BSB: Optimistic Cougs open 2018 campaign Friday in Arizona (Part 1)
(Part 1 of a 3-part series previewing the 2018 WSU Baseball Season)
Marty Lees steps into the third year of his tenure as Washington State head baseball coach believing the Cougars are ready to make noticeable strides in the highly competitive Pac-12 conference.
Many players are back from last year’s team that finished 24-29 overall, 10-20 in the Pac-12 and won four straight conference series in April and May, sparking chatter of a possible late surge towards a NCAA Tourney bid until a season-ending seven-game losing streak halted the speculation.
Those returning players are joined by a promising 2017-18 signing class that ranks among the best in recent memory.
“What I really like about this team is we have some depth,” Lees said recently at a press conference previewing the season. “I don’t think we lose a lot when we go from one spot to the next.”
Lees has constructed a non-conference schedule certain to test the Cougars before Pac-12 play begins in mid-March. WSU opens the season this weekend with four games at Diable Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. (spring training home of the Los Angeles Angels), two against UC Riverside and two against Nebraska, the preseason Big Ten favorite.
The following weekend, WSU faces a grueling three-game series at Alabama in an intriguing matchup between Pac-12 and SEC programs attempting to climb the ladder in their respective conferences.
“Our schedule is very rigorous with the teams we’re playing early,” Lees said. “I thought it would be a good adventure to go play somebody in the SEC. It will allow our players to get to know each other and get some extra talks in as we build our team.”
WSU’s 2018 home opener is March 1 against Sacramento State in the first of a four-game set at Bailey-Brayton Field (3,500) that begins an 8-game homestand. The Pac-12 opener is March 16 at UCLA. The Cougars play three of their first four Pac-12 series on the road.
Washington State will have 14 games televised on the Pac-12 Network in 2018 including a pair of Thursday Night Baseball Game of the Week selections and both home contests against regional rival Gonzaga.
Everything, of course, begins with pitching at the major college level. The Cougars will initially feature a weekend rotation with three lefthanders – senior Cody Anderson, redshirt sophomore Isaac Mullins and senior Scotty Sunitsch, who shifts from closer (8 saves in 2017) to starter. Junior Parker McFadden will begin the campaign as the fourth starter.
“We need Scott Sunitsch to have a good year,” Lees said. “He is going on his fourth year here. He has not done what he is capable of doing. He is more mature, he’s ready and he’s prepared. He looks like he’s ready to slow it down, take a deep breath and pitch like he can.”
Ryan Walker started 9 games a season ago, but now takes over as WSU’s closer. He averaged nearly one strikeout per inning in 2017.
Three-quarters of WSU’s starting infield returns, but with a couple of changes. Junior Andres Alavrez is back at shortstop, while sophomore Dillon Plew moves from second base to third base, replacing Shane Matheny. Justin Harrer takes over at second place after spending 2017 mostly in the outfield.
Senior James Rudkin started every game last season at first base, but faces competition from JUCO transfer Wyatt Segle, who played the past two seasons at Skagit Valley CC in Mt. Vernon, WA.
The outfield will be anchored by speedy sophomore Danny Sinatro in center. He will be flanked by Blake Clanton or Dustin Yates (Spokane Falls CC) in left and J.J. Hancock in right.
“It’s a new team, but we have a lot of kids back as well,” Lees said. “We’ve replaced the guys we lost to the draft (Damon Jones, Shane Matheny) and moved on and moved some guys around position-wide. I feel very good about where we’re at positionally. We have a lot of seniors (8), probably the most seniors I’ve ever had as a coach. Hopefully, we can reap the rewards of that.”
2018 WSU BASEBALL SCHEDULE (FIRST 10 GAMES)
Fri. Feb. 16 vs. UC Riverside, 11 a.m. (at Tempe, Ariz.)
Sat. Feb. 17 vs. Nebraska, 11 a.m. (at Tempe, Ariz.)
Sun. Feb. 18 vs. Nebraska, 11 a.m. (at Tempe, Ariz.)
Sun. Feb. 18 vs. UC Riverside, 3 p.m. (at Tempe, Ariz.)
Tue. Feb. 20 at Grand Canyon, 6 p.m. (at Phoenix)
Fri. Feb. 23 at Alabama, 1 p.m. (SEC Network)
Sat. Feb. 24 at Alabama, 11 a.m.
Sun. Feb. 25 at Alabama, 7 a.m. (SEC Network)
Thu. March 1 SACRAMENTO STATE, 4 p.m.
Fri. March 2 SACRAMENTO STATE, 4 p.m.
2018 PAC-12 SCHEDULE (30 Games)
March 16-18 at UCLA
March 23-25 at Arizona
March 29-31 ARIZONA STATE
April 6-8 at Oregon
April 13-15 CALIFORNIA
April 27-29 at Washington
May 4-6 OREGON STATE
May 11-13 USC
May 18-20 at Stanford
May 24-26 UTAH