RENO -- Douglas High graduate Shane Cauley was with the San Francisco Dons on Tuesday at Peccole Park but was in his familiar role as team cameraman. Cauley is being red-shirted this season but hopes to play an important role next season.
"The guy who is playing shortstop (Armand Gaerlan) has taught me a lot," said Cauley, who hit .350 during his senior season with the Tigers. "I'll play anywhere but hopefully shortstop or second base. I'm excited. Our team is good to play with. I'm learning a lot. All the people are really friendly."
Gaerlan has emerged as one of best shortstops in the West Coast Conference this season. He sat out with an injury in Tuesday's 13-2 loss to Nevada but is leading the team with a .331 average. San Francisco coach Nino Giarratano fully expects Cauley, who plans on majoring in graphic design, to be an impact player for the program once he concentrates on becoming a better hitter.
"The thing is our shortstop Armand Gaerlan has played so well and that's why I decided not to play him this year," Giarratano said of Cauley. "Shane needs to make progress as a hitter. Eventually, he's going to be a very good college baseball player. His defense is outstanding. There are no problems at all with his defense. But he needs to hit the ball a little better. He'll get there, though."
HASS, GAZZERO KICKED OFF TEAM
Junior outfielders Mike Hass and Brian Gazzero have been kicked off the Nevada baseball team, coach Gary Powers confirmed on Tuesday. Hass was a career .300 hitter at Nevada and Gazzero, a transfer from Los Angeles Harbor Community College, was primarily a defensive replacement for the Wolf Pack.
The two were involved in a incident during Nevada's three-game road trip over the weekend in Fresno, Calif. Powers said the official reason Hass and Gazzero were dismissed was "for conduct not conducive to team rules."
Powers didn't say whether the two players will be allowed back on the team next season. Right now, he's too focused on the rest of this season.
"It hurts the kinds of things we're able to do. But we'll do it with the guys we have," Powers said.
EX-CAP ENJOYING DECENT JUNIOR YEAR
Joe Jacobitz, a former Carson Capitol, went 0-for-3 on Tuesday against Nevada. Coming into the game he was hitting .292 for San Francisco. He still leads the team with 33 RBI. As a sophomore, Jacobitz, who played his freshman year at UNLV, was a first team all West Coast Conference selection after setting a Dons' single season record for hits (85).
CUMMINGS KEEPS ERA AT 0.00
Reno High graduate Darrick Cummings, who is slowly recovering from Tommy John surgery, made his fifth appearance of the season. He pitched a scoreless seventh and allowed only one hit. He has now pitched 6 1/3 innings this season and still hasn't allowed a run. His former Husky teammate, Kevin Annis, who pitches for San Francisco, didn't throw against the Wolf Pack. But Annis has emerged as one of the Dons' weekend starters. He has a 4-3 record in 16 appearances and has thrown a team-high 42 strikeouts.