Nevada baseball: Pack looking for rebound season

RENO - Gary Powers has never been one to sugarcoat a difficult situation.

"We had a bad year last year," the Nevada Wolf Pack baseball coach said of a 24-31 season in 2011. "Nobody understands that more than we do. We had a horrendous first month to the season."

The Wolf Pack started 0-9 a year ago and could never regain the swagger of the program that had won 30 or more games 16 times in the past 22 seasons under Powers.

"It was very frustrating for everyone involved," said Powers, whose Wolf Pack will open the 2012 season with three games at New Mexico on today through Sunday.

Despite the struggles in the first month, the Pack still won 24 of its last 46 games and finished 12-12 and tied for third place in the Western Athletic Conference.

"We were very competitive those last three months," Powers said. "I was very proud of the way this coaching staff battled everyday and how hard this team kept playing. It wasn't easy. At times it was a nightmare from a coaching standpoint. But, under the circumstances, we did the best we could to keep it together."

Powers, who is working under a one-year contract this season after completing a three-year deal in 2011, is determined to get the Pack headed in the right direction.

"We lost a lot of players off last year's team but I like the fact that we are able to get a fresh start this year," Powers said. "After last year we needed to go in a different direction."

The one thing that hasn't changed are the expectations, despite last year's record.

"Our expectations are always high," relief pitcher Matt Gardner said. "Last year we finished third in the WAC and we obviously want to do better than that. We still have a lot of confidence. Last year we started out slow but we played three pretty good teams to start the year (UC Irvine, Loyola Marymount and UNLV). Those things happen."

Irvine, Marymount and UNLV combined to go 106-68 a year ago (.609).

"This year we're determined to get off to a hot start and set the tone for the whole year," Gardner said.

Nobody in silver and blue, though, is forgetting what happened in 2011.

"Last year is huge motivation," senior starting pitcher Tom Jameson said. "We want to turn this thing around right away."

The Wolf Pack, which will be playing its 12th and final season in the WAC this spring, has a lot of holes to fill in 2012.

The biggest hole is the one left by the departures of first baseman Brock Stassi, left fielder Nick Melino and right fielder Brian Barnett. Stassi, Barnett and Melino each had a disappointing year with the bat based on their past performances, hitting just 11 home runs and driving in just 89 runs combined, but they were the heart and soul of the batting order at the No. 3, 4 and 5 spots.

Stassi, after all, did rally to hit .360 by season's end and Melino finished at .303 as the only other .300 hitter on the roster. Barnett, with five homers and 28 RBI, was one of the few power threats in the lineup.

"We put too much pressure on those three guys to do everything last year," Powers said. "That's why we were determined to improve our depth this year. All three of those guys tried to become something they were not and it hurt them. I always tell our guys, if you are a .275 hitter, then go out and be a .275 hitter. Don't end up being a .230 hitter because you are trying to be a .330 hitter."

Also leaving the Pack after last year are outfielder Waylen Sing Chow (.297 in 2011 with 15 RBI), catcher Michael Turay (.260 with 13 RBI) and pitchers Jeremy Cole (4-5, 4.90 ERA), Mark Joukoff (3-6, 5.10), Mat Keplinger (6.35 in 22 relief appearances) and Tyler Rogstad (7.18 in 19 games).

"We have a ton more depth this year," said Powers, who has added 18 new players this season to the 17 holdovers. "Last year we ran into a depth problem. Guys were struggling but we had to keep running them out there because we didn't have anybody else. That won't be the case this year. We'll have great competition this year."

A position-by-position look at the 2012 Wolf Pack baseball team . . .

FIRST BASE: Powers said the position is up for grabs between newcomers Brett Jones and Kewby Meyer. Jones, a junior transfer from Fresno City College, and Meyer, a freshman from Honolulu, Hawaii, are both lefthanders.

Jones hit .336 with nine doubles, four triples, five homers and 29 RBI last year at Fresno City. The 6-1, 185-pound Meyer hit .523 in high school as a senior after hitting .471 as a junior.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Jones suffered from a sports hernia injury this fall and did not participate in fall ball. "He'll be fine but right now he's just a little behind," Powers said. "Kewby Meyer had a tremendous fall."

Hugo Hernandez, who hit .248 with a homer and 17 RBI last season for the Pack, is also in the picture but should get most of his at-bats as the designated hitter, Powers said.

SECOND BASE: Joe Kohan, who hit .283 with four homers and 34 RBI, is back. "Joe is a very solid player," said Powers. "He's going to be the cornerstone of our infield defense."

The 6-1, 295-pound Kohan, from Juneau, Alaska, will be in his fourth year at Nevada. He has a .294 career average in 381 at-bats with seven homers and 52 RBI.

SHORTSTOP: Freshman Kyle Hunt, from Mission Viejo, Calif., is going to get the first opportunity to start at short.

"This was a tough decision for us to make," Powers said. "So we'll see how it all works out."

The reason for the switch to the freshman Hunt is because last year's starter at shortstop, Braden Shipley, is being counted on to become one of the top three or four starting pitchers. Shipley, a 6-2 sophomore, had an outstanding freshman year in 2011, hitting .287 with a home run and 19 RBI in the ninth spot in the order.

"He grew as a hitter more than anybody we had last year," Powers said of Shipley.

Hunt, a switch-hitter, hit .330 with a home run and 15 RBI last year at Capistrano Valley.

"We're not worried about him offensively," Powers said. "He can handle the bat. But he has to do the job defensively."

Powers said that Shipley will also likely see some time at short this year.

THIRD BASE: Garrett Yrigoyen returns for his third year with the Pack. The 6-2 senior hit .257 last year with three homers and 33 RBI.

Yrigoyen is a .274 career hitter in two seasons at Nevada with six homers and 63 RBI.

Powers added that Yrigoyen will also be used in the bullpen.

"His future in this game is as a pitcher," Powers said. "He pitched all summer. He throws 91-92 and has very good command."

Freshman Austin Byler, a 6-3, 210-pound left-handed hitter, will also be in the mix at third. Byler hit 10 home runs, drove in 39 and hit .530 last year at Sunrise Mountain High in Peoria, Ariz.

Byler can also play first base and left field.

"He's one of the strongest guys we have already," Powers said. "And he can run. If he hits, he'll be in the lineup somewhere."

Former Damonte Ranch infielder Ray Daniels will see playing time as a reserve at third and second. Daniels spent the past two seasons at the College of Southern Nevada, hitting .169 last year in 71 at-bats and going 0-for-8 in 2010.

OUTFIELD: "We have very little experience in our outfield going into the year," Powers said.

But they do have a ton of talent.

Freshman Jay Anderson, from Bishop Amat High in La Puente, Calif., is expected to start at one of the three outfield spots, most likely in center. Anderson, a 5-11, 185pounder, is a former football and baseball star at Bishop Amat. He hit .432 as a sophomore, .340 as a junior and .323 with two homers and 30 RBI last season as a senior.

As a junior he rushed for 1,121 yards and 22 touchdowns but did not play football his senior year.

"He can play all three positions in the outfield," Powers said.

Two other newcomers -- freshman Cameron Brooks and junior Brooks Klein -- are also competing for starting spots in the outfield.

Brooks, a 5-10, 180-pound switch-hitter, hit .540 for his career at Spring Valley High in Las Vegas.

Klein, who hit .480 for his career at Sierra Vista High in Las Vegas, played the last two seasons at Western Nevada College in Carson City. Klein hit .286 last season with three homers and 18 RBI in 112 at-bats at WNC after hitting .268 with five homers and 37 RBI in 183 at-bats in 2010.

Holdovers Jamison Rowe (.203 in 69 at-bats), Tommy Niebergall (.190 in 63 at-bats) and Anthony Rosa (.195 in 41 at-bats) will also be fighting for playing time in the outfield.

CATCHER: Carlos Escobar, who has scouts drooling over his ability to catch and throw as well as his power potential at the plate, returns for his junior year.

The 6-3, 200-pound Escobar hit four homers with 25 RBI last year in 142 at-bats after hitting five homers and driving in 14 runs in 68 at-bats as a freshman. He is a .267 career hitter at Nevada (.289 last year).

Freshmen Ryan Teel and Taylor Sanders will back up Escobar.

STARTING PITCHING: Jameson, who went 6-6 last year with a 4.84 ERA, is back along with Troy Marks (2-6, 4.21) to lead the starting rotation.

But the two Pack veterans will have a lot of help.

"We have a lot of new faces who will have a big impact on this team this year," Jameson said. "We have a lot of guys who are competing for that starting rotation."

Shipley, who made two starts a year ago (1-0, 8.71), is also in the mix for starting spot as is returning senior righthander Tim Culligan (1-3, 7.84).

"Tim is getting better and better," Powers said. "Over the summer he developed a real good off-speed pitch."

Also competing for a starting role, Powers said, are newcomers Daniel Levine and Tyler Wells.

Levine, a 5-10 junior right-hander, was 3-4 with a 3.34 ERA at Irvine Valley College last year. One of his coaches at Irvine was former Wolf Pack catcher Tony Cappuccilli.

"He really knows how to pitch," Powers said. "Everything he throws moves."

Levine, who graduated from Green Valley High in Henderson, spent his freshman year at Concordia University in Irvine, Calif. He had a 4.50 ERA in 20 innings at Concordia with 20 strikeouts and 11 walks. Last year at Irvine Valley he did not give up a run over his first two starts (15.2 innings).

Wells, a 6-2 left-hander, had a phenomenal senior year at Maxwell (Calif.) High last year.

He was 12-0 on the mound with 121 strikeouts and just 12 walks and did not allow an earned run. At the plate he hit .631 with 14 homers and 78 RBI. Powers said Wells could also see time at first base and designated hitter.

"He is a quality left-handed starter," Powers said. "He has a real big upside with a mid to upper 80s fastball and a good curve. He knows how to pitch."

RELIEF PITCHING: Gardner, who had six saves and a 1.71 ERA in 19 games in 2011, returns to lead the bullpen as the closer.

"I really enjoy that role," Gardner said. "I think I really thrive in it. I'm a high energy guy so I can go out there and let it all hang out."

Powers said left-handers Elliot Van Gaver, Kody Gorden and Barry Timko, will also be in the bullpen.

Gorden had a standout two-year career at Western Nevada College. He was 7-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 13 starts last year after going 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA in 14 innings in relief in 2010.

Van Gaver, who was ineligible last season, had a brilliant two-year career at Columbia Basin College. He was 5-3 with a 1.42 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 82.2 innings in 2010 and was 9-1 with three saves and a 1.25 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 79 innings in 2009.

Timko is a freshman from Serra High in San Bruno, Calif.

Veterans Bryan Suarez (1-0, 4.26 in 2011), Sean Prihar (1-0, 3.46) and Jayson McClaren (1-0, 7.29) will help Gardner from the right side along with freshman Colby Blueberg (Carson High) and junior college transfer (College of San Mateo) Griffin Kirsch.

Kirsch, a Reno High graduate, was mainly an outfielder last year at San Mateo, hitting .293 with 12 RBI in 92 at-bats. He only pitched 2.1 innings a year ago but won two games with a save. He pitched in nine games in 2010 at San Mateo with a 5.62 ERA.

Powers sees Kirsch, who was 9-0 with a 1.21 ERA as a senior at Reno High., as help for Gardner in the closing role. "He has an outstanding curveball," Powers said.

OVERALL OUTLOOK: Competition at all positions, Powers said, will make this a better ball club than a year ago.

"We don't have to wear our starters out," Powers said. "We have a lot of arms, a lot of depth on this staff. And that is important because our offense is fairly inexperienced and our pitching is going to have to carry us."

Powers, though, built this team with an eye on the future.

"We didn't put a Band-Aid on our problems," Powers said. "We built this team for the future. We didn't go out and just sign a ton of junior college kids to fill holes. We have a lot of talented young freshmen with a lot of upside to go along with a solid group of junior college kids.

"We put this together with the idea of not only competing this year in the WAC but to also be able to compete as we move into the Mountain West Conference (in 2013)."