Jake Peterson
For the Review
The Brosius legacy is off to a promising start.
Predicted by coaches to win the Northwest Conference and taking the first two games of the season, Linfield baseball is armed for success as the season gets underway.
“There are always concerns,” first-year head coach Scott Brosius said. “Preseason has changed considerably, giving us only five games to prepare before conference.”
Up next for the ’Cats are three games in three days. The action begins with Whitman College on Friday at 5 p.m. Feb. 23, Linfield takes on Puget Sound University at 1 p.m. The ’Cats will finish Feb. 24 against Concordia University at 3 p.m.
This year’s squad returns nine key starters, including three individuals who received first team all-NWC honors last season. The experienced bunch is poised to improve on its 2007 NWC third place finish, with a record of 22-16, and hopes to win the league.
In the infield, Linfield returns three starters. Senior Cory Ellis holds his second base position, and earned second team all-NWC honors after having a .500 on-base percentage last season.
Returning to man third base is sophomore Rhett Fenton. Fenton made the transition to varsity late last season and led the team in hitting with a .375 average in just 20 games.
Playing between the two is the second team all-NWC senior short stop David Bachofner. He ended last season with a .328 batting average that should carry into this season.
A trio of veterans returns to the outfield. Senior Kevin Mills led the team with 55 hits last season. With his dangerous speed, senior Jordan Boustead could become a potent weapon in the ’Cats arsenal. Rounding out the fielders, senior Brian Kerr gives Linfield a different strategic element to the game being a left-handed batter.
With each of the NWC series expanding to four games this season, ample pitching depth is a key factor for the Wildcats. Leading the team is returning first team all-NWC senior Brian Clark. Last season, Clark pitched his way to a 2.99 ERA and a 7-3 record.
The number two pitcher will be junior Cameron Larson. The right hander earned second team all-NWC honors last season after posting an 8-3 record for the ‘Cats.
Receiving the pitches will be second team all-NWC senior catcher Drew Van Cleave. Back-up sophomore catcher Mitch Webb, who played in 14 games last season, will hold a crucial role in the rotation as no catcher is allowed to play four games in two days.
In the preseason opener Feb. 16, the ‘Cats came from behind in both games to sweep Concordia University 4-1, 7-6. Linfield found itself down by one after the first inning of the first game. However, after junior Don Bard and Boustead hit RBIs to bring in Bachofner and Kerr, the Wildcats took the lead that would hold for the rest of the game.
In the second competition of the day, the ‘Cats found themselves down 6-3 going into the bottom of the ninth and final inning. Boustead got the inning off to a good start with a single to left field. The team had runners on first and second after Ellis was walked. With one down, Mills singled to left field to bring in Boustead. The next at bat was junior Stew Davis, who hit a home run to right field to win the game in dramatic fashion.
“A walk-off home in the opening weekend gives the team a burst of energy, a shot of adrenaline,” Brosius said. “The team has a belief that they are never out of it, and it gets stronger. I am looking forward to being tested and seeing how we line up.”
