Photo by: Charlie Blalock
Baseball 2022 Season Preview: Starting Pitchers
2/15/2022 11:06:00 AM | Baseball
HUNTSVILLE – Any coach or player will tell you that the key to winning baseball games is strong starting pitching, and with a slew of experience and talent in that area, the Sam Houston Bearkats like what they have going into the upcoming 2022 season.
Â
The Kats lost a pair of key senior lefties in Dominic Robinson and Kyle Backhus from a year ago, but return six players who made a total of 29 starts in 2021, a year that saw teams playing an odd 4-game series each weekend in Southland Conference play due to the after effects of COVID-19.
Â
This season Sam Houston is set to return to a more typical, 3-game weekend schedule in its first year in the WAC and the Kats will have plenty of options to turn to, starting with preseason all-WAC righty Coltin Atkinson. The Porter native was outstanding down the stretch for the Kats as a true freshman, starting four of his final five game after being used out of the bullpen in seven of his first eight appearances.
Â
He finished with a 6-1 record and 52 strikeouts in 46.1 total innings and should see those numbers go even higher with an increased workload in 2022. A probable weekend starter, Atkinson will likely be joined on that rotation by junior lefty Matt Dillard who enters his fourth season with the Kats in 2021.
Â
Dillard has progressed steadily in his time as a Bearkat, shuffling back and forth between starting roles and the bullpen. He made a career-high eight starts last season and was off to a stellar start before getting derailed by injury. Should he stay healthy this year, he brings the type of repertoire that could front the Kats' rotation this year.
Â
Additionally, right-hander Tyler Davis has been the Kats' Friday option the past two seasons and will likely see starts this season, but will also be splitting time between play on the bump and in the field in a 2-way role.
Â
That leaves the final weekend starter spot up for grabs with names such as Lance Lusk, Steven Beard, and Braden Davis all in the mix. Lusk and Beard are the two frontrunners for that spot entering the season, but could also be used out of the bullpen. Lusk, a hard-throwing righty, made one start in 21 appearances a year ago, but just one start. He held opponents to a .233 average and struck out 35 hitters in 41 innings, racking up nine saves as the Kats' closer.
Â
Meanwhile, Beard was one of the Kats' primary left-handed options, making 14 appearances out of the pen. He could still be used in a relief role this year as well, but has been stretched out in spring practice and will likely see starts in the early going.
Â
A wild card in the mix, however, is Davis, a high-end freshman from Keller who has shown well in fall and spring camps. He was ranked in the preseason by D1Baseball.com as the No. 7 impact freshman in the WAC and the top freshman lefty in the league.
Â
Â
The Kats lost a pair of key senior lefties in Dominic Robinson and Kyle Backhus from a year ago, but return six players who made a total of 29 starts in 2021, a year that saw teams playing an odd 4-game series each weekend in Southland Conference play due to the after effects of COVID-19.
Â
This season Sam Houston is set to return to a more typical, 3-game weekend schedule in its first year in the WAC and the Kats will have plenty of options to turn to, starting with preseason all-WAC righty Coltin Atkinson. The Porter native was outstanding down the stretch for the Kats as a true freshman, starting four of his final five game after being used out of the bullpen in seven of his first eight appearances.
Â
He finished with a 6-1 record and 52 strikeouts in 46.1 total innings and should see those numbers go even higher with an increased workload in 2022. A probable weekend starter, Atkinson will likely be joined on that rotation by junior lefty Matt Dillard who enters his fourth season with the Kats in 2021.
Â
Dillard has progressed steadily in his time as a Bearkat, shuffling back and forth between starting roles and the bullpen. He made a career-high eight starts last season and was off to a stellar start before getting derailed by injury. Should he stay healthy this year, he brings the type of repertoire that could front the Kats' rotation this year.
Â
Additionally, right-hander Tyler Davis has been the Kats' Friday option the past two seasons and will likely see starts this season, but will also be splitting time between play on the bump and in the field in a 2-way role.
Â
That leaves the final weekend starter spot up for grabs with names such as Lance Lusk, Steven Beard, and Braden Davis all in the mix. Lusk and Beard are the two frontrunners for that spot entering the season, but could also be used out of the bullpen. Lusk, a hard-throwing righty, made one start in 21 appearances a year ago, but just one start. He held opponents to a .233 average and struck out 35 hitters in 41 innings, racking up nine saves as the Kats' closer.
Â
Meanwhile, Beard was one of the Kats' primary left-handed options, making 14 appearances out of the pen. He could still be used in a relief role this year as well, but has been stretched out in spring practice and will likely see starts in the early going.
Â
A wild card in the mix, however, is Davis, a high-end freshman from Keller who has shown well in fall and spring camps. He was ranked in the preseason by D1Baseball.com as the No. 7 impact freshman in the WAC and the top freshman lefty in the league.
Â
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
UTL
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballWednesday, May 20
Wednesday, May 20
Wednesday, May 20
Tuesday, March 03
