Merced College baseball has eye on playoff return

In the offseason, the Merced College baseball team’s returning players turned their attention to this year’s campaign and the hope for a better showing than 2014.

The Blue Devils needed to win one of their final two games to secure a spot in the NorCal playoffs for the 10th straight season. MC couldn’t get it done, surrendering four runs in the last three innings to lose to rival Fresno City on the final day of the regular season.

“I think it served as motivation for everyone during the offseason,” sophomore third baseman Jimbo Pernetti said. “We’re all out here because we want to go as far as we possibly can. To miss out on the playoffs for the first time in however long, especially by losing to Fresno, didn’t sit well with anyone.

“We didn’t really talk about it, but you could tell how motivated guys were as they got after it in the weight room or in conditioning. Hopefully we’ll be a better team because of it.”

The development of its young pitching will likely dictate if the Blue Devils can bounce back this season. MC returns four pitchers, but none with more than 231/3 innings of experience.

Justin Kehler, Jared Reyna and Noah Gapp all figure to see a big innings bump this season. They’ll be complemented by a freshman crop of arms in Nate McGhee (Grace Davis), Blake Cederlind (Turlock), Trevor Chaney (Pitman) and Ryan Sanchez (Atwater).

“We feel like we have a lot of pitching depth, but because none of these guys have a lot of experience at this level, we’re probably going to have to use it early,” coach Chris Pedretti said. “We’re going to throw a lot of guys in situations we think they can help us with, and by the time we get to league we should have our rotation figured out.

“We think we’ve got a pretty talented group, but the question is can they develop into the strike throwers we need them to be and let their defense help them out behind them.”

Pedretti said he believes the defense should be sound and the offense should ease the young pitchers’ burden with a handful of top-of-the-order guys back in the fold. Pernetti and outfielder Joseph Salmeri were 1-2 on the team in batting average and runs batted in a year ago. Shortstop Adam Nascimento proved himself a reliable table setter and 2013-RBI leader Ryan Cumberland returns after missing last season because of a hip surgery.

A number of freshmen will help fill out the rest of the lineup including catcher Darren Trainor (Turlock), second baseman David Vidauri (Golden Valley), outfielder Dalton Beatty (Atwater) and utility man Daniel Hermosillo (Golden Valley).

“I’m excited for this season,” Kehler said. “I think we’re the most talented we’ve been in my three years here. We started out a little slow in the fall just because we were so young, but we weeded out some guys and really came together by the end.

“We know MC’s baseball tradition and want to help write a new chapter.”

Softball

MC softball coach Suzanne McGheehas pieced together good-looking squads the last three years with the hopes of getting the She-Devils back in the playoffs. Things never quite seemed to come together for those teams, however,.

Her 2015 squad is a little more blue collar than in recent years, but that’s what has McGhee excited.

“We’ve definitely had more talented teams, but this is easily the hardest working group I’ve ever had,” McGhee said. “They come ready to work everyday. After having girls without a lot of drive, I’m looking forward to seeing what this group can do.”

McGhee returns four from last year’s 13-22 squad including all-conference honorable mention infielder Mayra Espitia, catcher Taylor Leslie, and pitcher Mari Duenes. Chelsea DeLeon also returns after missing last season with an injury. McGhee said a number of freshmen will get their shot to start including former Chowchilla ace Grace Harman.

Swimming

The Merced College men’s swim team had its run of six consecutive Bay Valley Conference championships snapped last year.

Head coach Scott McCall sees no reason why a new streak can’t begin this season, but for that to happen a number of freshman will need to shine.

Alejandro Casas-Gomez is the team’s only returner and figures to be solid force in the breaststrokes and relays. He’ll be joined by 13 freshman, giving McCall a slightly bigger squad than the one he had a year ago. He likes the group’s depth and versatility, led by Jordan Salcido, Tyler McDonald, Kyle Sugimoto and Taylor Heckathorn.

After two years of sharing the coaching load with Susan Miller, Karin Umemora will have the women’s team all to herself in 2015.

With 12 on the roster, she’ll have her biggest group to work with since joining the program after Bill Halpin’s retirement in 2012. She also returns MC’s top two swimmers from a year ago in Haley Fisicaro and Sarah Johnston. Umemora said the sophomore tandem will be complemented by Japanese import Ayaka Sakamoto and Merced High grad Bronte Gomes.

Track & field

Luis Foy has had the MC track and field teams steadily growing in size and success over the last three years.

That development came to a head in 2014 with 13 different athletes qualifying for the NorCal qualifying meet and three throwers placing at the state meet. Now Foy will see if he can build on that success.

The 2015 team figures to be led by a bevy of sprinters. Atwater grad Edward Kemp is expected to lead the men’s team. Foy expects big years from Taylor Brown (Merced) and sophomores Nitoyra Bone and Emoni Mitchell on the women’s side. MC will also get a boost from Sacramento City transfer and Merced High alum Mahogany Stitt, who returns after qualifying for state as a long jumper a year ago.

This story was originally published January 28, 2015 at 9:50 PM with the headline "Merced College baseball has eye on playoff return."