Baseball Preview: Lions’ diamond hopes high

Goal-setting is no longer a challenge for the Vanguard University baseball program. Having qualified for the NAIA Tournament the last three seasons, including an NAIA World Series berth in 2015, nothing short of going all the way, while picking up a Golden State Athletic Conference title in the process, will move the needle for Lions players.

But setting a lineup this season – replacing three departed position starters and four of their top eight pitchers with an infusion of talent and improved returners – is more problematic, said fifth-year coach Rob Pegg.

“Probably in all my years of coaching, this has been the hardest to pinpoint who the nine guys will be,” Pegg said. “We can mix and match a lot of different combinations.”

Toughest to replace will be shortstop Jose Rojas and pitching ace Sean Isaac, the GSAC Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, who both earned first-team All-American honors before both signing with the Angels organization last spring.

“We wouldn’t have accomplished anything close to what we did the last couple years without those guys,” Pegg said.

Also gone is closer Michael Jordan, whose 15 saves ranked No. 2 in the nation last season, as well as center fielder Paul Keating, first baseman Matt Harris and catcher Kevin Bettencourt.

Leading the returners from a 40-17-1 squad that came within one win of another trip to the World Series is two-time All-GSAC outfielder and leadoff man Brandon Sandoval. He shifts from left field, where he was a GSAC Gold Glove winner last year, to center field.

Sandoval led the Lions in 2015 in batting average (.370), hits (84), runs (53) and stolen bases (24). A four-year starter and two-time all-conference performer, he has averaged 50 runs each of his first three seasons and entered his senior campaign with a .335 cumulative average, 223 hits and 95 runs batted in.

“He’s a conference player of the year candidate,” Pegg said of Sandoval, who was three for five with three runs and two RBIs in the Lions 14-9 season-opening win over La Sierra on Monday.

Also back is senior right fielder Brock Eissman (.309 with six homers, 40 RBIs and 17 doubles last season), senior third baseman Trai Patrick (.307 with five homers and 40 RBIs in 2015) and sophomore utility man Sam Neufeld (.317 with 24 RBIs in 46 games).

Junior Shane Elias-Calles, a designated hitter last season, is back to join a group of candidates at first base that also include sophomore Hunter White.

The 6-foot, 250-pound White was three for five with a home run and three RBIs as the designated hitter in the opener, in which Elias-Calles had two of the Lions’ 17 hits.

Stepping in for Rojas at shortstop is junior Tanner Perry, who was the Pacific Coast Conference Player of the Year last year at Grossmont Community College. Perry hit a combined .385 in 317 at-bats the last two seasons with eight dingers, 63 RBIs and 30 steals.

Michael Fuchs, a junior transfer from Golden West, was twice a state Gold Glove winner at third base for the Rustlers, who he helped reach the four-team state tournament last season. Fuchs, who has moved to second base for Vanguard, was five for five in the opener.

Another newcomer of note is Oklahoma transfer Jacob Leal, a junior catcher, who assumes the starting spot behind the plate.

Left field is in flux, Pegg said. Junior Bruce Wetherall started the opener, but Neufeld, freshmen Josh Weeks and Sage Vota, and Elias-Calles may all get a chance to earn the job, Pegg said.

Sophomore Zach Nelson, a College of the Sequoias transfer whose father Ron played for Vanguard’s 1985 NAIA World Series team, should see time at DH, Pegg said.

“Rojas was a big contributor in the middle of our lineup [24 homers, 114 RBIs, 29 steals and 65 extra-base hits the last two years], but I think we might be better than last year offensively, one-through-nine,” Pegg said.

Sophomore Tyler Steele (9-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 15 starts last season) and senior Chris Lumanlan, who started the opener, top a group of six arms that could become the No. 1 starter, Pegg said.

Also in that group are juniors Alex Camacho and Tyler Skinner, as well as seniors Roberto Johnson and Monty McCasland. Skinner is a transfer from Reedley Community College, while McCasland transferred from Lubbock Christian University.

Pegg said senior Jake Mellenthin, the most improved returner on the staff, will get the first chance at the closer role. Seniors Akoni Arriaga, Christian Sheehan and Eissman figure to also contribute heavily from the bullpen.

Vanguard, which finished last season No. 19 in the NAIA poll, opened this season at No. 20. The Lions were picked to finish third in the GSAC, behind No. 8-ranked Westmont and No. 11-ranked The Master’s.

Vanguard opens the GSAC schedule Feb. 10 at home against William Jessup.