Life in the lineup every day is exactly where SIUC senior catcher Cory Schrank wants to be.

It has taken him awhile to get there, but he is loving every minute of his increased playing time.

I like it, Schrank said. I’ve been working for three years, and this is the first opportunity I’ve had to play on a regular basis. I am just trying to keep on hitting, and hopefully I get a shot.

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Schrank is batting .250 in 60 trips to the plate. He is second on the club in sacrifice flies with four and second in sacrifice bunts with three. He already has 19 more at bats than his entire previous three years.

Baseball coach Dan Callahan said Schrank has not guaranteed a spot in the lineup everyday, but if he continues to play well he has no choice but to stick him in the lineup.

Going into the season, we thought Brian Phelan was our clear-cut No. 1 catcher, Callahan said. If you are a good defensive catcher, that is one thing you should be able to bring to the yard every day. Unfortunately, he (Phelan) hasn’t done a really good job as far as situational catching, calling certain pitches in certain situations and maybe blocking some balls in the dirt. And he hasn’t thrown people out.

I don’t want to say that Schrank has won that job due to default, and I am not going to say we are just going to hand that job to him. Cory Schrank right now deserves to catch.

Phelan is batting .178 and has struggled the last few games. Callahan said he has not given up on Phelan, but he wants Phelan to try to help himself get back in the lineup.

One of the reasons Callahan likes Schrank behind the plate is how he handles himself in calling the game.

He is one of the best I’ve seen since I’ve been in college baseball as far as blocking pitches in the dirt, Callahan said. He understands the game, which means he is going to call a good game. He understands the importance of pitchers pitching in-and-out and up-and-down.

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Schrank does not know whether or not the pitchers like throwing to him, but he believes he can help them throw a better game with his knowledge of baseball.

Besides being a little bit bigger target, I haven’t heard much, Schrank said. I got a grasp of the game. I have been playing baseball all of my life, and I am going to try to always be on the same page as them, and make the game easier for them. I enjoy calling the game, and I would rather call it myself than get the calls from the bench.

Teammates such as senior right-handed pitcher Chris Schullian are pleased Schrank is finally getting to play on a daily basis.

He deserves every minute he has on the field, Schullian said. He has worked hard, and he is doing a great job for us. He’s had to step up, and he’s even had to play first base for us because we need him in the lineup. He calls a great game, and he’s a very smart catcher.

Although Schrank has temporarily won the job of catcher, he wants to the whole team to improve even his competition for his job.

I am going to do my own thing, but I try to pick up my teammates, Schrank said. I tell them to hang in there each day and to do something to improve from the day before.