Baseball February 15, 2016

SEASON PREVIEW: '15 Region VI champ Conqs open '16 with high hopes

DC3's Ricky Trammell

DODGE CITY, Kan. -- The Dodge City Community College baseball team enjoyed the most successful season in the program's history in 2015, culminating in a DC3-record 42 wins, a Region VI title and a trip to the JUCO World Series for the first time since 1958.

Now the big question is: What do the Conquistadors have up their sleeves for an encore?

DC3 begins to answer that question Tuesday as they open their 2016 campaign at home against the Oklahoma Panhandle State junior varsity 2 p.m. at Cavalier Field.

The Conqs lost much of the middle of their lineup and their lead-off hitter along with three of their four weekend starting pitchers from a year ago. However, a solid returning group and a talented incoming class of freshmen and transfers has DC3 in a position to be a threat in the KJCCC and Region VI.

"There are a lot of tough people to replace off of that team," DC3 coach Phil Stephenson said. "... We are going to have quite a few freshmen playing significant roles and you really don't know what you have until the bell tolls and we start playing for real. That's when we'll know how these guys are going to react."

PITCHERS

While the Conqs lost three of their four starters from last season's weekend pitching staff that led the KJCCC in ERA (4.09), DC3 returns right-hander Layne Downing (4-2, 4.10 ERA) to the starting rotation. The sophomore locked down the No. 4 spot in the rotation early in KJCCC play and didn't let it go - making nine starts and finishing fourth on the team with 68 innings pitched (which includes two nine-inning, complete-game victories).

Joining Downing in the rotation will be New Mexico State-signee Matthew Perea, who was a weekday starter for the Conqs but was primarily used as a reliever in KJCCC play. The left-hander was 5-3 with a 2.00 ERA in 20 appearances (the most by any DC3 pitcher) with 46 strikeouts and 45 innings.

Another sophomore left-hander will be in the starting rotation in Lubbock Christian transfer Jay Rawlins, who went 4-0 with a 5.75 ERA in 19 appearances last season (17 in relief). Rawlins was an all-state pitcher out Frenship High School in Wolfforth, Texas (just outside of Lubbock).

The fourth spot in the weekend rotation will be a battle between four freshman pitchers in left-handers Cole Brandon and Hayden Davey and right-handers Joshua Hill and Trace Mulberry.

Those who don't get the No. 4 spot in the rotation will be part of a deep bullpen for the Conqs. With a mix of left-handers (Charlie Vizcaya, Garrett Hammond, Brandon, Davey), right-handers (Hill, Mulberry, Carter Hogan, Dalton Harvey, Cory Royer, Phillip Albracht, Talon Schaller) and a sidearmer in Jeremy Hidalgo - Stephenson and his coaching staff will have plenty of options coming out of the bullpen.

POSITION PLAYERS

While the Conqs lost their entire outfield, DC3 returns six players who saw time in one capacity or another that will factor in to its success.

Frankie Valle, who hit No. 2 in the lineup last season, returns to start at second base after hitting .344 with three home runs, 38 RBI and 42 runs. He'll be joined up the middle by returning starting short stop Colbey Madewell (who is expected to miss time early in the season due to injury), who hit .262 with 23 RBI and 44 runs during his freshman campaign.

Ricky Trammell returns to start at first base (but can also play third) after hitting .354 last season with a home run, 29 RBI, 31 runs and 12 doubles - good for second on the team. Jason Nichols, who will see time at first base and as the team's designated hitter, comes back after hitting .265 with a home run and 27 RBI in 42 games as a freshman.

Tim Wakefield, who split time at catcher last season, returns after hitting .189 in 74 at-bats last season while Max Laney will start the season at third base after getting 31 at-bats in 17 games as a freshman.

A newcomer that figures to play a big role in the middle of the lineup for the Conqs is freshman Colton Onstott - who will split time between catcher, first base and designated hitter after leading the Conqs in home runs and RBI during the fall season. Freshman catcher Robert Perea (the younger brother of pitcher Matthew Perea) will also be vying for time at catcher as will Clay Davis.

Andres Acuna is a talented utility player who could see time all over the infield while Andrew Balderaz, Trevor Close and Dawson Davis could also see time in the infield.

The Conqs will have a brand new outfield in 2016 with freshman Richard Fullerton starting in right field and figuring to be a middle-of-the-order threat for DC3.

Center and right field will be a mix of three players in freshmen Jake Pederson, Ivan Gonzalez and Evan Wilson.

Players Mentioned

#1 Andrew Balderaz: INF; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

#2 Layne Downing: RHP; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#3 Colbey Madewell: INF; 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R

#4 Matthew Perea: LHP; 6' 2"; Sophomore; L/L

#6 Jason Nichols: OF/INF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#7 Max Laney: INF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#8 Evan Wilson: OF; 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R

#9 Hayden Davey: LHP; 6' 3"; Freshman; L/L

#10 Colton Onstott: C; 6' 0"; Freshman; L/R

#13 Andres Acuna: INF; 5' 11"; Freshman; R/R

#15 Carter Hogan: RHP; 6' 4"; Freshman; R/R

#5 Jeremy Hidalgo: RHP; 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#1 Andrew Balderaz
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#2 Layne Downing
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: RHP

#3 Colbey Madewell
: 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#4 Matthew Perea
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; L/L
: LHP

#6 Jason Nichols
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF/INF

#7 Max Laney
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#8 Evan Wilson
: 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R
: OF

#9 Hayden Davey
: 6' 3"; Freshman; L/L
: LHP

#10 Colton Onstott
: 6' 0"; Freshman; L/R
: C

#13 Andres Acuna
: 5' 11"; Freshman; R/R
: INF

#15 Carter Hogan
: 6' 4"; Freshman; R/R
: RHP

#5 Jeremy Hidalgo
: 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R
: RHP