Colleges spring sports preview: Saint Martin's Chandler Tracy better able to handle life's curves

Preview story: Saint Martin's older, wiser catcher better able to handle life's curves

Saint Martin's University Saints
BASEBALL
Coach: Ken Garland (fifth year)
Last season: 14-34 overall (10-20 GNAC, fifth place)
Top players: C Chandler Tracy, so.; RHP Brendan Jeffers, sr.; IF Bobby Twedt, sr.; IF Travis Shaw, so.
Outlook: Youth is in the cards for Garland’s Saints once again with 28 freshmen and sophomores on the 39-man roster. Chandler Tracy, the team’s starting catcher, is on the Tino Martinez Award watch list, an award that will go to the nation’s top player in NCAA Division II. The sophomore is the reigning GNAC freshman of the year. Travis Shaw is off to a hot start with a team-leading .344 batting average, 23 hits and 11 RBI. Saints coach Ken Garland says Josh Moss, a Rochester High graduate, is one of the team’s top pitchers.

SOFTBALL
Coach: Rick Noren (third year)
Last season: 33-18-1 overall, (22-13 GNAC, second place)
Top players: P/OF Taylor Bakos, sr.; P/IF Sam Munger, so.; 1B/P Joslyn Eugenio, sr.; 2B Lacey McGladrey, jr.
Outlook: Can the Saints continue their upward trend? After one of the biggest turnarounds in all of Division II last season, going 33-18 after a nine-win season in 2011, there’s nothing but optimism on this spring’s team. The Saints were picked to finish second in the GNAC behind Montana State-Billings, and sport a win total (14-8) already in double digits. Pitchers Sam Munger and Taylor Bakos have combined to hold opposing batters to a stingy .221 batting average.

TRACK AND FIELD
Coach: Chad Colwell (first year, interim)
Last season: Men – Sixth at GNAC championships; Women – 10th.
Top athletes: Men – Sam Washington, throws, sr.; Edd Brown, sprints, sr.; Brian McElroy, jumps, sr.; Frank Krause, middle distance, so. Women – Laura Tesch, jumps, sr.; Erica Crock, distance, jr.
Outlook: Laura Tesch enters the outdoor season with top-quality credentials after becoming the first Saint Martin’s athlete to compete in the national indoor meet earlier this month, where she placed 15th in the high jump. Sam Washington is the defending GNAC outdoor champion in the shot put and also had a strong indoor season, winning the weight throw at the GNAC championships and finishing second in the shot put.

The Evergreen State College Geoducks
TRACK AND FIELD
Coach: Chris Ertman (first year)
Top athletes: Men – Les Jones, middle distance, so; Zephyr Forest, hurdles, jr. Women – Karissa Carlson, distance, sr.
Outlook: Zephyr Forest had Evergreen’s top showing at last spring’s Cascade Collegiate Conference championships, placing 10th and 12th, respectively, in the 400 meters and 110 hurdles.

South Puget Sound Community College Clippers
SOFTBALL
Coach: Shannon Stine (second year)
Last season: Canceled season in April 2012.
Top players: C Jordanne Krumpols, fr., SS/CF Celena Edwards, fr., P/OF Amanda Rupright, fr.
Outlook: It’s a new-look Clippers team after the program was canceled last April because of low participation numbers. Twelve of the 13-player roster are freshmen, including eight South Sound-area athletes. Krumpols, from Shelton, was the 4A Narrows League MVP last spring.

-- Meg Wochnick, staff writer