A 38-18 overall record, including a 17-9 Big East mark, placed Pitt’s baseball team in the Big… A 38-18 overall record, including a 17-9 Big East mark, placed Pitt’s baseball team in the Big East tournament last season, only to be ousted with two quick losses to St. John’s and Boston College.

But according to Baseball America, Pitt is expected to be led back to the tournament this season by sophomore second baseman Jim Negrych, despite the departure of a few of its best players from last year’s squad.

“Our expectations are always high, but when you look at what we lost, a lot will need to happen for us to match last year’s success,” head coach Joe Jordano said. “At the same time, though, we’re very confident that that will happen.”

Negrych will be asked to lead the relatively young team after being awarded the 2004 Big East Rookie of the Year and earning freshman All-American honors last year from Baseball America and Louisville Slugger.

Upon breaking onto the scene last season with his .378 batting average, Negrych now enters this season with even higher expectations, being tagged as the Big East Preseason Player of the Year.

“With that title before the season, you got to step it up,” Jordano said. “People will be gunning for you, and pitchers are going to take pride in shutting you down and he’ll have to translate the hype onto the field.”

Along with Negrych, junior Ben Copeland and sophomore Peter Parise return to a team on the field that will feature just one senior — catcher Mike Zambriczki.

In addition to the expected leadership of those three, Jordano expects significant contribution out of his freshman class, noting that a solid season out of freshman first baseman Daniel Ford would be helpful.

Ford, from Boardman, Ohio, replaces Tom Cashman in the lineup for Pitt after setting Boardman High School’s career batting average record at .490 last season. He also belted a career-high 17 home runs and looks to add pop at first base for the Panthers.

“We’re confident in our younger guys,” Jordano said. “It’s not just Ford, too, because a lot will come out of Dan Williams in the infield and a few of the freshmen that will see a lot of innings on the mound.”

That is where uncertainty lies for the Panthers, but Jordano has faith in his returning players and sees their depth and experience playing a major role during the Big East season.

Redshirt seniors Don Rhoten, Jeff Barnyak and Adam Luckette will anchor a rotation that lost its best and most experienced pitchers in Nick Evangelista, P.J. Hiser and Tom Gornati to the major league draft last year.

“We look at their experience in the Big East,” Jordano said. “These guys have been there before and can get the job done. At the same time they will also lead the younger guys and get them the experience they need as well.”

Even with all that the Panthers lost last year, the preseason picks still have them finishing third in the Big East behind the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and St. John’s Red Storm.

But it won’t be just the top three teams that keep the Big East competitive this season as teams from top to bottom return a wealth of players, providing for an exciting baseball season.

“We’re getting respect and that’s great to see,” Jordano said. “But a lot of these teams will be good as well. It’s going to be a fun season.”

Pitt will open up its 2005 season today against Rider as they compete in the Coastal Carolina Tournament. The team will play host Coastal Carolina twice, as well as Rider again on Sunday.