By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University baseball team has a mixture of returning starters, key back-ups, and talented newcomers as the Bearcats enter the 2022 season. Last year, Willamette earned a 30-15 overall record and placed third in the Northwest Conference in the regular season with a 21-11 record. The Bearcats reached the championship game of the NWC Tournament, before finishing second behind Pacific University.
Willamette is set to open the new season this weekend with a total of four games in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Saturday, Feb. 5 and Sunday, Feb. 6 . The Bearcats will face both East Texas Baptist University and Centenary College in one game each day.
The Bearcats will play East Texas Baptist at 3 p.m. CST/1 p.m. PST on Saturday. Willamette will conclude the day by taking on Centenary at 6:30 p.m. CST/4:30 p.m. PST. On Sunday, Willamette will battle ETBU at 2:30 p.m. CST/12:30 p.m. PST. The Bearcats will finish the weekend by playing Centenary on Sunday at 6 p.m. CST/4 p.m. PST.
WU's list of experienced players begins with six returning All-Region selections, including four everyday hitters and two pitchers.
The All-Region players who are back for the Bearcats are hitters Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Jr., 1B, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS), Samuel Daly (Jr., OF, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS), Ethan Fischel (Sr., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) and Jeff Hoffman (So., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS), plus pitchers Layton Wagner (Jr., RHP/UT, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) and Brady Joyner (So., RHP, Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge HS).
"This is probably the hardest-working team I've had," Willamette Head Baseball Coach Aaron Swick said. "They are always at the baseball facility working on things to make them better. They push one another to strive for excellence in all areas of their lives. Thye have a competitive edge to them that has been fun to watch."
Werkmeister-Martin was named Third Team All-America by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and was chosen Third Team Academic All-America by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He led the Bearcats with a .379 batting average while playing in all 45 games with 44 starts. He tied for the team lead with 46 runs scored and earned 36 RBIs. He pounded 123 doubles and 10 home runs. He led WU with 322 putouts at first base.
The offense will feature Werkmeister-Martin, Daly, Fischel, Hoffman, and Tyler Vandemark (Grad., OF, Modesto, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS). According to Swick, "The offensive leaders are all healthy and better than last year. We have the ability to score a lot of runs."
Daly was named First Team All-NWC after batting .359 last spring with 14 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs. He scored 40 runs and ranked second on the team with 49 RBIs. Fischel hit .227 with six doubles and 10 home runs to go along with 36 runs scored and 48 RBIs.
Hoffman led Willamette with 15 home runs and also earned nine doubles on his way to being selected NWC Freshman of the Year. He hit .311 on the season. Vandemark finished with a .304 batting average and eight doubles, while scoring 25 runs and recording 24 RBIs. Daly played in 45 games with 44 starts, while Fischel started all 45 games. Vandemark competed in 44 games and Hoffman saw action in 41 games.
Willamette will be looking to replace the starters at catcher, second base, center field, and designated hitter. Top returning players who will challenge for those positions are Ethan Dunnam (Jr., C, El Cajon, CA/Valhalla HS) and Cole Mosley (So., C, Amarillo, TX/Bushland HS) behind the plate, Tassos Foster (So., INF, Novato, CA/Novato HS) and Jonny Suchor (Jr., INF, Boulder, CO/Boulder HS) at second base, and Clint Walker (Jr., OF, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS) in center field.
New players who could be in the batting order early in the season are Drew Baskin (Fy., INF, Eagle, ID/Arroyo Grande HS), Noah Garcia (Fy., 1B/DH, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS) and Trey Topping (Fy., C, Valencia, CA/West Ranch HS).
The pitching staff returns all three starters who were in the regular rotation at the end of the 2021 seaosn. They are Wagner, Eric Waldichuk (Sr., RHP, San Diego, CA/University City HS), and Justin Miller (Sr., RHP, Poway, CA/Poway HS/Palomar CC). Wagner led the Bearcats with a 2.79 earned run average, 66 strikeouts, and a 7-1 record. He was named First Team All-NWC. Waldichuk went 3-4 on the season with a 5.58 ERA and 52 strikeouts. Miller added a 4-2 record with a 5.69 ERA and 47 strikeouts. Miller led WU with 68 innings pitched and was followed closely by Wagner with 67 2/3 innings.
Willamette also returns last year's top three pitchers from the bullpen. Joyner returns for his second season as the team's closer. He was 6-1 with 5 saves in 2021, while achieving a 1.74 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 31 innings. Matt Pisacane (Sr., RHP, San Diego, CA/San Dieguito HS) and JD Willis (So., LHP, Chandler, AZ/Perry HS) give the Bearcats strong options against various opponents. Pisacane was 5-0 with a 4.80 ERA last spring. Willis finished the year at 3-0 with a 3.77 ERA.
Other returning pitchers who have impressive Swick with their improvement are Will Braaton (Jr., RHP, Highlands Ranch, CO (Thunderridge HS), Logan Haslam (So., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS), Ben Kowalski (Jr., RHP, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS), and Pruitt Spritzer (Jr., RHP, Missouri City, TX/Strake Jesuit College Prep). Last year, Braaton saw action in three games, while Haslam and Kowalski each played in four games. Spritzer struck out 11 batters in 11 appearances covering 14 2/3 innings.
First-year pitcher Chase Banks (RHP, Visalia, CA/Redwood HS) has played well in preseason workouts and will challenge for playing time. Also, Dawson Enright (Grad., RHP, San Diego, CA/James Madison HS) is back as a graduate student after receiving his undergraduate degree from Willamette in 2020. He brings experience and leadership to the pitching staff.
After starting the season with four non-conference games against East Texas Baptist and Centenary, the Bearcats will travel to Southern California to take on the University of Redlands in a four-game non-conference series from Friday, Feb. 11 through Sunday, Feb. 13. The teams will play one game on Friday, two games on Saturday, and one game on Sunday.
The Northwest Conference schedule will feature a three-game series for Willamette against each of the other eight NWC teams. The Bearcats will play their first home games of the season while opening NWC action against George Fox University on Saturday, Feb. 19 and Sunday, Feb. 20. The Bearcats and the Bruins will play a doubleheader on the first day of the series, followed by a single game on the second day.
