iday, February 9,20
number of squart
ides what the neu
reliminary ideas
he committee mei
i design planner;
and Planning De
is.
the main goal o(
to be seamless, so
;ars from now you
know it didn’t ex-
;ign is designed to
nain plaza of the
here should be no
sruptions to
iner Building dur-
ind no additional
armed to be added
plex with thisren-
tr the construction
mer.
armed, we willbe-
December of2001
h in June of 2003,"
How occupancyto
•of 2003.”
Reserve Offtcet
DTC) program in
1 the biggest of the
colleges, surpass-
of the Citadel,
hoose to join the
d foundation and
that are applic;
lay, February 9„ 2001
2001 Texas A&M Baseball
Page 7A-
THE BATTALION
^orter looking for success on Kyle Field to carry over to Olsen
v Jason Lincoln
he Battalion
While Texas A&M baseball coach Mark
hnson had his hands full with offseason
ining, he was missing a key leader—junior
rd baseman Greg Porter.
Porter's hands were still busy because he
is in the middle of a season with the Aggie
otball team. He grabbed 21 catches for 236
rds, fourth best on the A&M roster.
It was a breakout season for Porter in his
phomore season on the gridiron. He did not
tch a single pass in the 1999 regular season.
“Definitely having a good football season
eps me going high," Porter said. “I'm feeling
etty good coming into baseball season. Hope-
d from Page 1A Hy, I’ll have a breakout year in baseball, too.”
His impact on the diamond was more im-
ediate. Porter enters Olsen Field today with
o seasons of experience and one of the most
ngerous swings in the Aggie lineup.
In his inaugural season in .1999, Porter
tde 31 starts as the Aggies designated hitter
tile batting .328.
That season Porter hit seven home runs and
Jd 40 hits, including 11 doubles, driving in
'dj 1 runs. All as a freshman.
,ud. The Corps I p orter mac i e i-,i s debut in Kyle Field four
er, stronger and | onths i ater .
t eithercivilianori yyimr) he returned to Olsen for the 2000
; Bason, it was as a third baseman.
Corps present 0 Porter’s output from the plate dropped. He
es to their cadets, ^ 286 last season in 42 starts. He also failed
erations tramiK idearthe fence the entire season, posting just
>ses to participate
rilitary, the Corps
vide a cadet will,
adequate to grad-
officer, and tie
ssioned as lieu-
aey graduate from
v students join the'
sity and‘Me ray
ole pembyde-
xluct withasolid
on and excellent
Corps Recruiting'
»r biomedical sci-1
ie Corps partici-.
; recruitment efj
ttending college
ols across Texas,
embers speak to;
s and their parents
^ of joining the;
■ tries to impress
ets the opportuni-
the tradition tie
upon.” He addetj
present the dial’
eing amemberof
e are also financial
the Corps. Tlte
0 scholarships last
ison said thatifa
Aith the R0TC
5le to receiveai
d from the R0TC
ersity waives out
for cadets cominl
states.
:M has more of
• Force than ant
emy in the cotta
ntinues to cot);
ers to the othet
lorps is an excel;-
od things andK
n while
five doubles and 11 RBIs.
“Last year he was a little more quiet than
he is now,” said A&M first baseman Travis
Wong, who was just a freshman last season.
“With guys like (Sean) Heaney and (Daylan)
Holt, he was in the shadows a little bit. This
year 1 think he might step forward and become
one of our leaders.”
«
Definitely having a good
football season keeps me
going high. I'm feeling
pretty good coming into
baseball season. Hopefully
I'll have a breakout year
in baseball, too.”
— Greg Porter
Aggies third baseman
Porter is just one of a handful of upper-
classmen on the roster who have starting ex
perience, and the Aggies are looking for him
to lead the young lineup.
“He’s stepping into a leadership role now,”
A&M baseball coach Mark Johnson said. “On
the football side it’s seniors, but in baseball we
depend on juniors to lead because we typical
ly don’t have a lot of seniors. He got it going
over there (with football.) Hopefully he can
have the same impact over here.”
As the Aggies square off against Arkansas
State, it will be the first team they have seen
since May.
Porter saw 12 during the fall. Even if it was on
a different field, with different rules mid different
challenges the competition was still the same.
That competition has readied the 6-foot-4,
230-pound wide receiver/third baseman for
the needs of Aggie baseball.
But during Porter’s absence from Olsen
Field this fall, another competition was brew
ing — one for his job as the Aggies’ starter.
Sophomore transfer Kevin Theiss from
San Jacinto Junior College had an impressive
fall, earning consideration for the starting job
at third base.
“It just feels good to be back out on the di
amond,” Porter said. “I knew there was going
to be some competition coming into the sea
son and I don’t mind that at all. Actually I pre
fer it. It just makes everyone play better.”
Since Porter has returned, the competition
for the job has been neck-and-neck, so close
that 72 hours prior to first pitch, Johnson did
not know who his starter would be.
“It’s forced him to work a little bit harder,
concentrate more during practice and show
that he deserves that spot and that he’s the best
out there,” Wong said. “He’s been doing well.”
Only this season will tell whether Porter’s
breakout season on the Kyle Field turf will
translate to success inside the walls of Olsen.
A&M jurwor third baseman Greg
Porter looks to recreate his success as
CHAD ADAMS/The Battalion
a wide receiver on the football field on
the baseball field.
Deininger living up to expectations
Sophomore pitcher looks to improve on stellar freshman year
I&M sophomore pitcher
will be looked upon to be
Todd Deininger
an anchor of the
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS A&M SPORTS INFORMATION
pitching staff for the Aggies. Deininger led
the team in wins and strikeouts last season.
By Brian Ruff
The Battalion
When sophomore pitcher Todd
Deininger stepped on the rubber in his first
collegiate start on Feb. 5, 2000, against
Oregon State, the right-handed pitcher
might have been expected to lose his com
posure and pitch around the opposing
team’s hitters.
The Joliet, Ill., native did anything but
buckle under the pressure, as Deininger
went straight after the Oregon State hitters
and fooled Oregon State lead-off hitter Eric
Stark, who was caught looking.
“It was a great feeling to be that pumped
up and get that first start,” Deininger said.
The right-hander would add six more
strikeouts in the game, despite working only
five-and-two-thirds innings. Deininger
recorded the win and set the tone for the rest
of his freshman season.
“[Deininger] threw well for his first col
legiate outing,” said A&M baseball coach
Mark Johnson after the freshman’s first
start. “He went to the mound with confi
dence and competed by coming right at the
hitters and throwing strikes.”
Deininger recorded a team-high 82
strikeouts during the 2000 season.
The sophomore is no stranger to pres
sure. Deininger pitched on the USA junior
national team that won the gold medal at the
1999 International Baseball Association Ju
nior World Championships in Taiwan.
“It was a great experience playing for our
country,” Deininger said.
The Americans faced off against Chinese
Taipei in the championship game, in front
of 25,000 fans. Deininger got the start in a
most unfriendly pitching environment.
“They had big huge drums on top of the
dugout [and they were] just beating them,”
Deininger said. “It was the loudest place
I’ve ever played at.”
Deininger, who was team captain of the
baseball team during his senior season at
Township High School, also led the team to
the conference championship and partici
pated in the East-West All-Star Game, as
well as being named the Illinois Gatorade
Player of the Year in 1999.
His trials on the diamond most likely do
not compare to the decision he made after
his senior season, when Deininger was
drafted in the fifth round of the 1999 ama
teur draft by the Chicago Cubs, his favorite
professional team.
“There was really no choice,” Deininger
said. “I didn’t really think about going to the
Cubs because I wanted to come here and get
better, and my mom really liked it here.”
“[Khalid] Ballouli and Deininger were
both starters for us last year, and that is a big
plus to bring those guys back,” Johnson
said. “Todd really had some good outings
and he has a really high ceiling and the po
tential to dominate.”
Johnson also said the sophomore has im
proved his curve ball from last season and
still has the velocity up around 90 mph.
“[Todd] is better than he was last year
without question,” Johnson said. “Coach
Lawler has really done a dynamite job on
him.”
Deininger will be the middle man in
Johnson’s rotation this season, starting the
second game of this weekend’s series
against against Arkansas State.
I
for people
otivate and 1
an goal,”
ly & Saturday Night
pm only s 4.50
\ @ fondflngfl.toii
.VETHE LAST DANCE
313)
:35 2:10 4:50 7:4510:25 H8
IATCH (R).
:00 2:25 5:05 7:5010:3012*
l GAR AND SPICE (PG13)
35 2:55 5:15 8:0010:1512#
E WEDDING PLANNEB
313)
-40 2:05 4:30 7:3010:1012*
IRTEEN DAYS (PG13)
20 3:30 6:50 9:5012:50
AFFIC (R)
30 3:40 6:40 9:4012:40
HAT WOMEN WANT (PG13)
€4:10 7:10 1 0:0012:45
3 Matt Alexander
INF
S/R 5-10
29 Khalid Ballouli
RHP
R/R 6-3
13 Todd Deininger
RHP
R/R 6-3
30 Zach Dixon
LHP
L/L 6-2
22 David Evans
OF
R/R 6-0
4 Matt Farnum
RHP
R/R 6-1
14 Brian Finch RHP/OF
R/R 6-4
28 Jeff Freeman
INF
L/R 6-2
32 Chris French
LHP
L/L 6-3
5 Ty Garner
INF
R/R 5-10
10 Jason Gremminger C
R/R 5-11
11 Joe Hart
RHP
R/R 6-1
20 Ben Himes
OF
L/R 6-5
24 Brent Howell
C
R/R 6-0
9 Eddie Lang
OF
S/L 5-6
16 Rusty Meyer
C
R/R 6-0
35 Aaron Mitchell
RHP
R/R 6-3
18 Justin Moore RHP/INF R/R 6-3
37 Kyle Pa reus
LHP
L/L 6-3
6 Tim Petru
INF
R/R 6-0
36 Dwayne Poliok
RHP
R/R 6-2
12 Steven Ponder LHP/OF S/L 6-0
44 Greg Porter
INF
L/R 6-5
34 Robert Ramsey
RHP
R/R 6-2
2 Eric Reed
OF
L/L 5-10
165 Fr-HS
195 Jr-2L
195 So-IL
195 So-IL
185 $o-U
185 Fr-HS
180 Fr-HS
215 Sr-ll
190 Fr-HS
180 Jr-ll
185 Sr-ll
180 Jr-TR
220 So-TR
185 Jr-IL
160 Jr-TR
185 Fr-RS
So-TR
Fr-RS
Fr-HS
So-TR
So-SQ
185
195
180
185
185
1 Chris Russ RHP/INF
8 Erik Schindewolf INF
21 Carlos Sepulveda OF
38 Brian Shallock
27 Neal Stephenson
23 Brian Strelitz
17 Kevin Theiss
15 Ryan Wardinsky
39 Ryan Warpinski
33 Travis Wong
LHP
OF
RHP
INF
INF
RHP
INF
R/R
L/R
R/R
LA
L/R
R/R
R/R
S/R
R/R
R/R
5-11
5- 10
6- 1
6-3
6-1
6-0
6-2
6-1
6-3
6-5
195 So-IL
230 Jr-2L
195 Fr-HS
175 So-IL
185 Sr-3L
170 Fr-HS
200 Jr-IL
190 Fr-HS
200 Jr-2L
190 Jr-IL
200 So-TR
180 Jr-IL
200 Fr-RS
225 So-IL
Fort Worth, Texas (Arlington Heights)
Austin, Texas (High)
Joliet, III. (Central)
Houston, Texas (Clear Lake)
Buda,-Texas (Hays Consolidated)
Littleton, Colo. (Dakota Ridge)
West Columbia, Texas (Columbia)
Gladewater, Texas (High/Cowley Cty. CC)
Arlington, Texas (Martin)
Kingwood, Texas (High)
Rowlett, Texas (Trinity Christian/MCC)
Plano, Texas (Dallas jesuit/Navarro JC)
Austin, Texas (Westlake/Virginia)
Boerne, Texas (High)
Houston, Texas (Lamar/Navarro JC)
Blue Springs, Mo. (High)
Southlake, Texas (Carroll/Dallas Baptist)
Katy, Texas (Taylor)
Rosebud, Texas (Rosebud-Lott)
Houston, Texas (Westbury/Navarro JC)
San Antonio, Texas (East Central)
Austin, Texas (Westlake)
Keller, Texas (High)
Austin, Texas (Bowie)
Monticello, AHc. (High)
Kerrville, Texas (Tivy)
Spring, Texas (Klein Oak)
Lake Jackson, Texas (Brazoswood)
McKinney, Texas (High)
Houston, Texas (Spring Woods)
Temple City, Calif. (High/UCLA)
Spring, Texas (Klein Oak/San Jacinto JC)
Kalispell, Mont. (Flathead/Walla Walla CC)
Maribel, Wis. (Denmark)
Boise, Idaho (Timberline)
pViotos and graphics by:
Ruben DeLuna,
Selso Garcia,
Chad Adams and
Cody Waiges
Date
Feb. 9-11
Feb. 13
Feb. 16-18
Feb. 20
Feb. 23
Feb. 24-25
Feb. 27
March 2-5
March 2
March 2
March 3
March 3
March 3
March 3
March 4
March 4
March 5
March 5
March 5
March 5
March 9
March 10
March 11
March 13
March 14
C March 16-18
| March 20
IgjfrPj 23-25
March 27
torch 30-31
>ri! 1
pi 3
April 6-8
April 10
kpril 13-15
>rif 17
[-April 20-22
April 24
April 27-29
May 4
May 5-6
May 10-12
May 16-20
Opponent Site Time
ARKANSAS STATE COLLEGE STATION 3 p.m., 2 p.m., 2 p.m.
$ vs. Southwest Texas State Round Rock, Texas 5 p.m.
at Arizona Tucson, Ariz. 4 p.m., 2 p.m., 2 p.m.
at Sam Houston State Huntsville, Texas 2 p.m.
* at Baylor Waco, Texas 7 p.m.
* BAYLOR COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m., 2 p.m.
at Houston Houston, Texas 7 p.m.
% AGGIE CONTINENTAL EXPRESS BASEBALL CLASSIC
(Indiana State, Penn State, Texas A&M, UNLV)
% Indiana State vs. UNLV College Station 1 p.m.
% A&M vs. PENN STATE COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m.
% Penn State vs. UNLV College Station 10 a.m.
% Penn State vs. Indiana State College Station 1 p.m.
% A&M vs. INDIANA STATE COLLEGE STATION 5 p.m.
% A&M vs. UNLV COLLEGE STATION 8 p.m.
% UNLV vs. Penn State College Station 1 p.m.
% A&M vs. INDIANA STATE COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m.
% Indiana State vs. Penn State College Station 10 a.m.
% UNLV vs. Indiana State College Station 1 p.m.
% A&M vs. UNLV COLLEGE STATION 5 p.m.
% A&M vs. PENN STATE COLLEGE STATION 8 p.m.
* at Oklahoma Norman, Olda. 3 p.m.
* at Oklahoma Norman, Olda. 2 p.m.
* at Oklahoma Norman, Okla. 1 p.m.
LAMAR COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m.
’ at Texas-Arlington Arlington, Texas 2 p.m.
* IOWA STATE COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m., 7 p.m., 1 p.m.
SAM HOUSTON STATE COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m.
* at Kansas State Manhattan, Kan. 7 p.m., 2 p.m., 1 p.m.
TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m.
TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m., 7 p.m.
TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN COLLEGE STATION 1 p.m.
at Rice Houston, Texas 7 p.m.
* KANSAS COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m., 7 p.m., 1 p.m.
HOUSTON COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m.
* at Texas Tech Lubbock, Texas 7 p.m., 2 p.m., 1 p.m.
SAM HOUSTON STATE COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m.
* OKUHOMA STATE COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m., 2 p.m., 2 p.m.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m.
* NEBRASKA COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m., 7 p.m., 1 p.m.
* TEXAS COLLEGE STATION 7 p.m.
* at Texas Austin, Texas 6:30 p.m., 1 p.m.
* at Missouri Columbia, Mo. 7 p.m., 7 p.m., 2 p.m.
Big 12 Tournament, Oklahoma City, Okla.
* Big 12 Conference game.
$ at Dell Diamond, Round Rock, Texas.
% Aggie Continental Express Baseball Classic, College Station.
Home games in CAPS, played at C.E. "Pat" Olsen Field.
All times Central, dates and times subject to change without notice.