After a sputtering start with replacement parts, Nebraska club scraps its way back to another NAIA World Series appearance
By David Jackson
At first glace, this Bruin squad shows a lot of similarities to the 2006 version.
Both teams started off slow, finished the year with huge winning streaks and eventually won the Plains Super Regional to punch their ticket into the Series.
Upon further glance, however, this year’s ballclub could be more balanced than last year’s, even if the statistics don’t necessarily support that theory.
Saddled with losing two middle infielders, two speedy outfielders and two starting pitchers, Bruin coach Mike Evans found himself trying to plug new players into his system that could produce the same results as last year’s squad.
And the process has been worth it, if a little worrisome at times.
“Fundamentally we are sound now that we are at the end of the year,” said Evans, in his 19th year with the Bruins. “You couldn’t say that at the beginning of the year.”
The Bruins bring their tradional “small ball” to Lewiston. They boast a high average (.345) and speed on the basepaths, but they’re not much of a threat to leave the yard (40 home runs).
“We’re getting a little bit better every day,” said Evans. “We lost some speed from last year and we’ve learned what we can do as a group.”
Both infielder Scott Ratterman (.391) and catcher Josh Northrup (.386) flirted with the .400 mark for most of the year, with Ratterman pacing the team with nine homers.
The Bruins have a solid batting order where the No. 9 hitter (41 RBI) has knocked in almost as many runs as the No. 4 guy (51).
Blake Busson (26 steals) and Carlos Jackson (23) pace the Bruin attack on the basepaths.
“We’re a team that plays for a hit-and-run or a bunt-and-run,” said Evans. “We’ll steal a base when we need to.”
Although team hitting is probably a notch below last year’s standard, Bellevue’s pitching is a step or two higher.
Bellevue’s frontline of Nick Love (11-3), Tyler Espand (7-2) and Frank Smagacz (6-3) will be joined by Brett Scarpetta as a potential starter.
Scarpetta was on the shelf with an injury for three weeks, but threw an inning in the Plains Super Regionals against Bethany and was pronounced ready for additional duty.
“We feel we have as many as nine healthy pitchers going into the Series,” said Evans. “That allows us to go more by matchups than by saying it’s someone’s turn to throw.”
Not counting as one of those nine pitchers, presumably, is Bellevue’s top closer, Shawn Lee. Why wouldn’t Evans lump him in with the pitchers? Probably because he’s the team’s starting shortstop.
Lee, a pitcher in junior college, has made 14 appearances in final relief without giving up an earned run. He has surrenedered only six hits in 131/3 innings and has 16 strikeouts.
“I can’t say I’m real excited about using my shortstop as a closer, but he keeps saying ‘I haven’t failed yet’ and he’s right,” said Evans.
Evans said the performance of his backup shortstop, Jerry Zachery, prompted him to let the experiment continue.
Although the Bruins’ Series opener is against a Cumberland team that whipped them 11-5 earlier in the year, Evans looks forward to the rematch.
“It’s nice to play a team early, then face them later in the year,” he said. “They taught us a lesson - maybe we can learn from it.”
