When rumors started circulating last spring that Schoolcraft College was about to start its first baseball program, players’ ears perked up.

It made late-season games between Canton and Plymouth even that much more interesting than usual.

For Chiefs’ catcher Nick Romanauski and Wildcats’ outfielder-pitcher Jared Merandi, who both were on Schoolcraft’s radar from the beginning, it meant facing each other as rivals fully aware that once 2016 rolled around they’d be teammates in Ocelots’ blue and gold.

“We figured out later in the season that we were both going to Schoolcraft,” said Romanauski, before taking cuts during Wednesday’s indoor practice at the Skillbuilder Batters Box in Dearborn Heights. “So I thought that was cool, playing each other and knowing we were going to be teammates later on.

“And (infielder) Steve (Szymanski) from Churchill, too. It was cool that I knew I would be teammates with these guys after playing them.”

According to Merandi, it’s pretty special to be on the same side with former KLAA rivals. Even better is being in from the beginning as baseball takes root at Schoolcraft.

“It feels great, being the first of something,” Merandi said. “We’re always going to be down there in the history books, so it’s a pretty cool feeling.”

To a man, there’d be no disagreement about that, especially as the Ocelots embark on a nine games in five days road trip to Davenport, Florida. That junket began Friday, with 26 players and several coaches — head coach Rob Fay, associate head coach Bob Bracci and assistant coach George Kontos — motoring down I-75 in a caravan of mini-buses.

These are heady times at Schoolcraft. Also beginning this spring is a women’s softball program while a soccer dome is being constructed at the Livonia campus for the men’s and women’s teams to begin play in the fall.

“It’s great, it’s a nice experience,” noted freshman pitcher and Garden City alum Nick Montroy. “And to know you’re on the inaugural baseball team, a new program, it’s pretty cool. I’m just looking to pitch well and get the job done.”

As for Szymanski, a candidate to start at shortstop or second base, learning that Schoolcraft was getting into the baseball business almost was a godsend.

“I was actually going to Lansing Community College to play baseball and once I found out Schoolcraft was having a team I came here,” Szymanski said. “And I want to be a fireman and they have a good fireman program.”

With a smile, he added that “it’s awesome just to make history and be part of the first team.”

Szymanski then got ready to field grounders on the turf surface and also get in some licks in the batting cage.

Team comes first

The final tuneup Wednesday was an opportunity for Fay and his staff to emphasize to players that the 2016 season for Schoolcraft is all about teamwork.

“We’re talking about team, not individuals,” stressed Fay during a team huddle. “We chose not to put names on the back of the jerseys. If you are that good, people will ask.

“We are setting the tone for the future of this baseball program, so that’s why we need to do everything right this week.”

Indeed, players and coaches alike will know much more about the team’s prospects following the Florida trip.

The first games back in Michigan are March 17 at Cleary University in Howell; Michigan Community College Athletic Association action begins April 2 against Muskegon at Ford Field in Livonia (Schoolcraft’s home for this year).

“We start Sunday (Feb. 28, against Wartburg College),” said Fay, formerly head baseball coach at Dearborn Edsel Ford. “They’re non-conference games, but they’re real games. We leave for Florida (Feb. 26), we start playing Sunday and we have nine games in five days.

“We’re happy, not only talent wise but also the character of kids we have. I think being a first-year program and starting this for Schoolcraft, we couldn’t be happier with the kids involved in the program. So far it’s been going very good.”

Competing to start

Fay said having a facility such as the Skillbuilder Batters Box (on Van Born near Inkster roads) proved invaluable as players prepared for the season to be unveiled.

“It works out real well because we have seven batting cages and a pitching lane, so we can get a lot of hitting in,” Fay explained. “Obviously, our pitchers can throw live when need be. There’s a turf area so we can do some infield work.

“So we pretty much are able to practice all aspects of the game, other than fly balls. But we sent the team out this past Monday to Total Sports (in Wixom), so we could do some defensive work out there and try to get a feel for it before we go down.”

On the roster is a former Edsel Ford player, Cole Moore, a catcher-infielder who transferred from a four-year college. Moore is battling Romanauski, freshman Dakota Lowery (Farmington) and freshman Mark Mika (Lutheran Westland) for the starting position behind the plate.

“We have 26 rostered, we have 10 pitcher-onlys, depth-wise we have a lot of versatile kids,” Fay said. “Recruiting we wanted to do that. We have about six solid outfielders right now, and our infield is pretty much two guys at every position except we have four catchers on the roster.

“Our catchers swing it really well, so when they’re not catching they can do some DH and pinch-hitting roles for us.”

Fay said to keep an eye on freshman first baseman Jordan Pressley (Romulus), “probably one of the most powerful 18-year-olds that we’ve come across. He swings it real well for us.”

Others he cited include freshman pitcher Christian Mercure (Trenton), freshman outfielder Michael Peplinkski (Bay City Central) and freshman infielder Garrett Edgell (Dearborn Divine Child).

“Right now, we have a lot of guys competing for starting playing time,” Fay continued. “… Most of our guys had really good falls, so when we get down south they’ll all be given an opportunity to compete with each other to take over that starting role.”

Pipeline

As important as getting the Ocelots off on the right foot in games is establishing a pipeline between Schoolcraft and area high schools. Fay said he already thinks there is a pretty good one in place.

“Being a first-year program, people were hesitant in committing to us,” Fax said. “Even though our coaching staff is very established, obviously the program in itself wasn’t.

“But now that people are seeing the commitment from the athletic department and the administration, they’re seeing that we’re going after this with everything that we have.”

Romanauski and others from KLAA high schools immediately latched onto Schoolcraft as a post-high school option to combine academics, baseball and family.

“I was attracted to the idea because it was my local community college and I wanted to come out and play for them,” he explained. “Close to home, nice to stay home and live with my mom, my brother and my family. I like it around here.”

Concurring was Montroy, noting that “There’s a lot of kids that would want to come here and a lot of kids that, if they want to further their baseball careers this is a good place to stop.”

“I wasn’t really thinking about playing baseball in college,” Merandi admitted. “But once the opportunity (arose) I just wanted to hop on. Keep the dream going, you know?”

Excitement builds

Friendships are being formed as a “new brotherhood” takes root, several players said. But first and foremost, they have to figure out that college baseball is something completely different.

“These guys (pitchers) are a lot more accurate, they throw harder, too,” said Romanauski, comparing high school and college hurlers. “But they have a lot better cmmand of their pitches.

“Catching for these guys, I can tell they’ve all gotten a lot better since the fall.”

Chiming in was Szymanski, describing life on a Division III baseball team as “definitely more intense, the pitchers throw quicker, practices are more serious. I like it. It’s definitely more of a baseball atmosphere.”

And interest on campus is building about the ultimate opening day for Schoolcraft College.

“I think everyone’s excited,” Fay said. “The student body we had a chance to talk to. The faculty were very excited about baseball starting. There’s a lot of baseball fans at Schoolcraft.”

So let the games and Schoolcraft’s baseball era begin.

tsmith@hometownlife.com

Twitter: @TimSmith_Sports

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LOCAL TIES

Schoolcraft College’s debut baseball team features a number of players with ties to Observerland schools. They are as follows:

Daniel Ammons, soph. P/INF, Westland John Glenn.

Dakota Lowery, fr. C/1B, Farmington.

Jared Merandi, fr. OF/pitcher, Plymouth.

Mark Mika, fr. catcher, Lutheran Westland.

Nick Montroy, fr. pitcher, Garden City.

Nick Romanauski, fr. C, Canton.

Jason Rakowicz, soph. P, Livonia Stevenson.

Hunter Sellers, fr. INF, Livonia Franklin.

Steve Szymanski, fr. INF, Livonia Churchill.

MEET THE OCELOTS

Pitchers: Daniel Ammons (Westland John Glenn), Amedeo Apolloni (Detroit Western), CJ Bremer (Howell), Mickey Clark (Flat Rock), Colin Elgas (Belleville), Drew Garrison (Fenton), Christian Mercure (Trenton), Nick Montroy (Garden City), Jason Rakowicz (Livonia Stevenson), Donovan Thacker (Southgate Anderson), Christian Werner (UD Jesuit).

Catchers: Dakota Lowery (Farmington), Mark Mika (Lutheran Westland), Cole Moore (Edsel Ford), Nick Romanauski (Canton).

Infielders: Matt Buhagiar (Henry Ford), Garrett Edgell (Divine Child), Jordan Pressley (Romulus), Hunter Sellers (Livonia Franklin), Steve Szymanski (Livonia Churchill.

Outfielders: George Betz (Divine Child), Darius Fluellen (Mumford), Tim Kozar (Taylor Kennedy), Waymond Lemon (UD Jesuit), Jared Merandi (Plymouth), Mike Peplinkski (Bay City Central).

Coaches: Rob Fay (head coach), Bob Bracci (associate head coach), George Kontos (assistant coach), Rich Payne (volunteer coach).