This year’s sophomore-dominated baseball team is bursting with experience and this season they have two things on their minds: to win their league and to win the NWAACC championships.

“On opening day we’re going to run nine guys that are all battle-tested and game-proven,” said head coach Gabe Sandy concerning the starting lineup.

Of the 24-man roster, 17 are sophomores, including three transfers.

Team captain Blair “B dub” Wilkins made the first team All-League, All-NWAACC, and the NWAACC All-Tournament team last year, making him the anchor of the offense. He also signed an early contract to play for Texas Tech next year, a Big 12 school.

Shannon Wirth is also expected to be big this season, coming back from an impressive performance last year where he made first team All-League, All-NWAACC, and the NWAACC All-Tournament.

Two of the transfers, Chad Schroeder and James Allan, are both from Division I schools. Allan, a first baseman, transferred from the University of Washington. Schroeder, from OSU, will be the starting shortstop and coach Sandy said he is one of the best shortstops in the Northwest.

“Both those guys are really key pick-ups, offensively, defensively, and because they can both pitch, they’ll help us with our depth on the mound,” said Sandy.
Two players are in their third year with the baseball program, Manuel Diaz and Bryan Donohue. Both played freshman year and both red-shirted last year and are back to play their second year. Sandy said they bring “a lot of experience and are both leadership type guys,”
Other players to watch this season will be Jeff Childress, left-handed pitcher, who made the second team All-League last year, has a 5-1 record including a win in the NWAACC tournament. Greyson Thain, third baseman, was also on the second-team All-League last year and will return with his great defense and “he’s gonna hit five or six for us and drive in some runs,” said Sandy. Mike Hall and Josh McGowan were both part time starters last year and will be an even bigger impact this year, Sandy said.

The Saints have one of the toughest preseason schedules, playing top teams like Bellevue, Edmonds, Lane, Lower Columbia and Tacoma.

“Every team that we’re playing in the preseason was either in the NWAACC tournament or ranked in the top 10 all year long. So we don’t play anyone that isn’t ranked in the top 10,” said Sandy.

Which is good and bad. It might look bad on their record losing a few games, but they will also have played the best teams around and will be more prepared for the NWAACC tournament.

Saturday will be opening game of the preseason against a top-ranked Edmonds, who in previous years has been ranked in the top three in the NWAACC.

Sandy plans on playing a lot of split squads in these first 10 non-league games. That gives every guy on the team the same amount of at bats and the pitchers the same amount of innings. So when it comes time for league play, the coaches and the players will have a better idea of who the best guys are.

“There is some good chemistry in this group of guys, between the sophomores, freshmen and transfers. That depth is the strength of any good Junior. College ballclub,” said Sandy.