PAUL
KEYES SPOTLIGHT5-21-03
On the eve of the CAA Tournament, VCU head baseball coach Paul Keyes is sitting in a pretty good position. His Rams are the No. 1 seed after compiling a conference record of 17-3 and are the defending tournament champions. His overall record of 41-11 has the Rams ranked 25th in the Baseball America Division I poll for the second straight week and has all but clinched at least an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. He has at his disposal statistically the best pitching staff in the nation. And he has won his third CAA Coach of the Year honor. Who better than Keyes to preview this week's CAA Tournament in Manteo, N.C., that begins today with the Rams vs. George Mason (28-18, 9-8)?
Keyes, whose Rams were the top seed in 2001 but did not win the tournament, then won the title last year despite being the sixth seed, has a pretty good idea of what it takes to be the last team standing on Saturday. "Anytime you get into a tournament situation, whoever gets hot at the right time ends up winning it," Keyes said. "The team that ends up winning usually has a blowout win, a come-from-behind win and maybe wins a close game. It all depends on momentum and confidence."
Last year's team had at least one of each of those wins, including three victories in tight games, on its way to six wins and the tournament crown. The first win, a 4-3 nail-biter against UNC-Wilmington in the opener, may have been as important as the back-to-back victories over top-seeded James Madison on the final day. "The key is to get a good start and stay out of the losers bracket," Keyes said. "[The tournament] comes down to a will to win and doing the extra things you need to do. When you're in the losers bracket, it's easy to quit and not do those things. If we win the first game and get off to a good start and into the winners bracket, we should have an advantage [with our deep pitching staff] after the first round."
In that all-important first game, Keyes will go with ace right-hander Justin Orenduff (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch), who is 8-3 with an ERA of 1.65 in his first season as a starter after transferring from George Washington, where he was a closer. Players like Orenduff who have never played in this tournament before must get used to the smaller confines of Coy Tilliett Field, whose primary tenant is the Manteo High School baseball team. "This is Justin's first time pitching here. It's a bit intimidating at first but he's pitched in a small park before at George Washington, so he should be used to it." Keyes also acknowledged Orenduff's demeanor as an asset when he steps to the mound in Manteo. "We call him 'E.K.' for 'Even-Keel.' He doesn't get rattled."
Today the Rams face a George Mason team that they swept at The Diamond in a three-game series earlier this season, allowing just two runs. "George Mason is a very good team," Keyes said. "We were fortunate to beat them three times this year. It had a lot to do with The Diamond [being a bigger park], and we pitched as well that series as we had all year. They have a little more power than we do, which will be a factor in Manteo, and they play good defense. Their pitcher that we'll see (John Sterling, 6-4, 3.44) is one of the better pitchers in the league. One advantage we might have is they've only played one game since our series, so they might be a bit rusty. But they are a very good club, and they know how to win."
Besides the Rams another top contender is UNC-Wilmington (36-19, 15-6), who earned the second seed and finished first in the American Division. "They have a lot to play for as far as getting in to the NCAA's," Keyes said. "They might have to win the tournament, and that can work against you. They might press a bit, and could be an upset victim. Their home runs are up from last year, which is good for this park. At the end of the season the defense wasn't as strong, probably due to fatigue. But they haven't played in awhile and should be rested."
Other teams Keyes expects to contend are William & Mary (30-18, 12-4), who beat VCU twice this season, and James Madison (29-25, 13-7), who have been disappointing after going 44-16 a year ago. "I like William & Mary," Keyes said. "The small park sets up well for their power hitters, and they have four pretty good arms. They've had success here before, winning it in 2001 and getting to the semifinals last year. They could be a dark horse.
"JMU is coming in lower [confidence-wise] than we were last year. They are still a dangerous team, but if they get in the losers bracket it might be really tough for them to come back."
With such an impressive regular season under their belts, it would be understandable if Keyes and the Rams find themselves looking ahead a bit. Regarding a potential NCAA berth, the team's fourth in five years, Keyes has a realistic approach heading into a CAA Tournament that has less riding on it than in the past. "I'd like to win four games and win the tournament without wearing guys out. I've been keeping an eye on the RPI and the big picture [to see if we can get an at-large berth]. Last year we had to win the tournament to get to the NCAA's and we used everyone up. We were completely burned out at the NCAA Regional."
Another difference between last year and this year is the team has higher expectations for their chances in the NCAA Tournament. Coaches and players alike have been talking about not just making it to the NCAA's but winning a regional and advancing in the tournament. "Our program has passed that stage of being happy to be there," Keyes said. "Two years ago [at Louisiana State] we were close to beating LSU and we thought we could win a Regional someday. We battled last year just to make it, and this year our guys think we can win a Regional. If we get there I think we'll go into it with that mindset."