2012 West Preview
By Ralph Turner for D3baseball.com
| James Parr's 16 doubles led
the Chapman offense in 2011. Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com |
The West Region teams begin play early as warm weather days push back the cold. The 2011 West Regional in Abilene TX was a hard fought affair in which West Champion Chapman went to the Championship round before losing to Marietta in a winner-take-all championship game. Chapman will be in the mix again as will NWC powerhouse Linfield. The ASC sent to teams to the 2011 Regional and hopes to build on that success again this year. Look for Trinity (Texas) to challenge from the SCAC and Redlands to battle Cal Lutheran in the SCIAC. We see Chapman making another run at the national championship.
Ryan Brisbin, Schreiner: This summer Ryan Brisbin was named Schreiner's new head coach, replacing Joe Castillo who resigned in April. Brisbin has eight years of head coaching experience at two colleges with the most recent a successful six year stint at NCAA Division II Davis and Elkins College.
Luke Wetmore, Occidental: After serving as the hitting coach for three years under Jason Hawkins, Luke Wetmore gets his chance to take a swing as the leader of the Occidental program. Being familiar with the Tigers program and the standards of academic and athletic excellence at Occidental gives Wetmore a head start, one that is expected hopes will keep the ball rolling after the team's best three-year stretch since 1991.
| Byron Minnich was in 2011an
All-SCIAC Second Team selection as he led the Kingsmen with a 1.80
ERA in 24 appearances. Cal Lutheran athletics photo |
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC): The SCIAC title is up for grabs, again. The well-balanced conference has seen five appearances in the West Regional of the NCAA from the four original members since 2008. That means a well-balanced race is in store for 2012.
The 2011 SCIAC race was all Redlands as they clinched early. La Verne finished 2 games back and Cal Lutheran finished 3 games back in a 28 game schedule. However, the SCIAC teams seem to re-load with quality talent. Four SCIAC pitchers were selected in the Major League Draft in 2011 and the talent is spread around in the 2012 as well.
Redlands (30-13) won the 2011 title and earned the trip to Abilene. The Bulldogs only graduated three players including All-American pitcher Derek Johnson. The Bulldog rotation will still be the toughest in the conference with Kyle Hart, Paul Dippel and Adam Byrd heading the staff.
Cal Lutheran (25-15) will be led by preseason All American pitcher Byron Minnich and third baseman Neal Boggan. 2011 SCIAC All-Conference pitchers John LaMoure and Peter Ciaramitaro are projected to fill the rotation. Kingsman Head Coach Marty Slmiak is nine games shy of 500 wins.
Pomona-Pitzer (27-12) finished tied for fourth in the conference. Gone is Pomona-Pitzer's ace, David Colvin, but head coach Frank Pericolois returns the other three starters and a closer from the 2011 rotation among 22 returnees. The Sagehens' program has had players drafted in 2009 (Drew Hedman), 2010 (James King) and 2011 (David Colvin). Pomona-Pitzer opens the D-III season against Westmont.
Chapman is joining the SCIAC and will be eligible in the 2013 season for the conference's automatic bid. Chapman was the 2011 finalist, losing to Marietta in the final game of the season. Head Coach Tom Tereschuk returns 20 players from the 2011 World Series team. Junior preseason All-American Brian Rauh will lead a deep pitching staff for the Panthers. Chapman does not play a conference” schedule until 2013, but this baseball program understands the nature of at-large bids. Nevertheless, the Panthers can defend their crown by earning an at-large bid to the tourney.
American Southwest Conference (ASC): The ASC is strong, competitive and tightly balanced 16-team, two-division conference. The ASC sent two teams to the NCAA West Region in 2011 and looks to repeat that performance again.
| Collin Janssen and the rest
of the ASC defending champion Concordia (Texas) will start their
season against Southwestern on February 3rd. Concordia(Texas) athletics photo |
Head coach and former Major League pitcher Tommy Boggs led Concordia-Texas (32-17) to an NCAA appearance for the first time since the 2002 Tornado team that went to Appleton. The ASC West Division co-championship and the ASC post-season tourney champs are in good shape to defend the crown. Led by preseason All-American and 2011 ASC Player of the Year utility/catcher Collin Janssen, the Tornados have a strong core of players returning. Senior Scott Hays will lead the Tornado rotation.
The ASC West race is always a balanced one, and 2011 ASC West Division co-champion Hardin-Simmons (31-14) should give Concordia (Texas) a hard battle. Cowboy head coach Steve Coleman has a preseason All-American, designated hitter Troy Tarrant, and junior pitcher James Simmons back to lead the Cowboys.
Texas Lutheran (24-19) will be led by honorable mention preseason All-American senior pitcher Brad Orosey. The Bulldogs are predicted to finish a strong third in the West. McMurry will play its last season of D-III ball in 2012. The War Hawks surprised Texas-Tyler in the first round of the ASC tourney last season as they entered the tournament with a sub .500 record. Senior first baseman Matt Thompson and junior pitcher Spencer Smith will lead the War Hawks.
We project the Texas-Tyler Patriots (33-8) to win the ASC East for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. Swept by McMurry in the first round of the ASC tourney, the Patriots earned an at-large (Pool C bid) to the West Region Tourney for its third straight appearance in the NCAA’s. Senior catcher Hayden Chick and senior pitcher Chance Williams will lead a strong patriot team.
| Texas-Tyler is the preseason
favorite to repeat as ASC East champs. Texas -Tyler athletics photo |
Honorable Mention preseason All-American Derek Dallas and senior outfielder Chase Brown return for the Texas-Dallas Comets (29-18) in 2012. The Comets will be looking to get back to the West Regionals, where they last appeared in 2007 as a Pool C bid. They must first get out of the log jam that was a three-way tie for second in 2011.
Mississippi College, who last went to the Regionals in 2010, will be led by senior third baseman Spencer Brunson and senior pitcher Bo Craig. The Choctaws should be improved defensively and head coach Brian Owens at 134 wins should get 150 in the middle of Division play.
For Louisiana College (26-17), preseason honorable mention second baseman Jordan Marks hopes to lead the Wildcats to its first ASC title. University of Ozarks (8-32) has been on hard times for the past few seasons. Senior shortstop hMitchell Powers and junior pitcher Tyler Erickson will be called upon to get the Eagle program going again for head coach Jimmy Clark whose 2008 Eagle team went 32-11. Second year-provisional Centenary will play a full schedule in the ASC-East but will move to the SCAC next year.
|
Ben Klimesh was co-Pitcher of the Year in the
SCAC. |
-Klimesh250.JPG?max_height=166&max_width=250)
Hendrix (19-22) broke the Trinity (Texas) string of SCAC championships with its SCAC tourney win in 2009. The Warriors return all-conference players first baseman Jacob Perschke and outfielder Collin Radack. Hendrix will be going to the SAA with Millsaps in 2012.
Millsaps (24-18) looks to return to its 2009 form for head coach Jim Page. The Majors lost three seniors but hope to build around All-SCAC First Year second baseman Kevin Wall. Newcomer University of Dallas will now have a conference home for the first time since it left the ASC in 2001.
| Ryan Larson posted a 2.09 ERA
and 7-3 record while throwing for a team-high 71 strikeouts in
2011. Linfield athletics photo |
Favorite Linfield (33-11) was eliminated on the last day of the West Region tourney in 2011, but Coach Scott Brosius has another strong team for the 2012 season. The 2011 Wildcat team ran away from the conference, winning the conference by 5 games. Whether they can repeat is part of the 2012 action in the NWC. Second place and seventh place were separated by 3 games on the 24-game schedule. Breaking out of the pack to challenge Linfield will be the goal for most of the NWC. Preseason All-Americans pitcher Ryan Larson and outfielder Tim Wilson lead a very talented Wildcat team.
After winning it all in 2004 and going to the Regionals in 2008 and 2009, George Fox (26-13) has slumped a bit. To get back to the West Regionals in 2012, Bruins' coach Marty Hunter is counting on six returning position players and three rotation pitchers. The Bruins have had 24 winning seasons in the last 25, and 2012 should be another good one. Look for pitcher Brain Ranta and catcher Josh Rapacz, who is returning from injury, to lead the Bruins. Their .975 fielding percentage led Division III in 2011 and the Bruins will be stout on defense again.
Pacific Lutheran (19-20) was down in 2011 after being nationally ranked in the previous five seasons. The Lutes have a solid core of upper classmen including All-NWC’s sophomore left fielder Jacob Hoffman, and senior second baseman Corey Moore, but will need the young arms to develop in a hurry.
Whitworth (20-20) is hoping to continue the momentum that it has built over the last few seasons. The 2011 Pirates won 20 games for the first time in nine seasons. Senior third baseman/reliever Scott Landon is one of the most decorated player in Whitworth history. His four saves in 2010 were second all-time in Whitworth history and may be a candidate for post-season honors.
Willamette (22-17-1) has six starting position players and two starting pitchers returning for head coach Aaron Swick. Key to their success will be the return of preseason All-American senior Mitch Rowan. Rowan returns from an injury in 2011 and should contend for NWC player of the year.
