The Eastern men’s baseball team will look to Jared Marshall, Kyle Widegren and Kirk Miller to fill the void in the pitching rotation left by Damon White and Matt Tyson.

Tyson and White combined for 166.2 of the team’s total 467 innings pitched during last season.

The Panthers also lost bullpen pitchers Micah Gray and closer Nathan Stone, who led the team in saves, appearances, earned run average and strikeouts per innings pitched.

Head coach Jim Schmitz said Andy Kuntz will take Stone’s place as the Panther’s closer and Anthony Billups and Jeff Cammann will pitch significant innings out of the bullpen.

Last year Kuntz struggled going 0-3 with a 9.79 earned run average in 15 appearances. Kuntz walked 18 batters while striking out 28 in 34 innings.

White won seven games last year but may not be the same pitcher because of offseason surgery to his labrum. However, Schmitz said when Marshall is healthy he is capable of throwing three pitches for strikes.

“He is rehabbing really well and we expect him to be ready for opening day,” Schmitz said. “We really need him. He pitched three or four big Sunday games for us last season.”

“He has been there and done that,” assistant coach Mitch Rosenthal said. “Jared is the leader of the team and when we need a big win and he’s on the mound, we all feel more comfortable.”

Schmitz said depending on how Marshall’s rehab goes, Widegren will start the first game of the season Feb. 27 against Southwest Missouri.

Widegren is a junior college transfer from Parkland College where in 2001 he was part of a rotation that won 51 games, which is the second most in school history.

In 2001, Widegren won 10 games, which is tied for third best in school history and had 100 strikeouts tying for second on the school’s all time record. In 2001, Widegren also tied for seventh in lowest earned run average based on a seven inning scale with 1.80.

“Kyle’s knockout pitch is his curveball,” Schmitz said. “We got some guys this year with pretty good breaking balls.”

“He’s a real competitor,” Rosenthal said. “He’ll go out and give you everything he’s got.

“I’ve seen Kyle get mad after getting three outs because it wasn’t perfect,” Rosenthal said. “He wants to be flawless.”

Kirk Miller had a rough year last year with an era of 10.72 and 20 bases on balls while only striking out 13 batters in 22.2 innings.

“Kirk is more of a fastball pitcher,” Schmitz said.

“Kirk is a leader by his actions,” Rosenthal said. “What he does on the mound makes him a leader.

“He has a really good fastball and his change up has come along since the fall,” Rosenthal said. “Locating his pitches has been a problem in the past but if he continues to throw strikes, he’ll have a great season.”

Freshman Chris Vaculik from Providence Catholic High School and McHenry College transfer, Ted Juske round out the rotation. Freshman Brian Long, also from Providence Catholic, may see some starts this season as well.

“Ted has a great curve ball that makes left handed batters’ knees buckle,” Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal said if Vaculik can find a way to locate his fast ball, he’ll be very effective this season.

Schmitz said all of his pitchers have different mentalities when they get up on that mound, but one thing they have in common is they all want to win.

“Kyle is serious, Jared is laid back and you can’t tell what’s on his mind,” Schmitz said. “We tried to make Kuntz a competitive bulldog but you can’t change personalities, you just have to go with them.”

Rosenthal said the good thing about the pitchers is though their personalities differ, they are all close on and off the field.

“The team concept is really kicking in here,” Rosenthal said. “When a starting pitcher leaves the game, I think he’ll feel confident his buddy will finish it out.”