By ED PETRUSKA Contributing Writer  Pinal Central

pinalcentral.com

SIGNAL PEAK — Most of the productive players from last year's national championship team have moved on, either to the professional ranks or four-year schools. Although their talent and leadership undoubtedly will be missed, it doesn't mean Central Arizona College can't contend for a second straight NJCAA baseball title.

"We've got a lot of new faces, but our main goal hasn't changed," said sixth-year coach Anthony Gilich, who is 219-89 (.711) since being promoted to the top job after putting in seven years as a CAC assistant. "The formula is no different. Our pitchers have to avoid big innings, and our offense has to put on as much pressure as possible."

The Vaqueros open the 2020 season Friday with a nonconference home game against Phoenix.

The team's 29-man roster includes 23 newcomers, which gave the "fall ball" season more significance than normal, Gilich said.

"There was a lot of teaching going on [regarding] the way we do things in our program," he said.

Ability was evident, and Gilich also was impressed with the team's work ethic and collective "baseball IQ."

Pitching depth always is a key during a season that has 50-plus games in the regular season and up to four rounds in the postseason. CAC went 50-20 overall last year, including 12-2 in the postseason.

"That should be our No. 1 strength," Gilich said of the pitching staff, which includes returners Mitchell DeCovich, Tyler Woessner, Leo Palacios and DJ Carpenter.

DeCovich went 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA in 16 appearances (two starts) last season. The right-hander's most impressive performance came in the NJCAA World Series title game, when he held Iowa Western to one unearned run in six innings of relief as the Vaqueros rallied from a 7-0 first-inning deficit to claim a 13-8 victory.

Also vying for spots in the regular four-man starting rotation are redshirt freshman right-hander Mat Olsen, sophomore right-hander Johnny Rice and three transfers from NCAA Division I programs – left-handers Ky Bush (Washington State) and Calvin Schapira (USC) and right-hander Bradley Collins (Massachusetts).

Woessner (1-0, 3.45 ERA in 18 appearances) and Carpenter (0-2, 5.06 in 15 appearances) are right-handers. Palacios (2-0, 3.80 in 10 appearances with five starts) is a left-hander. The bullpen crew also includes four freshmen – right-handers Cody Brooks, Shane Spencer and Bryson Ewaliko and lefty Liam Evans.

The only returning position players for CAC are second baseman Matt Aribal and first baseman/outfielder/designated hitter Jacob McKeon. Aribal batted .295 with 30 RBIs and 16 stolen bases last season. McKeon batted .286 with 23 RBIs.

Transfers competing for starting spots are Coby Boulware (Texas Christian) in the outfield and Jake Vesecky (Evansville) at catcher. The other sophomores are outfielder Tyler Kelly and catcher Seth Beckstead.

The list of freshman who are battling to be lineup regulars are catcher Ryan Grabosch, first baseman Logan Valencia, shortstops Brock Wells and Zack Stewart, third basemen Ricky Gutierrez-Meier and Brandham Ponce and outfielders Kiko Romero, Preston Godfrey, Eric Mast and Hayden Byorick.

The Vaqueros went 24-14 in Arizona Community College Athletic Conference play last season, winning their last seven games to squeak into the Region 1 tournament as the No. 4 seed. They were 2 1/2 games out of a playoff spot with six games left.

CAC then won both rounds of the region tourney, went 3-0 in the Western District tournament and 5-1 in the World Series. Central was 5-0 in postseason elimination games.

"We haven't talked a lot about last year," Gilich said. "But this group has talent and the guys work hard."

The 14-team ACCAC has seven Division I teams and seven in Division II. Cochise (42-15, 26-12 conference) was the No. 1 seed in the D-I region tourney, followed by South Mountain (39-20, 25-13) and Yavapai (38-18, 24-14). Arizona Western (38-18, 23-15), Pima (36-19, 22-16) and Eastern Arizona (16-38, 6-32) also compete in D-I.

The top D-II teams in 2019 were Mesa (44-23, 19-19) and Scottsdale (28-27, 18-20). Mesa advanced to the national championship game, losing 5-4 to Northern Oklahoma-Enid.

"This league is the best in the country in my opinion," Gilich said. The competition "really prepares you for the playoffs."