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Date Posted: 11:58:31 01/31/02 Thu
Author: Jon Ralston
Subject: Play Ball!!!

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Originally Published Thursday, January 31, 2002
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Looking at a fresh start

Pacific baseball team returns just six players from last year

By Rick Brewer

Record Staff Writer

If a movie were to made about University of the Pacific's baseball team, it might be called The Replacements. Or, possibly, The Others.

The Tigers begin the 2002 season Friday at 3 p.m. against Bethany College with an almost completely revamped lineup. Only six players return from the 2001 squad, and 13th-year coach Quincey Noble will rely on the contributions of a host of fresh faces to fill roster positions.

That doesn't necessarily mean, however, that Pacific is in rebuilding mode. Noble believes this group has every chance to be as good or better than the outfit that went 25-30 a year ago. Five players from the 2001 team -- D.J. Houlton, Jason Walker, Todd Culp, Rick Morton and Richard Hackett -- were drafted by Major League teams, and two others were signed to professional free-agent contracts.

And that was on a down year.

''People have quick memories, but three years ago we were a game or two from going to the regionals for the first time in the history of the school. We've kind of gone down a little bit since, but I see that trend coming up now,'' Noble said.

Defense and pitching are the two areas where coaches can assess their strengths and weaknesses with clarity. Noble sees improvement throughout the lineup in those areas. He said opponents should not find noticeable holes to exploit, and the Tigers are awash in left-handers. Pacific has six lefties, an enviable number on any staff, and that should help the Tigers better its 14-20 record at Billy Hebert Field last season.

"With 36 games here, we better learn how to use the park to our advantage,'' Noble said. ''If you get all the right handed matchups against our left handers and they all roll over this way (between third base and shortstop) it plays right into our strengths defensively.''

Plus, Noble said, his pitchers have shown consistency in practice. They should be around the plate often, walk few and not give opponents many easy bases. One of those southpaws is sophomore Matthew Pena from Buchanan High of Clovis. Pena had a team-high five saves as a freshman in 2001, and looks to pitch both in the starting rotation and bullpen this season.

''A lot of people aren't used to seeing a lot of lefties,'' Pena said. ''We'll come from every angle, every speed.''

The Tigers have plenty of speed to try and take the extra base. Noble said that with as many as a half dozen fleet-footed players, this team has as much or more potential speed around the basepaths as any he's coached at Pacific.

''I think we could have a 4 x 100 relay team that would do pretty well at the NCAA Division II or III level,'' he said with a laugh.

But the Tigers won't get that chance. They'll have to do their business against some of the best Division I talent in the country. Cal State Fullerton, which finished third in last summer's College World Series, is the Big West conference behemoth, ranked No. 10 in the preseason national poll. Other conference opponents to garner preseason votes include Cal State Northridge, Nevada and Long Beach State. Pacific also will play No. 22 Fresno State and has a series against BYU and a game with Oral Roberts, which, although not in the top 25, earned votes as well.

''There's a lot of great players and great teams on the West Coast, and it's nice to be able to lace'em up and compete with them,'' senior infield/catcher Michael Fitzgerald said. ''But we're not afraid of anyone. We'll be ready.''

One facet that may not be totally ready for prime time is offense. Then again, predicting success at this level is difficult at best. Pacific hasn't practiced against any mid-90 mph fastballs or biting sliders, both of which are sure to be seen at least a few times over the course of the next four months.

Then again, most opponents haven't faced the bitter cold of Billy Hebert, where reserves are always threatened by hypothermic shock. The sting of those aluminum bats will be fierce until at least the vernal equinox.

''You always have guarded enthusiasm at this time of the season. Everybody thinks they're good (now),'' Noble said. ''But I think we're a lot better in a lot of different ways than what we have been in the last couple of years.''

If Noble is right, they may call this season The Happy Ending.

* To reach reporter Rick Brewer, call 546-8292 or e-mail rbrewer@recordnet.com.

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