Friday, Apr. 04, 2008

Baseball team looking to patch up holes

MARK MCKENNA HERALD STAFF WRITER

The Columbia Basin College baseball team is far from a completed project.

There are still plenty of tasks left on the to-do list, such as shoring up the defense and strengthening the bottom of the batting order.

But at the season's one-month checkpoint, the Hawks are, as usual, rounding into a serious NWAACC title contender. CBC is 20-6 overall, 4-2 in East Region play, entering Saturday's doubleheader against Blue Mountain, which begins at 1 p.m. in Pasco.

"We've won 20 games and we're the No. 1-ranked team in the NWAACC, so you've got to be pleased," said CBC coach Scott Rogers. "But that doesn't mean we're a polished team. We're still trying put it all together."

One area that's had it all together so far is the top of the batting order. Leadoff man Tyler Reeves is hitting .389, second-hole hitter Drew Goodman of Kamiakin is batting .344 with a team-high 22 RBIs, and Luke Feiser is hitting .381 with a team-high 10 doubles out of the third spot.

Another Kamiakin graduate, cleanup hitter Phil Liniger, is leading the team with a .408 average, and No. 5 hitter Brett Bochsler has a .333 average.

"The top five guys have been great," Rogers said. "The problem has been with the last four spots. We need more production, but we haven't had much luck finding the right guys. It's been like picking names out of a hat."

The pitching has been just as impressive. CBC boasts a team ERA of 1.96 and is holding opponents to a .200 batting average.

The rotation has been stellar with Steve Ames (2-1, 0.99 ERA), Jake Peden (3-0, 1.23 ERA), Zach Gallagher (5-2, 1.44 ERA) and Bryce Hjellum (4-0, 1.65 ERA).

The bullpen has been stingy, too. Closer Brad Rutherford is 1-1 with a 1.23 ERA and a team-high eight saves.

What has hurt CBC is its defense. Almost half the runs the Hawks have allowed (46 of 94) are unearned.

The Hawks will need to continue putting up big numbers in order to win another region title. At 4-2, they sit in third place in the East behind Yakima Valley (15-6, 4-1) and Wenatchee Valley (13-2, 3-1).

"It's a dogfight from top to bottom," Rogers said of the league race. "Everybody is capable of beating you, so you have to be ready to play every game. You can't overlook anybody. But that makes it a lot of fun."

-- The CBC softball team looks to make a move on the road this weekend by beating up on a pair of East cellar-dwellers. The Hawks (6-13, 3-5), who are fifth in the league standings, play a doubleheader against Big Bend (2-12, 0-6) at 2 p.m. today and another against Spokane (8-10, 2-4) at noon Saturday.

The Hawks are led by Brittany Cherry, who is hitting .553 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs -- all of which lead the team. Jennie Harp also has been swinging a hot bat with a .361 average, five home runs and 13 RBIs.

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