Sports > February 28, 2008

By Jeff Merski | Senior writer

Allan Dykstra emerged last season as the offensive leader on the baseball team, finishing the season tied for first in the league with 18 home runs. Additionally, he finished among the league leaders in walks with 57, slugging percentage at .615, on-base percentage at .479, RBIs with 60 and total bases with 139. Dykstra didn’t slow down in the opening series at Pepperdine, batting .500 with five hits and getting two walks while playing flawlessly in the field.

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(Jeff Merski/Old Gold & Black)

The Old Gold & Black’s senior writer Jeff Merski caught up with Dykstra after the Deacons faced Pepperdine in a doubleheader on Feb. 23 to discuss goals for the season, this year being the last season at Hooks Stadium and why he came to Wake Forest.

On goals for the team this year:

There’s no reason not to shoot for the top. We were in the ACC Championship Game last year and there’s no reason we can’t make it to the College World Series. We have experience coming back and I think one of the best lineups in the nation.

On personal goals for this year:

It’s not about numbers. It’s more on how I get pitched to and just more to trust myself and not try to do too much – I tried to force things last year and I just don’t want to do that. I want to have great at-bats this year.

On being named to various preseason watch lists:

It’s a great honor but it’s nothing that you can look into too much. It’s just preseason and there’s 75 other guys like that.

It’s a great honor to be named in the top 75, but you have to go out and play.

On how he gets pitched to:

Carefully. The first guy I faced today (Pepperdine’s Brett Hunter) is a pretty good pitcher. It’s hard to be careful, but you can’t do anything about that. You have to deal with what you’re given.

On the depth of the baseball team this year:

That’s the big thing as to why I think we’re going to go far this year. Off the bench we had two completely different lineups (in the Feb. 23 doubleheader at Pepperdine) and both games we swung pretty well. (In Game 2) we scored 13 runs. Out of the bullpen we have a lot of experience and depth as well.

On this season being the last season at Gene Hooks Stadium:

I think it’s a good move for the school by moving everything over to Ernie Shore Field. Moving everything over in one area with Joel Coliseum and the football field, well be all next to each other and we can get more people in from the city. Honestly, Hooks is going to be missed; it’s been there for a while but it’s a move that’s got to be made for the school.

On why he came to Wake Forest:

I liked the situation, I liked the school, I liked the opportunity that I was going to play everyday. All around the overall situation – you’re talking about scholarship, playing time and the coaches, the people here – I liked it more than any other school and went for it.