With most of the starting line-up back from the winningest team in program history, plus an infusion of promising young talent, the 2017 Wayland Baptist baseball season could be one for the ages.
"Hopefully we can take things we learned about us (last season) and apply them and get us to that next level. We don't have to win very many more games to be in a really cool place," veteran Wayland coach
Brad Bass said as the Pioneers prepare to open the season by hosting the University of the Southwest in a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Friday at Wilder Field. The teams will meet again in Hobbs, N.M., for another doubleheader at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Pioneers were scheduled to open the season last weekend at Louisiana State-Shreveport, but those games were rained out.
Wayland is coming off a season that saw the Pioneers produce a school-record 45 victories and get as close as they ever have to playing in the NAIA's College World Series, advancing to the National Championship Opening Round in Hutchinson, Kan., for just the second time.
"We were one win from a conference championship and two from the World Series," Bass recalled.
After being ranked as high as No. 22 last season, the Pioneers wound up the equivalent of 28
th with a record of 45-17, including 16-8 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
Wayland begins the 2017 season tied for 20
th in the pre-season poll, which says a lot about the experience and leadership that returns from 2016. While the Pioneers will miss all-conference players such as
Tyler Adams,
Jake Doyle,
Aaron Vallance and
Paxton Bartley, along with fixture pitcher
Logan Evans who is now serving as a graduate assistant coach, Bass is thrilled to have an otherwise loaded line-up for his 22
nd season in the Wayland dugout (633-563-3) and 31
st on the diamond overall (893-748).
"If you like offense, this team will be fun to watch. It can score runs with power and has the skill and speed to manufacture runs the old-fashioned way as well," the coach said. "If you like pitching,
Jonathan Frost has a no-hitter on his resume and
Matt Flores has really looked like he will keep the runs-against low."
Leading the veterans is All-American second-team third baseman
Gregg Veneklasen, a junior from Amarillo who led the Pioneers in 2016 with a .406 batting average. He also produced a team-best 14 home runs, six triples, and 64 RBI, and was second in runs-scored with 60. Veneklasen also does his job in the field, earning Conference Gold Glove recognition.
Two other senior Pioneers who earned All-SAC First-Team honors were catcher
Ernesto Lizardi and outfielder
Alex Mumm. Mumm was second to Veneklasen in batting average (.392), home runs (10) and RBI (61) while leading the team in doubles (21). Lizardi hit .313 while carrying the load behind the plate.
Others back in the field are seniors
Caleb Davidson at first and
Will Bass at second, along with conference Gold Glove centerfielder
Austin Davis. Bass, the team's lead-off hitter, batted .335 a year ago and had 15 stolen bases. Davidson batted .328.
On the mound, the Pioneer pitching staff will be anchored by senior
Taylor Bridges and junior
Jordie Henry, two of three nine-game winners (along with
Tyler Adams) last season. Bridges, a lefty, was 9-5 last season with a 3.73 ERA, striking out 74 in 82 innings. Henry was an All-SAC Second-Team honoree who produced a 9-4 record, including four complete games, with a 3.71 ERA. He recorded 82 strikeouts in 80 innings.
The aforementioned Frost (5-1, 3.60) and Flores are both juniors and will be counted on to step up their roles this season. The pitching staff will be boosted by a bevy of talent in freshmen
Kyle Eifert,
Collin Isbell,
Bryson Calaway,
Broedy Burris,
Tristen Hefner and
Ryne Williams.
If everything goes as planned, Bass believes the Pioneers are capable of some pretty special things in 2017.
"We didn't end up (last year) where we hoped we would, but we got close. We were able to overcome some things and finish very strong and compete at a national level. The closer we get and the more we compete at that level the more comfortable the guys will be when we get there again."
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