The Kutztown University baseball team set a school record with a 49-7 record, was ranked No. 1 in the nation at one point last season, and won the North Atlantic Regional Championship to advance to the NCAA Division II Championships in Montgomery, Ala.

In addition, KU went 19-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division and three pitchers moved on to professional baseball after the 2007 season.

The departure of five of the top seven hitters and four pitchers who combined for 26 wins, opens the door for those starters returning to step into leadership roles, the reserves to become starters and newcomers to contribute immediately.

Chad Lightcap was the team’s top hitter last year and will headline the Golden Bear bats in 2008. The junior left fielder, who also will see time as the Golden Bears’ designated hitter, batted .376 (56-for-149) with 12 doubles and four home runs. He also had 41 RBIs and 30 runs scored en route to a spot on the All-PSAC East second team. Lightcap also was selected to the Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association All-North Atlantic Region second team.

Garrison Rausch is one of just two other returning players, with a minimum of 50 at-bats, who batted above .300 last season. He hit .329 with 20 runs scored. The senior is expected to start in center field.

Senior Bryan Riggins will lead a group of players looking to start in right field and backup the other positions. Riggins played in 31 games last year, with nine starts. Freshmen Jeff Kistle (Sandyston, N.J./Kittatinny), Corey Buletza (St. Clair/Pottsville) and Nole Saylor (Boyertown/Boyertown) look to make an immediate impact in the outfield.

The deepest position on the roster is at catcher, with four returning veterans sharing the duties. Matt Kulbacki batted .366 last season in 71 at-bats. Matt Dierolf, batted .235 in 68 at-bats, while Scott Kacelowicz (.214) and Dominick Fantanarosa (.476) also return.

Mike Kacelowicz is the only experienced infielder, starting 36 games at second base last season for the Golden Bears. He batted .298 (37-for-124) with six doubles, two triples and a homer. He had 19 RBIs and 38 runs scored, and will switch to shortstop this spring.

The other three infield positions have position battles that feature players who combined to start 18 games last season.

Jared Frey, who had 10 of those starts and 33 appearances, batted .310 and will look to start at first base this season. Redshirt freshman Andy May will vie for time at first as well.

Mark Renda (Lansdale/North Penn), who saw limited action last season before being sidelined by injury, will compete against newcomer Brett Wigder (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) for the starting job at second base.

Freshmen Mike Dugan (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) and James Quigley (Bensalem/Bensalem) will battle for the third base position.

Offensively, the 2007 Golden Bears were No. 1 in the conference in hits, RBIs, doubles, runs scored, total bases and walks. They were in the middle of the pack in stolen bases, but head coach Chris Blum believes the team will boast plenty of speed this season.

"This is the fastest team I’ve had in five years," he said. "Bunting, stealing and hit-and-run execution will be the keys to our offense."

On the mound, KU will be counting on potential from its pitching staff.

Blum, the 2007 PSAC East and North Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year, has tabbed senior pitcher Philip Rummel as the Golden Bears’ ace in 2008. Rummel went 8-1 last season with an ERA of 4.50. He had 39 strikeouts and three complete games.

Rausch and sophomore Darin Gorski both went 4-0 last season. Rausch had a team-low ERA of 1.53. Gorski started in six games, with 35 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.63. The two pitchers should man the second and third spots in the rotation.

Battling for the fourth and fifth spots will be juniors Kevin Morganti and Steve Craig. Blum is hoping that the two pitchers step up as upperclassmen. Morganti redshirted last year after going 4-0 with a 2.89 ERA in 28 innings in 2006. Craig pitched in seven games last season. Sophomores Ryan Cassidy (2-0, 1.83 ERA) and Mike Bucklin (1-0, 6.05 ERA) and freshman Trent Mertz (Kutztown/Kutztown) also will compete for a spot in the Golden Bears’ rotation.