Post-season or bust for WNC

After six seasons, Western Nevada College has become one of the best junior college baseball programs on the West Coast.

Under the guidance of D.J. Whittemore, the Wildcats have put together a 254-108-2 record entering the program's seventh season. Like the San Francisco 49ers in their heyday, anything short of a post-season berth is treated as a failure.

So, when you talk about the 2011 season, it's hard to classify it as a failure because WNC won the Scenic West Conference's regular-season title and finished 46-14, yet the Wildcats were disappointed when they failed to advance out of the conference tournament, losing twice on the last day of the tournament to Salt Lake Community College on WNC's home field.

"Absolutely, we've reached that point," said Whittemore, whose team begins play Jan. 27 against South Maintain College of Arizona in Las Vegas. "The idea is we're going to win it at the end.

"For me, last year was very troubling because of how much the team invested. We'll use it as a point of motivation in preparation for the season."

So, as Whittemore embarks on his seventh season at the helm, he has to find a way to meld 18 new players with his returning players. What makes the job more difficult is that the bulk of these players don't know each other before stepping onto the Carson City campus for the first time.

Whittemore makes no bones about the fact that chemistry is critical to his team's success.

"It's a difficult thing to find and create," Whittemore said. "We're (sometimes) asking people to play different positions or play a part-time role. All of these guys were all first-team all-league or all-state in high school.

"Winning is key. Nobody wants to be a back-up on a losing team. Our guys care about each other. They genuinely root for each others success. One of the things I've found is that if you're honest with them from the get-go ... I have an open-door policy with them."

Whittemore starts the season without his 3, 4 and 5 hitters from a year ago (Connor Eppard, Sean Potkay and Beau Day) plus top pitchers Chris Garrison, Kody Gorden and Tim Peterson.

Whittemore expects his team to challenge for the regular-season title, but said Salt Lake has to be favored going in.

"They (Salt Lake) have the three best players in the conference returning plus five or six other guys that contributed," Whittemore said. "Southern Nevada has a lot of guys that we recruited, and since their coach will have a full season under his belt they should be tough.

"Eastern Utah has its best team since 2007, and all four of their starting pitchers are returning. Southern Idaho has four or five pitchers back. We have a lot of RBIs and wins to replace."

Here is a position-by position rundown of this year's team:

PITCHING

Andrew Woeck (7-2, 4.14), Tyler Spencer (2-0, 2.25), Anthony Consiglio (7-1, 2.36), Brandon Jackson (3-4, 4.64) and Matt Robertson (2-1. 5.06) return. Newcomers Dylan Baker, Austin Richmond and Rayne Raven are looking for spots in the rotation.

"We place a high emphasis on having our best guy in at the end of the game," said Whittemore, who shuffled guys between starting and relieving last year. "Spencer is throwing in the low 90s, and he's the 22nd best prospect in junior college. Consiglio threw well for us last year.

"Dylan throws in the low-to-mid 90s. Austin has a chance to make the rotation. Rayne will be two-way player for us. He's making a bid to be one of the starters."

CATCHER

The Wildcats lost their best three catchers - Beau Day, Patrick McMeel and Sean Dwyer - from last year. McMeel and Dwyer have moved on to four-year schools, while Day is on the Wildcats' coaching staff this year while he finishes up some schoolwork.

Returnee Neil Lawhorn (.159, O HR, 6 RBI) is the starter with freshman Cole Ferguson and ex-Galena standout sophomore Tony Guidara as the backups. Zach Hendrix is the emergency catcher.

"Neil has improved in every area," Whittemore said. "His strength is his ability to call a game. Ferguson can DH and play a little first base."

INFIELD

As of right now, Mike Umscheid is the starter at first, Hendrix at second (Donald Glover is injured), Chris Woolley (.337, 1-35) and Taylor Smart (.254, 0-20) are battling for the starting shortstop job with Alex Schmidt at third.

"Taylor has done a phenomenal job as a leader and he's playing great," Whittemore said. "Woolley will probably end up playing right field. He's very versatile. Alex will only be with us one year. He's already signed with the University of Washington. He will hit in the middle of the order for us."

OUTFIELD

Sophomore Bobby Pappin (.247, 3-15) will start in center with Woolley in right and sophomore transfer Derrick Pitts in right. Pitts had nine RBI in one game last season at Chipola, Fla.

Glover (.286, 0-8) saw time in the outfield a year ago, while sophomore Dillon Ness and Hofstra University bounceback Bobby Gazzola will battle for playing time. Brock Pellow, who also pitches, has outfield experience.

2012 Roster

No. Name Pos. Yr. Hometown

2 Taylor Smart In So. Maple Valley, WA.

3 Phillip Belding P Fr. Beaverton, OR.

4 Andrew Woeck P So. Brier, WA.

5 Donald Glover OF So. Las Vegas

6 Brock Pellow P-OF Fr. Lake Oswego, OR.

7 Brandon Show P Fr. Las Vegas

8 Chris Woolley IF-OF So. Boise, ID

10 Bobby Pappin OF So. Draper, UT.

11 Torgen Soderlund P Fr. Fairbanks, AK.

12 Zach Hendrix 3B-C So. Puyallup, WA.

13 Dillon Ness OF So. Billings, MT.

15 A.J. Hernandez INF Fr.Las Vegas

18 Bobby Gazzola INF-OF So. Coram, N.Y.

20 Mike Umscheid INF Fr. Beaverton, OR.

21 Neil Lawhorn C-OF So. Las Vegas

22 Tyler Spencer P So. Grants Pass, OR.

23 Brandon Jackson P So. Roseburg, OR.

24 Anthony Consiglio P So Las Vegas

25 Evan Parker P Fr. Ogden, UT.

26 Cody Hamlin P Fr. Boise, ID.

28 Tony Guidara C So. Reno

28 Alex Schmidt INF Fr. Mulkilteo, WA.

30 Dylan Baker P So. Juneau, AK

31 Cole Ferguson C Fr. Salem, OR.

32 Rayne Raven P-INF Fr. Tacoma, WA.

33 Austin Richmond P Fr. Tigard, OR.

34 Tyler Morfin 1B Fr. Kennewick, WA.

35 Matt Robertson P So. Bend, OR.

Derrick Pitts OF So. Chipola, Fla.

Head coach: D. J. Whittemore

2012 Home schedule

March 9: College of Eastern Utah (Noon, 2 p.m.)

March 10: College of Eastern Utah (11 a.m., 1 p.m.)

March 23: College of Southern Idaho (Noon, 2 p.m.)

March 24: College of Southern Idaho (Noon, 2 p.m.)

March 30: Salt Lake Community College (Noon, 2 p.m.)

March 31: Salt Lake Community College (Noon, 2 p.m.)

April 6: Colorado Northwestern (Noon, 2 p.m.)

April 7: Colorado Northwestern (Noon, 2 p.m.)

April 20: College of Southern Nevada (Noon, 2 p.m.)

April 21: College of Southern Nevada (Noon, 2 p.m.)