IRVINE, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University has been chosen in a seventh place tie with Hawai'i Hilo in the 2019 PacWest Conference Preseason Baseball Poll released today by the conference office.
Senior first baseman
Christian Kapeliela was named to the Preseason All-PacWest Conference team.
The Sharks return four starting position players, including Kapeliela, and two starting pitchers as part of 16 returning lettermen for first-year coach
Dallas Correa. HPU was 22-28 last season and 15-25 in the PacWest Conference to place ninth.
HPU received 24 points in the poll to tie with Hawai'i Hilo (21-27, 16-22) for seventh in the poll, nine points above Holy Names (12-38, 8-32) in ninth.
Defending PacWest Champion Azusa Pacific (41-11, 29-9) is the preseason favorite of the league's coaches, receiving seven first place votes and 78 total points. Point Loma (34-18, 29-11), the 2018 runner up, garnered two first place votes to rank second with 73 points. Concordia Irvine (22-28, 19-21) was third with 56 points, ahead of fourth place Biola (34-22, 21-19) with 52 points. Academy of Art (24-25, 19-21) picked up 42 points for fifth, edging out Fresno Pacific (18-28, 15-25) who received 41 points to place sixth in the poll.
Kapeliela, the senior first sacker from Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle, was selected by the coaches on the Preseason All-PacWest team. The 2018 All-PacWest First Teamer led the PacWest and was 23rd in NCAA Division II with his .407 batting average. He also led the league and was 23rd with his .500 on-base percentage. The third-team Google Cloud Academic All-American was also named to both the NCBWA and D2CCA All-West Region teams.
Point Loma junior outfielder Micah Pries was voted as the PacWest Preseason Player of the Year, while Academy of Art senior Ben Kaser was voted the PacWest Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Joining trio on the Preseason All-PacWest Team are catcher Justin Gomez, third baseman Osvaldo Tovalin, shortstop Mychael Goudreau and starting pitcher Nick Estrella of Azusa Pacific; second baseman Travis Takata and utility/pitcher John Balliet of Point Loma; outfielder Jerron Largusa and designated hitter Ryan Gallegos of Biola; outfielder Michael Warkentin of Fresno Pacific; and starting pitcher Dylan Spain, reliever John Kea and utility/fielder RJ Romo of Hawai'i Hilo.
The Sharks open the 2019 season on Friday night, Feb. 1, at Hans L'Orange Park in Waipahu to start a five-game series against Howard Payne (Texas). The Friday night single game has a 6 p.m. first pitch.
+++ HPU +++
| 2019 PACWEST BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL |
| |
TEAM |
POINTS |
2018 RECORD |
| 1. |
Azusa Pacific (7) |
78 |
41-11 (29-9) |
| 2. |
Point Loma (2) |
73 |
34-18 (29-11) |
| 3. |
Concordia |
56 |
22-28 (19-21) |
| 4. |
Biola |
52 |
34-22 (21-19) |
| 5. |
Academy of Art |
42 |
24-25 (19-21) |
| 6. |
Fresno Pacific |
41 |
18-28 (15-25) |
| 7. |
Hawai'i Hilo |
24 |
16-22 (21-27) |
| 7. |
Hawai'i Pacific |
24 |
22-28 (15-25) |
| 9. |
Holy Names |
15 |
12-38 (8-32) |
| First-place votes in parenthesis |
| 2019 PRESEASON ALL-PACWEST BASEBALL TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Class |
B/T |
Hometown/Previous School |
| Justin Gomez |
Azusa Pacific |
C |
Sr. |
L/R |
Claremont, Calif./Bonita |
| Christian Kapeliela |
Hawai'i Pacific |
1B |
Sr. |
R/R |
Kaneohe, Hawai`i/Castle |
| Travis Takata |
Point Loma |
2B |
Jr. |
L/R |
Athens, Texas/Athens |
| Osvaldo Tovalin |
Azusa Pacific |
3B |
So. |
L/R |
Chula Vista, Calif./Otay Ranch |
| Mychael Goudreau |
Azusa Pacific |
SS |
Sr. |
R/R |
Elk Grove, Calif./Jesuit |
| Micah Pries * |
Point Loma |
OF |
Jr. |
L/R |
San Juan Capistrano, Calif./JSerra Catholic |
| Jerron Largusa |
Biola |
OF |
Sr. |
R/R |
Las Vegas/Palo Verde |
| Michael Warkentin |
Fresno Pacific |
OF |
So. |
L/L |
Reedley, Calif./Reedley |
| Ryan Gallegos |
Biola |
DH |
So. |
R/R |
Scotts Valley, Calif./Scotts Valley |
| Nick Estrella |
Azusa Pacific |
SP |
Jr. |
R/R |
Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge |
| Ben Kaser ^ |
Academy of Art |
SP |
Sr. |
R/R |
Van Nuys, Calif./La Mission College |
| Dylan Spain |
Hawai'i Hilo |
SP |
Jr. |
R/R |
Honolulu / St. Louis |
| John Kea |
Hawai'i Hilo |
RP |
So. |
R/R |
Honolulu/St. Louis |
| RJ Romo |
Hawai'i Hilo |
UF |
Sr. |
R/R |
Glendora, Calif./Rio Hondo CC |
| John Balliet |
Point Loma |
UP |
Sr. |
L/L |
Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo |
* - Preseason Player of the Year
^ - Preseason Pitcher of the Year
