NOTE: The start time for Friday's series opener has been moved up to 11:00 a.m. due to weather forecast. Right now, one game is scheduled to be played Friday, but a second game may be added. Please make this change on your documents/online pages and spread the word to your constituents.
PLAY BALL!: Seattle University opens its third season of baseball since bringing the sport back at the varsity level in 2008 with a three-game series against Utah Valley at Bannerwood Park. After opening the previous two seasons on the road, the Redhawks will play its first four games in their home area, with the first of three games against Washington this season taking place at Husky Ballpark next Tuesday. 22 letterwinners return from the 2011 squad that doubled the win total from the previous season.
THE 2011 SEASON: The 2011 season got off to a good start, as Seattle U was able to split a four-game series against Cal State Northridge. The Redhawks welcomed Notre Dame to Seattle and took two out of three from the Fighting Irish. Coming off another solid series against Portland, Seattle U accomplished something no other Redhawk squad had done since the start of reclassification: beat Washington. The Redhawks defeated the Huskies, 4-2, on March 8. Another historic event took place two weeks later, as Seattle U went to Corvallis, Ore., and beat nationally-ranked Oregon State on its home field, 5-4. On April 5, Seattle U defeated Washington for the second time, this time going into extra innings and pulling out a 6-4 victory. The Redhawks would go on and post road wins at Nevada and at Dallas Baptist. Seattle U's late season exploits were highlighted by a two-game sweep of Pacific, a victory over NAIA power Lewis-Clark State, and a win in the final game of the season over Saint Mary's. Seattle U finished the 2011 campaign with a 21-30-1 record. As a team, the Redhawks posted a .241 batting average, a 4.75 earned run average, and a .964 fielding percentage. Trent Oleszczuk led the team offensively, batting .322 with 58 hits, 39 runs scored, seven doubles, one home run, 21 runs batted in, and eight stolen bases. He also drew 34 walks and was hit by a pitch 16 times to produce an on-base percentage of .466. Doug Kincaid led the team with eight home runs and 33 runs batted in. On the mound, Seafth Howe led the way for the starters with a 4-4 record and a 3.42 earned run average. Conor Spink made 29 appearances out of the bullpen, finishing with a 4-2 record and a 2.72 earned run average. Brandon Kizer led the Redhawks with six victories and 49 strikeouts to go with a 4.91 earned run average.
THIS WEEKEND'S PROBABLE MATCHUPS
Friday, February 17:
Seattle U: #30 RHP Seafth Howe (4-4, 3.42 ERA, 73.2 IP, 33 SO in 2011)
Utah Valley: #16 RHP Jeremy Gendlek (7-3, 1.71 ERA, 89.2 IP, 36 SO in 2011)
Saturday, February 18:
Seattle U: #33 LHP Garrett Anderson (First collegiate start)
Utah Valley: #30 RHP Blake Krahenbuhl (7-2, 2.65 ERA, 85.0 IP, 60 SO in 2011)
Sunday, February 19:
Seattle U: #40 RHP Bryan Dalton (0-3, 3.62 ERA, 1 SV, 32.1 IP, 22 SO in 2011)
Utah Valley: #26 RHP Preston Olson (3-0, 5.26 ERA, 53.0 IP, 44 SO in 2011)
SCOUTING UTAH VALLEY: The Wolverines come into the 2012 season after posting a 34-22 record last year, including a 22-2 record within the Great West Conference that gave Utah Valley the league title. As a team, the Wolverines posted a .306 batting average, a 4.74 earned run average, and a .971 fielding percentage. Austin Heaps is the leading returning hitter, posting a .339 batting average with 25 doubles, three home runs, and 38 runs batted in. In fact, of the seven players who hit over .300 last season, six of them return this year for the Wolverines. The pitching staff also features experience, led by seven-game winners Jeremy Gendlek and Blake Krahenbuhl. Josh Swenson, the team leader with six saves last year, is also back for the Wolverines.
SERIES HISTORY: These teams first met in a two-game series at Bannerwood Park May 11-12, 2010. In the first game, Seattle U took an early 4-1 lead, Utah Valley rallied for four runs in the fifth inning on its way to an 8-6 advantage, and the Redhawks scored five in the bottom of the eighth to hold on for an 11-9 victory. All the offense seemed to be used up in that game, as the two teams batted in a pitcher's duel the next day. Seattle U scored in the bottom of the second, but Utah Valley would bring a run across in the seventh inning to tie the game. The contest would move into the 12th inning, where Chris Benson walked and scored on a Goose Kallunki double to give the Wolverines a 2-1 victory. Seattle U made the trip to Orem, Utah, for one game May 4, 2011, coming away with a 14-8 victory. The Redhawks scored three times in the second inning to take the lead, but three runs by the Wolverines in the fifth put the home team ahead, 4-3. The Redhawks responded with five runs in the sixth inning to retake the lead and five more in the ninth frame to put the game away.
WEATHER FORECAST: It will take some work to get the three games in this weekend, as rain is forecast all three days. It is expected that the rain will start on Friday afternoon, with temperatures in the low 50s. The rain is expected to continue into Saturday, with temperatures just reaching the mid 40s. There is still a chance of rain on Sunday, with temperatures moving into the upper 40s.
PRESEASON HONORS: Three Seattle U players were named Second Team Preseason All-Independent by College Sports Madness. Infielder Trent Oleszczuk and outfielders Bryndon Ecklund and Doug Kincaid received the honor from the website.
THE LEADER OF THE REDHAWKS: Donny Harrel is in his third season as the head coach of the Seattle University baseball program. He led the team's improvement from 11 wins in 2010 to 21 wins during the 2011 season. At the University of Washington as an assistant coach for four seasons, Harrel was not only responsible for assisting in on-field coaching, but he also was responsible for the Huskies' schedule and assisted with travel issues, budgeting, and helping student-athletes through the admissions process. He also oversaw the team's academic performance and was named Academic Coach of the Quarter in Winter 2007 when the team broke a 14-year record for highest cumulative grade point average. His head coaching experience comes from seven seasons at Lane Community College in Eugene, Ore., where he compiled a 220-90 record and led the team to the NWAACC championship in 1999. Named NWAACC Southern Division Coach of the Year four times, he also led fundraising efforts to build a field, improve other facilities, buy equipment, and increase scholarship opportunities.
#21: Cam Christian had been selected as a captain for the 2012 season and had worked hard to change his pitching motion since the end of the 2011 season. However, returning from a friend's wedding on the night of October 16, 2011, Christian was involved in a single-car crash that took his life. His name will remain on the roster throughout the 2012 season, and his uniform will be with the team everywhere it plays this year.
COACHING: Besides Harrel, the coaching staff remains the same for the Seattle University baseball program from last season, with Casey Powell, Dave Wainhouse, and Donegal Fergus back with the Redhawks. There is a new director of baseball operations, as Jeff James takes over that role. James comes to Seattle U from Everett Community College, where he was associate head coach and hitting coach since 2007. Also helping the team on a volunteer basis is Dan Wilson, the former catcher for the Seattle Mariners from 1994 through 2005 who was recently named as a new inductee into the team's Hall of Fame.