VANCOUVER – Featuring as dangerous a pitching rotation as there is the league, and a deep lineup of gifted hitters, the UBC Thunderbirds baseball program is looking to stake a claim as one of the best teams in the NAIA during the 2016 season.
 
That quest is set to begin this weekend, as the 'Birds will take part in the LCSC Guardian Heating, Plumbing, and A/C tournament in Lewiston, Idaho. The 'Birds will take on Northwest Nazarene, Corban, and Lewis-Clark State, something that first-year head coach Chris Pritchett admits is akin to being thrown right into the fire.
 
"I think we end this weekend playing the No. 1-ranked team in NAIA [Lewis-Clark State], and then next week, we play the No. 16-ranked team [Westmont], then the No. 10 [The Master's]," noted Pritchett, who succeeds Terry McKaig as head coach. "It should be a good test for us, and we'll get a great chance to see where we're at, and where we need to get better."
 
With that said, buoyed by a 6-0 fall season record, Pritchett was clear that the roster, with more time to gel and come together, has the talent to challenge anyone in the NAIA, even if it's their work ethic that has jumped out at him through the fall season and training.
 
"The most impressive thing about this group is that their work ethic has been outstanding – I've been blown away with their willingness to work and want to get better, which I find rare in today's athletes," said Pritchett.
 
That work ethic definitely is coupled some considerable ability, particularly on the mound.
 
The 'Birds will feature a dynamic pitching staff - Alex Webb (Surrey, B.C.), a draft pick of the MLB's San Diego Padres, is set to headline the rotation after a season that saw him post a 10-3 record with a 2.15 ERA and 97 strikeouts. Veterans Tyler Gillies (London, Ont.) and Jeremy Newton (Toronto) are also set to return, while Bradley Smith (Vancouver) will look to make a significant contribution in his second season with the 'Birds.
 
The 'Birds will also feature one of the best closing weapons in the league in relief pitcher Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, B.C.). Named a 2016 NAIA Preseason All-American, Taylor's 2014-15 season saw him finished the campaign with a 4-2 record, ranked fifth overall in the NAIA with 12 saves, and also had a team-best earned-run average of 1.02.
 
"Theses are guys that have proven they can pitch and get outs at this level, and it's very comforting to know that, when they take the mound, we know that we're going to be in games," said Pritchett of his pitching staff. "It takes a little pressure off of the offense, but also, we're looking for leadership from them. We expect them to take the ball and do well every time out, and so far, it's been going well. They've done really well in training and back in the fall, and we expect that to continue."   
 
At the plate, the 'Birds will be looking for a couple of seniors to make an impact in first baseman Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) and center fielder Tyler Enns (East St. Paul, Man.). Last season, Yari notched team-highs in total hits (76) and bating percentage (0.349), also notching six home runs and 40 RBIs. Enns finished second on the team in at-bats, with 2017 to Yari's 218, and accounted for 32 runs on 63 hits.
 
"When you start the look at the middle of our lineup, you see how dangerous we can be. A guy like Yari has already shown his ability at this level, and he's starting to show his power more consistently now. So, Bruce is going to be a guy that teams are going to have to plan for, something that is only going to help the guys around him in the lineup."
 
Pritchett also made note of a pair of sophomores, third baseman Anthony Cusati (Burnaby, B.C.) and right fielder Griff Goyer (Burnaby, B.C.), who he expect to improve significantly, based on what he's seen in the early going of their second seasons with the 'Birds.
 
"Anthony, we expect him to really put up some offensive numbers as he gets more of an opportunity to show what he can do. Same with Goyer. After not getting a lot of playing time last year, he's made some nice adjustments to his swing in the winter, and we're hoping his bat comes on. It could take some time to adjust – making adjustments in the cage is one thing, but when it's coming at you 92 miles an hour, it's a bit different. Still, they're looking good."
 
The single biggest change for the 'Birds will come at catcher, as they lost both Cam Firth, a 2015 Gold Glove winner, and Brody Hawkins, a four-year standout, to graduation over the offseason.
 
However, the two openings in the lineup have provided an opportunity for juniors Matt Zanutto (Calgary), Mike Orosz (Vancouver), and Mackenzie Parlow (Qualicum Beach, B.C.), as well as sophomores Zach Prisciak (Toronto), and Braeden Allemann (Surrey, B.C.), to win a position clean out of the gate.
 
"Whenever you have to replace guys like Firth, who was probably the best catcher in the NAIA last year, and Hawkins, it's never easy," admitted Pritchett. "But, we have five guys that are starting to show at that position that they can really receive the ball well. They're relatively unproven – they don't have many at-bats, but we're looking for one or two of them to emerge, show off some leadership qualities, and make plays."
 
As hard as the 'Birds have been training in preparation for the season, the task has been made infinitely easier with the new UBC Baseball Indoor Training Centre at their disposal. With cutting edge technology and a space in which they can train regardless of the weather, Pritchett notes that the ITC has been invaluable when trying to maximize training.
 
"With the weather in Vancouver the way it is, a facility like this allows us to keep training even when, otherwise, it just wouldn't be feasible," said Pritchett.
With the simulators and the equipment we've got, we can still do defensive work and pitching work, and whatever we can to stay sharp. It's been huge for us, and I think we're be ahead of where teams have been at this point of the year in past seasons because of it."
 
The 'Birds will put that theory to the test on Friday, February 5, as they head down to Lewiston, Idaho to take on the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders at 10 a.m. (PT), followed by a matchup with the Corban Warriors at 1 p.m. (PT). The 'Birds will square of with the top-ranked team in the NAIA, the Lewis-Clark State Warriors, on Saturday, February 6, with the first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. (PT). The tournament final will be played on Sunday.