Hawks eager to usher in Brown era
The Harper baseball program will have a new head coach walking the dugout this season in Cliff Brown.
Brown joins the coaching staff after working with the White Sox Baseball Academy, where he had been since 2006. Brown also brings with him an impressive college background. He won the NCAA Division II West Regional Tournament and won two California Collegiate Athletic Association Conference Championships, all while directing the program at California State University in Los Angeles. Brown has had 26 players sign professional contracts.
Look for the Hawks to look a lot like the team on the South side, with an emphasis on team speed and defense. Brown plans to deliver the aggressive brand of baseball that he has is accustomed to coaching.
"Overall, it comes down to pitching and defense," Brown said.
The Hawks will face a tough schedule this season, both in conference play and nonconference play, as they face four NJCAA Division II or III foes as well as three ranked NJCAA teams. Particularly tough will be Kankakee College, ranked No. 8 nationally in NJCAA Division II, on April 21 in Kankakee.
The conference slate includes two ranked opponents. The first game comes when the Hawks travel to face rival and NJCAA Division III 10th-ranked College of DuPage on Sunday, April 11 in a doubleheader. The Chaparrals do not make a return visit to Harper this season.
The only meeting between Harper and Joliet, ranked No. 2 in NJCAA Division III, comes April 17.
"You can't worry about the outcome," Brown said.
The Hawks will carry four catchers on the roster. Brown feels fortunate to have the depth at the position, and he believes that those players have the talent to move around the diamond and contribute at other spots.
Harper welcomes back four sophomores from last season's 8-28 squad. The sophs include a pair of high school teammates, pitcher William Brown and first baseman Matt Frenzer (Hersey.) The other sophomores are George Heller (Burlington Central) and Jake Kane (Larkin), who also was on the Harper football team this season.
"They have been good leaders," Brown said of his veterans.
The Hawks will add the services of three transfers: Nathan Gomez (North Central College), Michael Mather (Kankakee College) and Brian O'Toole (Benedictine University).
Freshman outfielder Kyle Winkler (Rolling Meadows) will be one newcomer to watch this season.
Harper played four scrimmages during the fall season. Kane was unable to participate do to his football commitment.
"Our goal is to be playing in Tyler, Texas," said Brown, of the site of the NJCAA national championship tournament.