BASEBALL | Wildcats will be swinging big bats at the plate
March 15, 2011
By Dan Catchpole
Elliott Cribby might be one of the youngest — if not the youngest — head baseball coach at a 3A high school in Washington, but he acts like he’s been waiting his whole life for this moment.
Wildcat starters
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The former Minor League ballplayer takes over a squad deep in talent and experience. But one that also has some big holes left by last year’s graduating seniors.
The team is still stinging from two consecutive years of postseason problems. In 2009 and 2010, the Wildcats entered the 3A KingCo Tournament as the top seed — and went home empty handed.
Mount Si’s playoff woes prompted the school to fire head coach Chaz Carr and look for a new skipper.
When Cribby heard about the opening, he had just finished his first season as an assistant coach at Eastside Catholic High School.
The 25-year-old applied for the position with a good reference — Snoqualmie Valley resident and former Mariner Jay Buhner.
Key games
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Cribby brought the rest of Eastside Catholic’s coaching staff with him.
Swinging big bats
While the team has a new coaching staff, it isn’t starting from scratch.
“I inherited a really good team,” Cribby said.
The team includes 12 seniors and several returning key starters from last year, when the Mount Si squad set several new offensive school records.
The Wildcats went 17-4 in the regular season in 2010, setting new high marks in runs scored (160), homeruns (14), walks (92), winning percentage (.762) and stolen bases (84).
Mount Si will be swinging big bats again this season.
Leading the team’s offense will be Tim Proudfoot, Dustin Breshears and Trevor Lane.
Proudfoot showed more power as the team’s starting shortstop in 2010, collecting 13 extra base hits and 22 runs batted in. He also had 10 stolen bases in 10 attempts.
Breshears is the other part of the Wildcats solid middle infield. He hit .345 last season, scoring 16 runs.
First baseman Lane figures to anchor the team’s offense. As a sophomore last year, he had a .453 batting, .559 on-base percentage and .698 slugging percentage. That earned him a KingCo League honorable mention. With more experience against tougher pitching, Lane could improve on last season’s performance.
Mount Si’s lineup doesn’t have any holes. Catcher Robb Lane hit .333 last season with 12 RBI. Third baseman Shane Dixon hit .280 with a .400 OBP. Centerfielder Max Brown had a .327 average with 16 RBI.
The team’s new starters — leftfielder Trevor Taylor and right fielder Nate Sinner — polished their offensive skills last season, and look to contribute additional pop this year.
The Wildcats’ approach at the plate will vary depending on the situation.
“We’re going to play an upbeat, uptempo game” that also include small ball tactics when needed, Cribby said.
One thing the team has less of this season is speed in base running. Last year, it had four players with 10 or more stolen bases. Only one — Proudfoot — returned this year. Senior Matt Bankston had 13 steals in 14 attempts, but tore his ACL earlier in the school year and will miss the season.
Quick feet
Mount Si’s defense is experienced and has quick feet.
The entire infield consists of returning starters. Proudfoot and Breshears proved to be a fearsome double-play duo last year. At third, Dixon has shown he has the quick reactions needed to man the hot corner.
Brown anchors a less experienced but capable outfield. Taylor and Sinner earned their starting positions, and have the skill needed to limit extra base hits and pull in fly balls.
Lane brings experience to the plate. He showed last year his ability to manage the team’s pitching staff.
Question mark: pitching
The biggest question mark for the Wildcats is the pitching staff.
The team lost two of its workhorses from last season, Frank Tassara and Josh Kimoborowicz, to graduation. Another, Cooper Helm, is out for the season with stress fractures in his back.
That leaves Reece Karalus to carry the load. It isn’t clear who will step up to share pitching duties.
Karalus threw 22.1 innings last year, holding batters to a .169 average and notching 29 strikeouts and only seven walks. The junior appeared mostly in relief, racking up four saves. This year will require him to transition to a starting pitcher.
But he has a good coach to turn to for advice. Cribby pitched for the University of Washington, earning a spot on the All Pac-10 team in 2006. After graduating, Cribby played one season with the Rockford River Hawks in the independent Frontier League.
Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246 or editor@snovalleystar.com.
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