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The Broadside

The Student News Site of Central Oregon Community College

The Broadside

The Student News Site of Central Oregon Community College

The Broadside

A first look into the COCC club baseball season

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Graphic by Spencer Light | The Broadside (Contact: [email protected])

Due to intense snowfall at the beginning of winter term, Bobcat Baseball was unable to practice outside prior to their first games. Despite this setback, the team still managed to sweep a three-game series against Portland State Club Baseball. The series, which took place Feb. 20-23, resulted in wins of 7-0, 7-0 and 9-0.

“We pitched well and found out what we needed to work on in the hitting areas of the game. Our defense looked solid and we had a great pitching outing from Josh Pell the first time on the mound for us,” said sophomore, Dalton Chambers.

Chambers is a returning shortstop, pitcher, and second baseman for the team.

The game against PSU is one of five games the Bobcat’s have this season. Their pre-season games against the University of Oregon and Southern Oregon were cancelled due to inclement weather.

Head Coach Nick Lockwood explained how the weather has affected their season so far, stating, “Going into [the games] we had only practiced three times because we don’t have an indoor facility that we can use, so we only got onto the field once or twice before that game. We did well; we got three wins against PSU.”

Coach Lockwood explained other ways that the club practices.

“We have practiced in the gym at school, which is rough but we can work on the pitchers so we just make due with what we have,” he stated.

The club has a difficult schedule when it comes to coordinating workout times that work for the coach and all his players.

“It’s tough because it’s club baseball so it’s not an accredited program like you would see of Oregon State University or U of O. So we can’t design our kids’ schedules around the time where everyone can come practice,” Lockwood explained.

As of right now, there are 17 rostered players on the baseball club. Of those 17 players, there are three returning players from last season who will be key to doing well this season, according to Lockwood (head coach) and Matt Greenfield (advisor). Those players include Sinjin Robinson (first base), Dalton Chambers (right-field), Steven Sano (right-field), Brody Blok (left-field and pitcher), Koulther Kee (first base), Phillip (Alex) Hays (3rd base), Matt Wilke (shortstop), Kaleb Irwin (second base), and Cam Marquez (second base).

“All of these [returning] players played a significant amount innings last season. This season, we are looking to compete for the Northern Pacific-West Conference Championship,” said Chambers.

Chambers and Lockwood mentioned a first-time player this season who has been “crushing the game” for someone who has just started this season: Cam Marquez, second baseman.

Chambers explained that last year they were third behind U of O and OSU to compete in the Regional Championships.

“As a team and a school we have never made it that far, but with the attitude every guy brings to the table we know we can compete with any team in our division,” he said.

Eighteen weeks into the NCBA Division 1 Club baseball standings, the COCC Club Baseball is ranked 37th in the country and they also just made another appearance on the D1 Top 20 on their website, according to Chambers.

Lockwood mentioned that last year’s season went well. “We were blessed with better weather last year than last year,” he said. “We missed going to the playoffs by two games last year.”

The club’s next three games will be home games against Southern Oregon University on April 8 and 9, Oregon State University on April 22 and 23, and Seattle University on April 29 and 30.

 

 

By Katya Agatucci | the Broadside

Contact: [email protected]

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