Warrior Weekly: Stan State senior pitcher named to preseason All-American Team.
Senior pitcher Chase Wheatcroft has been chosen as a preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association heading into the 2019 season.
The Warrior pitcher, a third-team pick, is just one of four players from the California Collegiate Athletic Association to earn this honor.
Last season, Wheatcroft had 10 saves by March 10 — 18 games into the season — in 10 opportunities before suffering an injury. He still led the conference with 11 saves and a CCAA-low ERA of 0.93. In 19.1 innings, he struck out 17 and gave up just two earned runs (three total) on 18 hits.
Wheatcroft was also a NCBWA Preseason All-Region pick.
He joins Alex Eliopulos from UC San Diego (3B, 3rd team), TJ Dove of Cal State Monterey ay (OF, honorable mention) and Preston Mott of UC San Diego (SP, honorable mention) in representing the CCAA on the preseason All-American teams.
UC San Diego was picked No. 4 in the preseason poll while Cal State Monterey Bay was No. 21.
The Warriors, who finished 22-28 in 2018, return All-CCAA second-team players Jack Large (Modesto/Beyer HS) and Outfielder Braeden Oki (Tracy/Delta College).
The 2019 Warriors squad will feature a number of local talent including returners Large, Tyler Murphy (Turlock/Turlock HS), Evan Duran (Ceres/MJC) and Charles Shepard (Hickman/MJC/Waterford HS).
Softball team picked to finished third in CCAA coaches poll: As an indication of an improving program, the Stanislaus State softball team was predicted by the conference’s head coaches to finish third in 2019.
The California Collegiate Athletic Association surveyed the head coaches in the league and they unanimously picked Chico State to repeat as the conference champion followed by UC San Diego.
Stan State received 75 points to finish third out of 11 teams. The Warriors appeared in the CCAA tournament last spring for the first time since 2009. Stanislaus State finished 33-22 overall and 23-15 in third place in league play — both records are bests since 2009.
Forecasted rain alters schedules for the weekend: With rain expected in the Central Valley from mid-day Friday through Monday, a number of home events are being either canceled or rescheduled.
The scheduled three-game baseball series against Central Washington has been canceled. The teams will make-up one of the games on Sunday, Feb. 10, at noon after CWU completes its series in Alameda against Academy of Art.
The women’s tennis home opener versus Academy of Art on Saturday has been postponed with a make-up date to be determined.
