National champs back on field

CCSN baseball team opens season as No. 1-ranked team in nation

After four years of sizzling in the regular season and then fizzling out in the playoffs, the Community College of Southern Nevada baseball team finally realized its dream of winning the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series last year.

But don't expect the Coyotes -- 55-10 last season and 196-46 overall in their first five campaigns -- to rest on their laurels. In fact, this year's squad, which opens its campaign Friday and Saturday at Lied Field in Henderson against Fullerton (Calif.) College, could be the school's best yet.

The team is ranked No. 1 in the nation and could field a starting lineup of Major League Baseball draft picks.

"Everybody's gunning for us, but if we stay healthy and focused as we were last year, we have every chance to repeat," said head coach Tim Chambers, named national Coach of the Year by several organizations. "These guys got to experience something not a whole bunch of athletes experience, and because of that, they'll push real hard to do it again."

The Coyotes return a dozen players, including six pitchers, and 22 of their 25 players hail from Southern Nevada. Rather than leave for top Division I programs, such as the University of Texas, or sign professional contracts, several players chose to return to CCSN to make another run at the national title.

"They want to do it again," Chambers said. "Calvin Beamon turned down $200,000 from the Pirates and a scholarship from Texas to come back, because they want to do it again.

"To be honest with you, a number of kids said they wish this was a four-year school, because they would stay for four years. They enjoy where they're at and they want to experience it again."

Chambers said pitching and defense will be the strength of this year's team, along with speed, while offense is an early concern.

"I don't think we're going to be as explosive offensively as we were last year, but we have great team speed so that will help. We're going to have to play the short game a bunch to stay competitive," he said. "The key, like last year, will be to keep our chemistry tight, and our chemistry has been great.

"The sophomores who have been here want to (repeat) so bad, and the freshmen are so sick of hearing about it and they want to be part of something with their name on it."

Sophomore hurlers Jabe Beard and Tyler Coon return to anchor the pitching staff, along with sophomore returnees Larry Ellenbrook, Jeff Jacobsen, Ryan Prince and Matt Wilson.

Newcomers on the hill include sophomore transfer Kameron Francom and freshmen Jordan Parraz, Paul Schmidt and John Cahill.

"Our pitching staff is better than it's ever been," Chambers said. "We're deeper than we've ever been on the mound."

Beard, a 6-foot-2 right-hander from Foothill High School, signed with the University of Tennessee after an all-American campaign in which he emerged as the team's ace and went 15-1, with a 1.93 ERA.

"Jabe is just steady, he works extremely hard and he's a great leader," Chambers said. "He's a great location guy. You could put six or seven sunflower seeds on the plate and tell him which one to throw it over and he can do it."

Coon, a 6-3 left-hander -- one of only two on the staff, along with Schmidt, a Cimarron-Memorial graduate -- overcame an illness and some regular-season struggles to earn World Series MVP honors. The Silverado graduate went 12-3 overall, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants and signed with the University of Texas.

"Tyler's best pitch was a breaking ball last year, which kept hitters off balance down the stretch," Chambers said. "I don't expect anything different from those guys this year. I think we're all better just from being a year older."

Ellenbrook, from Palo Verde, is the team's most improved player over the last three years, Chambers said. He and Wilson, also from Palo Verde, each posted ERAs below 2.00 last season.

Jacobsen, a 6-7 hurler from Durango, went 4-0 last year and was drafted by the New York Yankees. Prince hails from Cheyenne while Francom, from Bonanza, transferred to CCSN from Utah Valley State, where he beat the Coyotes last season.

Cahill, from Lakewood, Calif., actually played a season in the minors for the Minnesota Twins, but was eligible to return to school since he was on the roster less than 90 days.

Parraz, 6-3, 220, helped lead Green Valley to the state title last year and was drafted with the fourth pick of the sixth round by the Philadelphia Phillies.

He was recruited by CCSN as an outfielder, but is also expected to pitch. He was clocked at 98 mph last year, hopes to hit 100 mph this year, and Chambers gushes when talking about him.

"It's a bold statement, but he's the best athlete I've ever coached, and it's not close," he said. "He's 6-3, 220, he runs a 6.6 (second) 60 (yard dash), and he has the best arm I've ever seen -- ever. And he can hit.

"He's a legitimate five-tool player (speed, arm strength, defense, hits for average, hits for power). He's the only five-tool player I've ever coached."

Parraz is expected to follow Beard and Coon in the rotation, with the fourth spot up for grabs at press time.

Around the horn, the Coyotes feature catchers Robbie Richards, a sophomore from Palo Verde, Jered Ferdinand, a freshman from Silverado, and Doug Low, a freshman from Foothill who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs; third baseman Mike Cruz, a sophomore from Reno who was named outstanding defensive player in the World Series; shortstop Sean Kazmar, a sophomore from Las Vegas who earned all-American honors last season, was drafted by the Oakland A's and signed with the University of Georgia; second basemen David Hamilton, a freshman from Las Vegas, Kyle Price, a freshman from Green Valley drafted by the Atlanta Braves, and Chris Siewert, a freshman from Bishop Gorman; and first baseman Mike Dunn, a freshman from Cimarron-Memorial named Nevada Player of the Year last season and drafted by the Houston Astros.

In the outfield, CCSN features Beamon, a sophomore from Colorado who hit .342 last year; Sean Havens, a sophomore from Durango; and Greg Marshall, a sophomore from Bishop Gorman.

Others expected to see action include freshman infielders Ryan Castellanos (Silverado), Jeremy Reese (Cimarron-Memorial) and Anthony Rodriguez (Palo Verde).

Kazmar is the team's top returning hitter. He hit .359 last season and led the team in runs scored (66), hits (88) and doubles (16). He was also third on the team with 52 RBIs and the unofficial team leader in uniform stains.

"I've never seen him leave practice without diving on the dirt three or four times," Chambers said. "He's such a pleasure to coach. I've never been around anyone who loves to play baseball more than that guy."

Chambers views being the preseason No. 1 as added incentive for the team.

"I'd rather be No. 1 than No. 21. It's more incentive for players to want to win and stay No. 1 until the end," he said. "We know we have a target on our back anyways."

Chambers credits his coaching staff with being the backbone of the team. It includes Glen Evans, Rich Ebarb, Jay Guest, Marc Morse, Robert Cox, Mike Armbrister and trainer Steve Jacobucci.


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