While building a program, Radford head baseball coach Joe Raccuia says that it's important to move forward, in both small and big steps.  Just taking a leap of some kind, no matter the size, is the key.

“I think that the problem comes when things become stagnant and nothing occurs,' he says.  “We sometimes make baby steps, tiny steps, huge steps, or big strides, and sometimes we go faster than we can keep up with ourselves and other times we go at a slow pace.  So as long as we are moving forward as a program, that is our biggest concern.”

The steps for Radford have come both on and off the field and whether they're big or small, they are at least concrete.  Last season was the first winning campaign for a Highlander team in nearly a decade, at 26-24, and their 16 Big South conference wins were the second-most in a single season in program history.  Off the field, strides in the program's facilities continue to move from plans to reality – extensive field resurfacing and new dugouts were added to the landscape of Radford University Baseball Field, all in time to begin a new decade for a program that starts its 26th season in 2010.

Both the on-field success and off-field building are tangible and record-setting, monumental and surprising.  Raccuia says it's all part of the process, as he enters his third season at the helm of his alma mater's program.

Radford was picked fourth in the Big South's official preseason poll and in many national publications, something that Raccuia puts in the category of “baby step.”

“The first year [2008] we were picked last, second year we were picked either fifth or sixth, and this year we are picked fourth. I think it is a good sign for our program and each of the three years we have exceeded expectations.”

In Raccuia's first season, Radford went from 10-36 overall in 2007 to 24-32 in 2008.  The '08 win total was the highest since a 28-24 season in 2000.  His second year was just the fifth winning season in the program's history.

“We have to create our own momentum and reputation and we are getting there,” Raccuia says.  “Hopefully, we will be picked first soon.”

In 2010 Radford will ride the momentum of five returning position starters, with four of the five hitting better than .300 a year ago, while returning all four of its starting pitchers as well as the back end of the bullpen.

Some cogs in the lineup, like senior outfielders Reggie Keen and Tyren Rivers, are seasoned everyday fixtures on the scorecard.  Other veterans, like seniors Aerik Taylor and Rick Hoogstraten, made their names based on last year's performances.  Add to the mix a group of stellar sophomores in Jeff Kemp, Brett Mollenhauer, Jason Patten and Paul DeVito.

For the Highlanders, the group has players at different ends of the experience spectrum – the senior and sophomore classes.

Two seniors, Keen and Rivers, played in all 50 games last season while Taylor started on Fridays and Hoogstraten was the first man off the bench.

Despite their senior markings, Raccuia feels like Radford's seniors are still his staff's recruits.

“It's funny because everyone in that class except for Aerik Taylor was here prior to us but not many of them played.  Ty Rivers didn't play much his first two years, Reggie Keen did not play at all his freshman year, and Hoogy didn't play much as well.  So it's almost like they are our recruits and our players.”

Keen (.322/35 RBI/13 SB) and Rivers (.256/3 HR/29 RBI/19 SB) are in their third season as everyday players, and continue to etch their names in the school's career record books.  Taylor (5-4/4.90 ERA/14 starts) arrived on the scene with an all-conference season in his first year as a Division I starter and Hoogstraten (.382/12 RBI) set career highs in nearly every offensive category a year ago, despite only starting in seven games.

“We have gotten a chance to develop them and I am glad they are here,” Raccuia says.  “They have made significant strides.”

At the other end, Radford's sophomore class made its share of contributions as freshmen in 2009.  Kemp (.337/5 HR/36 RBI/13 SB) was the Big South freshman of the year, Mollenhauer (.306/27 RBI/.982 FLD%) was an everyday starter at second base, DeVito (6-3/6.95 ERA/12 starts) won six games as a weekday starter, and Patten (9 SV/23 appearances) set the school's single-season saves record.

“Obviously, they each had great freshman years,” Raccuia says.  “They were great in the classroom and great on the field.  It's going to be tough to match their numbers, but the bottom line is that they will be steadier and more mature. They will take on bigger leadership roles that they had in the past. Like our program, if they continue to develop we will go as far as they allow us to go because that is a pretty special group.”

The performance of Radford's sophomores, Raccuia says, is another step forward for his program in setting the standard for the kind of player they want.

“We had to set the tone of what type of player to bring in here and I think we did a pretty good job of that. There are some other guys in that class that we expect to take on bigger roles this year and some other guys that should do the same as freshmen.”

The seven true freshmen that will suit up for the Highlanders in 2010 include position players that will push for significant playing time, as well as pitchers that will take on significant roles in the rotation and bullpen.

One player Radford won't rely on this year is Alex Gregory (.407/10 HR/RBI), a 17th-round selection of the Mets in 2009 that was arguably the face of the program for the last three seasons – a middle-of-the-order Big South batting champion and legitimate power threat. 

Despite the void left by his graduation, Raccuia says his lineup, from 1 through 9, is as solid as ever.

“I think [hitting coach] Allen Rice said it best, that we are going to be better from top to bottom.  We obviously don't have the best hitter in the league hitting in our three hole or four hole like Alex Gregory did last year.  One through nine is a pretty impressive line up and I think it is one that can put some pressure on other teams.”

In 2009, Radford's lineup produced a .319 batting average, the second-best in school history, and returns five starters and 12 total position players in 2010.

A question spot of late for Radford has been the pitching staff, but Raccuia feels better about their prospects heading in to 2010, with all four starters returning and nine pitchers returning from last year's group of arms.

“The roles will shake out, even though I don't know going into the season who is going to be the four, five, and six,” Raccuia says.  There are a lot of options. I think we are going to be really strong from our starters through our bullpen.”

Along with Taylor and DeVito in the rotation, Shane Pysh (3-4/5.94 ERA/11 starts) and Abram Williams (2-5/5.95 ERA/10 starts) fortify Radford's staff.

From the lineup, to the bench and through the front to back end of pitching staff, Raccuia says the Highlanders may find it hard to hide while moving forward.

“We knew that when we took over the program three years ago that change needed to take place and I don't think that we are going to be able to hide from anybody anymore and that is a good sign for our program.”