Nick Leid is taking advantage of his opportunities.
The Nevada Wolf Pack super utility player is turning into a super starter this season. The junior infielder-outfielder is hitting a team-high .481 (13-for-27) with 10 RBI, four doubles and a homer.
"He's utilizing his experience," Pack coach Gary Powers said after Sunday's 6-4 loss to Central Arkansas at Peccole Park.
Leid hit just .252 over his first two Wolf Pack seasons. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound junior from Richland, Wash., played in 65 games over the last two years with 33 starts. He's played in 10 of the Pack's 11 games this year with seven starts.
Leid, who had four doubles, three triples, two homers and 17 RBI combined the past two seasons, has struck out just three times this year. His 10 RBI is third on the team behind Shaun Kort (16) and Brian Barnett (14).
In addition to his hitting ability, Leid also supplies Powers with an abundance of options when making out the lineup each day. Leid can play second, third and left field. He started at second and moved to third in the final innings on Sunday.
"He's such a competitive guy," Powers said. "He doesn't care where he plays. He's not worried about those things."
Powers hopes the young players on this year's roster look at Leid as an example of hard work and patience indeed eventually paying off.
"He's paid his dues," Powers said. "When a guy works that hard with that kind of an attitude, those are the things you reward."
STASSI WALKS THREE: Brock Stassi's three walks Sunday in 5.1 innings were the junior lefthander's first walks of the season.
The Yuba City, Calif., native did not walk a hitter through his first 14 innings this year before giving Central Arkansas' Michael Marrieta a free pass with two outs in the second inning on Sunday.
The appearance was Stassi's most difficult of the season after sailing through his first two outings (one earned run in 12.1 innings). Stassi allowed seven hits (and many hard-hit outs) while walking three and giving up four runs (all earned). He left the game with the Pack trailing 4-2 after throwing 95 pitches (just 56 strikes).
Powers, though, isn't worried about his full-time designated hitter/ starting pitcher.
"He did his job," Powers said. "He kept us in the game. If we would have done our job at the plate and executed in a couple situations we would have been in a lot better position."
COLE CONTINUES TO IMPRESS: Relief pitcher Jeremy Cole turned in a solid three innings on Sunday, allowing four hits and a run while not walking a hitter.
"He gave us three solid innings," Powers said.
The 6-foot junior right-hander from Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif., has now allowed just three earned runs in 12 innings over four appearances. Cole retired six of the final Central Arkansas hitters. The only hitter to reach base on him during that stretch came on a bunt single.
Cole, who has walked just one hitter in 12 innings this year, was 15-7 in two seasons at Sierra College and was part of the 2008 California junior college state champions.
MELINO STILL STRUGGLING: Outfielder/ designated hitter Nick Melino continues to come up empty at the plate.
The sophomore switch-hitter from Green Valley High in Henderson, struck out in his only two at-bats on Sunday. Melino is now hitting .077 this year with one hit in 13 at-bats. He has struck out five times and does not have an extra base hit or RBI.
"You saw today what he's been doing,' Powers said Sunday. "He's trying to do too much up there. He's not under control."
Powers, though, is confident Melino will return to his form of a year ago when he hit .352 with 15 doubles, 39 RBI in 53 games.
Melino, a strong and aggressive hitter, was one of the top hitting freshmen in the country a year ago. He was named to the Louisville slugger Freshman All-America team and was also named to the All-Western Athletic Conference First Team as a designated hitter. This year he was named to the Preseason All-WAC team as the DH.
"He just needs to allow the game to slow down for him," Powers said.
MOSS HAS BEEN MARVELOUS: Center fielder Westley Moss, one of the fastest players in the WAC, had three infield hits and two stolen bases on Sunday.
The 6-2 senior is now hitting .420 this year with six stolen bases.
Moss, who hit .305 last year at Nevada with 15 stolen bases and 46 runs scored, has been one of the best hitters in the WAC after going hitless in his first 20 at-bats in a Wolf Pack uniform last season.
Ever since that 0-for-20 start, Moss has hit a robust .359 with 78 hits in 217 at-bats.
THE WEEK AHEAD: The Wolf Pack (7-4 this year) will host Saint Mary's on Wednesday at Peccole Park before starting a three-game series at Cal-State Bakersfield on Friday.
The Wolf Pack beat Saint Mary's 3-1 in Moraga, Calif., on Feb. 22.
