Trio leads OCC pitching

In community college baseball, concentration can mean much more than keeping one’s head in the game and one’s eyes on the ball.

John Altobelli, in his 15th season as the Orange Coast College coach, should benefit from concentration of another variety with the Pirates this season.

For though only 25% of the players from last year’s 32-man roster return, an unusually high concentration of those will lead this season’s pitching staff.

“Right now, we have three starters as good as any [trio] in the Orange Empire Conference,” Altobelli said of sophomores Keith Demorgandie, Ryan Shopshire and Keith Rizor.

Demorgandie, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound right-hander drafted in the 24th round by the Toronto Blue Jays last spring, throws up to a 95-mph fastball. He went 7-3 with a 4.20 ERA last season, when he struck out 67 in 89 innings.

Shopshire, a 6-5, 190-pound right-hander, threw only 17 innings a year ago (1-2 with a 5.82 ERA) after coming to Coast from Long Beach State, where he was recruited out of Orange Lutheran High.

Rizor (6-2, 205), healthy again after sitting out last season with an arm problem, was 3-1 with a 3.12 ERA for the Pirates in 2005.

“Our starters pitched extremely well at Cuesta [a season-opening three-game series concluded Sunday in which OCC dropped two of three, all one-run decisions],” Altobelli said.

Demorgandie opened the series with seven scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and striking out four. He was not involved in the decision.

Shopshire earned the win Saturday, allowing one run and four hits in six-plus innings. He struck out eight.

Rizor left after six innings with a 3-2 lead Sunday, but the bullpen faltered.

Keeping the veteran mound threesome healthy is a concern, Altobelli said. Demorgandie had off-season surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, while Rizor’s elbow is still gaining strength. If they can consistently contribute quality innings, the Pirates are hopeful of making the Southern California Regionals for the third straight season.

OCC lost in the first-round regional series to Cypress in three games last season. The Pirates reached the four-team state tournament in 2005.

Sophomore Ryan Eccles, another returner, will be counted upon in the bullpen, where freshman Serrin Jarvi is holding down the closer role.

Eccles was 2-1 with a 4.27 ERA in 14 appearances last season, including four starts.

Freshmen Brian DeLoach, Matt Hauser (a Corona del Mar High product), Daniel Jacobson, Delancy Baker and Daniel Rogers are also expected to contribute on the bump, Altobelli said.

Baker and Rogers are the staff’s only left-handers.

First baseman Eric Oliver and shortstop Nick Rokowitz return to anchor the lineup after both earned second-team all-conference honors for last year’s 24-23 squad.

Oliver hit .332 as a freshman, when he led the team in hits (61), RBIs (42) and runs (40). He hit nine homers and with 17 doubles and one triple, nearly half of his hits were for extra bases.

Oliver, who has already committed to play next season at UC Santa Barbara, began the season at first, but could shift to third, where he played at Irvine High. He’ll hit third, Altobelli said.

Rokowitz, this year’s leadoff man, hit .318 with nine RBIs, and his .392 on-base percentage ranked third on last year’s team.

Halston Barcelo, a sophomore who started at shortstop last season for Irvine Valley, is the starting second baseman, while freshman Brett Slater, out of Esperanza High, is now occupying third base.

Freshman Wes Kartch is a backup second baseman.

Gabe Cota, a sophomore who redshirted last season, is among the options at catcher. He went two for four with a home run and drove in the game-winner Saturday at Cuesta, in his first collegiate start.

Sophomore Chris Lum hit .281 with one homer and 20 RBIs in 41 games last season, including 34 starts.

Another possibility is sophomore Nick Villanueva, who was ineligible last season and missed the first series while awaiting grade reports, Altobelli said.

Toby Alderete, a 6-2, 270-pound freshman who slugged 1.088 last season at JSerra High — he hit .475 with 12 homers, 11 doubles and 44 RBIs in 80 at-bats — is a first baseman-designated hitter type.

Altobelli said freshman David Seiler could also see time at first or designated hitter.

The outfield, Altobelli said, is an ongoing battle.

Sophomore Garrett Smith, who started in center last season — hitting .297 with three homers, 12 RBIs and 34 runs in 43 games — is competing with freshman Trevor Tibbetts in right field.

Freshman Cory Olson is a candidate in center, while freshman Mike Ferraro, a 6-3, 210-pounder with what scouts call a “pro body,” is a candidate in right. Olson could be the cleanup hitter.

Another potential contributor in the outfield is freshman Wes Presson, a four-year starter at Corona del Mar High, where he was a junior on the 2004 CIF Southern Section Division IV championship team. Presson attended school in Utah last year, but did not play baseball.

Chris Fung, a freshman who redshirted last season at UC Irvine, is another outfield hopeful.

Josh Bradbury, who hit .364 with 12 homers and 35 RBIs last season as a freshman, signed with the Texas Rangers, who drafted him in the eighth round (238th overall).

Gary Gattis, who lost his sophomore season to injuries last spring at OCC, has transferred to Yavapai Community College in Arizona.

The Pirates open at home on today at 2 p.m. against Western Nevada.

THE PIRATES

1 Serrin Jarvi Fr.

2 Nick Rokowitz So.

3 Ryan Eccles So.

4 Halston Barcelo So.

5 Brett Slater Fr.

6 Garrett Smith So.

7 Wes Kartch Fr.

8 Cory Olson Fr.

9 Daniel Jacobson Fr.

10 Chris Fung Fr.

11 Anthony Welsh So.

15 Matt Hauser Fr.

16 Trevor Tibbetts Fr.

17 Sean Krajenbrink Fr.

18 Keith Rizor So.

19 Brian DeLoach Fr.

21 Mike Ferraro Fr.

22 Gabe Cota Fr.

23 Eric Oliver So.

24 Keith Demorgandie So.

25 Chris Lum So.

27 Ryan Shopshire So.

28 Brian Schmitz Fr.

29 Delancy Baker Fr.

30 David Seiler Fr.

33 Nick Villanueva So.

34 Toby Alderete Fr.

35 Daniel Rogers Fr.

36 Kyle Krogman Fr.

44 Wes Presson Fr.

Coach: John Altobelli (15th year)