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Both The Good & The Bad…

We are roughly at the midway point in the 2011 college baseball season. Probably the biggest conversation coming into the season was the new bat standards and how they would affect the college game.

It’s no surprise that offense has been down, while pitching numbers have been better so far this season. However, nobody predicted James Madison would erupt for 91 runs with those new bats in a four-game sweep of Bucknell to open the season. Jake Lowery and David Herbek have combined to lead not only the Dukes, but also the nation with 14 and 12 home runs, respectively, while also sitting among the nation’s Division One leaders in sever other offensive categories.

Following is a look at some other surprises, both good and bad, to this point in the season.

Pleasant Surprises…

Danny Hultzen is 6-0 with a 1.36 ERA in 2011

Virginia was supposed to be good this year, but Brian O’Connor’s Cavaliers have been flat-out great so far. UVA debuted at #15 in our Preseason Composite National Rankings, but is 29-2 overall and 11-1 in ACC play heading into this weekend’s showdown with Georgia Tech. The Cavs lost just one game in the month of March-their series finale against Florida State. They’ve done anything but mash the ball out of the yard en-route to their 29 victories. Keith Werman has nearly twice as many sac bunts (13) as his team has home runs (7), while they still average 7.3 runs a game with a .300 team batting average. Danny Hultzen (6-0, 1.36 ERA) is second in the nation with 78 strikeouts for a pitching staff that’s so deep that midweek starter Will Roberts, who pitched a perfect game last week, is riding a 21-inning scoreless streak. Virginia has a 1.93 team ERA with 333 strikeouts and just 64 walks this season.

Fresno State was a team that many thought deserved an NCAA bid in 2010, but the Bulldogs (38-25) just missed the field of 64 after Hawaii ended their reign of four straight WAC Tournament titles. Offense wasn’t a problem for Mike Batesole’s squad, but the pitching staff ended the season with a 6.05 ERA. Things have been much different for the 2011 edition of the Bulldogs (20-3). Greg Gonzalez (6-0, 1.36 ERA) fronts a pitching staff that sports a 2.50 ERA. The senior led the staff with 73 strikeouts last year, but he already has 52 Ks with just 9 BB in 46 1/3 IP in 2011. Charlie Robertson has slammed the door at the end of games with 9

Fresno State's Charlie Robertson is among the DI leaders with 9 saves.

saves in 10 appearances. He is yet to surrender an earned run in 16 1/3 IP this year. Like everyone, Fresno State’s offense is still adjusting to the new bats. Most notably Jordan Ribera, who hit .343 and led the nation with 27 home runs last year. He is batting just .244 with one HR and 7 RBIs in 23 starts in ’11. Dusty Robinson has picked-up the slack though, with a .321 BA, 6 HR and 19 RBIs.

Georgia was just 16-37 last year with a dismal 5-23 record in the SEC. Outfielder Zach Cone (.363, 10 HR, 53 RBIs) was practically the entire offense for Dave Perno’s Bulldogs, while the pitching staff had a bloated 8.51 ERA with no complete games. The Bulldogs (15-14, 6-3) are one win from matching last year’s overall win total, while a series win over LSU and a sweep of Mississippi State has already exceeded last year’s conference win total. Georgia also boasts wins over UCLA, Florida State and South Carolina. There’s still work to be done, but where UGA is now is a far cry from a season that started by being swept in a 3-game series at Stetson.

Cal State Bakersfield is well on its way to eclipsing last year’s win total. The Roadrunners are off and running to a 20-7 start after finishing with a 26-30 record in 2010. Bill Kernan’s squad hasn’t shied away from tough competition either. The DI independent has wins over top 10 opponents Arizona State and defending national champion South Carolina along with series wins over Washington and Ohio State. Ryan McIntyre (.363, 10

Tommy Hoenshell has helped spearhead Bakersfield's pitching staff.

doubles, 4 triples, .966 OPS) leads an offense that has five regulars hitting above .300, but it’s pitching that’s really fueled Bakersfield so far. Tommy Hoenshell (5-3, 1.97 ERA) has two complete games and leads the nation with 64.0 IP, Jonathon Montoya (5-1, 3.06 ERA) is tied for the DI lead with four complete games and closer Martin Medina (1-1, 2.45 ERA, 5 saves) has 19 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings to date.

Cal may or may not be reinstated beyond this season, but the Golden Bears are doing everything they can to make 2011 memorable. Dave Esquer has his team off to a 19-7 record, including 5-1 in the Pac-10, in what could be the program’s swan song. The pitching was expected to be good in 2011, but so far it’s been flat-out great. Justin Jones and Erik Johnson are each 4-1 with respective 2.47 and 2.08 ERAs, while Kevin Miller (3-2, 0.63 ERA, 1 save) has been nearly lights-out in a swing role. The senior has made three relief appearances and five starts, with a team-high 53 strikeouts and just 7 BB in 43.0 IP. Cal has a balanced offensive attack. Six regulars are batting between .317 and Austin Booker’s team-best .346, while eight players have accounted for the team’s 12 home runs.

Central Florida’s sites have been set on Omaha since Terry Rooney left his job as an LSU assistant to take over in Orlando. Now in his third year, Rooney has a team that’s starting to make some noise. The Knights (20-9) opened Conference USA with the program’s first ever series win over Rice only to be swept last weekend by Southern Mississippi.  However, UCF responded by toppling Florida 4-3 Tuesday night in Gainesville. D.J. Hicks (.347, 6 HR,

UCF's D.J. Hicks is among the top overall Conference USA hitters this season.

1.008 OPS) leads an offense that has seven starters batting above .300. Freshman Ben Lively (5-0, 1.88 ERA) has been UCF’s top weekend starter, while relievers Nick Cicio (1.08 ERA) and Joe Rogers (2.04 ERA) have each made 11 appearances out of the Knight’s bullpen, combining for 8 saves and 42 Ks with 5 BB in 44.0 IP.

Stetson (22-7) is another Florida school that’s exceeded most expectations so far. The Hatters need just five wins to match the win total of last year’s team that finished 27-31. Head coach Pete Dunn’s 32nd edition of the Hatters is also just five wins away from matching its 14 Atlantic Sun Conference win total from 2010. Robert Crews (.378, 3 HR), Nick Rickles (.345, 10 doubles, 3 HR, 28 RBIs) and Mark Jones (.343) have provided the bulk of the offense, while relievers Robbie Powell (4-0, 1.05 ERA) and Jake Boyd (2-0, 2.45 ERA) have combined for 8 saves in 31 appearances. The pitching staff has notched 232 strikeouts with 94 walks so far this season.

Head-scratching Surprises…

Connecticut was the darling of the north heading into the 2011 season. The Huskies brought back most of their line-up and pitching from last year’s team that won a school record 48 games and hosted an NCAA Regional. Most is the key word. UConn struggled to an 8-9-1 start to the new campaign without table setter Pierre LePage (.327, 63 R, 29 SB) and top run producer Mike Olt (.318, 23 HR, 76 RBIs), who were both drafted last June. The Huskies (15-10-1) have won seven of their last eight and look like they are back on the right track after sweeping St. John’s last weekend. Ace pitcher Matt Barnes (5-2, 1.00 ERA, 2 CG) has been as dominant as advertised. After starting the season in the Saturday starting role, he’s now the Friday night man. The UConn staff currently sports a 2.78 ERA, which should go a long way toward curing what ails Jim Penders‘ team now that Big East play is here.

UCLA road its pitching and a scrappy offense to a national runner-up finish in Omaha last year. The Bruins might have to lean on the arms of Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole even more this year. UCLA hit .304 as a team and averaged 6.8 runs a game last year, but those numbers are down to .244 and 4.0 through 24 games this year. John Savage’s Bruins (14-10) weren’t a team built on power to begin with (Dean Espy’s 9 HR led the club last year), but they have just four home runs to date in ’11. Seven different Bruin regulars batted .308 or better last year, but Cody Keefer’s .293 currently leads the team. Bauer (5-1, 1.46 ERA), who leads the nation with 82 Ks, and Cole (3-2, 2.06 ERA, 57 K) and the staff have been overpowering, with a 2.06 staff ERA and 259 strikeouts vs. just 74 walks in 218 2/3 innings this season. But consider this: After a 22-game win streak to start the season, UCLA didn’t lose its first game until April 2 last year. They lost 17 times in 68 games last year, but they have already lost 10 games this season.

San Diego has been to the NCAA Tournament in four of the last five seasons, but the Toreros will have a tough time getting back this year. San Diego (7-19) is off to one of the worst starts in Rich Hill’s 13-year tenure. USD currently sports a .256 team batting average, .325 on-base percentage and 4.82 ERA. The holes in the weekend pitching rotation left by Kyle Blair (8-4, 2.84 ERA) and Sammy Solis (9-2, 3.42 ERA) have been tough to fill on the mound, while the bats of Chris Engall (.416) and James Meador (.391) have left a big offensive void as well. To its credit, San Diego has played a tough schedule, with losses to the likes of Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Cal, Coastal Carolina, and Fresno State.

New Mexico had its best season in nearly 50 years in 2010, but things have been different this year. After earning the program’s first NCAA bid since 1962, the 2011 Lobos are off to a 9-20 start, including eight straight losses to start the campaign. However, Ray Birmingham’s squad returned just one position starter and six pitchers from last year’s team that went 38-22. Birmingham’s teams have always been offensive minded, but it’s hitting a whopping 80 points below last year’s .346 team batting average, while reaching base at a .342 clip (down nearly 70 points). The lack of offense, combined with a 6.05 staff ERA has been a recipe for  misfortune so far. Give Birmingham credit though. He knew what kind of turnover he would be facing this year, but still scheduled the likes of Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Arizona, and Oklahoma. The first of two conference series against TCU is this weekend.

Oregon is off to just a 14-12 start after an NCAA berth in just the second year of existence in the program’s return. The 40-24 record and that postseason appearance brought high expectations and a top 10 ranking coming into 2011. Like UCLA, George Horton’s offense is know for its small ball approach, but the Ducks are waddling to the tune of a dismal .229 team batting average and a .310 slugging percentage. Aaron Jones (.310) and Danny Pulfer (.301) are the only Ducks batting above .300, while K.C. Serna, who hit a team-best .348 in ’10, is struggling at .194 this season. Oregon scored just three runs in last week’s sweep at the hands of Arizona State to open Pac-10 play, making this weekend’s home series against Washington huge.

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San Diego Tabbed As The Team To Beat In 2010

SAN BRUNO, CA - San Diego was picked as the favorite to win this year’s WCC regular season title in the 2010 preseason baseball poll, as voted on by the head coaches in the conference. The Toreros received six first place votes for a total of 48 points and are ranked 24th in Collegiate Baseball’s preseason poll. Pepperdine was picked second with 38 points and is also receiving national recognition, ranked 34th in the Collegiate Baseball’s preseason poll. San Francisco totaled 33 points for third, while 2009 WCC Champion Gonzaga got one first place vote for 29 points to finish fourth, just edging out 2009 runner-up Loyola Marymount, which received 28 points for fifth. Rounding out this year’s preseason poll are Santa Clara, which received the last first place vote with 20 points, Saint Mary’s with 17 points, and Portland with 11 points.

San Diego is coming off a fifth place finish last year and return a number of key players, including 2009 WCC Player of the Year James Meador (SR, OF), and 2009 All-WCC first team members Zach Walters (JR, 3B) and AJ Griffin (SR, RHP), who also made the preseason all-conference team. In addition, Head Coach Rich Hill, who is the league’s all-time leader in WCC victories (246), will bring back Kevin Muno (JR, OF) and Kyle Blair (JR, RHP), who were both named to the preseason all-conference team. In all, San Diego, which led the league in batting average (.319), brings back eight starting position players and four pitchers.

Pepperdine, under Head Coach Steve Rodriguez, finished tied for third last year and led the league in strikeouts (477), opposing batting average (.240), and were tied for the lead in saves (12) and earned runs allowed (237). The Waves’ returners will be highlighted by Matt Bywater (JR, LHP), a 2009 All-WCC first team selection, and Cole Cook (SO, RHP) and Brian Humphries (SO, OF), who were both named to last year’s all-freshman team. Cook was also named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American last year.

San Francisco tied for third last year and will be led by 12th year Head Coach Nino Giarratano, who was named an assistant coach for the 2010 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. The Dons return 23 letterwinners, including 2009 All-WCC first team members Derek Poppert (SR, SS) and Doug Murray (SR, RHP), who led the league in wins going 9-0. In addition, junior infielder Stephen Yarrow was named to the preseason all-conference team.

Gonzaga, fresh off its first ever regular season and WCC Championship Series title, is led by 2009 WCC Coach of the Year, Mark Machtolf. The Zags will field a young team as they return three position starters and three pitchers, highlighted by Drew Heid (SR, OF), who was the 2009 Alaska Summer League MVP, and Cody Martin (JR, RHP), who tied for second in the league with six saves. Loyola Marymount, which finished second last year under first year Head Coach Jason Gill, returns four position starters and three pitchers, led by 2009 All-WCC first team selection Jonathan Johnson (JR, 2B) and all-freshman team members Ryan Hawthorne (SO, OF) and Shon Roe (SO, INF). Santa Clara, under Head Coach Mark O’Brien, returns five starting position players and eight pitchers, led by 2009 All-WCC first team members Geoff Klein (SR, C), who tied for the league lead in batting average (.379), and Nate Garcia (SR, RHP), who led the league in strikeouts (96), as well as Tommy Medica, who was named ot the preseason all-conference team. Saint Mary’s, led by Head Coach Jedd Soto, will be led by the 2009 WCC Freshman of the Year, Troy Channing, who became just the third player in WCC history to win the Triple Crown and was a second-team All-American. Portland returns eight starting position players and two starting pitchers under Head Coach Chris Sperry. Highlighting the returnees are 2009 All-Freshman team selection Kris Kauppila (SO, SS), and Zach Varce (JR, RHP), who tied for the league lead in saves with nine.

2010 WCC Baseball Preseason Poll
1. San Diego – 48 (6)
2. Pepperdine – 38
3. San Francisco – 33
4. Gonzaga – 29 (1)
5. Loyola Marymount – 28
6. Santa Clara – 20 (1)
7. Saint Mary’s – 17
8. Portland – 11
(First place votes)

Preseason All-Conference Teams
Position Players
Troy Channing, SMC
Drew Heid, GON
Riley Henricks, POR
Brian Humphries, PEP
Kris Kauppila, POR
Geoff Klein, SCU
James Meador, USD
Tommy Medica, SCU
Kevin Muno, USD
Zach Walters, USD
Stephen Yarrow, USF

Pitchers
Kyle Blair, USD
Matt Bywater, PEP
Cole Cook, PEP
AJ Griffin, USD
Doug Murray, USF

Gonzaga Looks For WCC Repeat After Winning First Crown

Reigning WCC Player of the Year James Meador of San Diego

Student-Athletes: Four WCC players were named to the ESPN the Magazine/CoSida Academic All-District VIII First Team, the most by any conference in the district.  Evan Wells of Gonzaga, Ryan Wheeler of Loyola Marymount, Bryant Kraus Portland, and Drew Johnson of San Francisco all made the team.

The West Coast Conference looks to rebound from a down year in 2008.  After sending three teams to the NCAA Tournament in 2007 and two in 2008, only Gonzaga made it in 2009.  The Bulldogs go after their second straight WCC crown after capturing their first ever conference title last year.  However, several contenders are ready to make a run this year led by San Diego and Pepperdine.

Gonzaga

2009 Season: (36-18, 14-7)

Nickname: Bulldogs

Head Coach: Mark Machtolf

Location: Spokane, WA

Vitals: .299 BA, 39 HR, .390 OPB, .971 Fld%…4.44 ERA, 11 SVs, 422 K, 180 BB, .284 Opp. BA

Outfield Strength: CF Drew Heid (.355 BA, 8 triples) and LF Matt Castellitto (.278 BA, team high 9 HR) returns to lead the Bulldog offense.

Tough to Replace: The Bulldogs must fill the holes left by C Tyson Van Winkle, who led the team with a .362 BA, 27 doubles, and a .543 Slg%, and WCC Pitcher of the Year Matt Fields, who posted an 8-1 record with a 3.47 ERA and 74 Ks.

Strong Like Bull(dog): A challenging non-conference schedule awaits Gonzaga.  Included are matchups against Missouri, Kansas, Texas Tech, Notre Dame and UC-Irvine.

Loyola Marymount

2009 Season: (30-29, 13-8)

Nickname: Lions

Head Coach: Jason Gill

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Vitals: .297 BA, 42 HR, .380 OBP, .971 Fld%…5.65 ERA, 9 SVs, 404 K, 198 BB, .304 Opp. BA

Who’s Next: Loyola Marymount has to deal with the loss of their top two offensive threats due to the graduations of OF Angelo Songco and 1B Ryan Wheeler.  Songco (.360 BA, 15 HR, 63 RBI) led the Lions in nine offensive categories and was the only WCC player to be a semifinalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award given annually to nation’s top collegiate baseball player.  Wheeler finished the 2009 season with a .319 BA while pounding out 20 doubles, 9 HR and 48 RBI.

Feast or Famine: 2009 saw its ups and downs for the Lions.  After winning 8 of their first 10 games, LMU lost their next 10 only to win the next 8.  Wins included victories over 5^th-ranked UC-Irvine, 6^th-ranked Cal State Fullerton and a four-game sweep of defending national champion Fresno State.

Jump right in: The Lions open the 2010 season with a three game series against 8^th-ranked UC-Irvine.

Pepperdine

2009 Season: (31-23, 12-9)

Nickname: Waves

Head Coach: Steve Rodriguez

Location: Malibu, CA

Vitals: .284 BA, 43 HR, .361 OBP, .982 Fld %…4.52 ERA, 12 SVs, 477 K, 223 BB, .240 Opp. BA

Pepperdine's Denny Duron

Golden Gloves: Pepperdine led the WCC with a .982 fielding percentage, committing only 36 errors all season, 23 fewer than the second place team, Gonzaga.  INF Denny Duron earned WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors going 42 games while committing only 3 errors.

Big Arms: The Waves top two pitchers, Jr. LHP Matt Bywater (6-1, 3.57 ERA, 66 K, .217 Opp BA) and So. RHP Cole Cook (7-3, 3.69 ERA, 79 K, .195 Opp. BA, 1 SV) return to lead one the top pitching staffs in the WCC.

Nothing But the Best: A challenging non-conference slate features games against Cal State Fullerton, UC-Irvine, LSU, Stanford, and UCLA.

Portland

2009 Season: (25-26, 7-14)

Nickname: Pilots

Head Coach: Chris Sperry

Location: Portland, OR

Vitals: .290 BA, 50 HR, .361 OBP, .969 Fld %…5.32 ERA, 12 SVs, 295 K, 171 BB, .298 Opp. BA

Taking Flight: Portland’s 25 wins a year ago is the highest total in the 12 year tenure of head coach Chris Sperry.

Foundation for the Future: 20 of the 32 players on the 2010 roster are freshman or sophomores.

Key Returners: So. RHP Kyle Kraus (4-6, 4.00 ERA) and Jr. RHP Zach Varce (3-5, 2.69 ERA, 9 SVs) lead the young pitching staff, while Jr. INF Riley Hendricks (.344 BA, 31 RBI) and So. INF Kris Kauppila (.336  BA, 20 doubles, 8 SB) return to lead the Pilot offensive attack.

San Diego

2009 Season: (29-25, 11-10)

Nickname: Toreros

Head Coach: Rich Hill

Location: San Diego, CA

Vitals: .319 BA, 47 HR, .381 OBP, .961 Fld %…5.07 ERA, 12 SVs, 425 K, 190 BB, .274 Opp. BA

Big Hitters: San Diego was the top hitting team in the WCC in 2009 with a .319 team BA.  They were led by Jr. James Meador (.376 BA, 80 H, 45 RBI), who was named the WCC Player of the Year, and So. Zach Walters (.377 BA, 13 doubles, 4 triples).

Mound Marvel: Sr. RHP A.J. Griffin became a starter during conference play last year posting an 8-3 record with a 3.33 ERA and 3 SVs.  His 28 career saves are tied for most in WCC history.

Close to Home: The Toreros leave the state of California only three times this season.  The first is March 26-28 for a three game series against Coastal Carolina.  An early April trip to Tempe to play a pair against Arizona State, and a five game swing to Oregon to face Portland, Oregon and Oregon State in May complete the interstate road trips.

San Francisco

2009 Season: (28-28, 12-9)

Nickname: Dons

Head Coach: Nino Giarratano

Location: San Francisco, CA

Vitals: .296 BA, 41 HR, .375 OBP, .968 Fld. %…5.09 ERA, 9 SVs, 371 K, 194 BB, .278 Opp. BA

Fleet Feet: Sr. OF Zach Kim swiped 42 bases in 2009 breaking the single-season USF record.  For the year, the Dons stole 107 bases in 129 attempts, a staggering 83 % clip.

Strong Arm Returns: 1^st team All-WCC P Doug Murray returns to head the USF staff.  As a junior, Murray went 9-0 in 18 starts posting a 3.77 ERA while striking out 45.  Murray was the only WCC pitcher to finish the season undefeated.

Save the Dates: USF hosts Rikkyo University from Japan in a special exhibition game at Benedetti Stadium March 3^rd.  The Dons also take on St. Mary’s April 16^th at AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.

Santa Clara

2009 Season: (19-34, 6-15)

Nickname: Broncos

Head Coach: Mark O’Brien

Location: Santa Clara, CA

Vitals: .286 BA, 24 HR, .356 OBP, .966 Fld. %…6.31 ERA, 7 SVs, 399 K, 170 BB, .312 Opp. BA

Key Returners: Two of the three Santa Clara players that garnered 1^st team All-WCC honors last year return this year’s squad.  Sr. C Geoff Klein (.379 BA, 81 H, 56 RBI) led the WCC in batting average and hits in 2009 and anchors the everyday lineup this year.  Sr. RHP Nate Garcia (7-5, 4.33 ERA, 96 K, 3 CG) will lead one of the younger pitching staffs in the conference.

Youth is Served: The Broncos’ 2010 roster includes 20 first-year players and 14 true freshman.

Welcome back: RS JR. Tommy Medica played in just 9 games last year before a shoulder injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.  He was leading the team with a .429 BA while scoring 9 runs and collecting 7 doubles at the time of his injury.  For his career, Medica is a .361 hitter, 3^rd best in SCU history, and the WCC batting champ his freshman year in 2007.

St. Mary’s

2009 Season: (28-27, 9-12)

Nickname: Gaels

Head Coach: Jedd Soto

Location: Moraga, CA

Troy Channing

Vitals: .288 BA, 50 HR, .374 OBP, .965 Fld. %…5.35 ERA, 9 SVs, 364 K, 180 BB, .295 Opp. BA

Young Gun: 3B Troy Channing earned WCC Freshman of the Year honors after winning the conference triple crown becoming just the third player in WCC history to accomplish that feat.  For the season, Channing hit .379, crushed 20 HR, and drove in 75.  Channing also was just one of two freshman to be a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy.

Tough Road to Hoe: Trips to UC-Irvine, Tulane, Southern Mississippi, and Stanford highlight a challenging non-conference road schedule.

Need a Staff: Three of the Gaels top pitchers from a season ago are gone.  Brian Justice, Scott Schneider and Nathan Gonzalez combined to earn 15 of the team’s 28 wins in 2009.  Sr. RHP Brandon Berl (2-2, 4.01 ERA, 6 SVs) and So. RHP Kyle Barraclough (4-5, 4.70 ERA) lead the staff.

West Coast Conference Predictions

2010 Champion: Pepperdine, with San Diego fighting with them down to the wire

2010 Player of the Year: James Meador—San Diego

2010 Pitcher of the Year: Matt Bywater—Pepperdine

(By Collegebaseball360.com contributor Shawn Lewallen)