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Nevada Baseball Head Coach Gary Powers - Beating the Odds

Beating the Odds
BY JOE SANTORO

When Gary Powers took over as the head baseball coach at the University of Nevada in the summer of 1982, it was all about survival.

“We were more worried about whether or not we’d even have a program back then,” Powers said recently after a Pack practice at Peccole Park. “We just went to work everyday trying to save the program and then, after we did that, trying to prove that it was worth saving.”

Keeping the Wolf Pack baseball program alive in the 1980s was personal for Powers.

“The last thing I wanted was to see the program I played for get dropped on my watch,” said Powers, a Douglas High graduate who pitched for the Wolf Pack in 1970 and 1971.

Now, after 800 victories, four NCAA Regional appearances, 15 seasons of 30 victories or more, Wolf Pack baseball is and always will be personal for Powers.

“I don’t know how long I’ll continue to do this,” said Powers, now in his 27th season. “It’s still fun for me. I love being around the game and I love teaching young men.”

Powers, who has sent more than seven-dozen players to professional baseball, including 12 that made it to the major leagues, earned his 800th career victory in a 6-5 victory over Oregon last month. The numbers of victories on his resume, though, have nothing to do with the score on the scoreboard. Powers’ victories have always come from the success of his players after they leave the program.

“I never got into all that stuff about how many victories I have,” said Powers, who ranked 26th in career wins among active Division I coaches heading into the 2009 season. “It is always about being a positive influence on young men and giving the guidance they need to succeed in life.

“It’s about getting young men to work for the betterment of the group. I never looked at my success in terms of wins and losses. It’s about helping people become successful in life.”

The baseball program barely survived the 1980s. It took a $300,000 donation from William Peccole in 1987 to convince the athletic department to keep it alive. That money, along with considerable financial and manpower donations from local business people, funded the construction of Peccole Park in 1988. Powers then took the ball and ran with it.

“Once we got the support from the Peccole family that gave us a chance to build the program,” said Powers, whose team played its home games at worn-out Moana Stadium before moving to its on-campus facility. “Once we got our own field we could start to become successful.”

It didn’t take Powers long to build the Wolf Pack into one of the top baseball programs in the West. The Pack won 30 games for the first time (in the Powers’ era) in 1989. In 1992, when the team was between conferences, moving from the West Coast Conference to the Big West, the Pack was 43-11, including a perfect 29-0 at home.

A Big West Conference title and the first NCAA berth came in 1994, followed by NCAA appearances in 1997, 1999 and 2000. The 1994-2000 teams went 252-134 for an incredible winning percentage of .653 against some of the best competition in the nation in the Big West. And it all happened at a school that nearly dropped baseball a decade earlier.

“Once we got into the Big West it put us in position to develop a program,” Powers said. “We were able to play great teams all the time and recruit better athletes.”

The exposure the Wolf Pack received in Southern California, playing schools like Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Santa Barbara was invaluable for the program.

“Our name was in the Los Angeles Times everyday,” Powers said. “We were in the Orange County Register and the other newspapers in southern California every single day. We could go down there and recruit those kids because they knew all about us.”

The Pack moved to the Western Athletic Conference and, well, that all changed in an instant. The baseball program has remained competitive, winning 30 or more games in five of eight years, since going to the WAC for the start of the 2001 season. But the move to the WAC was almost like starting over. The Pack had to rethink its recruiting focus and it is still looking for its first league title and NCAA berth since accomplishing both in 2000 in the Big West.

“Moving to the WAC took our daily presence in southern California away from us,” Powers said. “Also, other programs have been added down in that area that have replaced us. The talent level down there has been spread out and diluted.”

Powers’ drive and motivation, though, doesn’t come from piling up numbers in the win column. That, he said, is only one reward for working hard and doing things the right way.

“You know, in baseball, if you win more games than you lose, it’s a successful year,” Powers said. “You don’t go 40-10 in baseball every year. Every game in baseball is a challenge. You want to win because that is a great teaching tool. Anybody can come out here and just play the game. That’s not why we’re out here, to just play. We’re out here to work hard, build character and do all of the things you need to do to win. It gives you a goal.

“But we’re really out here to build a work ethic in these kids and get them to develop a mental toughness. They have to learn how to be accountable to the team and how to compete everyday. Those are the skills you need in life. Going out and beating people that are better than you, that’s what it’s all about.”

Powers and the Pack baseball program have always been about beating the odds. When you start your first practice every year under the threat of snow and cold, well, the odds are always against you.

“We’re a cold-weather school trying to compete in a warm-weather sport in a warm-weather conference,” Powers said. “To play here in February, March and April you have to have a mental toughness or you will never succeed.”

Nevada Baseball Knocks Off No. 10 Missouri 8-4

Nevada Knocks Off No. 10 Missouri 8-4

Phoenix, Ariz. – The University of Nevada (2-2) baseball team hit four home runs to defeat 10th ranked Missouri (1-2) in its final game of the Phoenix Tournament being hosted at Grand Canyon University’s Brazell Field in Phoenix, Ariz. The Wolf Pack end the opening weekend of play at 2-2 while the Tigers are 1-2 with one game left in the tournament versus Gonzaga.

With two down in the top of the first inning Pack third baseman Matt Bowman collected his first hit of the season driving a pitch from MU starter Kelly Fick over the left field wall to put the Pack on top 1-0. In the second the Pack made it 2-0 when right fielder Brett Hart doubled with one down, moved to second on a fly out and scored on catcher Travis Simas’ single.

A three-base error by Hart in the bottom of the second inning allowed Tiger catcher Ryan Ampleman to reach third base where he scored on third baseman Kyle Mach’s sacrifice fly to pull MU within a run at 2-1. The Pack got the run back in the top of the third inning with a solo home run off the bat of left fielder Aaron Henry and it was once again a two run advantage at 3-1.

Missouri again made it a one-run game scoring in the bottom of the third inning on two hits. Left fielder Greg Folgia was hit by pitch and eventually scored on right fielder Aaron Senne’s RBI single to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Wolf Pack.

The Pack pushed it back to a two run advantage scoring once in the top of the sixth inning. With two down Hart singled, stole second base and moved to a third base on the play as a result of a throwing error by Ampleman. Second baseman Nick Lead followed with an RBI single and it was 4-2 in favor of the Nevada.

The Tigers collected three consecutive hits off Pack reliever Bryan Suarez in the bottom of the sixth to again make it a one-run contest at 4-3. Suarez avoided further damage striking out the final two hitters of the inning with runners at first and third base.

First baseman Shaun Kort gave the Pack some breathing room blasting a three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to make the score 7-3. Kort’s homer scored pinch hitter Waylen Sing Chow who reached on an error and Bowman after he followed with a single. Bowman struck again in the top of the ninth inning blasting his second home run of the game over the left field fence and it was 8-3.

Missouri scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning and loaded the bases with two but reliever Sammy Miller got pinch hitter Ben Turner to lineout to second base to end the game.

Nevada starter Brock Stassi (1-0) earned the win allowing two runs, one earned in five innings on the mound while recording six strikeouts. Suarez gave up two runs on six hits in his 3.2 innings of action. Miller retired the only hitter he faced to earn his first save of the season.

Flick was tagged with the loss giving up four runs on nine hits in six innings of action.

Bowman (3-for-5,3R,2RBI) led the Pack with three hits and hit two solo home runs in the game. Hart (2-for-4,2R), Leid (2-for-4,RBI) and Simas (2-for-4,RBI) added two hits each. Kort topped the team with three RBI coming on his first home run of the season.

Nevada returns to action on Thursday in the first game of the San Diego Tournament at San Diego State at 6:00 p.m.

Lasorda Returns As Keynote Speaker For 25th Annual Bobby Dolan Baseball Dinner

Reno, Nev. - Longtime Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda returns as the keynote speaker for the 25th Annual Bobby Dolan Baseball Dinner on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at the Silver Legacy Resort and Casino. Lasorda was inaugural speaker when the dinner began in 1985 and returned again in 1986. The 2009 dinner will mark the third time for him as the dinner’s featured speaker.

Regarded by many as baseball’s most popular ambassador, Tommy Lasorda begins his 58th season in the Dodger organization and third as Special Advisor to the Chairman. He was named Vice President in 1996 after retiring as manager, a position he held for the previous 20 seasons. Lasorda assumed all player personnel responsibilities when he was named the Dodgers’ interim General Manager on June 22, 1998. He relinquished his General Manager duties when he was promoted to Senior Vice President on Sept. 11, 1998.

Lasorda’s role in the globalization of the game of baseball is now more evident than ever before, as Commissioner Selig appointed him as the Official Ambassador of the inaugural World Baseball Classic. Lasorda managed an underdog United States Olympic Baseball Team to the Gold Medal at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, just five days after celebrating his 73rd birthday. On Nov. 6, 2000, the Tom Lasorda Heart Institute officially opened at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, CA.

In 1997, Lasorda was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in his first year of eligibility. He was the 14th manager and 52nd Dodger inducted into the Hall of Fame. Lasorda’s uniform number (2) was retired by the Dodgers on Aug. 15, 1997 and the main street that leads to the entrance of Dodgertown in Vero Beach, FL was renamed Tommy Lasorda Lane on March 5, 1997. Lasorda also threw out the first pitch in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series.

Lasorda compiled a 1,599-1,439 record and won two World Championships, four National League pennants and eight division titles in an extraordinary 20-year career as the Dodgers’ manager. He ranks 13th with 1,599 wins and 12th with 3,038 games managed in Major League history. His 16 wins in 30 NL Championship Series games managed were the most of any manager at the time of his retirement in 1996. His 61 postseason games managed rank third all-time behind Bobby Cox and Casey Stengel.

Lasorda posted a 3-1 record as the NL manager in four All-Star Games. He joined St. Louis’ Gabby (1930-31) as the only managers in NL history to win league titles in his first two seasons when he led the Dodgers to titles in 1977-78. Lasorda also managed nine of the Dodgers’ 16 Rookies of the Year, more than any other big league skipper in history.

Prior to replacing Hall of Famer Walter Alston as manager on Sept. 29, 1976, Lasorda spent four seasons in Los Angeles on Alston’s coaching staff from 1973-76. He spent eight seasons as a manager in the Dodgers’ minor league system at Pocatello (1965), Ogden (1966-68), Spokane (1969-71) and Albuquerque (1972). Lasorda also spent four years as a Dodger scout after retiring as a player following the 1960 season. An astounding 75 players Lasorda managed in the minor leagues went on to play in the Majors.

Lasorda compiled an 0-4 record and 6.52 ERA as a left-handed pitcher in parts of three Major League seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1954-55) and Kansas City Athletics (1956). In all, he spent 14 seasons in the minor leagues from 1945-60 and he served two years in the military from 1946-47.

He has won numerous awards throughout his career, including being named Minor League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News in 1970, Manager of the Year by UPI and AP in 1977, Manager of the Year by AP in 1981 and N.L. Manager of the Year by Baseball America and Co-Manager of the Year by The Sporting News in 1988. He was the recipient of the Association of Professional Baseball Players of America’s inaugural Milton Richman Memorial Award with Sparky Anderson in 1987, the BBWAA Philadelphia Chapter’s Humanitarian Award in 1993, Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce’s Award of Merit in 1997, Touchdown Club of Columbus’ Baseball Ambassador of the Year in 1997, Arete’s Courage in Sports Award in 1997 and was honored by the President of the Dominican Republic in 1997 for his dedication to the game of baseball throughout his career.

Lasorda has been a spokesperson for the American Heart Association and serves on the Board of Directors for the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation. The PBSF now gives an annual award in his name for the most outstanding manager of the year and in 2006, the first year of its existence; Lasorda received the award as the Manager of the Century. He has received honorary doctorate degrees from Pepperdine, St. Thomas, CS Long Beach, University of
Phoenix, Concordia and Hawai`i.

In February 2003, he was honored by Cal Tech when he became only the second person to ever have an asteroid named after them. His asteroid is #6128, otherwise known as Asteroid Lasorda. Lasorda and his wife, Jo, have been married for 56 years. The couple renamed a gymnasium and youth center in memory of their son, Tom Jr., in Yorba Linda, CA on Sept. 7, 1997. They are also the proud grandparents of Emily Tess (11), the child of their daughter, Laura and son-in-law, Bill Goldberg.

Pack Baseball Signs Six During Early Signing Period

Reno, Nev. - University of Nevada head baseball coach Gary Powers has concluded baseball’s early signing period by inking six players to National Letters of Intent to play for the Wolf Pack in 2010.  Two of the players Brian Barnett and Matt Gardner will transfer from the junior college ranks while the other four Carlos Escobar, Tom Jameson, Jerad Harvey and Cullen Mahoney will be incoming freshman. 

Barnett, an outfielder, is currently a sophomore at Western Nevada Community College in Carson City, Nev.  He was named Scenic West Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year after leading the league in hitting (.364), home runs (11), on base percentage (.476), slugging percentage (.631) and RBI (44).  As a freshman he set school records in home runs, runs scored (44), RBI, hits (68) and total bases (188) appearing in 58 games for a Wildcat team that posted a 38-20 record.  As a prep athlete the Reno product played at McQueen High School. 

A right-handed pitcher Gardner went 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA pitching 14.1 innings in his nine appearances for Southern Nevada Community College in Henderson, Nev. as a freshman in 2008.  The Coyotes posted a 44-16 overall record, won the Scenic West Conference championship with a 30-10 mark and the 2008 Region XVIII title.  The Reno native played his prep baseball for Damonte Ranch High School. 

Escobar, a catcher is currently completing his senior year at Chatsworth High School in Northridge, Calif.  The 6’3”, 195-pounder hit .316 with four home runs and 23 RBI which earned him All-CIF and All-West Valley League honors.  The Chancellors won their sixth consecutive West Valley League title with a 14-1 record and were 29-5 overall.  CHS also won its second consecutive Los Angeles City Section championship and record eighth overall. 

Currently a senior at North Valleys High School Harvey was 2-5 with a 2.55 ERA pitching in eight games for the Panthers his junior season.  He started seven games and made one relief appearance with five complete games on the season.  The right-hander struck out 47 and walked just 10 tossing 41.1 innings as  junior.  His sophomore season he posted a 6-3 mark with a 3.14 ERA in 11 starts, 51.2 innings pitched, struck out 59 and pitched three complete games. 

Another right-handed pitcher Jameson is currently a senior at Reno High School.  His junior year he was 6-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 42.2 innings pitched, struck out 38 and walked just 13 for the Regional Champion Huskies.  Playing third base for RHS he hit .280 with 23 runs scored, six doubles, four home runs and 23 RBI but will concentrate on pitching during his collegiate career for the Pack. 

Mahoney saw time as both a middle infielder and outfielder for Brophy Prepatory School in Phoenix, Ariz.   An all-region selection he hit .356 with 18 runs scored, a .494 slugging percentage, six doubles, two home runs and 23 RBI for the 19-11 Broncos as a junior. 

“We addressed several of our needs for the future with the signing of these six quality players during the early signing period,” said Powers.  “My coaching staff does an excellent job of identifying talent and bringing them to campus.  This is a great start during the early period for our recruiting class for 2010 and expect to have additional signees in the spring.” 

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