Giants hope deep pitching staff, quality defenders and potent bats lead to CVC title in Laird's debut season as baseball coach

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

A new era for College of the Sequoias' baseball begins with championship aspirations.

First-year head coach Scott Laird said his Giants are focused on competing for the program's first Central Valley Conference title since 2021 and ending a two-season playoffs drought.

"I think the talent of this roster and the talent of these young men, they have great ability and great potential," Laird said. "I think it's definitely a roster that's capable of going out and winning a conference title. I also think it has the right mix of offense, pitching and defense where a playoff berth is definitely something out there for us to go take.

"With the leadership and the drive of our sophomores and our freshman group, they are very hungry and determined to be successful."

A former two-time all-conference second baseman for Sequoias and a 13-season program assistant coach, Laird takes over for Jody Allen, who retired last April following his 32nd season as the Giants' skipper.

Laird and his assistants -- Jeff Sisk, Dana Gomez, Ben Walkowiak, Chris Schwinden, Logan Coughlin, Davis Beavers and Rance Mulliniks -- have assembled a 33-man roster of primarily local recruits who will be on display when Sequoias (0-2) makes its home debut at 2 p.m. Jan. 27 against Bakersfield (2-0).

"It was a dream for me to get this job, getting these guys and running the program the way I see fit," Laird said. "It's been really fun, a great first half to the year. I'm anxious, I'm encouraged and I'm really excited for the next 38 games of this regular season. I'm really excited to watch these young men go out and compete every day."

After consecutive seasons that saw the Giants sport team earned-run averages over 5.00, Laird expects an improved performance from a pitching staff led by sophomore right-hander Hudson Groh (Liberty-Madera Ranchos). Groh, who throws a 93 mile per hour fastball, will be one of Sequoias' three primary starting pitchers after going 2-6 with a 5.88 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 52 innings last season.

"He's got a big arm," Laird said. "He's a guy we'll lean on to anchor our rotation."

Freshmen Jerod Smith (Fowler) and Gage Hastin (Mission Oak) -- a pair of hard-throwing right-handers -- join Groh in the starting rotation.

"They both have power arms and an ability to compete in the strike zone," Laird said. "We are counting on them to log a lot of innings for us."

Two righties -- sophomore Chance Jasso (Redwood) and freshman Zachery Tackett (Kingsburg) -- and two lefties -- sophomore Cruz Rodriguez (Redwood) and sophomore Carson Hindmarsh (Saskatoon, Canada) -- are expected to handle most of the Giants' high leverage work out of the bullpen.

Sophomore right-hander Jordan Ver Steeg (Mt. Whitney), a transfer from NCAA Division II Fresno Pacific University -- is slated to be Sequoias' closer.

"He's got a lot of confidence in himself," Laird said. "Which is great for the back end of a baseball game."

Additional pitching depth will be supplied by sophomore righty Aiden Bryan (Mt. Whitney), sophomore lefty Noah Gonzalez (Hanford), sophomore righty Kannon Silva (Mission Oak), sophomore righty Easton King (Tulare Western), freshman righty Rylan Wilkes (Clovis North) and freshman righty Samuel Ciaccio (Tehachapi).

"The arm talent we have this year is exceptional. As far as the depth pieces go on the mound, it may be one of the deepest years we've had as far as pitching goes," Laird said. "We've got seven or eight guys we can run out at any time. And the way our schedule breaks down with playing three games a week in conference, I think it gives us a chance to go after every game with really high quality arms. The pieces are there. It's just a matter of making sure we get these guys continuing to go in the right direction."

Offensively, the Giants return one of their top bats from last season in first baseman Walker Selley (Smith's Parish, Canada), who hit .294 with two home runs and 17 RBIs.

Returning corner outfielders Payton Garcia (Fowler) and Caleb Catalano (San Francisco) are expected to provide some power to the lineup. Garcia had two homers and 12 RBIs last season, while Catalano had a homer and 16 RBIs.

Sequoias also has a pair of power-hitting freshmen in catcher Adan Flores (Central East-Fresno) and designated hitter/first baseman Solomon Anderson (Victoria, Canada).

Three other freshmen -- center fielder Jaxon Griffiths (Redwood), second baseman Kadyn Kirkley (Bakersfield Christian) and third baseman Hayden Elchlepp (Stockdale-Bakersfield) -- have earned prominent roles because of their sound play defensively. Griffiths is one of Sequoias' premier defenders.

"He flat out goes and gets it," Laird said of Griffiths.

The Giants defensive leader, however, is sophomore shortstop Aiden Medina (Hoover-Fresno). He had a .956 fielding percentage last season, making only six errors in 137 chances. He also turned 11 double plays.

"He has the ability to settle things down for us," Laird said. "He's a rock for our defense."

Also pushing for time in the outfield are Rodriguez when he's not pitching, sophomore Matt Raygoza (Hanford) and freshman Aaron Jones (Dos Palos). Rodriguez hit .270 with 15 RBIs last season, while Raygoza is returning after sitting out last season with an injury.

Additional infielders include sophomore Gannon Silva (Bullard-Fresno) and freshmen first baseman Xzavier Gonzalez (Immanuel-Reedley), third baseman/second baseman Joshua Barajas (Central East-Fresno), third baseman/shortstop/second baseman Jordan Chairez (Fresno), shortstop-second baseman Eric Garcia (Kingsburg) and second baseman Asa Medina (Hoover-Fresno), while freshmen Jason Lopez (Fowler) and Carlos Ramos (Redwood) provide depth at catcher.

"Offensively, you look at guys like Aiden, Walker, Adan, Caleb, Payton, with the ability to not just give us quality at-bats, but also provide the big spark, the big swing in the big moments," Laird said. "All those guys have the ability to leave the ballpark at any time, which is really good to have at this level. Not many teams have that."

Sequoias opened the season with two games against Allan Hancock in Santa Maria, losing 6-2 on Jan. 23 and 3-2 on Jan. 24.

Selley went 2 for 4 with a double while Rodriguez, Tackett and Wilkes combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief in the first game, while Hastin delivered a quality start (six innings, two earned runs and six strikeouts), Garcia and Medina each had two hits in the second game.

The Giants pre-conference schedule includes home games against Allan Hancock (Feb. 3) and Golden West (Feb. 12-14) before CVC play begins at 2 p.m. Feb. 17 with a road game at Taft.

Sequoias is looking to bounce back after going 16-23 overall and 9-14 in the CVC last year, its second straight sub-.500 season.

"Nobody is going to give us anything. You have to have the right group of guys that are willing to put in the work and the effort to go take it," Laird said. "That determination, especially with a couple of our guys, is phenomenal. They really help set the tone from the practice schedule, from the weight room schedule to really get guys going in the right direction. There are common goals with this group. Winning a conference championship and making a run to the postseason is always at the forefront."