces to help contribute heavily during his time as a Buckeye.
“I was a little apprehensive at first, having played infield my whole life, but it’s not often you can be in a position to touch the ball every single play,” Mattingly said. “The transition has been difficult, but (volunteer assistant) coach (Erik) Hagen has worked hard with me and has shown me what to do.”
Uland is a walk-on catcher, who makes his contributions from the bullpen, warming up pitchers in practice. He hails from Pioneer, Ohio and attended North Central High School, where he was a first-team all-league and all-district selection. He joined the team by tryout in the fall.
These seven Buckeyes will guide the way into the future of Ohio State baseball, striving each season for a Big Ten championship, a berth into the NCAA Tournament and a trip to the College World Series.
