COLLEGE BASEBALL ’87 : THE MASTER’S : The Mustangs Have New Faces in New Places

The biggest challenge facing the players on The Master’s College baseball team is recognizing each other. Who are these guys? Let’s see, 15 of the 19 players on the Mustang roster are newcomers. If they can learn to play together and remember each other’s names, they may win some games this season.

The only returners, get their names now, are: first baseman Tim Kane, who hit .307 after recovering from surgery on his elbow last year; backup catcher Adam Dennis; pitcher Eric Petersen, who had a record of 1-5 and an earned run average of 5.83; and pitcher Kevin Taylor, who finished at 8-8 and had a 6.34 earned run average.

If those ERAs sound a bit on the lofty side, consider that the Mustangs staff average was 7.50. “But our pitching will be stronger this year,” said Coach John Zeller.

New faces Jeff Hagy, a transfer from Florida Southern, and Mark Schauer, a freshman from Chatsworth, should bring the team’s earned run average down a few notches this time around. Hagy, a 6-4, 200-pound junior from Yorkville, Ill., is the No. 1 starter. He and Taylor, who pitched 109 innings last year, will carry the pitching load, Zeller said.

The Master’s pitching coach and former Angels pitcher Geoff Zahn has been working with Hagy and is “having a field day,” Zeller said. “He throws hard and he has a good changeup.” Schauer will be the Mustangs’ third starter.

Dave Mayr, a transfer from Bakersfield College, will anchor the Mustangs’ bullpen. “He’s a very aggressive pitcher. We think he’ll come in and shut the door,” said Zeller.

Frank Mutz is a senior transfer from Hawaii who will pitch and catch. Master’s coaches are debating whether to use Mutz primarily on the mound or behind the plate.

Two keys for the Mustangs will be transfers Steve Reyes, a left fielder from Glendale College, and Chris Hernandez, a center fielder who played at College of the Canyons and Cal State Long Beach before coming to Master’s.

Eric Beagles and Tony Ellis, both from Cleveland State in Tennessee, will play shortstop and second base.

“With these guys, we’re better this year,” said Zeller, whose team was 20-32 a year ago. “We’re better offensively. We have better team speed. We’re better defensively--in the outfield and infield. And we’re better on the hill. I feel good about where we’re at.”