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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Baseball gears up for 2017 season
2/7/2017 11:55:00 AM | Baseball
The youngest team in the Western Athletic Conference is back with a year of experience under its belt. On occasion, eight of the nine players on the lineup card were underclassmen for GCU in 2016. Nearly 70 percent of GCU's hits, runs batted in and innings pitched return for 2017 as the Lopes look to return to the top of the standings.
The 2017 season marks the final season of the NCAA's mandated four-year transition period from the Division II to Division I level for Grand Canyon, meaning it is the final season that the Lopes are not eligible for the conference or NCAA tournaments. Despite being the conference's youngest Division I school, Grand Canyon has shown the ability to compete in WAC Baseball with a first and second place finish in 2015 and 2014.
With full postseason eligibility to look forward to in 2018, the Lopes also have a new baseball stadium on the horizon. As a part of the university's 10 in 2 initiative, a brand new 3,500-seat stadium is set to open next January on the footprint of the current facility. It is set to be a major upgrade in aesthetics, size and fan experience, increasing from the current facility's capacity of 1,500.
Renderings of GCU's new stadium, set to open in 2018.
But with a landmark 2018 season just around the corner, the Lopes have not lost sight of the 2017 season, coach Andy Stankiewicz's sixth at the helm.
Shotgun Spratling of D1Baseball.com sums up the dream scenario for GCU Baseball in 2017: "Ideally for head coach Andy Stankiewicz, this season would be a precursor that helps lead Grand Canyon to a regional host in their new digs next year."
Three members of the end-of-season All-Conference team return for 2017, tied for the most of any team in the WAC. Infielders Austin Bull and Zach Malis return along with first team outfielder Garrison Schwartz.
Bull and Malis anchored second and first base, respectively, for much of the 2016 campaign. Malis will take on a new challenge in 2017, shifting to the left side of the infield at third base. Bull will be in the middle infield, asked to fill the shoes of four-year infield anchor Paul Panaccione who graduated from Grand Canyon and was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 10th round of the MLB Draft.
Bull and Malis both made the All-WAC team as freshmen.
A strong corps of outfielders returns for 2017 with Preston Pavlica, Tom Lerouge and Schwartz manning the outfield grass from left to right. Juniors Lerouge (.342) and Schwartz (.307) combine tremendous defensive ability and range with offensive prowess. The duo combined for 141 hits and 82 runs scored for GCU a year ago. Pavlica batted .294 and flashed some power from the plate, homering twice in a game at Kansas State last season.
The remainder of the infield will be filled by Ian Evans, Tyler Wyatt, Greg Saenz and Marc Mumper. Evans joins the Lopes from GateWay College while Wyatt, Saenz and Mumper all played roles in the Lopes infield last season.
Pitching coach Rich Dorman enters the picture, joining the Lopes in the offseason from the Seattle Mariners organization. In his first season, Dorman's staff is fairly clear as for starters and finishers. It's the bridge arms in the bullpen that will emerge as the season goes along.
GCU's starting rotation is set to feature junior lefty Jake Repavich, sophomore right-hander Jake Wong and junior transfer right-hander Degan Harte.
Repavich was fourth in the WAC in ERA last season (Photo/Theon Carrier)
Repavich finished the 2016 campaign with a 3.29 ERA in 17 appearances, 13 of them starts. Wong saw a variety of roles last year including relief, mid-week starts and weekend starts and will shift into a weekend role this season. Harte, recruited by GCU out of high school, finally ended up with the Lopes after a two-year stint at Yavapai College.
Mick Vorhof and AJ Franks will anchor the back of GCU's bullpen as they did in 2016. The two right-handers combined to make 43 relief appearances and alternated duties between setup and closer.
A variety of arms will be asked to bridge the gap from the starter to late innings. The leading candidates returning from last season include Josh Andrews, Gabe Benavides and Zack McLeod. Andrews and Benavides could see some action in mid-week starts as well. The returning bullpen arms will be joined by newcomers Josh Sieglitz, Jack Schneider, Bobby Milacki, Tyler Hansen and Jeramy Smith.
Behind the plate, redshirt junior Josh Meyer is set to return from an injury that kept him sidelined for the 2016 season. He will lead a group of catchers that also include returning sophomores Jared McDonald and Griffin Barnes.
Per usual, the Lopes introduce a talented freshman class that will continue to push the competition for playing time. Quin Cotton was picked late in the draft by Colorado but chose to go the way of collegiate baseball. Cotton brings a power bat to the lineup and will see time at designated hitter. He was tabbed as the WAC's Preseason Freshman of the Year by Perfect Game. Cuba Bess, a catcher, was also chosen late in the draft. Switch-hitting outfielder Kona Quiggle comes to GCU with high praise as well. Dane Stankiewicz, son of head coach Andy Stankiewicz, and Tanner Baker, the third Sandra Day O'Connor grad on the team, round out the freshman class for Grand Canyon.
GCU's freshman class
A tough schedule awaits the Lopes with six 2016 NCAA Tournament teams on the schedule and two College World Series qualifiers. Highlights of the home schedule include a three-game season-opening series with CWS participant Oklahoma State, a mid-week affair with national runner-up Arizona and a three-game series with reigning WAC Regular Season Champion, Seattle U.
The Lopes host the first two WAC series of the year, playing CSU Bakersfield and Northern Colorado. Other home WAC series include UTRGV and Seattle U. On the road, Grand Canyon will face Sacramento State, Chicago State, New Mexico State and Utah Valley.
The season is set to begin on Friday, Feb. 17 with WAC play kicking off on Friday, March 24.
The 2017 season marks the final season of the NCAA's mandated four-year transition period from the Division II to Division I level for Grand Canyon, meaning it is the final season that the Lopes are not eligible for the conference or NCAA tournaments. Despite being the conference's youngest Division I school, Grand Canyon has shown the ability to compete in WAC Baseball with a first and second place finish in 2015 and 2014.
With full postseason eligibility to look forward to in 2018, the Lopes also have a new baseball stadium on the horizon. As a part of the university's 10 in 2 initiative, a brand new 3,500-seat stadium is set to open next January on the footprint of the current facility. It is set to be a major upgrade in aesthetics, size and fan experience, increasing from the current facility's capacity of 1,500.
But with a landmark 2018 season just around the corner, the Lopes have not lost sight of the 2017 season, coach Andy Stankiewicz's sixth at the helm.
Shotgun Spratling of D1Baseball.com sums up the dream scenario for GCU Baseball in 2017: "Ideally for head coach Andy Stankiewicz, this season would be a precursor that helps lead Grand Canyon to a regional host in their new digs next year."
Three members of the end-of-season All-Conference team return for 2017, tied for the most of any team in the WAC. Infielders Austin Bull and Zach Malis return along with first team outfielder Garrison Schwartz.
Bull and Malis anchored second and first base, respectively, for much of the 2016 campaign. Malis will take on a new challenge in 2017, shifting to the left side of the infield at third base. Bull will be in the middle infield, asked to fill the shoes of four-year infield anchor Paul Panaccione who graduated from Grand Canyon and was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 10th round of the MLB Draft.
A strong corps of outfielders returns for 2017 with Preston Pavlica, Tom Lerouge and Schwartz manning the outfield grass from left to right. Juniors Lerouge (.342) and Schwartz (.307) combine tremendous defensive ability and range with offensive prowess. The duo combined for 141 hits and 82 runs scored for GCU a year ago. Pavlica batted .294 and flashed some power from the plate, homering twice in a game at Kansas State last season.
The remainder of the infield will be filled by Ian Evans, Tyler Wyatt, Greg Saenz and Marc Mumper. Evans joins the Lopes from GateWay College while Wyatt, Saenz and Mumper all played roles in the Lopes infield last season.
Pitching coach Rich Dorman enters the picture, joining the Lopes in the offseason from the Seattle Mariners organization. In his first season, Dorman's staff is fairly clear as for starters and finishers. It's the bridge arms in the bullpen that will emerge as the season goes along.
GCU's starting rotation is set to feature junior lefty Jake Repavich, sophomore right-hander Jake Wong and junior transfer right-hander Degan Harte.
Repavich finished the 2016 campaign with a 3.29 ERA in 17 appearances, 13 of them starts. Wong saw a variety of roles last year including relief, mid-week starts and weekend starts and will shift into a weekend role this season. Harte, recruited by GCU out of high school, finally ended up with the Lopes after a two-year stint at Yavapai College.
Mick Vorhof and AJ Franks will anchor the back of GCU's bullpen as they did in 2016. The two right-handers combined to make 43 relief appearances and alternated duties between setup and closer.
A variety of arms will be asked to bridge the gap from the starter to late innings. The leading candidates returning from last season include Josh Andrews, Gabe Benavides and Zack McLeod. Andrews and Benavides could see some action in mid-week starts as well. The returning bullpen arms will be joined by newcomers Josh Sieglitz, Jack Schneider, Bobby Milacki, Tyler Hansen and Jeramy Smith.
Behind the plate, redshirt junior Josh Meyer is set to return from an injury that kept him sidelined for the 2016 season. He will lead a group of catchers that also include returning sophomores Jared McDonald and Griffin Barnes.
Per usual, the Lopes introduce a talented freshman class that will continue to push the competition for playing time. Quin Cotton was picked late in the draft by Colorado but chose to go the way of collegiate baseball. Cotton brings a power bat to the lineup and will see time at designated hitter. He was tabbed as the WAC's Preseason Freshman of the Year by Perfect Game. Cuba Bess, a catcher, was also chosen late in the draft. Switch-hitting outfielder Kona Quiggle comes to GCU with high praise as well. Dane Stankiewicz, son of head coach Andy Stankiewicz, and Tanner Baker, the third Sandra Day O'Connor grad on the team, round out the freshman class for Grand Canyon.
A tough schedule awaits the Lopes with six 2016 NCAA Tournament teams on the schedule and two College World Series qualifiers. Highlights of the home schedule include a three-game season-opening series with CWS participant Oklahoma State, a mid-week affair with national runner-up Arizona and a three-game series with reigning WAC Regular Season Champion, Seattle U.
The Lopes host the first two WAC series of the year, playing CSU Bakersfield and Northern Colorado. Other home WAC series include UTRGV and Seattle U. On the road, Grand Canyon will face Sacramento State, Chicago State, New Mexico State and Utah Valley.
The season is set to begin on Friday, Feb. 17 with WAC play kicking off on Friday, March 24.
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