Veterans to lead baseball team

By Kurt Wagner

The baseball team prepares for a long grueling season like most teams: batting practice, bullpen sessions, strength and conditioning drills.

But as Santa Clara looks to kick off its season next week at the North Carolina State Tournament in Raleigh, N.C., it may be the preparation they do mentally that sets them apart from the competition.

"There's no question that the mental game at this level separates a lot of good players from great players and good teams from great teams," said head coach Mark O'Brien. "I believe that talent comes to the forefront when you become mentally strong and mentally tough. A lot of preparation is physical of course, but a tremendous amount of preparation is mental."

Along with being mentally tough, the Broncos will rely heavily on their experience and leadership this season, said O'Brien.

Santa Clara is returning six all-West Coast Conference players, including two preseason all-Americans in sophomore pitcher Thain Simon and junior catcher Tommy Medica.

"We have some guys who have played a little bit and been battle tested," said O'Brien. "We're going to have to rely on the guys who have been there before and done some good things. We're expecting them to do what they're capable of doing."

Senior outfielder Matt Long believes a veteran core will be the key to Santa Clara's success this year.

"Our experience is huge," Long said. "Our coaches are great leaders and hopefully the captains on our team can keep the team together, and if we have a loss, we can turn it around quickly."

A solid baseball team is strong up the middle, and the middle is exactly where Santa Clara finds its most experienced players.

Middle infielders, shortstop Jon Karcich and second basemen Brady Fuerst -- both of whom earned all-WCC honors last season -- are back for Santa Clara.

The Broncos will also have an all-WCC centerfielder in Long, who came back to Santa Clara after his junior campaign despite being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in June.

"I just kind of weighed the options," Long said. He was drafted in the 23rd round after being predicted to go higher in the draft. "I just didn't feel like it was worth it to go when I could come back here and get my degree and then hopefully come out and get a job if baseball didn't work out."

Bronco fans aren't the only ones happy Long will be roaming the outfield again this season.

"It's crucial for us that he didn't sign and decided to come back," said O'Brien. "From a selfish standpoint, he helps our team out tremendously, both on the offensive side and the defensive side."

Long, who led the team in runs, walks and triples last season, will be serving as a team captain this season alongside Karcich and junior pitcher Nate Garcia.

The captains met with the coaching staff prior to the season's start to establish a set of goals for the team to strive for. Then the players met and the captains shared with the team what they had come up with. On the list: winning 37 games, including 20 home wins and playing each game as it comes.

"In D-1 baseball, any team can beat you any day," said Simon, who was named the WCC Freshman of the Year last season. "You have to focus on each individual game, each inning, each pitch."

Added Karcich, "You can't look at the big picture. You've got to take one game at a time."

Despite the team's level of experience, the Broncos did lose some valuable players from last season, most notably their corner infielders Gabe Alcantar and Ryan Conan. Santa Clara also lost pitcher and team saves leader Mark Willinsky to the Major League draft after he was taken in the 15th round by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Success for the program will require contributions from some new faces. This group of newcomers includes freshmen pitcher and infielder J.R. Graham and pitcher and outfielder Lucas Herbst.

"Our freshmen have to make an impact," said O'Brien." They're expected to make an impact."

When the Broncos take the field Feb. 20, they won't just be looking for their first win of the season.

They'll also be going for win number 200 in O'Brien's Santa Clara career, making him only the third baseball coach in school history to reach that milestone.

O'Brien is Santa Clara's 35th head baseball coach and is in his eighth season with the program.

"It's nice because it means I've had some good players to help me win those games," said O'Brien. "We just prepare our players and then they go out and win the games for us, so that's what I'm most proud of."

The Broncos' first home game at Schott Stadium is on Feb. 25 against UC Berkeley.

Their quest for a WCC Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth will be fresh in their minds.

"As a team, it will be a disappointment if we don't make the tournament, because that's where our expectations are," said Simon. "We feel that we have the talent to do that, and if we take care of business and play to the best of our ability, anything less than that would be a disappointment."

Contact Kurt Wagner at jwagner@scu.edu.