While Bucky Freeman Field lies under a blanket of snow, the team that calls it home is preparing for the 2008 baseball season under the fluorescent lights of the Ben Light Gymnasium.

It’s not easy to get into baseball condition during a central New York winter, but the Bombers do their best to turn the gym into an indoor training facility. Pitchers and catchers practice on one side of the gym, while hitters take soft toss in the corner. The other half of the gym is devoted to the batting cage where junior Pete MacDaniel and sophomore Tom Fishback take turns throwing batting practice. The rest of the team stretches outside in a hallway.

Despite these unfavorable conditions, the Blue and Gold can’t help but look forward to a season in which they have been ranked No. 21 in the country and were picked to win the Empire 8 in the preseason coaches’ poll. Having only lost eight seniors after last year’s 27–15 season, which brought the team to the NCAA regional playoffs, the team’s core has returned and is confident in its abilities.

Senior outfielder Eric Ferguson said he feels comfortable around players he is familiar with.

“It’s good that you can look to your left and right and trust the guy you see because he’s proven himself,” Ferguson said. “It’s easy to trust someone you know.”

Ferguson, who will spend most of his time patrolling right field, will be familiar with his teammates who join him in the outfield. Senior Matt Samela will be in center field and senior Rob Raux will be in left.

Ferguson and Raux will not only be staples in the outfield, but will also provide some pop in the batting order as well. Last season Ferguson led the Bombers with a .401 batting average while Raux hit .323 and swung his way to a .528 slugging percentage.

Head Coach George Valesente ’66 said he feels secure about the team’s offensive abilities despite the loss of leadoff hitter Jeremy Peters ’07, who hit .369 last season.

“It has potential to be a strong offensive group,” Valesente said. “We need to replace the leadoff spot. Samela possibly has the inside track, but he’ll be pushed by a couple of young players.”

With the outfield all but locked into position, the infield is looking much the same. Junior Dylan Perez will hold down the hot corner at third base, and he will be joined on the left side of the infield by senior Josh Smith at shortstop. Senior Todd Czerno will be at second base, and Ferguson and senior Shane Wolf will play first base.

Wolf is typically a pitcher, and Ferguson will spend most of his time in right field, but both have experience at first and have proven that they are capable in this position.

Valesente said the infield looks particularly strong, but there are some injuries that could play a role in the early stages of the season.

“The key component to the infield is the health of [junior catcher] Drew Ash,” Valesente said. “He had arm surgery and was out for the major part of last season. He seems to be progressing nicely, and his arm is holding up post-surgery.”

Valesente also expressed concern at the shortstop position and said Smith is recovering from arm problems. Smith has been working with the team’s trainer, and the pain is subsiding and he is regaining the strength in his arm.

The Blue and Gold will also have experience on the mound. They return their top three ERA leaders from last season with MacDaniel, junior Adam Brown and senior Nick Sottung.

Sottung started the Bombers’ first game against SUNY-Cortland in last season’s Regional Playoffs. He went seven innings giving up six runs, none of them earned in the 8–5 loss. Sottung said the team wants to avenge the disheartening loss against the Red Dragons, who enter the season ranked No. 1.

“They’re definitely beatable,” Sottung said. “We can hang with anyone in the country.”

The season begins for the Blue and Gold when they take on California Lutheran University at 1 p.m. Saturday in Thousand Oaks, Calif.