University of Nevada Athletics

Nevada Game Notes

RENO, Nev. - A new era of University of Nevada baseball begins this spring as first-year head coach T.J. Bruce looks to continue the Wolf Pack's strong tradition on the diamond.

Nevada opens the season with a four-game series from Feb. 19-21 against Big Ten foe Northwestern at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz. The Wolf Pack opens the season with an eight-game road trip, meeting Northwestern, Arizona State and UC Irvine before returning to Peccole Park.

Nevada will be excited about what it returns from last year's 41-win, Mountain West championship team last season. The Wolf Pack welcomes back MW Tony Gwynn Player of the Year in Trenton Brooks, MW Pitcher of the Year in Christian Stolo, first team all-conference selection Bryce Greager and 14 letter winners overall.

On the contrary, Bruce and the Pack has to replace an additional 14 letter winners, five All-MW selections, three All-Americans and five major-league draft picks. The Wolf Pack will be hoping new contributions coupled with returning talent will lead to a successful campaign in 2016.

"They need to remember that this team knows how to win," said Bruce. "41 wins on the west coast isn't common in college baseball and they need to remember that. We reference that for confidence, but we can't live off it because 2016 is a new year and the team in the other dugout doesn't care what we won last year."

PITCHERS

Coach Bruce believes that the pitching staff will be the strength of the team. The numbers back that up. The Wolf Pack returns 38-of-56 (.678) starts, 30-of-41 (.731) wins, 329-of-503 (.654) innings and the MW Pitcher of the Year from last year's pitching staff.

"Pitching is by far the strength of our team," said Bruce. "We return 329 out of 503 innings, so that's a lot of experience coming back. We return the MW pitcher of the year, which always helps, and have a lot of arms ready to contribute."

Nevada's pitching staff is highlighted by senior local product Christian Stolo, who was named the league's top pitcher last season. A six-foot lefty, Stolo posted an 8-2 record on the mound with a 2.83 ERA and 76.1 innings pitched. Stolo posted an undefeated 6-0 record in conference play during the regular season last year.

Just as lethal on the mound as he is in the batter's box, Trenton Brooks will also anchor Nevada's staff with a starting role. A finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, Brooks posted a 4-1 record with a 3.65 ERA on the mound last season.

After a splendid junior season in 2015, senior Zach Wilkins also returns as a projected starter. The 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher from San Diego posted a 3.26 ERA in 21 appearances last year, with all but one appearance coming out of the bullpen. Wilkins excelled in MW play, posting a 1.26 ERA while allowing just two earned runs in 14.1 innings.

The staff has also been high on sophomore local product Mark Nowaczewski, who is returning from a redshirt season last year due to injury. The righty from Sparks appeared in 16 games as a freshman in 2014 with a 4.75 ERA before sitting out in 2015. Now fully-healthy, Nowaczewski is prone to round out the team's rotation.

The Wolf Pack will have plenty of capable arms in the bullpen and others vying for spots in the rotation. Evan McMahan enters his senior season as one of the league's top relief pitchers. The Las Vegas native posted a 2.32 ERA last season with 5-0 record and three saves in 19 appearances.

Nevada returns experienced seniors in Cameron Rowland and Michael Fain. Rowland pitched in 18 games last year with a 5.02 ERA and 4-3 record. A hard-throwing, 6-foot-6 righty, Fain enters his senior season with 53 career appearances - among the most on the team. Nevada returns experience from senior right-handed pitchers Alex Lott and Sam Held. Nevada also returns four redshirt pitchers from last year and welcomes five newcomers to its pitching staff.

Nevada's pitching staff will be bolstered by Steve Bennett, who enters his first season as the team's pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. Bennett previously worked under the same title at Gonzaga, where he earned a reputation as one of the top pitching coaches in the west coast.

INFIELD

Nevada knows what to expect out of its corners with returning starters Greager and sophomore Jordan Pearce slotted at third and first base, respectively. A right-handed slugger out of Fountain Hills, Ariz., Greager earned first team All-MW honors last season. Greager posted a .355 batting average, which ranked second in the league excluding players on his own team, and also added 65 hits, 41 RBI and 39 runs.

Pearce returns after a splendid freshman season last year, when he batted .3-4 with 25 RBI and 16 runs. The Oceanside, Calif., native was frequently used as a designated hitter last year, but will now move over to first base, replacing All-American Austin Byler.

The Wolf Pack looks to replace the middle of the infield after losing short stop Kyle Hunt and second basemen Ryan Howell. Junior Justin Bridgman, who has played in 90 games in his first two seasons at Nevada, redshirt freshman Keaton Smith and junior newcomer Miles Mastrobuoni will contribute heavily in the middle of Nevada's infield.

OUTFIELD

The Wolf Pack will boast the reigning MW Tony Gwynn Player of the Year in right field with junior Trenton Brooks, who will lead the outfield when he's not pitching. The Alpine, Calif., native is one of the best bats in the country with a .348 career average in 106 games. Last season, Brooks led the league with a .365 average, 52 RBI, 51 runs and 73 hits.

TJ Friedl returns for his sophomore season as a projected starter in center field. The Pleasanton, Calif., native is one of the quicker players on the team with excellent defensive skills. Friedl played in 30 games as a freshman in 2014 before redshirting last year.

Nevada will have a few experienced options in left field with Grant Fennell and Cole Krzmarzick returning from their freshmen seasons. Fennell, who is listed as a utility player, batted .269 last year with 21 hits. Krzmarzick played in 14 games with three starts last year.

Junior incoming transfers Jed Sprague and Brandon Evans will also contribute in the outfield. Sprague played in 28 games as a freshman at Pacific last year. Evans batted .308 last season at Santa Barbara City College.

"This team - position-player wise - is going to have a lot of players in the mix," said Bruce. "I don't think you can count anybody out. All hands are on deck at all times and we'll be ready to go."

CATCHERS

Joining Bruce from UCLA to Nevada is fifth-year senior catcher Justin Hazard, who was a member of two regional teams and the 2013 College World Series championship team with the Bruins. Hazard was a letter winner for three seasons at UCLA with a career .301 batting average in 66 games played. A native of Tustin, Calif., Hazard is projected as the Pack's starting catcher.

A freshman from Gardnerville, Kaleb Foster could see time in relief of Hazard this season. The six-foot product of Douglas High School joins Nevada after hitting .385 as a senior in high school.

SCHEDULE

Nevada plays its first nine games on the road and its first 13-of-14 games on the road overall. The Pack opens with a four-game set against Northwestern at Sloan Field in Mesa, Ariz. Nevada then plays one game at Arizona State before a three-game series at UC Irvine. The Wolf Pack's home opener is set for March 1 against Santa Clara.

Nevada will host five MW foes at Peccole Park for three-game series with New Mexico, San Diego State, Air Force, San Jose State and UNLV traveling to Reno.

The 2016 Mountain West Tournament will be hosted by New Mexico from May 25-29 in Albuquerque.

TICKETS

Season tickets are available for purchase online at NevadaWolfPack.com or by calling (775) 348-PACK. Season tickets start as low as $130 for the general public.