Published: Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 11:21 p.m. MST
PROVO ? Winning all four games in the Dominican Republic during last November?s tour gave needed perspective to BYU?s baseball team as it readies for 2012.
?The way we played in the Dominican gives optimism for the upcoming season,? said Vance Law, who enters his 13th season as BYU?s head coach. ?There was enthusiasm, execution, and evidence of an overall ?buy in? to what we have been trying to do all fall. That is refreshing to see the team play with such hustle, confidence and determination. Our challenge now is to maintain that through the Christmas break and throughout a long season.?
The inaugural year for BYU in the West Coast Conference will be a challenge playing against other quality baseball programs.
?Traditionally, San Diego, San Francisco and Pepperdine have been very strong, but all the programs have had success which should make for a tough and exciting baseball season,? Law said.
Three freshman All-Americans return to the Cougar roster this season in outfielder Jaycob Brugman, and hurlers Desmond Poulson and Marc Oslund, who will now be under the tutelage of first-year pitching coach Wally Ritchie.
The Cougars? success will largely rest on the performance of the pitching staff anchored by a couple returning starters. Righthander Chris Capper, a team captain, is the most experienced of the Cougar corps and fellow junior southpaw Mark Anderson has had an impressive fall.
Poulson, who was undefeated at 5-0 last year, could move from a weekday starter to the three-man weekend rotation, as could hard-throwing returned missionary Adam Miller, who was a starter as a freshman. Junior lefthanders Chris Howard and Daniel Welch, senior David Parry, sophomore Tyler Westensee and Oslund are experienced pitchers for Ritchie to tap.
Junior college transfer Matt Milke will provide pitching stability as well as freshmen Mason Marshall and Cameron Keysor. Other talented freshmen include Cameron Coombs, James Lengal and Matthew Hutchings.
Due to shoulder surgery, junior Chunner Nyberg may have to redshirt this year and sophomore Daniel Sechrest has been bitten by the injury bug yet again and had season-ending surgery in December. Jeff Barker will sit out this season as well.
?We are very excited about the depth of our pitching staff this year and are looking forward to watching them compete,? Law said. ?Capper, Anderson, Poulson and Howard all had outstanding seasons in summer ball and we?ll rely on that experience to carry over to this season. Both Adam Miller and Marc Oslund are working hard to regain their pre-mission form which I am certain will come.
Source: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705396830/2012-BYU-baseball-preview.html?s_cid=rss-38
weather los angeles caleb hanie nascar bcs standings 2011 rhodes scholarship rhodes scholarship ufc 139 results
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.