2008 Woodie Awards
Baseball team looking to get back on track
Joe McAllister, Staff Writer
Issue date: 3/8/06 Section: Sports
Before the start of the 2006 season, SSU's baseball team was so respected in NCAA Division II, they were ranked 10th in the nation. Baseball America thought so highly of them that despite their 2005 record of 25-30, they were the only team west of Oklahoma to make the list. After all, they do have three West Region championship game appearances under their belt since 2001, so much is always expected of the Seawolves.
They started the season 6-0 until their first loss against Grand Canyon just as everything seemed as if it were falling into place, but after a recent slump, the question has arisen as to whether the team can handle all of the hype.
Most of the concern arose after the Seawolves lost three of their four home games against Cal Poly Pomona. The series would be their first CCAA games of the season, adding even more importance to the match up. SSU would take the first game after junior Tyler Wightman's solo home run in the ninth. Senior Christopher Herrera would take the win in the 7-6 victory, after three shut-out innings.
After the first game, the Broncos fell to 2-12, and didn't seem to prove much of a threat to SSU's club. Yet they would prove otherwise; tied 2-2 in the eighth, the Seawolves couldn't hold on as the Broncos rallied in the second game of the series to win 6-3. The next game, the second of the day, ended with the same result, but with much less offense. Pomona would take the game after only scoring one run, as they only allowed SSU two hits. Because of the performance by Pomona's Rudy Aranda, in which he would pitch eight solid innings as a relief pitcher that included six strike outs, SSU would also lose the fourth game to the Broncos, their third straight loss.
The tide had then turned after that weekend, with the struggling Broncos leaving with a 3-1 CCAA record and the Seawolves with just the opposite at 1-3.
Although many fans seemed worried, the players understand that the season is still young and that it's too early to let the loses get to them. Senior Zack Pace, the league leader in steals, isn't letting it bother him.
They started the season 6-0 until their first loss against Grand Canyon just as everything seemed as if it were falling into place, but after a recent slump, the question has arisen as to whether the team can handle all of the hype.
Most of the concern arose after the Seawolves lost three of their four home games against Cal Poly Pomona. The series would be their first CCAA games of the season, adding even more importance to the match up. SSU would take the first game after junior Tyler Wightman's solo home run in the ninth. Senior Christopher Herrera would take the win in the 7-6 victory, after three shut-out innings.
After the first game, the Broncos fell to 2-12, and didn't seem to prove much of a threat to SSU's club. Yet they would prove otherwise; tied 2-2 in the eighth, the Seawolves couldn't hold on as the Broncos rallied in the second game of the series to win 6-3. The next game, the second of the day, ended with the same result, but with much less offense. Pomona would take the game after only scoring one run, as they only allowed SSU two hits. Because of the performance by Pomona's Rudy Aranda, in which he would pitch eight solid innings as a relief pitcher that included six strike outs, SSU would also lose the fourth game to the Broncos, their third straight loss.
The tide had then turned after that weekend, with the struggling Broncos leaving with a 3-1 CCAA record and the Seawolves with just the opposite at 1-3.
Although many fans seemed worried, the players understand that the season is still young and that it's too early to let the loses get to them. Senior Zack Pace, the league leader in steals, isn't letting it bother him.