New look Spartans seek rise in league

Already, early in the 2015 season, first-year coach Pedro Hernandez seems to have the Southwestern baseball program on the rise.

The Spartans opened the season with two weekend road trips to Oklahoma to take on nationally-ranked Northern Oklahoma and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. They came back from that stiff competition with a 3-5 record heading into this weekend’s trip to defending Division I national champion Iowa Western.

The Spartans are already halfway to the number of victories obtained in an injury-riddled 2014 campaign in Brian “Bull” Smith’s last year at the helm.

Hernandez said it won’t be an overnight transformation, but certainly he and assistants Kenny Namanny and Steve Westphal are looking to improve on the 6-35 mark, and 3-25 as the eighth-place ICCAC Division II team from a year ago.

"The guys know our number one expectation is in the classroom," said Hernandez, a former player at Indian Hills and Iowa Wesleyan, who coached the past two seasons as an assistant at Ellsworth Community College. "On the field, the team knows we finished last in the regular season last year, and we're not going to finish last this year. That is on our mind. We are not saying where we are going to finish, but we're saying we are not finishing last. Then when we get there, we will see what we can do in the (regional) tournament."

The Spartans have two local players on the roster, one a returnee who has battled several injury problems in the past.

Pitcher Ethan Westphal, who led state title runs for both Lenox and Martensdale-St. Marys as a prep, had redshirt and medical redshirt seasons for two years while undergoing back surgery and Tommy John elbow surgery.

He pitched and played infield for the Spartans last year, and then attended Concordia College in Nebraska the first semester this school year. At semester, he transferred back to SWCC after a ruling that he was still eligible for a second year at the junior college level.

“Because he was graduating, we thought he couldn’t play here,” Hernandez said. “But NJCAA rules say it doesn’t matter, because he hasn’t used his eligibility. Just like in the NCAA now, you see some guys graduate and start their master’s program, and they’re still playing. It’s the same concept. So, at semester we found it out and he wanted to transfer back in. We needed an arm, so it fit perfect.”

Westphal has been on the mound for two of the team’s wins already. As one of the four primary starters, he is 1-0 with a 3.09 earned run average in 11 innings, with 10 strikeouts and four walks while allowing 14 hits against two solid hitting ballclubs.

Westphal has had a successful rebound from the Tommy John surgery, showing the highest velocity on the team up to 91 mph on his fastball, and setting consistently in the high 80s. Yet, just like his high school days, that’s just a small part of his arsenal.

“The good thing for Ethan is that he has command of all of his secondary pitches — slider, curveball and changeup — and he can throw them from different angles, which makes him harder to hit,” Hernandez said.

The other local player is freshman outfielder Trevor Luther of Creston, who had signed to play at Midland Lutheran and spent the first semester at the Nebraska school.

“He contacted us that he wants to study agriculture, and they didn’t offer the program there,” Hernandez said. “Also, the coach who recruited him got a new job in Michigan, so he thought it would be better for him to be closer to home right now.”

Luther is sharing left field with freshman Brett Carstens of Coon Rapids-Bayard.

“Carstens is not only a good hitter, but has a lot of speed and has a good arm, throwing 81 mph from the outfield,” Hernandez said. “Trevor has a good arm, too. If he starts hitting, he has opportunities. We know he’s a good hitter, he just has to get going a little bit.”

Hernandez was recruited to Indian Hills as a player out of Puerto Rico, and has gone home to land eight recruits on this year’s roster, making up about half of the starting lineup. They arrive with a lot of seasoning for their age.

“Actually, the high school season here is longer in number of games, but in a shorter period of time,” Hernandez said. “They only play on weekends. But, they get to be outside 12 months a year, so they’re able to get more reps.”

Freshman Misael Lebron of Puerto Rico and sophomore Rafael Eigenmann, transfer from Coppin State, are handling the catching duties. Lebron is the team leader in RBIs to date, hitting in the cleanup position.

Right fielder Erich Gonzalez, second baseman Bradley Lopez of Puerto Rico and third baseman Sterling Rupp of Grand Island, Neb., have each homered already as the lineup looks to have some pop this season.

The third hitter is Gonzalez, freshman from Bronx, N.Y., with three doubles to date as well. He also possesses the strongest outfield arm on the team.

The leadoff batter is skilled shortstop Samuel Vega of Puerto Rico.

“He gives us a good engine at the top, and I haven’t seen the other shortstops yet, but I’m confident that we have one of the best defensive shortstops in the conference,” Hernandez said. “He throws 87 (mph) across the infield and runs (60 yards) in 6.9.”

The No. 6 batter, sophomore center fielder Eric Bueno of Bronx, N.Y., brings experience to the outfield and is the early team leader with three stolen bases.

Three players are sharing the first base position. Sophomore Zach Anderson of Kansas City, freshman Omar Frias of Dominican Republic and sophomore Matt Mayden of Warrensburg, Mo., all bring power to the battling order. Anderson is considered the most polished defensively.

Freshman Glenn Velasquez of Puerto Rico is a reserve infielder and outfielder, and freshman Alfonso Ruvalcaba of Omaha is a capable backup to Vega at shortstop.

Joining Westphal in the starting pitching rotation are Zach Maskill, sophomore from Kansas City; Joshua Santiago, sophomore transfer from Southeastern Community College; and John Bisignano, freshman from West Des Moines Dowling. Santiago and Bisignano are lefthanders.

Santiago has already committed to Division I Jackson State in Mississippi next year.

The closer is Angelo Rivera, sophomore from Puerto Rico.

“He has two plus pitches that he commands in his fastball and slider, and he throws plenty of strikes with both,” Hernandez said.

Namanny, who went to high school at Denison-Schleswig with two years of assistant coaching experience at Westwood of Sloan, is in charge of the pitchers. He’s also working on the roles of hurlers London Collins of Drexel, Mo.; Brian Anderson of Boone; Ottoniel Pacheco of Puerto Rico; Zak Bassett of Omaha; Drew Carlson of Tracy; and Travis Goodrich of Elkhorn, Neb.

Steve Westphal assists Hernandez on hitting and serves as the bench coach.

“He has so much experience,” Hernandez said of the former state champion coach at Lenox. “I told him, I need all your knowledge!”

The Spartans’ home opener is March 18 against Marshalltown Community College at 1 p.m. Former Spartan coach and athletic director Bill Krejci will be the home plate umpire when Southwestern opens league play at home Saturday, March 21 against Iowa Central in a 2 p.m. doubleheader.

Roster

Sophomores — Ethan Westphal, P-OF, Winterset; Jason Roberts, P-IF, Godfrey, Ill.; Joshua Santiago, P, Arecibo, Puerto Rico; Rafael Eigenmann, C, Waterford, Mich.; Eric Bueno, OF, Bronx, N.Y.; Angelo Rivera, P, San Sebastian, Puerto Rico; Zach Maskill, P, Kansas City, Mo.; Matt Mayden, C-1B, Warrensburg, Mo.; Chris Carson, 1B, Redfield; Zach Anderson, 1B, Kansas City, Mo.; Alexander Rios, OF-C, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

Freshmen — Glenn Velasquez, IF, Fajardo, Puerto Rico; Samuel Vega, SS, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico; Erich Gonzalez, OF-P, Bronx, N.Y.; Brett Carstens, IF, Bayard; Travis Goodrich, P, Elkhorn, Neb.; London Collins, P, Drexel, Mo.; BJ Anderson, P, Boone; Misael Lebron, C, Tryillo, Alto, Puerto Rico; Bradley Lopez, IF, Cayey, Puerto Rico; Drew Carlson, P, Tracy; Trevor Luther, OF, Creston; Zak Bassett, P, Omaha; Omar Frias, 1B-P, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Alfonso Ruvalcaba, IF, Omaha; Sterling Rupp, 3B, Grand Island, Neb.; John Bisignano, P, Windsor Heights; Ottoniel Pacheco, P, Carolina, Puerto Rico; Matt Brophy, P, Carter Lake.

Schedule

Feb. 20 — at Northern Oklahoma, Enid (L, 9-2)

Feb. 20 — at Northern Oklahoma, Enid (L, 9-4)

Feb. 21 — at Northern Oklahoma, Enid (W, 9-8)

Feb. 21 — at Northern Oklahoma, Enid (W, 9-5)

Feb. 28-March 1 — at Carl Albert State (Cancelled)

March 7 — at NE Oklahoma A&M, Miami, Okla. (L, 11-1)

March 7 — at NE Oklahoma A&M, Miami, Okla. (L, 6-4)

March 8 — at NE Oklahoma A&M, Miami, Okla. (W, 6-3)

March 8 — at NE Oklahoma A&M, Miami, Okla. (L, 14-4)

March 14 — at Iowa Western, Council Bluffs (DH), 1 p.m.

March 15 — at Iowa Western, Council Bluffs (DH), 1 p.m.

March 18 — vs. Marshalltown CC, (DH), 1 p.m.

March 21 — vs. Iowa Central, (DH), 2 p.m.

March 22 — vs. Iowa Central (DH), 1 p.m.

March 25 — vs. Marshalltown CC, 2 p.m.

March 28 — vs. Southeastern CC (DH), 2 p.m.

March 29 — vs. Southeastern CC (DH), 1 p.m.

April 2 — vs. Graceland JV (DH), 1 p.m.

April 4 — at Iowa Lakes, Estherville (DH), 2 p.m.

April 5 — at Iowa Lakes, Estherville (DH), 1 p.m.

April 6 — at Grand View, Des Moines (DH), 2 p.m.

April 9 — vs. Indian Hills CC (DH), 2 p.m.

April 11 — at Kirkwood CC, Cedar Rapids (DH), 2 p.m.

April 12 — at Kirkwood CC, Cedar Rapids (DH), 1 p.m.

April 14 — at Grand View, Des Moines (DH), 2 p.m.

April 18 — at DMACC, Boone (DH), 2 p.m.

April 19 — vs. DMACC (DH), 1 p.m.

April 22 — at Indian Hills, Centerville (DH), 2 p.m.

April 25 — vs. NIACC (DH), 2 p.m.

April 26 — vs. NIACC (DH), 1 p.m.

April 29 — at Marshalltown CC, 3 p.m.

May 2 — at Ellsworth CC, Iowa Falls (DH), 2 p.m.

May 3 — at Ellsworth CC, Iowa Falls (DH), 1 p.m.

May 7-11 — Region XI tournament at Waterloo

May 16-17 — District tournament

May 23-30 — NJCAA World Series, Enid, Okla.

Manager — Dustin Gordon.

Coaches — Pedro Hernandez, head coach; Kenneth Namanny, assistant coach; Steve Westphal, assistant coach.