University of Houston Athletics
2011 Baseball Season Preview Part 4: Pitchers
2/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 11, 2011
HOUSTON - With the 2011 University of Houston baseball season just one week away, UHCougars.com will give fans a position-by-position preview in a four-part series to be released each Friday through Feb. 11. This week as the final part of the series we take a look at the Cougar pitchers, a talented group that is putting in the effort to get better.
Here is an in-depth look at the Cougar pitchers.
PITCHERS
The Cougar pitching staff, according to Whitting, is a whittled down group at this point. Three players are out due to surgery and the remaining pitchers will be asked to carry Houston in 2011. Despite being shorthanded, Whitting is confident there is talent among the pitching staff and they are putting in the effort to get better.
"It is a skeleton crew but sometimes when you don't have many players to choose from guys get to play more and they get better faster," Whitting adds. "I think that is what is going to happen with this team. These guys are going to get a lot of reps."
One key for the Cougars this season will be senior Chase Dempsay. He was hampered by injury last season but put up stellar numbers in his first two seasons.
"Chase is a big key for us this year," Whitting said. "He is coming off an injury from last year and we got limited amount of action out of him in the fall, but what we did get late was very, very good."
Dempsay was a Freshman All-American in 2008 after finishing with 11 saves, the third most in school single-season history and a freshman record. He also holds the freshman record with eight wins and was a 2009 Preseason All-Conference selection.
"Chase has had a great career at the University of Houston and I can see him being one of the elite pitchers in the country by the time we get to the midpoint of the season," Whitting added. "He has that type of ability and it is just a matter of him getting healthy and him getting the ball and running out there."
Also returning from an injury is senior Taylor Hammack. The Angleton, Texas, native moved in to the weekend rotation last season, finishing with a 5.28 ERA but was limited in the final weeks of the season due to a shoulder injury.
"Taylor is coming off an injury so we're still not sure how much he will contribute," Whitting said. "He had limited duty in the fall but what he did coming out to pitch a few innings late was pretty good. He is one of the main leaders on our pitching staff. Although he has been out, he sets a great example and a great pace for our staff."
Another starter from the 2010 squad that returns for the Cougars is junior Mo Wiley. The Katy, Texas, native made five starts last season and recorded four wins and a save. Where he will fit in the puzzle is yet to be determined but the staff feels he is full of potential.
"Mo has the ability to be the best pitcher on our staff," Whitting said. "He is 6'3'' with a great arm. Once Mo starts to believe in his stuff and command it as his own he has the chance to be really good. He is in the mix for us to be a weekend or a Tuesday starter."
Despite being in the mix to start at first base, junior Codey Morehouse will also see action on the mound. He made 14 appearances last season with no decisions and one save, despite not seeing any action on the mound as a freshman.
"In the fall, Codey was one of our best arms, he just needs experience on the mound," Whitting said. "He has all the stuff that you are looking for in a weekend starter. He just needs to get out there and log innings."
Junior Matt Creel primarily saw action last season as the team's closer, finishing with eight saves and two wins, and he could fill that same roll in 2011 or pitch in a relief role.
"Matt is a coach's dream because he goes out and competes harder than anyone on the team and he throws strikes," Whitting said. "He doesn't have anything that is above average but he competes like crazy on the mound."
Also in the mix for the closer role is freshman Chase Wellbrock. A Brenham, Texas native, Wellbrock was an All-State selection as a senior. He was also the 4A State Player of the Year and the UIL State Tournament MVP.
"Chase is an undersized pitcher that will come in and get after people," Whitting said. "He competes well on the mound and he is very strong for his size and competes like crazy."
A newcomer to the scene is sophomore Dakota Dill. The Spring, Texas native made just one start at designated hitter in his first season and will join the pitching staff in his second season. He made the transition during the fall and has been a big surprise to the staff.
"Dakota is a tremendous athlete and is a definite prospect down the road," Whitting said. "He has an extremely live arm and shows flashes of an above average slider. He is one that Coach Cressend is really excited about because he is a piece of clay and we are trying to mold him into something right now. He could go anywhere from weekend starter to closer to middle relief."
Also in the mix will be junior Jordan Lewis, freshman Luke Moran and junior Matt Taylor.
The Cougars will have to survive the season without senior Ty Stuckey, junior Jared Ray and. sophomore Eric Brooks All three were lost to injury.
"There is a chance that we might get these guys back in limited duty late in the season and if they can give us a chance we are definitely going to get them out there," Whitting said. "If they continue to work hard and to do the things that they need to do with their rehab they have a chance to come out and really help us late in the year."
