Baseball: Wolf Pack notebook

 It hasn't taken Brian Barnett long to establish himself with the Nevada Wolf Pack baseball team.

 The former McQueen High and Western Nevada College standout has jumped right into the heart of the Wolf Pack's batting order. The 21-year-old junior corner outfielder is hitting .400 after eight games with five doubles and seven RBI.

 Barnett, who  scored 101 runs, hit 34 doubles and 21 homers and drove in 96 runs in two seasons at Western Nevada, has hit safely in seven of his eight games this year. He has doubled in five of the eight games and has driven in a run in five of the eight games.

 Barnett, a former middle infielder, has started in left and right field for the Pack.

 Barnett's offensive production shouldn't be a surprise. The 6-foot, 200-pounder hit .338 and .364 in his two seasons at Western Nevada and .534 with 23 homers and 72 RBI his senior year at McQueen.

 STASSI'S BAT QUIETS DOWN: The first two weekends of the season have been quite a study in contrast for Brock Stassi with a bat in his hands.

 Stassi was 11-for-15 with two homers and five RBI during the Pack's first weekend against Santa Clara and Saint Mary's. The Yuba City, Calif., native was named the Western Athletic Conference's Hitter of the Week.

 This past weekend was a different story. Stassi went 0-for-10 in the Pack's four games at Pacific and UC Davis without an RBI.

 The left-handed designated hitter is hitting .440 this year (11-for-25).

 LEFTY LEADERS: Stassi and Chris Garcia are well on their way to nailing down two of the Pack's four starting pitching roles once the WAC season begins in April.

 The two lefthanders came up big this past weekend, each tossing seven quality innings in victories over Pacific and Davis. Garcia allowed just five hits and a run while striking out seven in beating Pacific and Stassi allowed just six hits and a run while fanning six in beating Davis.

 Garcia, a Reed High graduate, has allowed just one run and seven hits in 10 innings this year with an earned run average of 0.90.

 Stassi has allowed just nine hits and one earned run in 12.1 innings while striking out seven to go along with an ERA of 0.73.

 STARTERS UNDER CONTROL: Wolf Pack starting pitching walked 14 hitters in just 15.1 innings over the first five games of the season.

 That wildness, though, disappeared starting in Game 6 in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday at Pacific.

 Pack starting pitchers -- Rickey Denham, Garcia and Stassi -- combined to not walk a single hitter over the last three games and 18 innings this past weekend.

 Denham didn't walk a hitter in four innings against Pacific, Garcia went seven innings against Pacific without a walk and Stassi did the same on Monday against Davis.

 LEID-ER OF THE PACK: Nick Leid is making a strong case to become a fixture in the Pack's starting lineup. The super utility player -- he can play the infield as well as left and right field -- is hitting .500 this year (8-for-16) with a double, homer and six RBI.

 The 5-foot-11, 175-pound junior from Richland, Wash., hit just .218 last year over 33 games and 78 at-bats.

 Leid has played in seven of the Pack's eight games this year with four starts.

 GRAHAM FINDS ROLE: Tyler Graham is giving the Pack a lot of confidence late in games.

 The 6-foot-4, 240-pound senior right-hander was given the closer's role to start the year and he hasn't disappointed. In two games, Graham has nailed down both saves and has not allowed a hit or walk over four innings.

 His two saves are one more than he had all last season when he went 2-2 with a 4.75 ERA over 23 games (one start).

 Graham's early-season success seems to be the result of much-improved control.

Last year in 47.1 innings, Graham hit 13 batters to lead all Pack pitchers. He also tossed seven wild pitches last year and walked 16 hitters.

 This year, in four innings, he hasn't walked a hitter, hit a hitter or thrown a wild pitch.

 RODLAND SETTING THE TONE: Shortstop Kevin Rodland is thriving in the leadoff role for the Pack.

 The senior has a .526 on-base percentage with eight hits and eight walks to go along with getting hit by a pitch four times.

 Rodland is also hitting .308 this year after hitting just .267 a year ago with a .347 on base percentage.

 Rodland, who walked just 19 times all last season, also has six stolen bases this year after getting 12 last year.

 ON DECK: The Wolf Pack will open its home schedule this Friday at Peccole Park with a 2 p.m. game against Central Arkansas. The Pack will also meet Central Arkansas on both Saturday and Sunday in 1 p.m. games.