(May 17, 2009 - Ann Arbor, Mich.) -- The 2009 season of Concordia baseball concluded with a strong run in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference playoffs before the Cardinals fell on the final day one win away from their first-ever championship game appearance. While the win totals were less then the team expected entering the season, the year was still a strong showing and continued to see the program elevate their play. 2009 ended with the second most wins ever in program history without a senior pitcher ever toeing the hill and only a handful of seniors gracing the lineup everyday. The future is definitely bright in Ann Arbor.

Two seniors had solid seasons in the final campaign as both Ben Sprague (Sr. - DeWitt, Mich.) and Tim McEvoy (Sr. - Detroit, Mich.) had All-Conference campaigns. Sprague finished with a .370 average with a team-high six home runs and 36 RBI while McEvoy had a career-best .352 average while striking two homers and knocking in 28 RBI.

Sprague finished his season with a Concordia career batting average of .349, which is fourth best all-time in Cardinal history. With 11 home runs in his two-year career, Sprague also finished fourth all-time for homers while his 169 total bases is tied for seventh for a career and his 35 extra-base hits is tied for eighth.

For the season, Sprague's average is 10th all-time for a season while teammate Tony Pounders (Jr. - Livonia, Mich.) finished with a team-high .392 average which is seventh all-time. Sprague finished with 14 doubles (eighth), six home runs (seventh) and 88 total bases (eighth) for the season.

While Sprague moves on, the team will return six starters next season with other returners looking to move into starting spots or transfers to fill the limited amount of voids left.

Two players will be battling in their final seasons to leave their indelible mark on the program as Pounders and Zach Johnston (Jr. - Ionia, Mich.) move up the top ten list in numerous categories.

Johnston will enter with 140 games played, which is eighth all-time, and will need an extended playoff run next season to be only the third Cardinal to break 200 games played (63 for the school record). Johnston is also fifth for at-bats (440), sixth for hits (137), seventh for runs scored (83), ninth for RBI (75), fourth for singles (115), seventh for stolen bases (23), fifth for walks (60), ninth for total bases (167) and ninth for being hit by pitch (nine).

Pounders is not too far behind himself as he enters 10th in games played (137), 10th in at-bats (407), eighth in hits (127), sixth in runs scored (84), fifth in RBI (83), eighth in singles (97), 11th in doubles (20), 10th in triples (four), 11th in home runs (six), sixth in total bases (173), 11th in extra-base hits (30) and fourth in being hit by a pitch (22).

Zane Johnston (Jr. - Ionia, Mich.) is another player who is etching his name already, or will after another strong season, in the record book. Already in the top ten for runs scored (eighth - 82), stolen bases (fourth - 29), and being hit by a pitch (seventh - 17), Johnston should add his name to the games played, at-bats, singles, and bases on balls lists. 

Three other returners will be looking to increase their productivity as Frank Persichino (Jr. - Sterling Heights, Mich.), Jeff Bultinck (So. - Sterling Heights, Mich.) and Matthew Hunt (Fr. - Howell, Mich.) all had solid seasons and will look to bolster another strong Cardinal offense.

One difference expected in 2010 is the development of the pitching staff as all arms will be back on the hill with the addition of several key new faces as well. Last season, the Cards used three freshmen in their rotation with a sophomore and junior leading the way.

Left-hander Brent McNeil (Jr. - Springboro, Ohio) will stake his claim at being the best Cardinal hurler ever in his final campaign in Ann Arbor. McNeil will enter the season fourth in innings pitched (122.1), third in wins (10), fifth in strikeouts (72), and second in complete games (11).  McNeil finished his junior season with the fourth-best ERA all-time (3.46), with 75.1 innings pitched (75.1), seven victories (tied for second), third in strikeouts (54), and second in complete games (11).

The Cardinals will look for Brad Roettger (So. - Sterling Heights, Mich.) to return to his freshman form while rookies Ryan Noack (Fr. - Hamilton, Ont.), Matthew St. Kitts (Fr. - Pickering, Ont.) and Shawn Barnes (Fr. - Hudsonville, Mich.) all to continue their growth. The bullpen appears to be solidifying with the strong advancement of Denver Straub (So. - Milan, Mich.) while several others will combine to give Concordia a stronger back-end staff.

Head Coach Karl Kling will look to strengthen the catching corps with the departure of McEvoy, add a couple of quality infielders and outfielders to further strengthen the bench and bring in several key arms that will challenge the returners so that there will be quality with each guy from starter to closer for 2010.