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| Ping!Baseball Spotlight Interview
Michael Arensdorff & Zach
Rodeghero
Valparaiso University |
Hopes are high and change is in the air around Valparaiso's
Emory G. Bauer Field. New head coach, Tracy Woodson looks
translate his eight years of professional coaching experience
as well as 13 seasons of playing professional ball into leading
Valpo back to the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament for
the first time since 2003. Leading the way for Valpo will
be 22 returning letterwinners, punctuated by 1B/OF Michael
Arensdorff and OF Zach Rodeghero.
Senior Michael Arensdorff is currently leading the Mid-Con
in batting with a .409 averge and leading the Crusaders in
runs, hits, extra base hits and RBI. Arensdorff committed
just one error all season at first base last year and has
been anchoring the infield once again in '07 as well as getting
in some time in the outfield.
 Redshirt-junior
Zach Rodeghero hit .424 in limited action last season, which
included nine RBIs in 17 games last year. He's made the most
of his opportunities this season, hitting .288 and leading
the Brown and Gold in homeruns with two.
PING!: Valparaiso
has a celebrated reputation as a strong academic school. What
are your plans for your Valpo degree once you hang up your
glove and spikes?
Arensdorff: I'm an elementary education major
and have a physical education minor. So after playing baseball
at Valpo or wherever baseball may take me, I plan on teaching
and coaching baseball and basketball.
Rodeghero: It has been an amazing trip through Valpo
and the academics have been stellar. I am going to walk away
with degrees in Meteorology and Mathematics. I plan on doing
either Severe Storm Meteorology, Television Meteorology, or
statistics for major businesses.
PING!: Valpo’s
coaching staff is completely new this season, headed by former
major leaguer Tracy Woodson. How is Coach Woodson shaping
the Crusaders to get back into the postseason?
Arensdorff: Since day one that coach arrived,
he has been working to change the mentality, attitudes, and
beliefs, that many have had in the past. Coach has shared
his knowledge of the game that he has played and coached professionally
for the last twenty years. Also since the new coaches arrived
the team has played with much more intensity and excitement,
similar to the how Coach Woodson approaches the game. Playing
in the presence of someone who has played at the level that
every baseball player dreams of is something that is really
inspiring.
Rodeghero: He has helped us mature dramatically
and get our bodies and minds into top mental and physical
shape and I know that will make a strong run at the Mid-Con
post season tournament.
PING!: You
both had to spend a season redshirting to mend an injury.
What’s the harder task, rehabbing to play at the division
one level, or watching a season from  the
dugout?
Arensdorff: Because I got hurt during my
freshman year on a team that was very senior dominant, I was
just excited to be able to travel with the team during the
entire year. Mainly this gave me a chance to learn from the
old guys on the team. So to answer the question I felt that
rehabbing was the harder task. Because I broke my hand I was
unable to hit or throw for a long period of time. I had grow
as a player by watching and then use that for the summer to
improve my skills for the next season.
Rodeghero: Watching the season from the dugout
is always the hardest but it helped me drive to get stronger
in rehab and become a better player coming back from injury
to help the team in the next season.
PING!: This
will be Valparaiso’s last year as a member of the Mid-Continent
Conference. Do you see the Brown and Gold’s transition
to the Horizon Conference next season as a beneficial move
for the baseball program?
Arensdorff: I definitely think the move to
the Horizon league is a beneficial move for the baseball program.
In the past we have had to miss numerous class because of
conference weekends and overall the Horizon is a very competetive
league from top to bottom.
Rodeghero: It will be a great move for us
into the Horizon League because we will get to see not only
new teams, but teams that have to deal with the harsh springs
and winters that the Midwest has to offer.
PING!: Being
on the road is a big part of college baseball, especially
for teams in the North where you have to spend the first few
weeks of the season playing away from home. What are some
of your favorite ways to relax on the road when you’re
not catching up on school work?
Arensdorff: We watch movies non-stop, play
cards, and sleep.
Rodeghero: One of my biggest things to help
me relax is by playing euchre with the boys, going for a swim
or jog, and watching movies.
PING!: What
is your stance on post hit-by-pitch behavior? Rub it off,
acknowledging you just got plunked by a fastball, or grin
and bear it, acting like it didn’t hurt, all the while
screaming in pain inside?
Arensdorff: In my career at Valpo I have
only been hit between 5 and 10 times. But when I do get hit
I would just grin and bear it, acting like it didn't hurt.
Rodeghero: I am definitely the grin and bear
it kind of guy when it comes to getting hit.
PREVIOUS PLAYER SPOTLIGHTS
* - DII
DII
Previous Years
DII
PREVIOUS COACH SPOTLIGHTS
DII
2008
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