Gavilan opens season against CCSF
Gilroy – It’s been a series of small incremental steps, but Gavilan has made progress during Neal Andrade’s tenure as baseball coach.
The next step would be a .500 season or a playoff berth, both of which Andrade feels is within the team’s grasp as it prepares for its season opener at 2pm Jan. 26 at home with City College of San Francisco.
With the recent spate of frosty mornings it may seem a stretch to be thinking baseball. And yet, the Rams have three of their 41 games scheduled in January. It’s a 3 1/2-month schedule that features games almost every other day other than a midseason 10-day break.
“I’m a little nervous about the weather and having games backed up like last year,” Andrade said. “With us having one of the smaller teams (numbers-wise) it sometimes makes for more difficulties. On the other hand, guys are getting more reps.”
This is Andrade’s fourth year as head coach but first year as a full-time Gavilan faculty member. That allows him to spend more time on campus and be more involved with his players.
The Rams came a long way from Andrade’s first year (4-30 overall) to last year (15-25, 8-17 in Coast Conference). While Gavilan will only carry a team of 21-22 players, Andrade feels this squad can be much improved.
“I think we can get where we want to be,” Andrade said. “The playoffs are our goal. If not, we want to be within reach.”
The Coast Conference South has been ruled by defending champion West Valley and Chabot for the last several years. Other teams on the Rams’ side are Ohlone, San Jose City, Monterey Peninsula and Hartnell.
“It’s a very competitive, good baseball conference,” said Andrade, a 1994 Live Oak graduate who caught for two years at Gavilan and Portland State University. “You’ve got to be on your game every day.”
Andrade sees a lot of himself in Seth Hudson, a sophomore from San Benito who catches and bats left-handed. Hudson hit over .300 last year and has showed signs of taking more of a leadership role, Andrade said.
First baseman Efrain Ruiz figures to be another big bat in the middle of the lineup like Hudson. The right-handed hitter will also be counted on for leadership.
The Rams would like to develop depth in its pitching staff, but a lot will depend on how sophomore San Benito southpaw Brian Rossi recovers from the elbow surgery he had last summer. Andrade said “he has the ability and talent, it’s a matter if his arm allows him to.”
Freshman righthander Dylan Regan from Live Oak, freshman Joseph Vasquez from Morgan Hill via Valley Christian, sophomore Anthony Lucio from Gilroy, and freshman Ryan McFall from San Benito are other hurlers. And freshman Julian Castaneda could see action as a pitcher and an outfielder.
Freshman outfielder Josh Torrise from San Benito and Castaneda are being looked on as offensive igniters. Gilroy freshman Drew Andersen will battle California State-Monterey Bay transfer Carter Motley for playing time at shortstop. Scott Meade of San Benito returns at second base. Brennan Flaherty, a freshman from Live Oak, is looked at as utility player capable of handling three, four different positions.
Regardless of how well Gavilan does from a record standpoint, Andrade would like to at least equal the five players from last year’s team that have moved on to the next level.
Adam Kubo, Jeff Harter and Marcus Meyer are all at California State University-Stanislaus, Hollister’s Nick Ramos is at Sonoma State and Justin Baker is at Indiana State University.
“That’s what we’re most proud about,” Andrade said. “We all try to win championships. It’s about getting an education at the next level and maybe even playing ball there.”
