Baseball: Outlook bright for Lions

Amara Aguilar

Vanguard University baseball coach Kevin Kasper doesn’t come right

out and say it, but his Lions could be one of the top teams in the Golden

State Athletic Conference this season.

“We feel like we’re real similar to the team we had last year,” Kasper

said. “I think this year’s team takes what was best from last year’s team

and we just added a few guys to it. We feel like we are going to be

pretty good.”

Although the Lions lost two key players from last year’s squad -- top

pitcher, Anthony Walker (4.28 ERA) and infielder, Jeremy Isherwood (.373)

-- they have several crucial returners.

Marcus Harris, who as a freshman went 8-4 with a 4.79 ERA, will lead

the Lions on the mound.

“We feel like we’ve gotten deeper as a pitching staff,” Kasper said.

“We have Marcus returning and we picked up three or four more guys who

are going to add depth.”

Senior Britt Echols, sophomore Matt Caston and junior Joe Carnahan are

new additions. Echols, a right-hander, is a transfer from the University

of Arizona. Caston is out of Spokane Falls Junior College and Carnahan is

a Wisconsin native.

“Our pitching has gotten stronger for sure and I think that we can

play good defense, so that’s going to really help us,” Kasper said.

“That’s going to be one of our strengths.”

The Lions are also solid on offense. Their top hitter, all-conference

junior Chad Chop, returns. He had a team-leading .416 batting average,

nine home runs and 52 RBIs last season.

Also lending offensive support will be senior first baseman Andy

Riddell, who hit .304 with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs.

“Those two guys are the middle of the lineup,” Kasper said. “They are

our strength.

“I feel we have a good leadoff hitter in Matt Tisthammer. He’s our

spark that gets us going.”

Tisthammer, a junior shortstop, hit .324 with three home runs and 22

RBIs last season.

Rounding out the infield will be junior Sean Moglia at second and

freshman Jason Searle at third. Curt Garner will be the Lions’ starting

catcher.

“(Garner) is a senior and will play a big role on this year’s team.

He’s going to be one of our leaders,” Kasper said.

Sam Baeder and Carnahan will share duties in left field.

Michael Bair will play center and Chop will be in right.

Kasper said his team’s fielding ability is strong.

“I think our defense is pretty good,” Kasper said. “Last year we

didn’t make very many errors, especially our infielders. We played really

solid defense. In our games, so far, that’s been one of our strengths. I

expect us to combine that with some decent pitching and be a pretty

decent team this year.”

Kasper hopes to improve on last year’s season when the Lions were

28-21 and finished fourth in the Golden State Athletic Conference

(15-13). Biola won the conference and Azusa Pacific was second.

“We have a pretty solid conference,” Kasper said. “We expect to be

really competitive in our conference. We are going to be a team to beat.

We have to beat Biola and Azusa Pacific.”

The Lions begin the season today when against nonconference visitor

Cal State Los Angeles in a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.

Vanguard baseball roster

1 Britt Echols, P Sr.

3 Sean Moglia, INF Jr.

5 Marcus Harris, P/IF So.

6 Matt Tisthammer, INF Jr.

7 Andy Freeman, INF Fr.

8 David Martin, OF Fr.

9 Joe Carnahan, P/OF Jr.

12 Brian Wood, P Jr.

13 Tom Baeder, OF So.

14 Jason Searle, P/IF Fr.

16 Samuel Baeder, OF Sr.

19 Matt Caston, P So.

20 Garold Shaffer, P Sr.

21 Chad Chop, OF/P Jr.

22 Curt Garner, C Sr.

23 Josh Franco, P So.

24 Michael Bair, OF Sr.

25 Andy Riddell, INF Sr.

26 Will Noble, INF Fr.

29 Bishop Griggs, P So.

30 PJ McKaig, P Jr.

RS Jonathan Bower, C Jr.

Coach: Kevin Kasper