SV trio feel at home with Mercyhurst baseball team
SLIPPERY ROCK Being part of a state championship baseball team in high school isn't enough for Eric Aschley, Dan Jergel and Ken Walrond.
Now they want to repeat the trick in college.
The three Seneca Valley graduates, all members of the 2007 Raiders team that claimed the PIAA title, are freshmen on the Mercyhurst College team in Erie.
The Lakers (12-13, 11-5) are in second place in the PSAC West after winning three out of four games at Slippery Rock University last weekend.
"Our roster is unique in that we've got six seniors and 12 freshmen," Mercyhurst coach Joe Spano said. "We're going to be counting on a lot of younger players next year.
"Those three Seneca Valley guys are all in that mix. We're thrilled to have all three of them with us because all three may be starters next year."
Aschley has been in the mix this year. The 6-foot-2, 196-pound right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.95 earned run average in 10 relief appearances covering 18Z\c innings. He has 23 strikeouts and eight walks during that time.
At Seneca Valley, Aschley was stuck behind standout pitchers Cory Mazzoni and Kyle Helisek, who moved on to North Carolina State and Villanova, respectively.
"There's a kid who couldn't get any high school innings," Spano said. "We saw him at a baseball showcase right here (at Critchfield Park) and he really impressed us."
So much so that Aschley agreed to a scholarship with Mercyhurst before his senior season in high school. Then, an elbow injury prevented him from pitching for the Seneca Valley Palomino team last summer.
"I'm surprised I've been able to contribute this year. It's been fun," Aschley said. "I'll do what I can to help the team, but my goal is to be a starter."
Aschley's fastball has been in the 87-89 mph range consistently. He also throws an effective curve, slider and changeup.
"We've been working Eric in gradually because his arm strength and endurance aren't there yet," Spano said. "He just hasn't pitched much. We're figuring on him being one of our starters next year."
Two of the six seniors on the Lakers this year, John Mang and Ryan Schreiber, are in the starting rotation.
Jergel, a first baseman, is stuck behind another senior in Jeff Stoll, who is hitting .336 with 10 homers, 47 RBI and a .664 slugging percentage."He's one of the best hitters in the league," Spano said. "But I'm hoping Dan inherits first base next year. He's next in line."In limited action, Jergel is batting .200 (2-for-10) in 11 games. He hasn't started a game. He hit a pinch-hit double off the right-field fence last Saturday against SRU."I'm in the perfect situation because I'm learning from a great player and an even better teammate," Jergel said.
Walrond played three different positions in as many years at Seneca Valley. He played second base as a sophomore, shortstop as a junior and center field as a senior.He's showing the same versatility at Mercyhurst."He's already played three infield positions and every outfield spot," Spano said. "To be honest, Kenny's one of those players who doesn't have a lot of natural ability. He just works so hard that you can't keep him off the field."Walrond has appeared in 21 games, including eight starts. He's batting .243 (9-for-37) with a homer and three RBI."Being able to play a bunch of positions has helped me here," Walrond said. "I always feel like I can get on the field someplace and we're going to have to fill some starting spots next season."
