Giants baseball set to launch season in search of fifth straight postseason appearance

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

Jody Allen enters his 30th season as College of the Sequoias baseball coach with a collection of players capable of extending the program's streak of postseason appearances in four consecutive championship seasons. 

Allen, however, said his Giants have much development to make to reach the Northern California playoffs again.

"I feel like we have a lot of talent," Allen said. "I've talked a lot about talent with our guys through the fall. But what we haven't done yet is play as consistently as we'd like. We have areas where we have lapses. If we can become more consistent, we have the chance to be pretty good."

Sequoias is set to launch the season at 2 p.m. Jan. 27 by hosting Allan Hancock. Admission is $8 general, $5 for seniors and students.

That will kickstart a stretch of six games in nine days sure to test a pitching staff without the top four performers, all departed sophomores, from last year when the Giants went 24-17 overall and 16-8 in the Central Valley Conference before their season came to an end with a 4-1 loss against Marin in the Northern California Regionals play-in game.

Sequoias will also host Allan Hancock at 1 p.m. Jan. 28, play at Bakersfield at 2 p.m. Jan. 31, then host a three-game series against Marin at 2 p.m. Feb. 2, 1 p.m. Feb. 3 and at noon Feb. 4.

"That's tough on any pitching staff or young team," Allen said. "Then throw on top you don't want to over throw guys early in the season. We're going to have to use the whole staff."

Sophomore Anfernee Murrieta, a former Lemoore High standout and Sacramento State transfer, is expected to draw the Opening Day start for the Giants. The right-hander went 0-2 with a 6.86 earned-run average and 15 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings last season.

"He had command issues (last season) but he was good this fall," Allen said. "He's got No. 1 (starter) stuff."

Freshman Richie Bailey (Monache-Porterville) will likely start Sequoias' second game.

Returners with starting experience include right-handers Jacob Tye (Tehachapi) and Stephen Dean (Mt. Whitney). Other returners who logged innings for the Giants last season include lefty Julian Lopez (Fresno) and righty Dylan See (Exeter).

Allen said he's hopeful a pair of right-handed sophomore transfers -- Gustavo Fierro (Moreno Valley) and Greyson Gregory (Mission Oak) -- will provide Sequoias some quality innings.

The Giants' pitching staff also includes freshmen right-handers Benjamin Rodriguez (Tulare Western) and Aaron Prieto (Fowler), and lefties Jace Vargas (Central Valley Christian) and Henry Vidak (Mt. Whitney).

"We've got several guys with good arms who have not shown good command to this point," Allen said. "If they can develop some command, they can help us tremendously. And I feel confident we'll be able to develop that. Some programs don't have the arms. At least we have the arms."

Offensively, Sequoias returns two key players who missed significant time last season because of injuries in shortstop Logan Schweizer (Sacramento) and outfielder Nate Gilson (El Diamante). Schweizer was hitting .346 with four doubles and 19 RBIs before getting hit by a pitch on his hand and missing the final 19 games. Gilson was off to a .311 start with four doubles and eight RBIs through 13 games before suffering a knee injury.

Sequoias returns four other players who contributed to a team that hit a collective .302 last season in Jackson Brooks (Exeter), Chase Gomez (Tulare Western), Jacob Costa (Tulare Union) and Jimmy Wallace (Arizona). 

Brooks, who will move from right field to center this season, hit .303 with five doubles, a triple, a home, 21 RBIs and 34 runs in 2022. 

Gomez, a first baseman and the son of Giants' pitching coach Dana Gomez, hit .289 with five doubles, a homer and 11 RBIs last season.

Costa, a third baseman who will also be in the mix to serve as Sequoias' closer, hit .278 with three doubles, a triple and 13 RBIs.

Wallace, an outfielder, hit .343 with a double and six RBIs.

Freshmen expected to contribute immediately include Rodriguez, who will play right field when not pitching, outfielder-turned-catcher Mathew Gonzales (Golden West), second basemen Zach Milhous (Monache-Porterville) and Chase Jasso (Redwood) and utility infielder Jacob Jiles (Cesar Chavez-Delano).

"We have good depth in the lineup," said Allen, whose staff also includes assistants Jeff Sisk, Scott Laird, Ben Walkowiak and Brent Hall. "I feel we can field a lineup with pretty tough hitters. What we haven't had so far is that guy who will step up and take care of the big moments. We're looking for someone to be that consistent big bat in the middle of the lineup."

Other freshmen competing for time include infielder Joseph Gamber (Fresno), utility Jesse Ortega (Dinuba), outfielder Diego Ambriz (Lemoore), outfielder Kaleb Castenon (El Diamante), infielder Preston Regalado (Paso Robles), infielder Kanani Judd-Au (Hawaii), infielder Jonathan Ortega (Golden West) and catcher Sione Taufa (Hawaii).

"This group is a work in progress," Allen said. "It's talented. If they don't kind of check out mentally, because the preseason could be difficult, but if they keep after it, they can be pretty good by the time we get to league."

After starting the season with 13 straight nonconference games, the Giants will open Central Valley Conference play at defending champion Fresno City at 2 p.m. Feb. 21.

Sequoias will also play the rival Rams at home at 2 p.m. Feb. 23, on the road at 1 p.m. Feb. 25 and at home at 2 p.m. April 27.

The Giants conclude the regular season by hosting Merced at 2 p.m. April 28.