2005 RED DEVILS WIN NWAACC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP! Ryan Shaver takes MVP honors by winning the championship game 6-2 over Mount Hood.
The Lower Columbia College baseball team capped an impressive season by winning the NWAACC title. After finishing second four out of the past five seasons, LCC broke through with their first championship since 1997 and the schools 9th NWAACC baseball title.
Please see the Results section for game details.
2005 SEASON PREVIEW
Each year at the community college level is unique when you lose so many players from the previous season. The 2005 season is no exception. There are only four returning position starters and four returning pitchers from last year’s NWAACC runner-up squad. Recruiting freshmen who can step right in contribute is of paramount importance.
The coaching staff of Rob Hippi, Donegal Fergus and Matt Hiatt did an outstanding job filling the void of losing four Division I and four NCAA Division II ballplayers. Pitching has been the backbone of our success over the past 10 years. The 2005 pitching staff led by Coach Hippi may become the most formidable ever, led by sophomores Broc Coffman (All-Western Division) and Ryan Shaver (All-NWAACC reliever). Joining this twosome is probably the best freshman class of arms we’ve had. D.J. Lidyard and Kyle Beitey will become starters with Coffman and Shaver. The bullpen will showcase the arm strength, including left-handers Kyle Foster and Billy Jones. Right-handers Colby Wark, Heath Goin, Jason Grisham, Craig Marshall and Danny Dickson can all run the gun up to or near 90 mph. The return closer Jared Joaquin after a four year hiatus makes the depth of our staff stronger than we’ve had since 2000. To win the Western Division and take another shot at the NWAACC title we will depend upon this year’s staff dominating like their potential suggests. The number of arms we have will be to our advantage down the stretch and deep into the tournament.
Winning the West is priority number one. To do that we will have to play solid defense. Our middle defense should be very good, led by sophomore Paul Fisher who will move to second. Freshman Drew George will assume Fisher’s job at shortstop. Blessed with all the skills, George is soon to be an all league caliber player. The corner positions are still up for grabs with sophomores Matt Ireland, Kody Cole and Justin Kroo at 3rd. First base is also still a question depending on who is swinging the bat well. Broc Coffman, Justin Burger and possibly David Hovde are all in the mix. The catching position is muddled by the late return of last year’s starter Ivan Munoz. Munoz won’t be eligible until league begins in April. Sophomore Pat Spellmeyer, who caught 30% of games in 2004 has taken the inside path to the job. Freshman Tony Jones will see preseason action for experience. All are solid backstops who can block and throw. All-NWAACC selection Ryan Krauser will patrol centerfield again in 2005. There may not be a better all-around player in the NWAACC conference. He can hit, run and throw with anyone. W.S.U liked him enough to scholarship him this past fall. Krauser’s running mates in left and right also have good defensive skills. Freshman Jonah Hobson, Hovde, Tyler Smith and Ben Greenslit, along with Ireland as a possibility, give us depth, speed and arms in the outfield.
The coaches’ main concern is scoring enough runs. This year’s team is based on on-base percentage, stolen bases, moving runners over, and driving runner in, in other words, typical Lower Columbia small ball again. Opponents will have to defend us well in order to beat us. If the top of our order gets on base consistently, with some power in the middle and speed at the bottom we hope we will score enough runs to win.
SHAVER, COFFMAN HEADLINE DEEP DEVIL STAFF
All-NWAACC closer Ryan Shaver, and All-Western Division starter Broc Coffman, will be looked upon to provide leadership for a young Red Devil pitching staff, that is rich in talent.
The defending Western Division Champions also return Craig Marshall and Jason Grisham but will have to depend on newcomers if they plan to capture the NWAACC title, which has been so elusive in recent years,(4 runner up finishes in the last 5 campaigns).
Here is a look at the Devil pitching for the 2005 season:
Ryan Shaver (RHP, 6-6, 185, Lathrop HS Fairbanks, AK) has electric stuff. He hit 94 on the gun last summer, in a closer role for the Alaska Goldpanners, and has an excellent slider to go with a good change-up. Shaver was drafted in the 29th round last spring by the Giants but chose to return to LCC and further his education. Look for Shaver to move from his closer role to the starting rotation this time around, in an effort to improve his pitchability through longer stints on the hill. Shaver is the consummate strike thrower.
Broc Coffman (LHP, 6-2, 220, Rainier, OR) is the undisputed leader of the Red Devil staff. Mentally tough, Coffman is at his best with men on base. Drafted twice by the Oakland A's he will have to decide this spring whether or not to go pro or pursue a four year degree at the Division 1 level. An outstanding all-around athlete, this kid can swing the bat also.
Craig Marshall (RHP,6-0, 210 lb. from R.A. Long HS) has a 91 mph fastball and as soon as he is able to develop a reliable second pitch his stock will rise. Craig also sets a great example for the younger guys through his work ethic and competitive nature. Marshall is a candidate to fill the closer role if Shaver starts.
Jason Grisham,(RHP, 6-3, 225 lbs from Canby, OR) has the look of a big time pitcher. Upper 80's velocity and the most determination and desire of any of the Devil pitchers make this guy interesting. Grisham needs to throw more strikes and refine a split that is already pretty darn good on some occasions. Grisham should play a key role in the middle or as a set up guy.
NEWCOMERS ARRIVE AND JOAQUIN RETURNS
An exciting group of Freshmen and an All NWAACC closer from the 1999 staff will round out the Lower Columbia pitching for the 2005 season. The Red Devil pitchers have compiled an impressive 2.01 ERA since the league went to wood bats in 1997. The staff has either led the league or has been 2nd in K/BB ratio and ERA in every season. To say that this group could be the best, is saying a mouthful, but they may be just that:
D.J. Lidyard from Cascade Christian H.S. in Puyallup, WA is a 6-2 inch, 219 LB., RHP, with an explosive fastball and a tight, hard (82), late breaking slider. His 11-1, K/BB ratio in fall games and scrimmages make him the #1 candidate to start behind Shaver and Coffman. Lidyard is all business and one of the hardest working freshmen.If he continues at his current level of performance Red Devil coaches consider D.J. a cinch to go in the June draft. It's upper 80's, topping out at 92, and easy.
Kyle Beitey, is a 6-3 in., 232 lb., LHP who has a curveball that he can repeat with and is getting stronger and more fit ( has shed 15 lbs.) as the year goes on. As a senior last spring at Columbia River H. S. in Vancouver, WA, Kyle threw 2 no-hitters in the post season. One of the gems, was a 13 strike-out job, against a (24-0) Selah squad that put the Chieftans into the title game, in the AAA classification. Coach Hippi considers Beitey, potentially the best pitcher to enter LCC in recent years. He has a lot of big game experience, not only in high school but at the national level, as a member of some outstanding Hazel Dell Metro Babe Ruth, summer teams. He has a history of being at his best in these situations.
Kyle Foster, is a 6-1 in., 180 lb., lefty, out of Castle Rock H.S. just north of Longview. Kyle is one home grown recruit that the Devils did not want to slip through their grasp. Drafted ( 29th round), by the Rockies, last June is a pretty good indication of Foster's potential. He has touched 90, has a quick arm, explosive finish, and simply gets after it in competitive situations. A 3 sport star in high school is an indication of Kyle's athletic ability. Coach Smith is very impressed, not only at how hard he works, but more importantly at the focus of his efforts. Kyle is a guy that works on his weaknesses and consequently is moving up through this talented group.
Heath Goin, a classic body and a big right arm make this 6-4 in., 225 pounder very interesting. Heath prepped at Hood River Valley H.S. on the Oregon side of the Columbia River gorge. Built like a body builder, Heath topped out at 89 in the fall with an 11-1 K/BB ratio. He can pound the strike zone with 3 pitches and will get some starts this spring when he is not setting up or closing.
Colby Wark, along with Goin, gave the Devils a clean sweep of the best that the Inter- Mountain League of Eastern Oregon had to offer last spring, on the mound. At 6-2, 230 lbs., Wark pitched Redmond H.S. to the league title and has the best arm in this group of good arms. "It really jumps out of there and gets on you in a hurry", according to Coach Hippi. Drafted by the Cubs, Colby should either set-up or close.
Billy Jones is probably the the biggest surprise to the Devil coaching staff based on his performance this fall. The 5-9 in., 200 lb., LHP, who pitched Ridgefield, WA, H.S. to the state title (AA) as a Junior and also put up big #'s as a Senior, is proving that he can be successful at this level. A broken left hand in early December has slowed his progress some but he is recovered and going full speed again at this time. "Billy is one of those guys who just knows how to pitch," according to coach Hippi. He can hold runners, field the position, vary arm slots and consistently throw strikes with 3 pitches. The Red Devils look to use him as a situational lefty early, and give him a chance to earn whatever he can in the way of innings pitched as the season progresses.
Danny Dickson is a 6-1, 215 lb, RHP from Reedsport, OR, he has superior arm strength and is working hard to develop a reliable 2nd pitch. Danny sits in the upper 80's with a fast ball that runs and he can command it. We are also encouraged by the progress that he has made with the slider this winter. We had planned to red-shirt Danny due to a foot surgery last summer that limits his ability to condition at our level, but the arm is just too good.
Jared Joaquin put up All-NWAACC #'s on the 1999 Red Devil team that went (40-5). He was drafted by the Oakland A's that spring but opted to come back to school. In his own words he screwed it up from that point on. He fell behind in school, lost focus, and went home to Maui. He's back! The 6-4 in., 205 pounder is a loose, athletic guy who is very poised on the mound and will allow coach Smith the luxury of converting All-NWAACC closer, in 2004, Ryan Shaver, to a starting role. According to coach Hippi he is "better than ever." Bigger, stronger, throws harder (91), best curve ball on the staff.