"All the guys have an excellent work ethic." Coach Krsolovic said, "They have a desire to build a foundation for Lake Erie Baseball."

Hard throwing right-handed pitcher Jimmy knight and shortstop Matt McNany will lead the storm. Knight led the team with three victories on the mound while striking out 49. McNany batted a team high .403 and finished third on the team in total hits with 29.

Knight stresses the fact that teamwork will be essential in order for the team to achieve something. "We have to come together as a team, Knight said. "Blending the new guys in with the freshman that are new to the program will be important for our success."

Joining Knight and McNany as returnees for the Storm is second baseman Terry Bailey who slugged three homeruns last year. Bailey, who possesses a lot of power for a middle infielder, is concentrating on getting his batting average up and understands that effort and devotion go hand in hand. "We have to continue to work hard and believe in ourselves and what we are capable of doing," Bailey said.

Third baseman Rob Waller, utility player John Sullivan, and catcher Dawson Knight, who had 2 homeruns and 16 runs batted in last year anchor the returning players. First baseman Dan Purcell also returns after missing last season with an ankle injury.

Coach Krsolovic recognizes that the players who are returning will be in a leadership role. "The fact that there is some returnees to the program helps bring continuity with a completely new coaching staff," Krsolovic said, "It has helped us gain some prospective on the program in terms of where it was and where we would like it to go."

In addition to the players returning, the Storm will initiate 7 new freshmen and a junior college transfer who will all gain valuable college experience right away.

Andy Thornton, Howard Washington, Ahren Ricker and Steve Bell will battle for time at the three outfield spots. Bell won a Premier Athletic Conference championship at nearby Riverside High School in Painesville in 2001.

Second team all Premier Athletic Conference selection Bob White, Jon Gibson, who received all state honors, as a junior and senior in Kentucky, and Jon Thompson will all be looking to solidify the infield positions. In addition to playing in the field, Gibson and Brad Crail, who won a regional championship at Boone County High School in Kentucky, will join the pitching rotation that includes Jimmy Knight, Rob Waller, and John Sullivan.

"We have several freshmen that are going to be key guys right now," Krsolovic said, "They are going to be much better sophomores because of the experience that will be gained this year."

Building a program from the ground up is a challenging task for any coach and it is no different for coach Krsolovic and his staff. The emphasis for the year is improving every game and staying competitive. "I want to see us progress and begin to be competitive in our conference," Krsolovic said. Assistant coach Eric Frank echoed those sentiments. "We want to build a foundation for future success, and that comes from being competitive now, especially in our conference."

Having coached the Croatian national baseball team, Krsolovic is no stranger to challenges. With a strong core and a solid nucleus of recruits, the Storm could challenge every team in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

The Storm are set to begin their season against Cumberland in Cumberland, Kentucky and against Roanoke in Salem, Virginia over the spring break. The first home contest is slated for March 14th against Mount Aloysius.