Giants baseball set to launch season Jan. 26 at Allan Hancock

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

A potent lineup is expected to be the backbone of a College of the Sequoias baseball team aiming to qualify for the Northern California Regional playoffs for the sixth consecutive championship season.

Returning sophomores Benjamin Rodriguez, Zach Milhous and Jesse Ortega give coach Jody Allen a trio of proven bats ahead of the Giants' season opener, set for 1 p.m. Jan. 26 in Santa Maria against Allan Hancock. Sequoias also plays at Hancock at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 27.

"Offensively, we should have a good club," said Allen, who is entering his 31st season as Sequoias' coach. "We can run guys out one through nine without too many holes. The biggest strength of this club is the offense."

Rodriguez (Tulare Western High) is the Giants' top returning hitter after posting a .298 average with a home run, two triples, eight doubles, 25 RBIs and 27 runs last season, when Sequoias 21-20 overall, 16-8 in the Central Valley Conference and were selected for the NorCal Regional playoffs. He is expected to play center field -- and be among the team's top five pitchers -- this season after playing right field in 2023.

Milhous (Monache) hit .269 with a home run, a triple, six doubles, 31 runs and 19 RBIs while splitting time between third base and second base last season. He is expected to play primarily at second this season.

Ortega (Dinuba), an outfielder/designated hitter, hit .286 with three home runs, a triple, five doubles, 12 runs and 17 RBIs last season.

Allen and his staff -- which includes Jeff Sisk, Dana Gomez, Scott Laird, Ben Walkowiak and Logan Coughlin -- have another potential impact sophomore in transfer shortstop Isaiah Munoz (Clovis North). An NCAA Division I Hawaii recruit out of high school, Munoz hit .234 with a home run and eight RBIs in 64 at-bats at Cuesta community college last season while recording a 1.000 fielding percentage in 65 total chances.

Sequoias has several other returning sophomores who are pushing for bigger roles after seeing limited action last season, including first basemen Jonathon Ortega (Golden West) and Kanani Judd-Au (Kahuku, Hawaii); shortstop Jacob Jiles (Cesar Chavez-Delano); and outfielders Matthew Gonzales (Golden West) and Kaleb Castanon (El Diamante).

"We have some holes to fill," Allen said. "We also have guys who will step up and help tremendously this year."

A pair of freshmen -- Nick Senn (El Diamante) and Alex Lopez (Golden West) -- are expected to be the primary catchers. Fellow freshmen Bradley Smith (Sierra Pacific-Hanford) and Bryson Leyva (Highland-Bakersfield) provide depth at catcher.

"I really like our catching situation," Allen said. "Alex hits lefty and Nick is a righty. They are both good receivers. They will both contribute mightily to what we do. Our catching has really good depth to it."

Freshmen position players competing for playing time include corner infielder Diego Sanchez (Bakersfield Christian), second baseman Jeremiah Guerra (Kennedy-Delano), third basemen Daniel Coronado (El Diamante) and Dominic Perez (Hanford); and outfielders Ethan Winslow (Kingsburg), Keine Prendez (Dinuba), Noe Salazar (Kerman), Matthew Raygoza (Hanford) and Evan Gonzalez (Redwood).

"Defensively, we're going to be a little bit of a work in progress," Allen said. "We have the athletes to be good defensively. If we end up playing good defense in the infield, I think the club will blossom."

Pitching will be Sequoias' biggest question mark, with only two returners who logged at least 12 innings last season in right-handers Richie Bailey (Monache-Porterville) and Joseph Gamber (Fresno).

Bailey went 1-5 with 53 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings last season, while Gamber had 12 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.

"We need guys to step up on the mound," Allen said.

The Giants have four players -- lefties Rodriguez and Prendez, and right-handers Winslow and Gonzales -- who will pull double duty as outfielders and pitchers. Rodriguez struck out 11 batters in 8 1/3 innings last season.

Sequoias' pitching staff is rounded out by sophomore Sione Taufa (Kaimuki, Hawaii), who was a catcher last season; and freshmen right-handers Nicholas Morrelli (Clovis), Sonny Pena (Tulare Western), Javier Altamirano (Mt. Whitney), Aaron Prieto (Fowler), Madden Aguilar (Hanford) and Alex Hernandez (Redwood); and lefties Henry Vidak (Mt. Whitney) and A.J. Bekedam (Sierra Pacific).

"We've got a lot of unknown guys and we'll have to see how they develop," Allen said. "I don't know if we'll have the prototypical one, two, three guys. We'll be more pitch-by-committee and have guys step up and give us two or three quality innings that will help us put a game together."

The Giants will be battle tested early as four of the five teams they will face before Central Valley Conference play begins made the state playoffs last season, including Final Four participant Folsom Lake. Hancock, Marin and Golden West also made the state playoffs.

Sequoias home opener is set for 2 p.m. Jan. 30 against Bakersfield.

The Giants open CVC play with a three-game series against rival Fresno City, set for 3 p.m. Feb. 20 on the road, 2 p.m. Feb. 22 at home, and 1 p.m. Feb. 24 on the road.

The reigning CVC champion Rams, Merced and Reedley all joined Sequoias in the NorCal Regionals field last season.

"We always have expectations to compete at a high level," Allen said. "We play a top notch schedule. When we get through the preseason, we'll know where we stand. I feel this is a team that can do some good things. We have athletes who can perform at a really high level. Whether they do that, time will tell, but we're not short on talent. And that's a real positive going into the year."