SLIPPERY ROCK - Jeff Messer likes everything about his 2004 Slippery Rock University baseball team but one thing.

Its preseason ranking.

"I have one of the votes in our region and I picked us 13th or 14th," the 19th-year SRU coach said. "The other voters bumped us up to fifth or sixth.

"We have a big enough target on our back as it is."

The Rock is coming off a school-record 48-win season and its fourth trip to the NCAA Division II World Series. SRU was 18-2 in PSAC West play in winning the league title for the 13th time under Messer.

Collegiate Baseball magazine has SRU ranked No. 13 in its Division II preseason poll.

"Our pitching could be better than last year, and that's scary because it was pretty darn good last year," Messer said.

Mike Sikorski (9-2, 1.51 earned run average) is gone, but the rest of the rotation is back, including mainstays Steve Norris, Nick Armstrong, John Katich and Rocky D'Angelo. They combined to go 27-7 last spring.

Derek Blyzwick, a redshirt freshman transfer from Pitt, is healthy again after missing last season with calcium deposits in his throwing elbow. Jeremy Becker joins the rotation as a left-hander and transfer from Shippensburg.

"Blyzwick has the best curve ball on the team, and Becker is our hardest thrower," Messer said. "We didn't have those guys last year."

The Rock has Shippensburg in the PSAC West this year - replacing Edinboro, which dropped baseball - and league games will be played in a home-and-home double-header format on consecutive days.

"Every team is gonna need six starting pitchers," Messer said.

Butler County products Scott Rice of Slippery Rock High School and Josh Rape of Mars are freshmen and among the arms in the bullpen.

Messer said both will see action this year, as will freshman outfielder Travis Trimbur from Karns City.

"You always want to get local guys and we've got local guys who can play at this level," the coach said.

Other local products on the roster include shortstop Nathan Statzer from Seneca Valley, third baseman Chase Rowe from Knoch, right fielder Jason Curry from Slippery Rock and second baseman Trent Berner from Grove City.

Statzer, Rowe and Curry are starters, though Curry is coming off wrist surgery and will not play during the first week. Berner is competing with freshman Phil Butch for the second base position.

The Rock graduated two All-Americans last year in center fielder Joe Neidrick (.391, 48 stolen bases) and second baseman Alan Reichl (.356, 9 HR, 59 RBI). First baseman Brandon Stewart (.330) and part-time catcher Luke Mollis (.303) are also graduated.

"We'll miss Reichl's bat," Messer said. "But we have a few guys coming back who are hungry to improve on individual performances from last year."

Among them are Rowe (.287), Curry (.230) and left fielder Ben Marzullo (.256).

Matt Kozusko will move from left to center field, "and we won't miss a beat there because he's an excellent outfielder," Messer said.

Joe Pascarella becomes SRU's No. 1 catcher and provides power at the plate. Rowe will be the backup catcher and Statzer replaces Neidrick in the leadoff spot.

"Chase is a legitimate pro prospect and scouts like him as a catcher," Messer said. "He did a lot of catching for Saxonburg last summer.

"Nathan swings at almost everything and he will have to be a little more patient at the plate in that No. 1 hole."

Statzer's on-base percentage was .389 last year compared to Neidrick's .454. Statzer stole 17 bases in 18 attempts.

Blaine Brown, an assistant coach at Division I Drexel University last season, replaces Randy Nichols as Messer's assistant this year.

Drexel was 15-32 in the Colonial Association before dropping baseball after last season.

"That was a top-caliber Division I league and I don't see much difference in the athletes here," Brown said. "The biggest difference between Division I baseball and top-level Division II is body size.

"These guys have similar talent. They're just not as big or strong physically."

Messer is 568-318-4 at SRU. The Rock opens the season at 1 p.m. Saturday with a twinbill at Concord (W.Va.).

The team will play in Fort Myers, Fla., from March 5 to 13. The first home game is at 1 p.m. March 18 against Point Park College at Critchfield Park.

"We're playing four of the top 30-ranked teams when we're in Florida," Messer said. "If we come back 9-5 or 8-6, I'll be thrilled.

"It's gonna be a grind this year. With the new PSAC West scheduling format, no one's going to finish 18-2 or 17-3 anymore - 13-7 might win this league."