ALAMOSA, Colo. – Adams State Baseball is set to swing back into action for Spring 2020. With another 50-game season ahead, the Grizzlies are excited to get back on the field to build on last years successes and blow past current expectations.
In his eighth season at the helm of Adams State Baseball is head coach,
James Capra. The 2019 season saw the improvement that the Grizzlies were so desperately searching for, as win total and overall on-field production increased after a difficult 2018. The Grizzlies finished their season last year 9-41 overall, and 6-30 in the RMAC. The Grizzlies finished two games behind Colorado Christian, who they beat three times last season.
Adams State had two outstanding Grizzlies who earned All-Conference honors. Outfielder,
Nico Nintze was named to the All-RMAC second team with scoring a spot on the Gold Glove team, while his teammate,
Logan Bistrup also took home RMAC Gold Glove honors at third base. Entering 2020, Capra and the reloaded Grizzlies hope to continue to improve and get back to the conference tournament.
The 2020 team is composed of 8 seniors, 12 juniors, 8 sophomores, and will welcome 5 new freshmen. Adams State will welcome back familiar faces to lead the Grizzlies into the new season. Senior, Nintze will lead Grizzlies in to the new the new season. As 2019's leader of the offense, Nintze had the highest batting average on the team of .337, 57 hits, and 8 home runs.
Jake Angelopulos and
Orlando Romero are also big returners for the Grizzlies. Romero ended his season with a .664 OPS and 47 RBIs. Angelopolus finished the season with a .971 fielding average. Senior, Dalton Carelo will lead Adams State from the bump, as he started 11 of his 15 games he appeared in.
Adams State is also excited for the newcomers to show as versatility and great promise for the upcoming season. Both
Matt Bathauer and
Mike Bathauer are promising recruits. The Grizzlies are also excited to embrace the new faces on the pitching staff:
Dane Perry,
Alfredo Villa,
Cutter Smith,
Montana Gomez, and
Caleb Raney.
This is year in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll, Adams State was picked to finish tenth, behind Colorado Christian and New Mexico Highlands. Colorado Mesa, the reigning RMAC Champions, were picked to finish first, with Colorado School of Mines in second and Dixie State in third.
The Grizzlies are looking to exceed expectations and build on last season's results. The Grizzlies will open their season on the road to take on Wayland Baptist University. This will be the first time these two teams have faced off. The Pioneers got an early start to the season, sweeping their first four game series against York College. Wayland Baptist University finished their season 24-21 overall and 13-11 in their NAIA Sooner Athletic Conference.
Adams State will travel to Plainview, Texas to take on Wayland Baptist in a four-game series. The Grizzlies and Pioneers will play two double headers Friday, Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. and Saturday Feb. 1 at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.
