Feb. 9, 2016
RENO, Nev. - With just 10 days until the season opener, the Nevada baseball team held its media day on Tuesday at Legacy Hall and Peccole Park to discuss the upcoming season.
Head coach T.J. Bruce and select players met with the media prior to practice and discussed multiple topics about the upcoming campaign, which begins on Feb. 19 with a four-game series against Northwestern in Mesa, Ariz.
One of the most frequent questions was about the strength of the team this season, which Bruce declared to be the pitching staff. The Wolf Pack returns 65 percent of its total innings from last year, 38-of-56 starts, 30-of-41 victories and the reigning Mountain West Pitcher of the Year, Christian Stolo.
"Pitching is by far the strength of the team, at least on the numbers side," said Bruce. "Returning 65 of our innings from last year is a substantial amount, as opposed to the offensive side that has some holes to fill. We return a lot of players that won a lot of games and the conference pitcher of the year, which always helps."
In addition to Stolo, who was named the league's top pitcher after notching an 8-2 record with a 2.83 ERA, Nevada returns innings from junior RHP Evan McMahan (54.1; 2.32), senior RHP Zach Wilkins (30.1; 3.26), junior Trenton Brooks (37.0; 3.65), senior LHP Cameron Rowland (52.0; 5.02) and senior RHP Michael Fain (43.0; 7.74) among others.
Entering his first season as a head coach with an early pedigree for pitching and defense, Bruce has reason for optimism with the Pack's 2016 lineup.
"Our strengths fit exactly into what we're trying to do here," said Bruce. "If we have pitching and defense, we'll be alright."
On the other end of the spectrum, Nevada is looking to replace six-of-nine position starters and 66 percent of its total at bats from last season. Helping negate those losses are junior Trenton Brooks, senior Bryce Greager and sophomore Jordan Pearce.
Brooks led the Mountain West with a .365 batting average last season and was named the Tony Gwynn MW Player of the Year in addition to being a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. Greager earned All-MW first team honors last year, batting .355 with 41 RBI and 39 runs. Additionally, Pearce batted .304 in his freshman season with 38 hits and 25 RBI.
Altogether, Nevada returns 14 letter winners from last year's team that posted a 41-15 record and won the first Mountain West title in program history.
The Wolf Pack opens the season on Feb. 19 with a four-game series against Northwestern at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz. The Pack and Wildcats will play a double header on Friday with start times set for 1 p.m. PT and 5 p.m. Nevada will play on the road in 12 of its first 13 games.
"I think this road trip will be great timing for us with a new coaching staff and a lot of new players," said Bruce. "Let's go on the road, come together as a team and start establishing who the 206 Nevada Wolf Pack is going to be."
