POMONA, Calif. – Finishing in the top three in the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) for the last two seasons, the Cal Poly Pomona baseball team get back on the field this week as they open the 2017 season at Scolinos Stadium.
Recapping Last Year: After earning the top spot in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular season standings, the Broncos claimed the 2016 NCAA West Region Title and finished in the semifinals of the National Tournament, ending the season at 42-19 and going 26-11 in conference
Preseason Praise: Expectations are high for the Broncos coming into the 2017 season. Collegiate Baseball dubbed CPP No. 6 in their preseason poll while in the NCAA West Region Preseason Poll, the Broncos sit at No. 3. At the conference level, the CCAA coaches selected the Broncos as the favorite to win the South Division, earning one less first-place vote in the poll than North Division favorite Chico State.
On the Mound: The Broncos return seven pitchers, most notably right-hander
Ryan Alsworth. Alsworth earned a 2.83 ERA in 70 innings pitched and finished with a record of 7-2, a team high eight saves and the third most strikeouts with 75. The NCBWA West Region Committee also voted Alsworth as a Preseason All-American.
Other key returners for CPP include
Peter Beattie (46 IP, 3.72 ERA, 32 SO) and
Wyatt Shackleford (3.98 ERA, 21 SO, 20.1 IP).
A number of new arms could enter the rotation for the Broncos in 2017 including right-hander
Jeff Bain and lefty
Kyle Dohy.
Bain, named a Collegiate Baseball "Newcomer to Watch", transfers in after two seasons at the University of California – Berkley. Last season Bain pitched 49 innings for the Golden Bears, earning a 3-3 record with a 3.49 ERA and 32 strikeouts.
Dohy, a transfer from Citrus College, totaled 32 strikeouts in 20.1 innings as a sophomore in five starts.
Of the newcomers for the Broncos, six are freshman and four are transfers.
At the Plate: The Broncos return their three highest batting averages in
Jason Padlo (.397),
Chris Stratton (.364) and
Daniel Pitts (.350). Padlo finished second on the team in hits with 71 and sixth in RBIs with 32 while Stratton, a Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-American, totaled 55 hits, 19 RBIs and a team high 25 stolen bases.
Supplying the power for the Broncos lineup is Pitts who finished with five homeruns and nine doubles and another Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-American in
Nic Hernandez. Hernandez tallied a .299 batting average and finished with seven home runs and 16 doubles.
Jacob Bernardy returns after totaling 34 RBIs with a .302 BA along with
Cody Martin who ended the 2016 season with 16 RBIs and a .261 BA. Martin was also named a "Player to Watch" by Collegiate Baseball.
First Outing: The Broncos kick their season off at Scolinos Stadium with a three game series against UC Colorado Springs beginning Thursday, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. followed by a double header on Friday at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
