Baseball gears up for spring campaign
By Nicholas Pinkerton
The Bronco baseball team enters this season with high hopes after finishing in a disappointing three-way tie for fourth in the West Coast Conference in 2007. Head coach Mark O'Brien, along with many other coaches in the conference, expects to see a much tougher Bronco squad in 2008.
In the WCC Coaches Poll last month, Santa Clara was projected to finish third, behind defending conference champions University of San Diego and Pepperdine, a team that made the postseason last year.
O'Brien's concerns have nothing to do with rankings, however, but with what he sees as the three important elements for winning ballgames -- throwing quality strikes, playing solid defense and putting the ball in play.
"We're pretty much consumed with ourselves," he said. "It matters how we're doing things, not who we're playing."
Santa Clara will enter the 2008 season with an experienced team that improved during the offseason, especially in areas of situational hitting and batting with runners in scoring position.
With impact batters Tommy Medica, Ryan Conan and Gabe Alcantar returning to the lineup, and the addition of freshmen position players Chris Morton and Curtis Wagner, the team expects to prevail in tight contests.
"We were very young last year, and that's one of the reasons we lost a lot of one-run games," said O'Brien. "We're much more improved than we were last year at this point."
The team retains their skillful defense and a strong overall pitching staff from last season, but must get more quality production from starting pitching. Last season, starters had an ERA of just above five runs per game.
"I think everybody's gotten stronger and perfected their off-speed pitches, and that comes with experience," said senior Jeff Lombard.
O'Brien has brought in freshmen such as Joe Supple, Matt Renner and Thain Simon to fortify pitching roles.
Apart from physical talent, O'Brien said the team must retain focus in both their practices and individual games. A preseason ranking of third guarantees nothing against any WCC team.
"You can't have a weekend off in this conference. Any team can beat you on any given weekend," he said.
To help maintain focus, O'Brien brought a new assistant coach on board, Santa Clara alumnus Shawn Epidendio, '05.
Epidendio, who played for O'Brien, will serve as the first base coach and an outfield and hitting instructor. According to O'Brien, Epidendio is an effective communicator with the players who is very familiar with the system in place.
O'Brien feels his team can perform well throughout the season.
"If we do the things that we preach, there's no reason why we can't have a successful year," he said.
Santa Clara will begin the 2008 season against Utah Valley State at Schott Stadium on Friday at 6 p.m.
Contact Nicholas Pinkerton at (408) 551-1918 or npinkerton@scu.edu.