Tigers look to repeat as Ivy champs with more offense, less pitching depth

What's the biggest change from last season's baseball team? Pitching. And one pitcher in particular. But we won't mention that.

The baseball team is the defending Ivy League champion. Dartmouth's Connor Brooks was the best pitcher in the league. Princeton beat him, his team, and got to go to the NCAA Regional championships for the first time since 1996.

In the first game of the regional tournament a Tiger pitcher no-hit the No. 5 team in the nation for four innings. But we won't mention that. Houston came back to beat Princeton, 7-6. Then Texas Tech eliminated the Tigers, 10-1. Princeton exited with experience, if nothing else.

The Tigers will get even more experience. Soon. They play Oklahoma State this weekend. They play UNC-Wilmington and Duke over Spring Break. Each of these teams has played at least 15 games. Princeton has practiced once outdoors.

Jason Quintana '00 is gone due to graduation. Sophomore lefthander Scott Hindman is gone due to elbow surgery. Another pitcher is gone due to the Pirates. But we won't mention that.

In the past, the Tigers have relied upon good pitching.

"Our pitching depth won't be as good as it has been," head coach Scott Bradley said.

But righthanders junior Tom Rowland and sophomore Ryan Quillian are still here. Both started important league games last year. Sophomore righthander David Boehle is still here. As a freshman closer he was first-team All-Ivy League, but he's been a starter all his life. This year he will be in the Tiger rotation.

In the past, Princeton has relied upon a couple bats for offensive output. This year production should come from the entire lineup. Jay Mitchell '00 is gone. Buster Small '00 is gone. Mitchell and Small platooned for most of the season. The players with whom they platooned — seniors second baseman Tim Phillips and catcher Casey Hildreth — are still here. Seniors first baseman Andrew Hanson, right fielder Max Krance and outfielder Jon Watterson are still here. All three were first-team All-Ivy. They were also the top three batters on the team.

Junior shortstop Pat Boran is still here. He, too, was first-team All-Ivy.

"He might be the best all-around player in the Ivy League," Bradley said. "He has all the tools."

He will bat second. In front of Krance and Hanson. "That's our murderer's row," Bradley said.

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Krance played in the Cape Cod League last summer. So did Hildreth. So did a certain former Tiger pitcher. But we won't mention that.

The Cape Cod League is a showcase for the best players in the country. It's good for experience. It's good for scouts. The scouts were watching that pitcher last year. This year, they might be watching Boran. According to Bradley, this could be Boran's last season with the team.

As always, Harvard should be good. So should Dartmouth. So should Cornell. The Big Red almost dethroned Princeton from the top of the Gehrig Division last year. The unmentionable pitcher won his game in the last weekend of the regular season, and that was all the Tigers needed.

These Ivy teams will see a different Tiger attack this season. More offense. An older offense. A veteran offense. An offense looking to carry the team. Less pitching depth. A young, but experienced rotation. A question mark in the bullpen. A missing ace. But we won't mention that.

Princeton knows how to win. These players have been there. They have been to the NCAA Regional chmapionships. They have been to the Ivy League championships — for the last five years. They have the confidence of a winning team. And the tools to back it up.

By the way, junior Chris Young will not pitch for the Tigers this year. He signed a professional contract. But we won't mention that. Princeton will be fine without him.