Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Name Captains for 2006 Campaign
2/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Seniors Jay Brant, Josh Lewis, Ryan Parker and Reggie Watson have been named team captains for the 2006 campaign, IU head baseball coach Tracy Smith announced.
"These four young men have been a part of IU Baseball for four and five years," Smith said. "We are proud of the way that they handled the transition into a new coaching staff. Part of being a "true" leader is not only embracing the "new" team philosophy, but also communicating and reinforcing that message to other members of the team. These four guys understand the importance of their role and have lived up to our expectations."
Brant capped his best season in a Hoosier uniform earning a spot on the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Rawlings All-Mideast Region second team as an outfielder in 2005. Also a second team All-Big Ten selection, he became the fifth Hoosier to earn All-Mideast honors. The Indianapolis product led the team in batting average (.365), runs (71), hits (81), doubles (16), stolen bases (26) and on-base percentage (.441) and ranked among the top 10 in 11 Big Ten offensive categories, including leading the league in runs. Brant is slated to start the season in right field.
Entering the season as the pitching staff's No. 1 starter, Lewis led the team with seven wins, 13 starts, 82 2/3 innings pitched and 65 strikeouts in 2005. He finished the year with a 7-5 record, a 4.03 ERA, tied for seventh in the Big Ten in victories and 10th in the league in innings pitched. Additionally, his 13 starts tied for seventh on the school's single-season list, and his 38 career starts are eighth in school history.
Although Parker's return this season is questionable due to medical concerns, he is on the roster and attending practices, providing an emotional boost to the team. An ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American the past two seasons, Parker provides a steady glove and on-field leadership. He started 55 of the team's 56 games and tied for third on the squad with a .340 batting average while playing nearly flawless defense with a .992 fielding percentage.
Watson, the catalyst for the Hoosier offense the past two seasons in the leadoff spot, gets the starting spot in center field for the third straight season. He earned his second consecutive spot as a third team All-Big Ten member in 2005, finishing the year with a .340 batting average, 80 hits, 60 runs and 20 stolen bases. Watson led the squad with five triples and 28 walks while closing the campaign second to Brant in runs, hits and steals. The Cincinnati product also led the Big Ten with 34 runs scored in conference games and sat in the top 10 in seven offensive categories in overall games.
The foursome and the rest of the Hoosiers open the regular season with a three-game set at Charlotte on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 24-26. The season opener is scheduled for 4 p.m. with single games taking place on Saturday and Sunday at noon.
