Brad Bass was quoted after last season that 2017 was "one of those years" for the Wayland Baptist baseball team. It wasn't a positive reflection as the Pioneers – coming off their most successful season ever in 2016 when they went 45-17 and qualified for the NAIA National Championships – endured multiple injuries and finished with a 23-28 record, tying for sixth in the conference.
Bass would like to utter those same words – "It was one of those years" – but in a more positive fashion at the end of the 2018 campaign, which kicks off this weekend when the Pioneers host Sterling College, Kan., in a pair of doubleheaders starting at 2 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday.
"I like our team speed. I like the attitude of our guys. I like our pitching depth," Bass said. "This is a good group of guys, and with (Gregg) Veneklasen in the middle of that, I'm excited."
Bass singled out Gregg Veneklasen in part because the senior third baseman is an all-Sooner Athletic Conference second-teamer, and also because he's the only returning regular from last season's squad.
"We have a lot of new guys. On paper it's eight new starters," Bass said. "Besides Veneklasen, really it's a year where we're all new."
Veneklasen is a good player to anchor a roster. His .363 batting average last year was second on the team to the .474 of graduated catcher and first-team all-American Ernesto Lizardi. The senior from Amarillo also led the team in home runs with 14 and was second with 49 RBI.
Bass said Veneklasen recently in practice triggered the first legitimate triple play the coach has seen in person. "I've been doing this since the Blue Jean League in 1964 and had never seen one before," the coach said, adding that he's witnessed triple plays brought about by poor base running but no legitimate ones.
Bass – who has a 656-591-3 record going into his 23rd season at WBU and a 914-773-4 overall record, placing him ninth among active NAIA coaches and 24th all-time – has no concerns about Veneklasen but said it's imperative that the Pioneers "give him some help" or opposing teams will pitch around him.
He believes help is on the roster.
Several familiar faces will be in the line-up, including sophomore Paxton Covel of Amarillo at first base. Covel served as designated hitter toward the end of last season and saw limited action at first in 2017.
Taking over at second is senior Nicholas Moore, a transfer two years ago from McMurry. "Nick came in as an outfielder but we moved him. In practice he's looked good. He'll help us." Also, freshman Braeden Bomer of Mesquite is "getting better and better" and could be a "one-hole or two-hole" hitter."
At short will be newcomer Yaniel Vargas, a junior from Morton College near Chicago. "He had two great years of defense and offense at Morton College. He struggled with mono in the fall, but we think he will be pretty good," Bass said.
A familiar face but unfamiliar name, Hogan Penny, will be in left. Penny (formerly Austin Hogan) was injured last season but is making up for lost ground. "He was voted MVP of our fall season, so obviously we're hoping that carries over into the spring. Hogan is a high-character guy."
A couple of freshmen – Austin Moya of Canyon and Jacob Adams of Tucson, Ariz. – are vying for playing time in center field. "Both are really fast and both have really good arms," Bass said.
In right field will be junior Bryan Nunez of the Dominican Republic and a transfer from El Paso Community College. Nunez is penciled in to hit fourth.
Taking over for Lizardi behind the plate will be junior Jonathan Ottenwalder, also of the Dominican Republic, and sophomore Derek Farmer of Roswell, N.M. "Jonathan had lots of opportunities to play at bigger schools, but it worked out where we got him," Bass said. Farmer spelled Lizardi last season.
On the mount, the Pioneers figure to use a lot of pitchers in an effort to stay healthy and take advantage of lots of talent. "We have eight really solid guys that will do the majority of the work," said Bass, adding that he will "limit innings" and use a staff mentality.
The opening-game starter will be Brayden Price, a graduate student from Hobbs, N.M., via West Texas A&M. Following Price up will be sophomore Tristen Hefner of Canyon, who last season threw 24 1/3 innings for the Pioneers.
Starting game two Friday will be junior Jordie Henry of Amarillo, who returns after sitting out last season due to shoulder surgery on the heels of a second-team all-conference sophomore campaign. Senior Kevin Torres, who won a team-high six games in 2017, will follow Henry.
Saturday's pitchers will be veteran seniors Jonathan Frost of Alpine and Matt Flores of Lubbock, along with freshmen Tanner Solomon, a lefty from Phoenix, and Bradden Kennard of Lubbock.
"It looks like we'll have the pitching staff we were supposed to have last year, this year," Bass said.
Other arms in the mix include Lubbock freshmen Creighton Alejandro and Deric Trevino, and freshman Carlos Dominguez of El Paso.
"We should be pretty good on the mound if we can catch and field," Bass said.
Overall, the coach is hopeful going into a season where in the SAC third-ranked Oklahoma City, No. 11 USAO and No. 23 Texas Wesleyan are considered the front-runners.
"My only concern is transferring the success we had in the fall over to the spring," he said. "And there's always some level of concern with as many new guys as we have as far as how quickly we adjust to these are the guys we need to be doing it with and how quickly they compete together."
