Grahovac's roster includes 24 players who will don an Eagles uniform for the first time, and the starting lineup will reflect that fact when Concordia takes to the field for its season-opener Tuesday (Jan. 26) against Simpson.

"This year, we're counting on speed and aggressiveness, and we know that our pitching and our defense are also upgraded," Grahovac, whose team went 22-26, 16-20 in GSAC play, said. "We're going to win games with pitching and defense, but we also know that we're going to hit a lot.

One key factor for the Eagles will be senior centerfielder Pete Lemone, who led returners with a .344 batting average last year. Lemone earned a starting position in mid-March of 2009 and figures to be the leadoff hitter for CUI when the campaign starts.

Lemone's standout defensive play will be complimented in the two corner outfield spots by a combination of at least five players, starting with a pair of returners in sophomore Kyle Konicek and junior Matt Ivanoff in left field.

Konicek hit .302 and drove in 34 RBI in his Eagle debut last year, while Ivanoff played just two games before redshirting due to an injury.

The right-field spot will most likely be shared by junior transfer Ryan Sheeks (Orange Coast CC) and senior returner Beau Poteet, who hit .283 in 53 at-bats as a junior.

"We are going to be very fast in the outfield this year," Grahovac said. "We were very impressed by the range of these outfielders in the fall, just watching them run down fly balls. That and the depth that we're showing out there is going to be huge."

Depth will be one of the main themes for the 2010 campaign, and that dynamic carries over to every position, including the starting rotation-made up of two lefties and two right-handed freshman hurlers-and the bullpen.

At first base, junior transfer Bryan Nicholson (Mt. SAC CC) should see the majority of time as the team's potential cleanup hitter in addition to coming out of the bullpen as a left-handed weapon.

Nicholson and two other versatile players in returning junior Sam Pavlisick and junior transfer Ryan Day (Fullerton CC) will earn the bulk of playing time at first base.

Day-a right-handed thrower-brings in a left-handed bat, can play in the outfield and pitch, while Pavlisick could be used at every position on the field besides pitcher after patrolling the left side of the diamond last year.

Three transfers will vie for time at second base, led by Santa Barbara City College alum Sean Costella, a speedy defensive standout who is learning to switch-hit. Senior Josh Konicek (Cumberland Univ.), the brother of left-fielder Konicek, will be in the mix, as well as junior college All-American Mike Mendoza (Glendale CC).

Shortstop will be occupied by a combination of switch-hitting junior transfer Robbie Knowles (Centenary University) and returner Edgar Guillen, both juniors.

Knowles possesses what Grahovac believes to be the best speed in the Golden State Athletic Conference, while Guillen hit .288 in part-time duty as a sophomore and will most likely see time in a reliever role on the hill.

Junior transfer Danny Casey (Glendale CC) is the favorite to start at the hot corner and hit third in the lineup, while senior returner Jeff Senters should see substantial playing time, either at a corner infield spot or at designated hitter after starting 38 games in 2009.

Also in the hunt for playing time at third base are junior transfer Justin Mishalow (Southern Nevada) and freshman Shayne O'Connell (Cypress HS), who provides a left-handed bat off the bench.

Another left-handed hitter, junior transfer John Hill, will see the bulk of playing time at catcher after transferring in from NCAA Div. I Long Beach State. Hill and senior transfer Chris Lum (Lewis-Clark State) will likely trade off catching games one and two of the Eagles' 13 doubleheaders on the season.

Junior returner Justin Baeza and junior transfer Nick Field will serve as able reserves and help handle a stable of 18 CUI hurlers.

The Eagles' four-man starting rotation will comprised of senior transfer Bennett Whitmore (Oregon) and junior transfer Melvin Blackmon (Loyola-Marymount)-both left-handers-and freshman righties Sam Lindsey (Las Vegas, NV) and Ryan Goodbrand (Tesoro HS).

The four-man rotation will be needed throughout a GSAC season in which four games are scheduled within four days, including a Saturday doubleheader, making the depth of both rotations and bullpens a key factor in conference play.

"The way the schedule was last year, you were liable to come up against a team's ace at least twice throughout the season, whereas this year, you're going to see up to four starters," Grahovac said. "It's going to test the depth of starting rotations, and that's where I think we could have an advantage. The depth of our pitching staff is going to show."

Senior returning right-handers Jeff Allen and Daniel Heben will pick up plenty of innings from the pen, as will returning junior Jacob McBride and sophomore lefty Josh White, who each ramped up his game in the Hawaii Collegiate League over the summer.

Freshman right-hander Chris Barnes (San Francisco State) could be in line for the closing job, which was vacated by last year's 13^th-round Chicago White Sox draft choice Cameron Bayne.

Transfer juniors Dean Persinger (UC Irvine), Steve Barrington (San Joaquin Delta CC), Brian Klimenko (Cañada CC) will also be in the mix from the bullpen, along with freshmen Daniel Levine (Henderson, NV) and Blake Harrison (San Diego State).

"The key thing with this team has been the closeness and camaraderie," Grahovac said. "The guys are having fun on and off the field, and really coaching themselves in terms of keeping each other accountable to give it their best effort in practice.

"The team leadership this year is excellent because of returners like Jeff Senters, Pete Lemone and Jacob McBride. They're leading the way in showing what Eagle baseball should be about."