By Brittany Ochtinsky

Oakland University’s baseball program hasn’t had a winning season in the past seven years. 

However, what may set this year’s baseball team apart from years past isn’t just a new head coach,but rather the attitude, the work ethic, and most importantly, the attention to detail.

“The thing I like about this team is it comes to work every single day and pays attention to detail,” said first-year coach John Musachio.  “Any time you have a team that pays attention to detail like our young men have, you have a chance to do something special.”

Musachio spent the past three years coaching alongside former head coach Dylan Putnam, first at Michigan State where Putnam served as an assistant coach and Musachio a volunteer assistant, and then as Putnam’s assistant when he came to Oakland in 2005.

Following Putnam’s resignation at the conclusion of last season, Musachio was promoted to the head coach position last summer and is trying to integrate the former coach’s strategies into his own game plan.

“I’m definitely plugging in some of the things he plugged in that worked,” said Musachio. “Obviously, if you get a hundred coaches, you’re going to get things done a hundred different ways, so we’re doing a few things differently.”

Having been with the program for the past two years, Musachio is familiar with the ins and outs of the department and has recruited most of the players himself, making it not only an easy transition for him, but for the players as well.

“They knew what to expect and there weren’t really any surprises when I took over,” he said.

Since taking over as head coach, Musachio has noticed marked improvement in his team’s attitude and work ethic. Players come to practice every single day ready to play and give it 100 percent both physically on the field and in the classroom, maintaining a cumulative 3.04 GPA for the fall semester this year, according to Musachio.

While the team isn’t necessarily ready for the first pitch today, their goal is to be ready by the season opener in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, Feb. 26.

“We’re not quite where we want to be hitting, where we want to be pitching or defensively yet, but we’re not too far off,” said Musachio.

The Golden Grizzlies return 22 players from last year’s squad and bring in another 20 newcomers to bolster the lineup. Key players returning are left fielder Justin Wilson, who Musachio tabbed as one of the “best players in the region and best outfielders in the country,” right fielder Dan Ryan, an “outstanding hitter” and All Mid-Con selection last year and shortstop Andy Stafford.

Newcomers to keep an eye out for are third-baseman Scott Sexton, switch-hitter Eric Ogg and right-handed pitchers Greg Welke and Shane McCatty.

The most depth, however, will be on the mound. Seniors Matt Trausch and Mike Takashima are still competing for the opening day start, but Musachio is confident that his other senior pitchers, Dan Stinchcombe and Brad Knoll will have big years as well.

“[Trausch and Takashima] can go out there and shut down anybody in the country,” Musachio said. “Looking back, our pitching hasn’t been as good as we needed it to be, but this group has accepted the challenge.

“If we pitch well and pick up and throw the ball across the diamond, I think we’re going to have a lot of success.”

The preseason Summit League coaches’ poll has Oakland tabbed for a sixth-place finish in the conference, ahead of only North Dakota State and IPFW, both Summit League newcomers. 

ass=”khtml-block-placeholder”>

Oral Roberts has won the past 10 championships — a league record — and is expected to keep the streak alive. 

Western Illinois, Centenary, South Dakota State and Southern Utah are all picked to finish above the Grizzlies, but Musachio doesn’t pay much attention to preseason rankings and encourages his team to follow suit.

“I think our young men see that as a little bit of a challenge,” he said of the sixth-place ranking. “I’m not surprised that’s where they picked us, but the beautiful thing about it is they’ll never see us coming.”

While the rest of the university suffers from spring fever, the baseball team migrates south for non-conference games against Kentucky, Tennessee Tech, George Washington and Tulane before returning home in mid-March.

“Our non-conference schedule, once again, is very tough. We don’t have any gimmies,” Musachio said. “Every non-conference game is going to be a challenge for us, but it’s going to prepare us for Summit League play.”

Over the past seven years, the Golden Grizzlies have compiled a woeful 152-288 record overall and 77-103 in league play. In 2000, the Grizzlies finished second in the Mid-Con with a 17-9 record.

Musachio hopes to follow in volleyball coach Rob Beam’s footsteps of turning around a program in his first season with the team and believes he has the keys to make that possible.

“I’ve never been around a better group of collegiate baseball players. From a character standpoint, it doesn’t get much better than this,” Musachio said. “It starts with character, that’s why I have a really good feeling about this team.”