Click HERE to see Head Coach Chris Klimas and senior Chase Knott give their thoughts before opening day.

CLAREMORE, Okla. - The Rogers State baseball team, under the direction of first-year head coach Chris Klimas, looks to get back to prominence behind a 34-man roster with 23 players returning and 11 newcomers beginning the program's second year as a member of the NCAA Division II Heartland Conference.
 
INFIELDERS
The Hillcats turn to an experienced group of infielders with two starters returning and again talented newcomers added to the mix as the coaching staff knows that defense can be a difference maker in ballgames.
 
"We put a lot of emphasis on defense in the fall and the guys really bought into that, played hard, and played it really well. So if I were to say, going into the spring, the one thing that I would look at as a strength, would be defense," Klimas said.
 
RSU's leading hitter is back for his junior season as Caleb Kohlmeyer returns to man his spot at first base where he played nearly every game a season ago. The Barnsdall, Oklahoma native posted a .317 average with a team-high 10 doubles and played great defensively tallying a .985 fielding percentage.
 
"At first base, I've got two guys. Caleb, who is a returner and had a really good year last year, and then Dustin Exford, from NEO. Having those two guys there is a big addition for us. I think that will definitely be a point of strength for us this spring," Klimas stated.
 
The Hillcats will turn to a new face to occupy second base as Cesar Rodriguez comes to the Hill from NOC-Tonkawa where he was a second-team all-region selection batting .359 in 53 appearances for the Mavericks in 2014. Joining him will be Austin Culwell, a fellow junior that made 40 appearances during his first two seasons for RSU.
 
"They both bring different things to us, but both had great falls. Cesar really swung it well and Culwell played extremely well defensively for us and has as quick a pivot on the double play from the second base position as you'll see. Both of those guys I am really excited to see what they can do this spring," Klimas added.
 
A mainstay in the infield since coming to RSU, Chase Knott returns for his senior season as one of two players to start all 45 games last year primarily at short stop. He will be joined by one of the Hillcats most versatile players in junior Johan Ochoa, who started 32 games at three different positions in 2014 and can play any spot in the infield he is needed.
 
"Chase is coming off a really good, strong summer. I am excited about where he's at defensively and I think he has the ability to be a middle of the order offensive player," Klimas declared. "Johan also lined up at shortstop this fall. We are going to look at him everywhere, but he is a guy that can kind of fill in and has the ability to play anywhere."
 
The drive for the starting job at third base is being waged by two talented and experienced players in sophomore addition Trae BoBo and senior Ryan Hendricks. BoBo racked up 42 RBI in 59 starts for the Eagles of Oklahoma Wesleyan last season as a true freshman from Owasso, Oklahoma, while Hendricks is back for his senior season after starting 43 games at three spots a season ago ranking second on the team with a .313 batting average.
 
"Trae transferred in from Oklahoma Wesleyan. He was on their World Series team last year that went to the semifinals. We also have Ryan over there. Ryan played a lot last year and put together a really good junior season. I think at third base we are covered pretty well," Klimas added.
 
OUTFIELDERS
RSU returns two starters in the outfield for 2015 where they have a lot of ground to cover at the Diamond Sports Complex. Three new additions and a pair of redshirt freshmen will all battle for playing time on the Hill as the roster has its most depth between the foul poles in recent history.
 
Andrew Vanisi joins the Hillcats for his senior season transferring from NCAA Division II Cal State L.A. and will be an instant boost to the lineup. The former junior college all-American is a versatile fielder while providing power to an offense that hit only two home runs in 2014.
 
­"We were very fortunate to pick up Andrew at semester," Klimas mentioned. "He can player either corner outfield or corner infield positions and also gives us another option at the DH spot. He is a little bit of thump in the middle of the order; a guy that can change the game with one swing."
 
Another newcomer to the program will add some power to the outfield as Zack Ashford comes in from East Los Angeles Community College. He appeared in 40 games last season leading the Huskies with 11 outfield assists as a sophomore. Travis Peet will compete with Ashford for time after taking a redshirt in his first year at RSU in 2014.
 
"We had Zack lined up in right field along with Travis. Zack is a big-time tools guy. He is 6-4, can really run, has got the best arm on the team, and has big-time power offensively. For him, the biggest thing is going to be consistency," Klimas said. "Travis is a guy that is just steady. Whenever you ask him to do something, he brings it every single day."
 
A common theme in the RSU outfield is speed and the two players slated to cover center field have that in bunches with Alex Cochran back for his senior season while Cameron Kirk comes to the Hill as a junior from NOC-Tonkawa. Cochran led the Hillcats with 14 stolen bases and 22 walks in 2014 and has 33 swipes during his career on the Hill.
 
"In center field, we have Alex returning. He played center field most every day last year. We also have Cameron, who is a transfer. Both of those guys can run really well and both have top end speed and cover a lot of ground out there. Both are going to play an exceptional center field for us," Klimas stated.
 
The Hillcats have two players tabbed to take a bulk of time in left field, and both are named Blake. Entering their redshirt junior campaigns, Blake Gipson started 44 games in the outfield last season leading RSU in nearly every offensive category while Blake Heston took a redshirt in 2014 following a 2013 season where he made 54 appearances in the navy and red.
 
"Heston is going to be able to handle right-handed pitchers really well and then against tough left-handers I think you've got Gipson. He brings some things to the lineup that other guys that we have in place don't. He has good power, good gap-to-gap power," Klimas mentioned.
 
Up and down the lineup, the Hillcats have players ready to step up and return to their winning ways as RSU finished 2014 with only its second losing season in program history.
 
"There are going to be some tough choices for the coaching staff to make when we start writing out lineups, but that is what it's all about. I couldn't ask more from the entire group. I think that everybody has earned the opportunity to go out there and compete for a position and those guys have responded and taken on that responsibility," Klimas added.
 
SCHEDULE
RSU has 47 games on the docket for 2015 beginning with seven-straight home games at the Diamond Sports Complex to open the schedule. The Hillcats will play 26 of those games in front of its home fans while 27 are slated for Heartland Conference matchups as they enter their second season as a member of the 10-team league picked to finish ninth.
 
"We have an opportunity, with our first seven games being at home, to get on a roll early. The travel for us this year is not near as bad as it was last year so I think that puts us in a position to be successful," Klimas said. "You are going to be in for a battle every weekend in the Heartland Conference, but that is something we have talked about and are excited to be able to meet that challenge."
 
The first road test will come against regional rival Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma Feb. 17 followed by a trip to Texas to face Arlington Baptist Feb. 20-21. A return game with the RiverHawks takes place March 10 while RSU will also play home-and-home games with Arkansas Tech and Henderson State in non-conference action.
 
The season begins Feb. 6 with the opening game of a three-game series with Hillsdale Free Will Baptist in Claremore. The games can be found with free live audio and video on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.