Bonneau anxious to get started
2/5/2010 12:40:49 PM | Baseball
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ABILENE – After 13 seasons as the ACU head baseball coach, Britt Bonneau isn't one given to hyperbole.
If his team is good, he doesn't mind saying so. Conversely, if his team is struggling he'll be the first one to admit to that as well.
So when he said the entire 2010 ACU baseball season comes down to eight key players because "we know we have as good a core as any team out there," then you know he has a good feeling about the season that begins this weekend with a four-game series against Harding University. Saturday's doubleheader will start at 2:05 p.m. with Sunday's twinbill set to get underway at 12:35 p.m.
"We've got four pitchers and four guys who will play in the field who will be the key to how our season turns out," said Bonneau, who is 542-234-1 entering his 14th season as the head coach. "We know what we've got coming back with our core players. It's as good a returning core of players as we've had since I've been here.
"But the eight guys I'm talking about are in key roles on this team – a fifth starter, middle relief, left field and catcher," he said. "If we can just get 2-3 of those guys to emerge and do what we think they can do, they can help us get to places we haven't been since 2003 when we went to the College World Series."
Bonneau and the Wildcats are already set late in games on the mound with ace setup man Kevin Justice and closer extraordinaire Brad Rutherford both returning. Now, however, the Wildcats need one or two pitchers from a group of Chay Lytle, Jordan Hartley, Matt James and Bobby Brown to step into a middle-relief role. That role could also be a fifth-starter role when the Wildcats get into late-season tournaments at the Lone Star Conference and NCAA Division II levels.
Of the everyday positions, the Wildcats are set except at catcher and in left field. The catching position is being vacated by Jordan Schmitt, who completed his career last year as the LSC and ACU all-time leader in hits, RBI, doubles and total bases and ACU's career leader in home runs.
Cameron Bankston – a two-year letterman – and transfers Ian Tomkins and Abe Williams will compete for the starting job and all three have performed well since the fall. Left field was a revolving door for the Wildcats in 2009 with the since-departed Davis Page playing there most of the season.
However, the Wildcats got a surprise in January when former East Central (Okla.) standout Clint Bowker was granted his release and transferred to ACU. Bowker was the 2008 LSC Freshman of the Year (.343 batting average in 55 games) and hit .351 with 24 RBI last year to earn honorable mention all-LSC honors. He's been impressive since his arrival on campus and should start in left field.
"Clint brings a lot of maturity to our team after having played every day for the last two years," Bonneau said. "He's always been a battler, and now he's hungry to win. Having a guy like him batting in the No. 9 hole will help us keep our offense alive and get things back to the top of the lineup. If he can continue to play the way he's played so far and hold onto that left field spot, that'll be a big key to our success."
The core of veteran returning players is led by senior shortstop Willie Uechi, who has started and played in all 184 Wildcat baseball games since his freshman season in 2007. By the time Uechi finishes his senior season he should be the LSC's all-time leader in hits and could be the leader in runs scored. His double-play partner, senior second baseman Chris Hall, also returns after an outstanding junior season in 2009. Hall – who won a Rawlings Gold Glove for his defensive work – was part of 44 of ACU's 63 double plays in 2009.
The other core players returning are first baseman Bret Bochsler, third baseman Cameron Watten, rightfielder Travis Latz and pitchers Cameron Aspaas, Justice and Rutherford.
Bonneau is excited about new centerfield Aaron Oliver, who will bat leadoff and can "cover alley to alley" in the outfield. Will Calhoun, who was a first team junior college all-America in 2009 at Howard College, will pitch and could play either the outfield or designated hitter. He helped Howard College to a 63-1 record and the national championship last year. He hit .497, but was also stellar on the mound with an 8-0 record and three saves.
Calhoun will get the start in Satuday's season-opener, followed by Aspaas (7-2 in 2009) in the second game of Saturday's twinbill. Zach Sneed – a transfer from Paris College – will get the start in Sunday's first game, while Aaron Lambrix – a transfer from Long Beach State – will start the final game of the series.
"This team has a lot of drive and determination to achieve its goals," Bonneau said. "They understand it's a long season and they know we'll lose some games here and there. But they believe that if they just keep pressing forward and working hard that good things will happen. I'm looking forward to seeing this team compete."
