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CSUB Baseball Opens 2012 Season This Weekend

Baseball CSU Bakersfield Athletic Communications

CSUB Baseball Opens 2012 Season This Weekend

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.- CSU Bakersfield opens the 2012 baseball season this weekend by hosting Kansas State in a three-game series Feb. 18-20 at Hardt Field. All of the games will begin at 2 p.m. CSUB and Kansas State played four games against each other during the 2011 season. The Wildcats won 3-of-4 versus the Roadrunners including both in Bakersfield.

Sunday will be the first of the scheduled Family Days at Hardt Field. Kids get to run the bases after the game and will have the opportunity to play catch on the field as well. CSUB will be giving out free schedule posters and cards throughout the series as well.

CSU Bakersfield nearly made the 2011 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament in only its third year of existence a year ago.  Looking to build on its 33-22 record from a year ago, the Roadrunners will attempt to make a run at the NCAA Tournament in its final year as an independent. CSUB joins the Western Athletic Conference in 2013.  Here is a look at the Roadrunners by position;

PITCHING: The Roadrunners will have to replace all three weekend starters from a year a go as Mike McCarthy (MLB Draft), Jonathan Montoya (injury) and Tommy Hoenshell (Concordia-Irvine) are not returning. The trio along with Nick Shannon (graduation), Martin Medina (closer, MLB Draft), and Brandon Van Dam (redshirting to an injury) pitched 428 of the 491.2 innings and recorded 30 of the 33 victories CSUB posted a year ago.

“Losing a top quality lefthanded pitcher like Montoya is a tough blow because it completes the loss of our entire starting rotation from last year's #11 ranked pitching staff in the country,” Kernen said. “However, it also creates a unique opportunity for our new staff to step forward and take up the challenge to succeed despite the adversity.  We look forward to Montoya returning next year better than ever and completing his college career at CSUB fully recovered and healthy.”

Senior Spenser Messmore and redshirt junior Korie Walkley are the only returning pitchers who saw time a year ago.  Necomers include redshirt junior Chuck Buchanan, junior college transfers Taylor Aikenhead, Scott Brattvet, Jordan Camacho, and Jeff McKenzie, as well as freshmen Hayden Carter, and Austin Davis.

“It will probably be a staff solution at the start,” Kernen said. The good news that the guys who are here will get to pitch more and they will get better faster and in the long term, it will make us better. We hope to figure out who our top six are and go from there.”

CATCHING: Sophomore Cael Brockmeyer has the inside track to replace Jeremy Rodriguez who was drafted by the San Diego Padres last Spring. At 6-5, Brockmeyer provides a big target and is strong athletically. Brockmeyer's gamewinning home run against the No. 10 Arizona State highlighted his offensive production as a rookie. 

Junior college transfer Frank Martinez should catch on the occasions in which Brockmeyer plays first base. Martinez  was named to the CCCAA Southern California Team for East L.A. College as a sophomore. He was also chosen first team All-South Coast Conference a year ago. Martinez threw out 11-of-30 runners attempting to steal against him.

INFIELD: Oscar Sanay returns to second base where he was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American team as selected by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. Sanay led CSUB in hittting (.355) after recording at least one hit in 47 of the 55 Roadrunners' games a year ago.

Sophomore Tyler Shryock is also a returning starter at shortstop. Shryock hit .244 with one home run and 15 RBI's as a freshman. His lone home run came off of UCLA's Gerrit Cole, the first round draft choice of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Senior DC Legg started a third base in 2011 again will see time at the hot corner.  Legg tied for second on the squad in home runs (3) with Jeremy Rodriguez last season. He was allso second on the team in RBI's (with 42).

The opening day starter at first base is expected to be Dylan Christensen. Christensen earned Saddleback College's Gold Glove award as a sophomore. He hit .293 with one home run and 16 RBI's. Christensen is also a pitcher who posted a 2-2 record and a 4.01 ERA for Saddleback in 2011.

“Our defense should be much improved,” Kernen said. “We started three freshmen last year (at first, second, and shortstop). We expect them to do well.”

OUTFIELD: Senior Andrew Letourneau (center) and sophomore Kevin Younger are returning starters. Letourneau hit .288 with 26 RBI's while committing just two errors in 159 chances on defense in 2011. Younger struggled at the plate, hitting .232 in 53 appearances after a strong freshman season.

Freshman Jordie Hein appears to have the inside track to the starter's job in right, replacing Ryan McIntyre who was drafted by the Florida Marlins. Hein .hit .457 with 14 doubles and five triples as a senior for Chapparal High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“We had the best outfield in my opinion in the country last season,” Kernen said. “Even though we lost Ryan McIntyre to the draft.  We have Jordie Hein who should take his place in right. So we know we will be very good in the outfield.”

SCHEDULE: The Roadrunners open the 2012 campaign  Feb. 18 when CSU Bakersfield hosts 2011 NCAA Tournament qualifier Kansas State in a three-game series (Feb. 18-20).

CSUB hosts Valley rival Fresno State Feb. 22 in the first of four games against the Bulldogs in 2012. CSUB's opening homestand concludes with a series against UC Davis Feb. 24-26.

The Roadrunners hit the road for the first time Feb. 28-29 at UNLV. In addition to three games at Fresno State (Mar. 16-18) Other road opponents on 2012 slate include USC (Mar. 9-11), Washington (Mar. 23-25). Nebraska (Apr. 27-29), and North Carolina State (May 4-6). 26 of CSUB's games will be at home with over half the schedule coming against teams from the Pac 12 and the Big West Conference.  CSUB joins the Western Athletic Conference in 2013.

“As an Independent for one more year, we are playing a broad spectrum of teams from eight conferences around the country,” Kernen said. “We are playing over half the schedule (29 games, 19 on the road) with the Pac-12 and Big West, the two top conferences on the West Coast.  This provides a major challenge for us in what I would describe as a “transition” year for the program.  New athletes make up half our roster and we lost our top producers to the MLB draft.  This schedule will give us a barometer reading of where we are now as a program.”

 ~www.GoRunners.com~
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Players Mentioned

Mike McCarthy

#35 Mike McCarthy

RHP
6' 2"
Junior
Ryan McIntyre

#5 Ryan McIntyre

OF
5' 9"
Freshman
Martin Medina

#30 Martin Medina

RHP/INF
5' 10"
Freshman
Spenser Messmore

#28 Spenser Messmore

RHP
5' 11"
Freshman
Jonathan Montoya

#19 Jonathan Montoya

LHP
5' 6"
Freshman
Jeremy Rodriguez

#7 Jeremy Rodriguez

C
5' 7"
Freshman
Nick Shannon

#9 Nick Shannon

RHP/INF
5' 11"
Junior
Brandon Van Dam

#18 Brandon Van Dam

RHP/1B
6' 7"
Freshman
Korie Walkley

#8 Korie Walkley

RHP/INF
5' 9"
Freshman
Kevin Younger

#12 Kevin Younger

OF
6' 0"
Freshman
Cael Brockmeyer

#33 Cael Brockmeyer

C/1B
6' 5"
Freshman
Tommy Hoenshell

#55 Tommy Hoenshell

RHP
6' 6"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Mike McCarthy

#35 Mike McCarthy

6' 2"
Junior
RHP
Ryan McIntyre

#5 Ryan McIntyre

5' 9"
Freshman
OF
Martin Medina

#30 Martin Medina

5' 10"
Freshman
RHP/INF
Spenser Messmore

#28 Spenser Messmore

5' 11"
Freshman
RHP
Jonathan Montoya

#19 Jonathan Montoya

5' 6"
Freshman
LHP
Jeremy Rodriguez

#7 Jeremy Rodriguez

5' 7"
Freshman
C
Nick Shannon

#9 Nick Shannon

5' 11"
Junior
RHP/INF
Brandon Van Dam

#18 Brandon Van Dam

6' 7"
Freshman
RHP/1B
Korie Walkley

#8 Korie Walkley

5' 9"
Freshman
RHP/INF
Kevin Younger

#12 Kevin Younger

6' 0"
Freshman
OF
Cael Brockmeyer

#33 Cael Brockmeyer

6' 5"
Freshman
C/1B
Tommy Hoenshell

#55 Tommy Hoenshell

6' 6"
Junior
RHP
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