Coyote Baseball’s Offense Leading 2016 Playoff Charge

By Harrison Howard

College of Southern Nevada’s baseball team has its most productive offense since the 2010 Bryce Harper season.

“We always try to find a steady balance throughout our lineup,” CSN’s Head Baseball Coach Nick Garritano said. The team’s players can hit.

“The intriguing thing with this lineup is that every single regular starter has hit the long ball,” Garritano said. “They were good hitters coming in; every guy has his own thing going.”

The team has many great hitters; it can come back even in late innings when the team is down multiple runs. “You’re really never out of a game,” Garritano said. His players make the game interesting down the last pitch.

According to the National Junior College Athletic Association as of April 11, reflective of 39 games this season so far, the Coyote’s offense hit 45 home runs while posting a .346 batting average. In 64 games last season, CSN hit 17 home runs and batted .279.

“We had a very quiet fall in the power game so I honestly have been a little bit surprised with the home run numbers we have put up this early in the season,” Garritano said.

Sophomore First Baseman Brody Westmoreland appreciates Garritano’s coaching style.

“Our coaches do a great job letting us be who we are,” Westmoreland said. “They don’t try to control how we swing.” Westmoreland is leading the team with 11 home runs this season.

The coaching staff’s strategy for each individual hitter is to look for one type of pitch to hit such as: a fast ball, change up, curve ball or slider.

Freshman Infielder Blake Wiggins said, “This team has something special and can do something that no team has done since 2010. We are a close group of guys all trying to accomplish one thing.”

“Our goal is to win the SWAC, SWAC tourney, Western District tourney and advance to Grand Junction, Colorado for the NJCAA World Series,” Garritano said.

This season’s ball club still has some work to do to be ready for the postseason.

“We lost some key guys from last year,” Garritano said. “Our starters have done a nice job recently and our bullpen is maturing each opportunity they touch the mound.”

Garritano said that the team’s offense is ready for the playoff push but the pitching still needs work.