Preview: Alvarez anchors new look infield as Cougs head to Los Angeles
WHAT: Washington State (1-2) at Loyola Marymount (2-1)
WHERE: George C. Page Stadium (600), Los Angeles, Calif.
WHEN: Friday, 6 p.m., Saturday 6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m., Monday 1 p.m.
TV/RADIO/INTERNET: No TV or radio; All four games will be live video streamed at wsucougars.com.
Washington State was one of the worst fielding teams in the Pac-12 last season, committing 67 errors in 54 games for a team fielding percentage of .968. Only Utah (70 errors, .967) was lower.
As soon as last season ended, Marty Lees vowed to improve the Cougars defense by leaps and bounds before his second season in Pullman began a week ago at Sacramento State.
He landed San Diego (Calif.) native Andres Alvarez, a smooth fielding shortstop from Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado, and watched him earn the starting job in preseason camp.
Through three games, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Alvarez has met expectations with no errors as he made six putouts and seven assists in three games. The bonus? He led the Cougars in hitting with a .333 average (3-9) and one double.
“Andres is a very high end defender,” WSU coach Marty Lees said recently. “We were fortunate to find him. He is probably one of the best shortstops I have had the opportunity to coach. A lot of people have been talking about him. He has a very slick glove. He projects to play every game at shortstop for us this season. He has been a very pleasant surprise for us.”
Alvarez earned All-Region first-team honors as a freshman Trinidad State JC after compiling a .395 batting average with 23 doubles, seven homers, 45 RBI, 15 stolen bases, 65 runs scored and slugged .647.
Alvarez and his Cougar teammates won one of three games at Sacramento State and now travel to Los Angeles for a four-game series with Loyola Marymount.
Alvarez is the left half of a new double play combination for WSU as left-handed hitting freshman Dillon Plew has taken over at second after spending the fall at third and short. Plew started all three games at Sacramento State and hit .286 (4-14) with at least one hits in every game.
NOTES
-- In the season-opening series at Sacramento State, 12 Cougars made their WSU debuts including eight in starting roles. Overall, WSU has 19 newcomers, 10 from the high school ranks and nine from junior college.
-- In last Sunday’s 4-3 victory over Sacramento State, JUCO lefthander Cody Anderson struck out seven in his WSU debut, while freshman lefthander Isaac Mullins earned the win in relief.
-- Loyola Marymount of the West Coast Conference opened the 2017 season last weekend by taking two of three games from UC Santa Barbara. LMU is receiving votes in this week's Top 25 polls. Loyola Marymount returns 26 players from last year's club that went 26-27, including a 13-14 mark in the WCC play. Head coach Jason Gill is in his ninth season at LMU.
PROBABLE WSU STARTING PITCHERS (at Loyola Marymount)
Fri – Jr. LHP Damon Jones (0-0, 2.25 ERA, 4.0 IP)
Sat – Jr. RHP Ryan Walker (0-0, 7.20 ERA, 5.0 IP)
Sun – Jr. LHP Cody Anderson (0-0, 3.86 ERA, 4.2 IP)
Mon – TBA
