This year the NCAA has changed standards on bats used by baseball teams, and the new bats will feature smaller sweet spots because of changes in the core composition.

This change in equipment will call for a change in the style of play for many teams, and Eastern is among the ones who should be prepared for the change, with their pitching staff ranking among the best in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Panthers will feature OVC pre-season pitcher of the year, Mike Hoekstra, and head coach Jim Schmitz said the rest of the team’s pitching staff should also be a strength for his club this season.

In addition to Hoekstra being named by OVC coaches as “the pitcher you least want to face,” the Lansing native was voted on by six of the nine OVC coaches who responded to the questionnaire as being one of the top three starting pitchers in the OVC, along with Southeast Missouri State’s Jordan Underwood and Tennessee-Martin’s Dan Tobik.

This should prove to be an advantage for the team, as the new bats will limit extra-base power as compared to their predecessors.

This will force more teams to play “small ball”, manufacturing runs by way of bunting and running as opposed to relying on extra base hits to knock home tallies.

The team also has junior Zach Borenstein, who was voted in the same poll as one of the top three pure hitters in the OVC, so the team will still have some offensive pop.

The Panthers also look to feature a speedy outfield this season, which plays right into the hands of this new strategy, because it will enable the Panthers to use more hit-and-run scenarios and steal more bases to produce scoring.

Also due to the new difficulties coming up with extra-base hits, team defense will now play even more of a key role in the game, as the team will now have fewer runs to give if they are scoring less often than before.

The Panthers had their share of problems with team defense in 2010, but they are looking to improve that aspect of their team as well, according to head coach Jim Schmitz.

With the new emphasis on run-manufacturing, look for this year’s Panther baseball squad to improve over a tough year last season while looking to make a statement in the OVC.

The Panthers are projected to finish fourth in the conference, but I think they can surprise a couple of teams this year by rebounding from last season and coming back in full force in 2011.

Brad Kupiec can be reached at 581-7944 or bmkupiec@eiu.edu