New-look Hoosiers travel to Charlotte for season opener

New faces, both on the diamond and in the dugout, characterize the IU baseball team as they travel to Charlotte to begin the 2006 season with a three-game set against the University of North Carolina Charlotte 49ers.\nWith 14 newcomers on the roster, and a new coach in Tracy Smith, the 2006 Hoosiers bear only a slight resemblance to the 2005 squad that finished 26-30.\nSmith, who coached nine successful seasons at Miami University of Ohio, said he is eager to begin his tenure at IU.\n"I don't want to say that it's just another game, because the team is excited and I'm excited as well," Smith said. "But our focus is to do whatever is necessary to get ready for the Big Ten season."\nOf the 14 newcomers, five will be in the starting lineup for Friday's opener. Freshman Chris Hervey, a New York recruit, will be starting in right field, while second base and third base will be manned by two transfers, Brett Sager from Louisiana State University and Tad Reida from Wichita State University, respectively. Freshman Billy O'Connor, a Cincinnati native, will be behind the plate, while University of Connecticut transfer Ben Greenspan is slated to be the designated hitter. \nBalancing out the slew of new faces are two fifth-year seniors, left fielder Jay Brant, who earned Rawlings All-Mid East Region honors last season, and centerfielder Reggie Watson, two of the four senior co-captains on the 2006 team.\n"As a new member of the team, their leadership has been important to me and the others," Greenspan said. "We'll turn to them for leadership and jump on their backs this season."\nWatson, a third team All Big Ten selection last season, said he believes that with all the new players on the roster, establishing team cohesion is a top priority.\n"We have to establish ourselves as a team, both offensively and defensively," Watson said. "Everything and everyone has got to be on the same page for us to be successful."\nWhile creating team chemistry is a goal for this weekend's opening series, Smith emphasized that the Hoosiers are there to win.\n"We want to go down to Charlotte and win, make no mistake about it," Smith said. "We expect to win three games, but at the same time we want to learn about ourselves as a team. But ultimately, it's all about winning."\nAlthough this series marks the season opener for the Hoosiers, it's Charlotte's third series of the season. The 49ers are 4-2 after sweeping Canisius College and winning one of three against Wake Forest University. Led by table-setting second baseman Cory Lane and catcher Chris Taylor, the preseason Atlantic Ten Conference favorites are averaging 8.5 runs per game, and hitting the ball at a .315 clip overall.\nWhile the 49ers have been hitting the ball well, their pitching has been just as solid. The Hoosiers are slated to face junior Adam Mills, who is 1-0 with a 2.24 ERA. Saturday's contest doesn't get any easier, as sophomore Keith Moreland, owner of a 1.80 ERA, is expected to make his first start of the season. The Hoosiers end the series against senior Derek McDaid. \nIU's rotation has yet to be determined, but senior co-captain Josh Lewis, who led the team with seven wins last season, is expected to start one of this weekend's games. \nIn the past 10 seasons, the Hoosiers have compiled a 7-3 mark in season openers, including a home win against DePauw University to begin last season. To be as successful on opening day as IU has been in the past, Smith said the new-look Hoosiers will have to forge their own identity.\n"It's all about confidence in ourselves and being confident in who we are as a team," Smith said. "If we can accomplish that, I think we'll be fine this weekend and this season"