 SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Coming off back-to-back Western State Conference, South Division championship seasons, College of the Canyons baseball head coach Chris Cota and the Cougars will be on the prowl for a three-peat in 2010.
In all, 17 members of the 2009 championship team earned all-conference honors, including outfielder and Conference Player of the Year sophomore Trevor Bloom and Conference Pitcher of the Year freshman Trevor McDonald.
However, COC will take the field this season with just one returning starter from last year’s lineup, instead depending on contributions from a crop of young but talented newcomers.
“We’ve had a few guys transfer here from four-year schools that are going to be able to step in and help this team right away,” said Cota, the 2009 WSC Coach of the Year. “And we have some talented freshmen that are going to be pretty good too. So we’re not worried about a lack of experience.”
As the team’s lone returning position player, sophomore first baseman Hugo Hernandez (.325 avg., five home runs, 39 RBIs) will be called upon to lead the Cougars both at the plate and in the field. A second-team all-conference selection a year ago, Hernandez ranked third on the club in both runs (40) and RBIs (39) while showing an ability to produce in any situation.
“Hugo’s been a team leader all fall, he works hard every day and leads by example,” Cota said. “He’s a great person to have on the field.”
Also expected to make major contributions to the Cougar lineup are a trio of sophomores who come to COC by way of Cal State Los Angeles. Infielder Nico Moreno will begin the season in a utility role for Canyons, while outfielders Travis McBride and Kenny Shanahan should compete for time in the outfield.
Shanahan — who also starts at linebacker for the COC football team — has drawn early praise from Cota and his staff. “Kenny is a tough kid and so far he’s been great for us, ” said Cota. “I think he has the respect of his teammates because of his work ethic and what he’s been able to accomplish as a two-sport athlete.”
Rounding out the COC lineup will be Cal State Northridge transfer and third baseman Robert Vickers and West Ranch High School product Cal Vogelsang who joins the Cougars after a year spent at the University of California, Irvine.
“Our goal is to be able to put nine tough outs in the lineup,” Cota said. “We have a pretty good mixture of power and average, so one through nine we should be pretty exciting to watch offensively.”
On the mound the Cougars hope to see the return of Conference Pitcher of the Year and All-Southern California team member Trevor McDonald (9-0, 3.80 ERA and 42 Ks over 92.1 innings) who is currently working through a back injury.
McDonald will be joined by sophomores Charlie Gillies (20 Ks in 23.1 innings in 2009), Brian Kernochan, who pitched for Moorpark College last season, and Minnesota native Harley Thompson in what should form the core of a very deep starting rotation.
“We’re looking for good things from our pitching staff,” Cota said. “With the new crew of players that has come in we’re now nine or 10 deep on the mound, which should keep us in a lot of ball games.”
Despite winning a Western State Conference, South division championship in each of the last two seasons, the Cougars are taking nothing for granted in what is traditionally a very competitive and well-rounded conference. Instead, COC will look to build upon its string of recent success by reaching the postseason again in 2010.
“We put in a lot of work over the offseason,” Cota said. “Now our guys are just itching to get the uniforms on.” |