The Iowa State baseball team, is looking at this season with confidence and hoping to improve on last year’s 23-31 record and second-place finish in the Big Eight conference tournament.

With a strong core of 14 returning letter winners and a solid crop of newcomers, Cyclone Head Coach Lyle Smith has an experienced and talented nucleus to work with in the team’s first season in the Big 12.

“We must focus on every game and every series. The Big 12 is the fourth most competitive conference in the country and our emphasis is to make the conference tournament, only the top six go,” Smith said.

A talented and experienced group of upperclassmen leads the Cyclone pitching staff this season.

“The pitching staff is expected to lead us, especially the upperclassmen. We’ll be looking for strong performances from our bullpen people as well. The bullpen must be solid,” Smith said.

Junior Nathan Teut returns to the Cyclone staff after being selected First Team All-Big Eight last season.

Teut tabbed a 4-5 record on the season with a 6.12 ERA, striking out 6.81 batters per game in 78 innings pitched.

Senior Dan Prehn, the Cyclones’ Most Valuable Pitcher for 1996, returns after a successful campaign last season.

Prehn compiled a 5-4 record with a 6.97 ERA in 72.1 innings pitched with 32 strikeouts.

Junior Ryan Seifert will also be called upon to help anchor the Cyclone pitching staff.

Seifert totaled a 2-4 record with a 6.44 ERA in 58.2 innings pitched. The junior also recorded 52 strikeouts.

The Cyclones’ primary closer down the stretch, junior Steve Larkin, also returns.

Larkin charted a team best four saves while finishing fourth in the league in saves.

Larkin appeared in 27 games with a 4.10 ERA and recorded 14 strikeouts.

A talented group of newcomers will join the returning members of the Cyclone roster.

Senior Mike Bahun, 1996 Second-Team All-Big Eight and Iowa State Offensive Player of the Year, returns to solidify the offense and play right field for the Cyclones. Bahun batted .327 and had 24 RBIs.

He also recorded 14 doubles, three home runs and 31 stolen bases as the designated hitter last season.

Senior Scott Vance, one of three returning outfielders, will once again play left field in 1997. Vance led the Cyclones with a .357 batting average while getting a hit in 37 of 49 games.

Vance charted 22 multiple hit games en route to recording 21 RBIs, 10 doubles, two triples, and one home run with 12 stolen bases.

Also returning is senior center fielder Clark Jones.

Jones tallied a .298 batting average with 32 RBIs in 49 games last season.

In 56 hits, the senior tabbed 14 doubles, two triples, and six home runs in 1996.

Handling the catching duties for the Cyclones this season will be senior Guye Senjem.

Senjem finished the season with a .205 batting average in 21 games.

He recorded eight hits in 39 at bats with two RBIs and two doubles.

Four new starters compose the infield this year.

“Improved defense is an area of concern since we have no returnees in the infield. These players have the ability and showed flashes of brilliance in the games in Colorado,” Smith said.

Junior transfer Shawn Leimbeck will be taking over at first base.

The junior was the NJCAA Division I Player of the Year and earned first team All-American honors after leading the nation in hitting with a .503 average for DMACC last season. Leimbeck recorded 83 hits with 17 home runs and 65 RBIs in 1996.

Senior Rob Ipsen will assume duties at second base for the Cyclones in 1997.

Ipsen appeared in 22 of ISU’s 54 games last season and had a .086 batting average in 35 at bats.

Third base will be occupied by junior transfer Bill Uelman. Uelman was named NJCAA Division III World Series MVP for Madison Area Tech. College after hitting four home runs and totaling 12 RBIs in the series.

He also earned second team NJCAA All-American honors last season as well.

Freshman Jade O’Brien will play shortstop this season.

O’Brien completed a successful career at Brainerd, Minn. by being named to the Central Lakes Conference all-region 8AA and Pioneer Press all-state teams as a junior and senior.

He hit .415 his senior season with 39 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.

The designated hitter slot will be filled by junior transfer Matt McDonough.

Last season at St. Cloud State, McDonough hit .291 with 26 RBIs among his 39 hits.

Also expected to see time this season for the Cyclones is senior infielder Chris Grubb.

Grubb appeared in 30 games in 1996 and tallied a .294 batting average scoring 19 runs and batting in 19 as well.

Sophomore Matt Faulken is also expected to play this season.

In 20 games last season, Faulken hit .300 with two doubles, one triple and one home run.

“We must approach every game that if we play well we can win. We have the ability to be extremely competitive and to develop the program and take it to the next level,” Smith said.