By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University baseball team is prepared for the start of the 2017 season, which gets underway this weekend with four games in California. Willamette has lots of experience and a talented recruiting class to go along with quality depth on the pitching staff.
Willamette's season opener will be on Friday, Feb. 3 in Whittier, California, when the Bearcats take on Whittier College in a single game at 2:30 p.m. (PST). The Bearcats and the Poets will meet again in a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 4 starting at 11 a.m. WU will compete the trip by battling Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont, California, on Sunday, Feb. 5 in a single game at 11 a.m.
Last season, Willamette finished 20-19 overall. It was the Bearcats' seventh 20-win season in the past nine years. The Bearcats went 11-13 in the Northwest Conference to tie for sixth place.
PITCHING
According to Willamette Head Coach Aaron Swick, the Bearcats have their deepest pitching staff in his nine seasons. Last spring, freshmen who pitched for Willamette earned a combined record of 14-7 and registered three saves. They acheived a 3.87 earned run average and pitched in 59% of the total innings.
So it's no surprise that sophomores will lead the way this year. Topping the list are starters Matt Steindorf (So., RHP, Granite Bay, CA/Granite Bay HS) and Brandon Nelson (So., RHP, Murrieta, CA/Vista Murrieta HS).
Steindorf topped the pitching stats with a 6-2 record and a 3.70 ERA. He pitched a team-high 75 1/3 innings and recorded 38 strikeouts.
"Matt had a tremendous freshmen season," Swick said. "In each start he pitched late into the game and gave our team a great chance to win."
Nelson finished the year with a 3.78 ERA. He struck out a team-leading 45 batters and was credited with a 4-5 record. He threw 64 1/3 innings.
The third starter in the rotation for conference games will likely be either Nathan Gilman (So., RHP, Chino Hills, CA/Diamond Ranch HS) or Benjamin Whitten (Fr., RHP, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS).
Gilman pitched in nine games, including five starts. He provided WU with a 3.04 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings pitched. Whitten was a starting pitcher at San Ramon Valley High School in California.
Willamette has a solid list of middle relievers. Jett Gallagher (Jr., RHP, Santa Cruz, CA/Santa Cruz HS) and Harbour Harrison (So., RHP, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS) will help out in a variety of roles. Grant Shives (So., LHP, San Diego, CA/Francis W. Parker School) and Tyler Esquivel (Jr., RHP, Filmore, CA/Filmore HS) are transfers who bring experience to the bullpen.
Brendan Natuzzi (So., RHP, Napa, CA/Justin-Siena HS) and Dylan Ross (Fr., RHP, Malibu, CA/ Malibu HS) will battle to become the team's closer.
In addition, Swick anticipates that important innings will be pitched by Dawson Campos (Fr., RHP, Reno, NV/Galena HS), Mason Cook (Fr., RHP, Riverton, UT/Riverton HS), Dawson Enright (Fr., RHP, La Mesa, CA/James Madison HS) and Nolan Boggini (So., RHP, El Dorado Hills, CA/Oak Ridge HS).
"The pitching staff has a chance to be the strength of our team," Swick commented. "There is a ton of experience returning, and a talented group of new pitchers that has created great depth on the mound."
CATCHING
Returning catchers Cole Pursell (So., Oceanside, CA/El Camino HS) and Jack Brett (Jr., Aurora, CO/Regis Jesuit HS) both battled through injuries last season. Pursell played in 14 games with 12 starts. Brett saw action in 17 games with 12 starts. Each threw out four base stealers.
Brett hit .271 for the Bearcats. He connected for three home runs. On defense, Brett earned 44 putouts and nine assists, while Pursell contributed 50 putouts and seven assists.
Swick noted that Pursell and Brett worked extremely hard to recover from their injuries and have also worked to improved their abilities on offense and defense. They are set to compete with each other for the starting roll this season. With many doubleheaders on the schedule, both will have the chance for significant playing time.
The third catcher will be Sam Hudd (So./Fr., Evergreen, CO/Evergreen HS). Hudd previously played at Evergreen High School in Colorado.
INFIELD
Willamette's top two hitters from 2016 return this year. They are Eric Del Prado (Jr., 1B/DH, El Segundo, CA/Loyola HS) and Mason Fessler (Jr., 1B/DH, Woodburn, OR/Blanchet Catholic School). Last season, Del Prado played first base and Fessler played third base. This year, both athletes will see action at first base and designated hitter.
Del Prado was named Second Team All-NWC last spring, when he led Willamette with a .350 batting average and hit .385 against NWC opponents. He ranked first on the team with 32 RBIs and tied for the team lead with five home runs, while playing in 36 games with 33 starts. He also scored 22 runs and earned a .514 slugging percentage.
On defense, Del Prado recorded a .984 fielding percentage. He topped the WU defensive chart with 302 putouts.
"Eric showed last season he was capable of being one of the best players in the conference," Swick noted. "He has the ability to carry our team on any given day."
Fessler batted .323 last season and joined Del Prado as one of three Bearcats with five home runs. He played in a team-high 38 games and had 36 starts. He also belted 10 doubles and two triples on his way to a .541 slugging percentage, a .416 on-base percentage, and 22 RBIs. He ranked second for the Bearcats with 27 runs scored.
Troy Conway (Jr., 2B, Moorpark, CA/Moorpark HS) returns at second base, where he earned 52 putouts and 60 assists with just two errors for a .982 fielding percentage. He hit .276 on offfense. Conway scored 15 runs for the Bearcats.
At shortstop, Tyler Janitz (So., SS, Modesto, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) returns as the starter, while Aaron Fong (So., SS, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) added additiional experience. Janitz played in 35 games with 34 starts as a freshman last spring. He batted .246 and scored 16 runs. He led WU with 102 assists on defense.
Kyle Paguio (So., 3B, Stevenson Ranch, CA/West Ranch HS) moves into the starting position at first base, with Eric Pachowicz (Fr., INF, Camarillo, CA/Rio Mesa HS) ready to challenge for playing time. Paguio competed in 24 games with 10 starts in 2016, and showed an ability to make quality stops on grounders and line drives at third base.
Natuzzi, when he isn't pitching, can provide depth at second base, shortstop and third base.
OUTFIELD
Connor Bailey (So., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS), who had a solid freshman season a year ago, will start for Willamette in the outfield this season. He also played well during fall practices. Last season, Bailey hit .311 overall and batted .356 in NWC games. He led Willamette with 24 walks and a .425 on-base percentage. He tied for second on the team with 22 RBIs.
Right field will most likely be played by Cameron Igarashi (Jr., OF, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute). In 2016, he played in 21 games with six starts.
The third outfield post will be held by Perry Van Eckhardt (Jr., OF, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS) or newcomer Joseph Faudskar (Fr., OF, Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle HS).
Van Eckhardt batted .256 last year and tied for the team lead with five home runs. He attained a .500 slugging percentage. He made 79 putouts in the outfield, mostly while playing in center field. Faudskar played at Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was named defensive players of the year twice.
Harrison and Esquivel also can contribute to the Bearcats in the outfield. Both are utility players who are also effective as pitchers.
THE BEARCATS
According to Swick, this year's Willamette squad has the best team culture during his tenure with the Bearcats. As a result, Swick and the team have high expectations for the season. Willamette will play a competitive schedule, especially with so many games against NWC opponents.
"Team chemistry is a vital piece to a program's success," Swick said. "This team is incredibly close on and off the field. From the first day of school they have been focused on accomplishing our goals for this season."
