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Saints face baseball season with wary optimism
The Advocate
Coach Bryan Donohue and the Saints baseball team are coming off the heels of a disappointing 2010 season, missing the post-season for the first time in 16 years.
The returning players still carry that disappointment in their minds, "For our sophomores, there's more of a chip on their shoulders," said Donohue. "There were injuries and we got off to a slow start. We played some of our best baseball later in the season but it was too late."
After losing great position players, including catcher Corey Davis, first baseman Taylor Ard and shortstop Tanner Hodges, the Saints are counting on seasoned secondyear veterans such as pitchers Jeremy Burright, Matthew Pechmann, Mychal Yearout Grant Fink and outfi elder Matt Nylen to step into leadership roles.
"We're building on last year. Whether it's me starting or relieving, I'm not focused on stats, and I think it's the same for everyone. It's about accepting our roles and doing whatever it takes," said Dolman, who pitched as a reliever for part of last season and ended up in the starting rotation.
This year brings additions like freshman pitcher Christian Bannister, who will step in as the Saints closer with last season's closer Michael Siefert no longer with the team following shoulder surgery last July.
"I think this team can win it," said Donohue, "It's (about having), depth in your pitching, and we've got that." The Saints are ranked No. 6 in the NWAACC preseason poll and 23rd in the ABCA poll, community college team's from the Northwest and California.
The Saints are scheduled to play Edmonds Community College in a doubleheader at Oslund Field at 2 p.m. Donohue said Burright will take the mound to start game one, followed by either Dolman or Yearout starting game two. With such depth in the pitching position every pitcher is expected to get some time on the mound this season.
Who: Mt. Hood Saints baseball team.
Last season: (25-19, 18-12), finished third place in the Southern Region.
Head coach: Bryan Donohue, fourth season coaching.
Who returns:Sophomore pitchers Jeremy Burright, Nate Dolman, Matthew Pechmann, Jon Yearout and Alex Kennan. Sophomore catchers Mychal Harrington and Zach Brown. Sophomore outfielders Matt Nylen and Jared Chase. Infielders Grant Fink and Danny Clifford. Burright finished the 2010 season with a record of 6-3 with a 2.26 ERA; he was honored on the First Team All-Southern Region team. Nylen was honored on the second team after he hit .330. Dolman was also honored on Southern Region second team for his performance on the mound; he ended the season with a 3-1 record and a 1.18 ERA.
Key departures:
Catcher Corey Davis (Wright State University), outfielder Michael Blake (University of Hawaii), first baseman Taylor Ard (Washington State University), third baseman Griffin Boyd, (Western Oregon University), shortstop Tanner Hodges (College of Idaho), utility player Derrick Hough (Hawaii Pacific).
Who arrives: A pack of 10 freshmen, including pitcher Christian Bannister, who is expected to take on the closer position on the hill.
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