Neal Andrade has returned to Gavilan College this season for one
reason, and that
’s to turn around the struggling baseball program that he was
once a part of as a player and later as an assistant coach.
Neal Andrade has returned to Gavilan College this season for one reason, and that’s to turn around the struggling baseball program that he was once a part of as a player and later as an assistant coach.
Andrade played at Gavilan in 1995-1996 before moving on to Portland State in 1997-1998 and also coached for two years under former Rams’ skipper Mark Dover. Now, after replacing the departed Mike McCormick back in August of 2003, he’s heading the ship and hoping to right the sail.
“One of my goals is to get this program back to respectability,” said Andrade, who knows it will not be a quick-and-easy fix. “We play in a tough conference with teams like West Valley and Chabot that are always in the playoffs.”
But Andrade has a winning resume.
He led the San Benito High baseball team to back-to-back co-league champ-ionships, sharing the title with North Monterey County two years with a 24-6 record – that included reaching the Central Coast Section semifinals – and Live Oak last season with a 21-7 overall mark.
His first season in Hollister, Andrade posted a 17-10 record.
Andrade, who returns to the team he left for the San Benito High head coaching job, has preached pitching and defense to his inaugural squad at Gavilan College, modeling his favorite professional team, the Oakland Athletics.
“Our practices have been mostly all pitching and defense,” said Andrade, a Live Oak High graduate. “We’ve focused on the team’s strengths.”
With an uphill battle ahead of him since his late hiring, like trying to assemble a recruiting class in a short span, Andrade and his players were hit with tragedy before the season even got started when third baseman Paul ‘PJ’ Galvan was killed in an automobile accident on Dec. 6, 2003.
“We’re still kinda battling through that,” said Andrade, who coached Galvan last season at San Benito High. “He’s still a part of our team. He may not be here in body, but the kids definitely remember him and hopefully can us him as a motivating factor to do better.”
Andrade said the best healing will be when the Rams start their season and begin playing baseball again. Tuesday’s home opener against Merced was canceled due to rain, so Gavilan will start on the road against the College of Sequoias today and then a doubleheader in Bakers-field on Saturday.
“It’s been a tough fall. We’re getting through it, but it will be a lot healthier for them once we start playing games,” Andrade said. “They’re all good kids and they all work hard.”
In his limited time at Gavilan, Andrade has already put together a mixed bag of returning sophomores, incoming freshman, and transfer players for this year’s 23-man roster.
“I’m excited to get back to the college game and step up and play nine innings,” Andrade said. “There are less distractions. It’s more professional. It’s a higher level of competitive baseball so the kids not only have to step up, but the coach does, too.”
Sophomore shortstop Isaak Rodriguez anchors the Rams’ infield, returning from a one-year absence, along with sophomore second baseman Josh Becknall, also a returner out of Live Oak High.
“(Rodriguez) has got the nod at shortstop. It’s his spot to lose. He’s a good defensive guy. He’s a hard worker. He’s a good guy to have on the team,” Andrade said. “(Becknall) is also a good kid. He’s one of the team leaders. He gets the guys going. … If I had captains, he would probably be one of them.”
On the corners will be sophomore first baseman Rocco Costanza, who played at Gavilan as a freshman after graduating from Gilroy High, and freshman third baseman Mike Green, out of Monterey High.
“(Costanza) will probably get a shot at first base. He has a big up side power-wise. We’ve been working on hitting the ball in play more and not always going for the fences,” Andrade said. “(Green) has fit in well. He’s made the transition pretty good. He’s fitting in with the team.”
There is a battle behind the plate for the starting job between sophomore Brian Meek, who saw limited time last season out of North Monterey County High, and freshman Brian Crane, out of Oak Grove High.
“(Meek) is a big, strong kid and he also plays a little bit of first base,” Andrade said. “I played catcher so I’m usually pretty particular picking my catchers so I have a lot of work to do with both guys.”
The Rams’ starting rotation will include freshman left-hander Brett Mardesich, who played at Gilroy High and has bounced around to several junior colleges, not playing a full season; sophomore right-hander Kurt Simmons, a returning starter since graduating from Gilroy High; and freshman righty Matt Garcia, out of North Monterey County.
“(Mardesich) is a little lefty. He throws strikes. He can mix it up pretty well with his change-up and curve. He’s our crafty lefty. He’ll get the nod for opening day,” Andrade said. “(Simmons) is a big, tall righty. He’s got a good offspeed and curveball. He won some big games last season.”
The rest of the pitching staff includes freshman left-hander Todd Gimenez, out of Gilroy High, who also plays first and outfield; freshman Scott Moquin, who stands six-foot-five, 250 pounds out of Live Oak High; freshman Scott Hayslip, out of Live Oak; and Becknall.
Freshman John Kirkish, a right-handed pitcher and utility player, rolled his ankle running first base during an intrasquad game, but is expected back in a couple of weeks. Another utility player is sophomore Steve Gonzalez.
The outfield grass will be manned by freshman centerfielder/lead-off hitter Brian Collom, out of Gilroy High; freshman rightfielder Trevor Molyneauz, out of Live Oak High; and sophomore transfer Adam Bearden, out of North Monterey County.
“There’s going to be some ups and downs,” said Andrade, whose Rams will compete in the Solano College Invitational on Feb. 13-14 and the Bulldog Central Coast Tournament on Feb. 20-21 before playing at home Feb. 24 against West Hills at 2 p.m.
