Bethel University Athletic

General Information:

School: Bethel University
Founded: 1947
Location: St. Paul, MN
Enrollment: 6,200 (2,800 undergrad)
President: Jay Barnes
Athletic Director: Bob Bjorklund
Team Nickname: Royals
Colors: Navy Blue and Vegas Gold
Arena: Hargis Park
Capacity: 500

2008 Record:
Overall record: 21-18
Conference record/finish: 11-9 / 5th

Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Greg Indlecoffer
Alma Mater/Year: Bethel/1988
Record at school (years): 121-110 / 59-61 MIAC (7th season)
Career record: same

Assistant Coaches:
Bill Hargis (Associate/Administrative Head Coach)
Bill Goodman (Pitching Coach)
Dan Richards (Assistant Coach)
Dale Eng (JV Pitching Coach)
Kris Pulford(Outfielders)

Key Returners:
Travis Adams (Sr., Chanhassen, Minn.) - LHP
Tim Churchill (Jr., Mt. Prospect, Ill.) - SS
Sean Flaherty (Jr., Shoreview, Minn.) - OF
Kyle McCracken (Jr., Johnston, Iowa) - RHP
John Slick (Jr., River Falls, Wis.) - OF/P
Ben Turnwall (Sr., Burnsville, Minn.) - RHP

Season Outlook:

The Bethel Royals are eager to return to the field in 2009 after finishing fifth in the MIAC standings last season with an 11-9 record – just a game back of a tie for third place. The Royals compiled an overall record of 21-18, which included a win over then #15 nationally ranked Otterbein during the team’s spring break trip to Florida.
 
Last season had its share of ups and downs, but one of the highlights of the season was a six-game conference winning streak close to the end of the season that put the program in a position to earn a conference playoff berth. However, the Royals lost the services of eight seniors for the second year in a row, many of whom were starters or significant contributors. While there are some big shoes to fill, last season’s underclassmen are hungry and anxious to prove themselves as varsity players who can lead Bethel back to the conference playoffs.

Pitching

Despite losing three starting pitchers to graduation, Bethel’s arsenal of arms remains potent. Both Travis Adams (Sr., Chanhassen, Minn.) and Ben Turnwall (Sr., Burnsville, Minn. - pictured left) return to lead the Royals on the mound as the two were named to Collegiate Baseball newspaper’s list of Division III Players to Watch. Adams, a two-year starter, compiled a 4-3 record and had the third-best ERA on the team at 3.71 in 43 2/3 innings pitched last season. The left-hander also had the most strikeouts on the team with 40, while walking just 16 batters. Turnwall established himself as the Royals' closer last season, converting on each of his nine save opportunities to set a new Bethel single season record. He led the MIAC in saves and had the team's second-lowest ERA at 3.29, striking out 24 batters in just 13 2/3 innings pitched, compared to just four walks. Kyle McCracken (Jr., Johnston, Iowa - pictured right) looks to join the starting rotation after two years of being the team’s go-to middle reliever, which included a breakout 2008 season. John Slick (Jr., River Falls, Wis.), Matt Johnson (So., Vadnais Heights, Minn.), Chris Dent (So., Marietta, Ohio), and David Anderson (Fr., Willmar, Minn.) will all compete for a spot in the starting rotation as well.

Catching

The most demanding position on the field saw two freshmen share time behind the plate last season as both Erik Anderson (So., Arden Hills, Minn.) and Kirk Darling (So., Portage, Mich.) made big strides personally and quickly developed into players that helped the team both on offense and defense. Anderson came on strong in the latter part of the season, raising his batting average 116 points in the last nine games with a home run, four doubles, and 11 RBI, while Darling batted .320 with five doubles and a triple. This season, Jay Slick (Fr., River Falls, Wis.) and Rick King (Fr., Lake Elmo, Minn.) join the mix, looking to make up half the battery.

Middle Infield

After bouncing around the diamond a bit, Tim Churchill (Jr., Mt. Prospect, Ill.) returns as Bethel’s starting shortstop, but after the departure of Tyler Kramer, second base has a trio of candidates competing for the starting job. Dusty Littlefield (Sr., Rockford, Minn.) and Mark Therrien (Jr., Spring Lake Park, Minn.) are the veteran returners who will be joined by newcomer Sean Bethke (Fr., Mahtomedi, Minn.).

First and Third Base

Bob Tokar (Jr., Elk River, Minn.) emerged as Bethel’s everyday first baseman last season, batting .324 with a home run, four doubles, a triple, and 17 RBI. This season, Tokar looks to establish himself as one of the top players in the conference at the position. The biggest hole Bethel will have to fill is the vacancy left by the graduation of Brandon Carr, one of the best all-around players to wear a Royal uniform in recent years. Several players will vie for the starting job, including Bjorn Anderson (Jr., Arden Hills, Minn.) and newcomer Pete Anderson (Sr., Bloomington, Minn.).

Outfield

The Royals are blessed with some good speed and athleticism in the outfield, led by Sean Flaherty (Jr., Shoreview, Minn.) and Rob Lang (Jr., Johnston, Iowa). Among the other players who are competing for starting jobs are Ryan Doheny (Sr., Anoka, Minn.), Tim Oesterlin (Jr., Rochester, Minn.), as well as John Slick.

Offensively, the Royals lost their two top hitters from a year ago in Carr and Dana Hegman, but the next five batters all have at least two years of eligibility left, which is a sure sign of optimism for both this season and next. Defensively, Bethel will look to its veteran pitching staff and young catchers to limit the opposition’s scoring opportunities.
 
Overall, there is a renewed spirit of determination among both the players and the staff to reach team and individual goals and set the bar higher for the program in order to be associated as a top team in a competitive conference.