Cass Hargis will look to return to the form that made him a Freshman All-American in 2008
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
HAMMOND – One week out from the season opener, the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball coaching staff has a dilemma on its hands. With only three outfield spots and a fourth place in the lineup for a designated hitter, head coach Jay Artigues and his staff need to find a way to work at least seven outfield bats into the lineup. However, with one of the more potent outfield crews in the Southland Conference being the expected end result of any combination, the Lion coaches believe its a good problem to have.
“That’s part of this time of the season, and it’s a challenging time of year for the coaches,” Artigues said. “We need to decide how to divide up the at-bats among these guys. It’s going to be a challenge finding the hot bats and sticking with them. When guys get the opportunity to get in the lineup, they are going to have to work to keep their spots. I feel very, very comfortable with any one of them out there.”
Sophomore Cass Hargis leads the way after returning to the Lions following a 2008 freshman campaign that saw a bevy of awards pile up. The Holy Cross HS product was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, Ping! Baseball All-Freshman Honorable Mention, and Southland Conference Honoroable Mention squads in his first season after finishing among the team leaders with a .333 batting average (second), five home runs (tied for third), 45 RBI (third), a .489 slugging percentage (second) and a .398 on-base percentage (fourth).
Hargis proved to be one of the most clutch hitters in the Southeastern lineup batting .500 (30-for-60) with 14 RBI with runners in scoring position and .778 (7-for-9) with the bases loaded.
After spending time in center and right field in 2008, the Lion coaching staff expects Hargis to return to that role in 2009.
Senior Brandon Street provides another proven bat to the 2009 lineup. After starting every game last year (58 as designated hitter and one in left field), Street figures to spend a good deal more time in the grass this season.
The Columbus, Ga. native enters the final week of spring practice at the top of Southeastern’s depth chart in left field and will look to build on an impressive 2008 season.
In his first year with the Lions, Street proved to be the steadiest contributor to the Southeastern offense. Street hit .330 with four homers and 43 runs driven in. Street led the team with 27 walks, finished second in OBP and third in batting, slugging percentage, hits (72) and total bases (96).
Opposing teams had trouble keeping the Chipola JC transfer off the bases as Street reached safely in 54 of 59 games, including starting the season by reaching base in each of the first 20 games.
Street will look to pick up where he left off in 2008 after tearing up last season’s Southland Conference Tournament where he tied a pair of SLC Tourney records with 13 hits and 11 RBI in five games, yet was not named to the All-Tournament Team. Street hit .590 (13-for-22) with two homers, two doubles, a triple and five runs scored as he led the Lions to three consecutive comeback wins in elimination games.
Also returning to the Lions alongside Street and Hargis is senior outfielder/left-handed pitcher Brian McCants.
When he’s not pitching out of the Lion bullpen, the dual threat southpaw expects to figure prominently as a right fielder, center fielder or designated hitter.
McCants, a 2007 JUCO All-American at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Hit .285 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 56 games (51 starts) in 2008. After a slow start, McCants put together an impressive season, hitting .331 (48-for-145) in his final 43 contests with 17 RBI.
Junior outfielder Philip Freeman returns to the Lions after proving to be a reliable backup in 2008. Freeman hit .290 with three doubles and seven RBI, collecting nine hits in 31 at-bats after filling in as a defensive and injury replacement for former Lion left fielder Xavier Qualls.
The quartet of returning Lion outfielders will be bolstered by a trio of newcomers.
Junior transfer Josh Dabbs joins the Lions after a stellar campaign at Jefferson State CC in Birmingham, Ala. The Hueytown, Ala. native was twice named to the first-team Alabama Community College Conference first-team as well as the all-league and all-region teams en route to setting JSCC’s career home run record with 24 long balls.
Sophomore transfer Trey Martin, a teammate of Dabbs in 2008, looks to bring a lot of speed and range to the Southeastern outfield after swiping 20 bags at JSCC last season.
Looking to breakthrough in as a true freshman will be switch-hitter Cody Gougler. Also a punter on the Lion football team, Gougler has impressed the Lion coaching staff with good range and an ability to make contact. A Huntsville, Texas native, Gougler put together a .382 career average at Huntsville High School and hit .436 as a senior en route to all-distrtict honors.
With athe 2009 season opener now just one week away, Artigues still isn’t sure how the outfield will look come Opening Day. However, the Lion head coach is looking forward to the end product.
“This is going to be a very offensive group,” Artigues said. “We’re anxious and excited to get out there and see what we can do. We’re tired of intrasquading and we’re ready to face another team.”
Fortunately, for Artigues, he won’t have to wait too long. The first pitch of 2009 is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20 at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field when the Lions play host to Eastern Illinois, the defending Ohio Valley Conference Champions.
The Returners:
Brandon Street – Sr. – 6-0 – 232 – Columbus, Ga./Chipola Junior College
Jay Artigues Says: “Brandon is going to be our starting left fielder. He’s done a great job flat-out winning that spot. We already know he can swing the bat real well, but he does a super job on the field communicating with his teammates and he’s taking good routes to the ball. He’s a very smart player and a great all-around baseball player. He makes us better when we’re on the field.”
Cass Hargis So. – 5-9 – 162 – Meraux, La./Holy Cross HS
Jay Artigues Says: “Hargis is going to be in the outfield every day. He’ll be flip-flopping between right and center field depending on who else we want to get in the lineup, who has a hot bat, what’s the best matchup and things like that. Last year he proved he could play right and center, so we expect him to be able to do the same this year. In 2008, he did a great job of flat-out winning his spot in the lienup after starting the season in a platoon situation. He put together an All-American season, so we’re looking for him to have that same kind of effect this year.”
Brian McCants – Sr. – 6-0 – 183 – Slidell, La./Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Jay Artigues Says: “Brian is really vying for a spot in the outfield. He can hit as the DH or he can play the outfield for us in addition to his pitching. So he brings a lot of versatility to our ballclub, and he’s done a a good job in the offseason and in spring practice. He’s really swinging a hot bat, so he could get a lot of playing time early on.
Philip Freeman – Jr. – 6-1 – 198 – New Orleans, La./Captain Shreve HS
Jay Artigues Says: “Philip has done very well in the fall and in the early part of the spring. He’s proven himself as a reliable bench guy in the past and he could earn a lot of playing time this year, because he’s put together a good offseason.”
The Newcomers:
Trey Martin – So. – 5-10 – 151 – Wetumpka, Ala./Jefferson State Community College
Jay Artigues Says: “Trey stole 20 bases last year at Jefferson State, so we know he brings a lot of speed to our team. He’s another guy who could earn a lot of playing time because he’s off to a good start in spring practice and he gives us a lot of depth.”
Josh Dabbs – Jr. – 6-0 – 188 – Hueytown, Ala./Jefferson State Community College
Jay Artigues Says: “Josh is another left-handed bat with some pop, so he gives us another offensive option. He hit 24 homers in two years at Jefferson State so he has good power for a guy his size. He has the potential to get a lot of time for us.”
Cody Gougler Fr. – 5-9 – 190 – Huntsville, Texas/Huntsville High School
Jay Artigues Says: “Cody really impressed us during the offseason, especially when you remember that he had his time divided between baseball and football. He hits from both sides of the plate and he can play some first base for us too. He’s very athletic and he has the potential to see some time this season even though he’s the youngest member of the outfield right now.”
