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| The only time Chapman did not make the NCAA playoffs in the last four years was the Covid year when the D-III season was canceled in mid-March. Chapman athletics photo |
By Ralph Turner for D3baseball.com
The West Region got a name change for 2022. The Region is now Region 10; it is the same conferences and the same great baseball, just a new moniker. For once in a long time, we cannot say that the defending champion is from the West.
The 2010’s were a great decade for the West, uhh, Region 10. The Walnut and Bronze came to Linfield in 2013, to Trinity in 2016, and to Cal Lutheran in 2017. Texas-Tyler beat Texas Lutheran for the 2018 title and Chapman brought home another trophy to place next to the one from 2003. The quest to bring home the trophy from the D-III College World Series in Cedar Rapids Iowa in June begins now.
Texas-Dallas is getting raves with a stocked roster and the same for Pacific. We did not see a dominant team from the SCIAC or SCAC in 2021 but a number of teams have shown they can put together a string of wins. A lot of players from Chapman's Championship year are still around as those from a Cal Lutheran squad that roared out to a 16-1 start before being grounded by Covid in 2020. Trinity (Texas) and Texas Lutheran will continue to battle it out in the SCAC.
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| Hot off the program's second league title in four seasons, Texas-Dallas is the overwhelming favorite to repeat as ASC Champions in 2022, according to the league's preseason poll. Texas-Dallas athletics photo |
When looking at the players stats from 2021, the record snowstorm that hit Texas last year played havoc with the schedules, causing cancelation of up to ten regular season games. This impacted raw offensive and pitching numbers that the players could achieve in the typical season as well as taking out time for teams to develop.
New Faces
The 2021 summer threw us a curve ball. All teams in Region 10 stayed pat and there were no coaching vacancies to fill.
Key Games
In addition to the crucial intra-conference meetings that go far in determining seeding in the conference tourneys, the Region manages to schedule great inter-conference battles as well occasional inter-conference series worth watching. Here are some games to watch this season.
Centenary hosts Willamette and East Texas Baptist. The “triple doubleheader” February 4-6 will feature conference contenders from 3 of the 4 conferences in the Region.
Pacific Lutheran at Texas Lutheran. February 4-6. Season openers for strong contenders for respective conference crowns.
UW-Whitewater at Trinity (Texas) March 3, 4 (DH) and 5. Top 25 showdown. UW-Whitewater opens their season in San Antonio.
Texas-Dallas hosting Washington U and Wheaton (Mass.) Three Top 25 teams get to face off in single games over 3 days, March 11-13.
Willamette at Pacific April 9-10. Three games series among Northwest Conference contenders.
Chapman versus Cal Lutheran April 15-16. Contenders in the SCIAC. Look for this series to decide who wins the SCIAC.
Texas-Dallas at East Texas Baptist April 22-23. Contenders in the ASC in a 3-game series in the next-to-last weekend of the regular season.
Texas Lutheran at Trinity (Texas) April 22-24. A four game series in the SCAC between the two top teams at the top of the SCAC preseson poll.
Conference Previews
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| Pitcher Brett Sanchez will be key if the Belhaven Blazers want to make their final season in the ASC a championship season. Belhaven athletics photo |
American Southwest Conference (ASC). Louisiana College returned to the NAIA for 2021-2022 and Belhaven moves to the USA South in fall 2022. Nevertheless, the ASC will see 11 teams compete for 8 bids in the postseason tourney in May. The winners of two four-team brackets will go best-two-of-three in the second week in May.
Texas-Dallas (30-12) is likely the top seed of one bracket as the Comets were voted the preseason favorites in the 2022 preseason ASC poll. Outfielder A.J. Liu (.385, 18 2B, 41 RBI) was second team All Region in 2021. He is joined by OF Marcos Villegas (.360, 39 RBI, 9 HR) who was third team All-ASC in 2021. The ace for the Comets is RHP Carter Cochrane (10-0, 1.10 WHIP, 2.96 ERA). He was second team All-Region in 2021.
East Texas Baptist (29-16) is expected to be the top seed in the other bracket. The Tigers are a young team but have every starter and 27 returnees. Key individuals for ETBU include first All-ASC performers 3B Zachary McAdams (.366, 13 2B, 36 RBI) and RHP Sayers Collins (6-2, 2.66 ERA).
Mary Hardin Baylor (22-17) returns 9 starters and 20 returnees. The team has more experience this year and could break into the top half of the conference. Shortstop Caimyn Halliday (.366, 17 2B) was second team All-ASC in 2021 and should lead the Crusaders defensively. On the mound, RHP Andrew Acierni (7-2, 1.89 ERA, 5 CG) will lead the staff.
Head coach Tommy Boggs saw Concordia-Texas go 21-13 in a weather shortened season. The Tornadoes garnered two first place votes in the ASC preseason poll. OF Grayson Lee (.374, 11 2B, 33 RBI in 34 games) was third team All-ASC in 2011. Leading the pitcher staff will be RHP Colton Hunter (2-2, 4.17 ERA in 8 starts).
Belhaven (20-18) returns 9 starters and 29 returnees. Tops among the returning players is RHP Brett Sanchez (9-2, 2.27 ERA, 95.1 IP, 90K, 7 CG), a D3baseball.com preseason third team All-American pick. There is strong offensive power from the infield trio in SS Nick Lucido (.377, 57 hits, 23-28 SB-SBA), 2B Kyle McLaughlin (.371, 43 Hits) and 3B Nathan Herron (.325, 23 RBI).
Sul Ross State (14-19) features a power hitting outfield among its 11 starters and 20 returnees. The offense will be led by 1B Carson Thor (.379, 50 Hits, 43 RBI, 7 HR, 32 games), the 2021 ASC Newcomer of the Year. Outfielder Lindsey Tye (.377, 32 hits in 28 games) and Jorge Marquez (.347, 6.77 SWG, 8HR in 31 games) will also propel the Lobo offense.
FAVORITE: Texas-Dallas
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| Winning is catching at Pacific. The Boxers were one game away from their first D-III College World Series appearance but defensive lapses in the ninth of the Regional championship game sent Pacific home and St. Thomas (Minn.) to Cedar Rapids. d3photopgraphy.com photo by Wade Gardner |
Northwest Conference (NWC). Pacific (34-15) won the conference in 2021, and was 3 outs away from winning the Collegeville Regional. Boxer Head Coach Brian Billings, in his eighth season at Pacific, has taken the team to record heights and was named NWC 2021 Coach of the Year. Pacific will count on a deep line-up (10 returning starts and 46 returnees) and very competitive top end pitching led by 2021 NWC Pitcher of the Year Will Clark (6-1, 1.79 ERA, .210 OBA, 63K in 75.1 IP). Derek Eubanks went 6-0 in 9 starts with an ERA of 1.75 and 31K in 46 IP. Offensively, Catcher Isaac Lovings batted .322 in 33 games, with 7 doubles and 6 HRs. Lovings also had a FA of .991 (1 error in 114 chances). First team 2021 All-NWC utility player (3B, C) Tyler Quinn batted .364 with 14 doubles and 7 HR. LF Jordan Hara (.312 with 17 doubles and 9 HRs) was second team All-NWC.
Pacific Lutheran (26-17) returns 12 starters and 32 returnees. Keep an eye on 1B/P Cole Trotignon who batted .367 with 12 doubles and 10 homeruns and 54 RBI in 42 games while also starting 11 games as pitcher, going 6-1, ERA 3.75, with 38K in 62.1 IP. Jordan Haworth was first team 2021 all- NWC 3B, batting .401 with 15 doubles, 13 HR and 48 RBI in 42 games.
Willamette (30-15) returns three starting pitchers and three relievers among the 9 starters and 22 returnees. Third baseman Jeff Hoffman (.311, 9 doubles 15HR) was 2021 Freshman of the Year. Second team all-NWC 1B was Luke Werkmeister-Martin who batted .379 with 13 doubles and 10 HR. RHP/3B Layton Wagner, a first team All NWC as a pitcher, batted .282 and went 7-1 in 12 starts on the mound for a 2.79 ERA with 66K in 67.2 innings. Reliever Brady Joyner went 6-1 with 5 saves and ERA of 1.74, with 31K in 31.0 IP in 15 appearances as a freshman.
Whitman (20-20) returns three position players and four pitchers among the 18 returnees. Coach Brian Kitamura looks for leadership from first team 2021 All-NWC CF Ben Parker (.408, 60 hits, 11 doubles, 7 HR) and sophomore second team All-NWC RF Garrett Runyan (.278, 10 doubles, 6HR in 33 games). LHP/OF Mateus Conaway batted .364 in 21 games and started 8 games on the mound for 2-4 record in 37.2IP. He had an OBA of .264 with 31K in 37 innings. Sophomore Julien Hernandez started 10 games last year, going 4-3 with an ERA of 4.83, 53K in 54.0 IP.
George Fox (19-20) brings a young and inexperienced team that Coach Kevin Kopple calls very athletic. Starting pitching is a strength this year with first team all-NWCLHP Sean Wiese (4-4 in 10 starts with 68K in 53.1 IP) and second team all-NWC RHP Ben Wills (4-2 in 10 starts with a 3.70 ERA). A key offensive weason will be infielder Mason Arnold (.293, 2HR, 2doubles 13 RBI). Linfield (10-28) is still rebuilding. Second baseman Mike Lavigne (.300 BA, 38GS, 39 Hits, 4-4 on SB, with FA of .968 and 19 DPs) was 2021 NWC Freshman of the Year.
FAVORITE: Pacific
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC). Trinity (28-9) won the 2021 Conference title and the NCAA playoff bid, then lost 2 in the Regionals. The Tigers were hurt by graduation that included Rafe Chaumette who made the All-SCAC 30-Year Team and then moved on where you can find him on the Boston College roster. SCAC observers have looked at Trinity and see the Tigers reloading, not rebuilding, with 7 starters and 35 returnees. Returning catcher Tyler Pettit was the 2021 SCAC Player of the Year. Also returning are first team All-SCAC 2B Jack Wisniewski (.350, 50 Hits, 41 RBI in 35 games) and second team All-SCAC RHP Joseph Chavana (5-0: ERA 5.15 in 4 starts and 12 appearances).
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| Texas Lutheran finished second to Texas Tyler in the 2018 D-III College World Series and despite making the playoffs in every year since, has not been able to reach the D-III College World Series since. Texas Lutheran athletics photo |
Texas Lutheran (30-14) finished second last season and returns 6 starters and 22 returnees. The Bulldogs are counting on the offense to develop over the season. Key returning players include SCAC first teamers SS Joe Jimenez (BA .281, 8 HR, 48 hits and 12 steals in 15 attempts in 43 games), 3B Randy Huerta (.308, 32 Hits in 31 games), DH Tyler Post (.336 11 HR and 13 doubles in 42 games) and RHP Joe Burch (7-1,ERA 3.86, 62K in 67.2 IP).
The Centenary Gents (30-11) seem poised to make another run at the title by returning 7 starters on offense. Second team all-SCAC C/OF Gary Hewitt batted .346 with 11 doubles and stole 22 bases on 26 attempts. Second team all-SCAC SS Brady Robinson .336 with 7 doubles, 4 triples and 5 HR. Second team all-SCAC Relief Pitcher Parker Primeaux was a workhorse in 27 appearances and 64.1 IP. He went 3-4 with 10 saves and an ERA of 3.22.
Southwestern Coach J. C. Bunch enters his fifth season at Southwestern (19-19). He returns the most depth on the roster since he has been there including 11 starters and 36 returnees. He has 8 offensive starters and three top pitchers. OF Maxwell Mims (.386, 49 hits, 2 doubles, 5 triples and 4 HR 38 RBI in 34 games) was the 2021 SCAC First Year Player of the Year. The three starters Bunch has are first team All-SCAC Travis Harvey (4-2, 51K in 42.2 IP ERA 4.64), second team All-SCAC Benjamin Ludwig (5-3, 50K in 52.2 IP ERA 5.81) and J.J. Slack (3-4, 5.45 ERA, 33.0 IP, 44K). St. Thomas (Texas) (17-16) is in the final provisional year in their transition from NAIA and can think about the NCAA Playoffs when they become eligible in 2023.
FAVORITE: Texas Lutheran
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC). Only four teams competed in baseball for a short season in 2021. Chapman edged Cal Lutheran in the tourney. La Verne and Redlands rounded out the field. Cal Tech, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Occidental, Pomona-Pitzer and Whittier return to the field for their first complete seasons since 2019.
Chapman (15-6) has reloaded. There are only 2 starters and 5 pitchers in the rotation return, but Coach Scott Laverty is ready to build off past success in the program. Catcher Cooper Foard (Sr., .333, 3 HR, 6 doubles, 23 RBI, 2 SB) leads a solid group of experienced players including 2B Nick Kondo (Gr., .385, 1 HR, 5 2B, 2 3B, 9 RBI, 5 SB), SS Drew Littwin (Sr., .263, 0 HR, 2 2B, 16 RBI, 2 SB), LF Mike Gorman (Gr., .321, 0 HR, 5 2B, 3 RBI, 2 SB) and CF Brad Shimabuku (Sr., .371, 5 2B, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 5 SB). On the mound the Panthers will have RHP Wyatt Thompson (Jr., 1-2, 2 saves, 4.85 ERA, 29.2 IP, 45K) and RHP Grant Manning (Jr., 5-2, 3.09 ERA, 32 IP, 31K).
Cal Lutheran (9-12) has 2 starters and 6 key pitchers among a solid group of 21 returners. Coach Marty Slimak also bolstered his roster with some key transfers, and a promising freshmen class and is “excited to compete in the toughest conference, in the toughest region, of D3 Baseball.” Key position players include Kyle Reuser (Jr, 2B: .318, 0 HR, 4 2B, 13 RBI, 4 SB) Nick Fusari (Jr, 3B: .333, 0 HR, 4 2B, 8 RBI, 7 SB) and Austin Carrillo (LF: .349, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 6 SB). On the mound, CLU will have starters RHP Alex Rivas (Sr: 2-3, 4.60 ERA, 45 IP, 28 K, 6 BB), and LHP Tristan Dupont (So: 2-0, 3.31 ERA, 16.1 IP, 6K) and Reliever RHP Clay Rickerman (Sr: 3 SV, 2-1, 2.92 ERA, 13 APP, 16K).
La Verne (5-7) and Redlands (5-11) also got on the field in 2021. Jared Anderson (So., .277, 3 2B, 4 RBI) earned 2021 SCIAC Newcomer of the Year accolades as Redlands leadoff batter and starting second baseman. The Bulldogs will need to bat better than .278 and post an ERA smaller than the 7.05 mark in 2021 to see success this year. Whittier returns after missing the 2021 season. Coach Jack Goodwillie has brought in a very young, but talented group. Many players have not played in 18 months due to COVID, so it is very difficult to evaluate. The Poets have only three position players with collegiate experience including outfielder Dane Goodman who was the 2019 D3baseball.com West Rookie of the Year.
FAVORITE: Chapman