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Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(article posted by Claire Norfleet, Student Sports Information Assistant)May 26, 2015 - Adjusting to a new head coach can be a challenge for any team, but with the tremendous effort of the returning members of the coaching staff and the senior leadership of
Ben Krusen, the transition for the North Central College baseball team was nothing short of a success after claiming a share of the program's 11th College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) regular-season championship.
"They did a great job allowing us to get the most production possible out of our fall intra-squad scrimmages and practices," said Krusen.
After picking up a bat for the first time at age four, Krusen has always had a true passion for America's pastime. Being a four-year starting pitcher for the Cardinals, and part of a primarily young pitching staff, meant playing a significant leadership role for the team.
"It was important for our entire senior class and the few juniors to act as a leader and make sure the pitching staff was headed in the right direction in terms of hard work that would later lead to success for the program," he said.
The Glen Ellyn, Illinois native appeared and started in 10 games, finishing with a 3-3 record and a 3.39 earned-run average (ERA). Through 69 total innings pitched, he lead the team with 68 batters struck out, placing him third overall in the CCIW. After tossing a complete game three-hit shutout in a victory on Apr. 18 against Elmhurst College, Krusen was named CCIW Pitcher of the Week.
With the guidance of first-year head coach
Ed Mathey, Krusen and the Cardinals were able to experience a different team dynamic. Mathey was a four-year member of the baseball program at North Central College from 1982-'86 and coached the team from 1994-2002. For the past 12 seasons, he has served as head coach for Northern Illinois University.
"He knows how to win baseball games," Krusen said of Mathey. "He brought new mindsets from different perspectives of the offensive side of the game and a completely new plan to the pitching staff from what we had been used to."
Making the necessary adjustments and adapting to a new head coach can take time for any team, no matter the situation. The Cardinals did so well enough to finish with an overall 26-16 record, tying the seventh highest win total in program history, and won the program's first CCIW Championship since 2010. Krusen established new North Central career records for strikeouts (238), games started (38) and innings pitched (259.1) and was one of eight Cardinals named to the All-CCIW Teams, the fourth straight year he has received such a distinction.
"We were fortunate enough to get a head coach that was very familiar with not only the school but also the baseball program," said Krusen. "With the combined leadership by our assistant coaches and the rest of the seniors, it was a very easy transition once Coach Mathey was on campus."
With a passion for both watching and competing in sports, the sport management major plans to pursue a career within college athletics following graduation in June.
