- About SVC
- Programs
- Student Services
- Student Life
- Community
- International Students
The Cardinals finished up the regular season with a record of 21-18, 12-12 in league. That was good for 4th in tough Northern Region and good enough to make the Northern Region playoffs. The Cardinals open up with the Everett Trojans on Thursday May 16th at 7pm at Everett Memorial.
The other two teams to make the regional tournament are Edmonds and Bellevue. Everett won the Northern Region regular season and get an automatic bid into the NWAACC Championships, leaving Skagit, Edmonds, and Bellevue to play for the final birth in the double elimination regional tournament.
The Cardinal relied heavily on solid defense. Three Cardinals finished tops in the North in fielding percentage. Thirdbasemen Sean Fitzgerald did not make an error, centerfielder Jacob Meyer had a .980, short stop Yusuke Akitoshi .971fielding percentage. First baseman Matt Schrotenboer finished tied for second in fielding percentage with .933. Utility player Steven Leverett finished with a 1.0 fielding percentage in left field and a .972 fielding percentage at second base, second best among second basemen.
Offensively, the 2013 Cardinals finished first in North in stolen bases (87), which was second in the NWAACC and second in homeruns (10) and hit-by-pitches (50). Pitching wise, the Cardinals finished sencond in shutouts (8).
The 2013 Cardinals opened up the season on the road versus the defending NWAACC Champion, Pierce Raiders. The non-league, four game series, was a good test for the team. The Cardinals ended up splitting the weekend series 2-2.
Game 1
Saturday's double header saw the Cardinals take both games and start the season off 2-0. Game one wasn't final until the 11th inning with the final score being 6-5. Game one starter, Shimpei Sato pitched seven innings, giving up one unearned run and striking out two.
The Cardinals bats came from behind in the nineth, turning a 1-2 defecit into a 3-2 lead on a Ryan Humphrey double. The Raiders answered back with a solo home run to send the game to extras. In the tenth, a Shane Servoss RBI single and a bases loaded walk to Dylan Boe, gave the Cardinals a two run lead. The Raiders again answered back with two runs of their own to send the game to 11 innings.
That would be the final inning. The Cardinals scored the final run on a bases loaded, two out wild pitch. The Raiders had no answer for pitcher Jackson Rhodes, who closed the game for the Cardinals.
"It was great to see us battle back, and back, and back. It shows what we are capable of." said Coach Roberts, "Our hitters did a great job and so did our pitching. It was an all around team win."
Game 2
The Cardinals won the second game 4-0, thanks to the pitching of Jens Jensen. Jensen threw a seven inning, complete game shutout, striking out seven. The offense was supplied by first baseman Matt Schrotenboer, contributing two RBI's and a Yuta Kukuchi solo home run.
Game 3
The Cardinals couldn't hold onto a one run lead and lost 4-1. The Cardinals took a one run lead into the sixth inning, held intact by starting pitcher Nick Rothermel. The Cardinal bats were held in check and didn't have an answer for a three run sixth inning by the Raiders.
Game 4
The Raiders evened the weekend series in game four, beating the Cardinals 4-2. Starting pitcher for the Cardinals, Shayne Honcoop, pitched 5 strong innings and left with a 2-2 tie. The Cardinal bullpen just couldn't hold on and the bats didn't have an answer for a Raider two run sixth inning.
"We got the key hits and made the key plays on Sasturday. On Sunday, they were the team to get the key plays." said Coach Roberts. "We are never happy with a split, especially when we played so well on Saturday. The good thing is that it is early in the season and we have time to fix our mistakes."
The Cardinals head to Wenatchee this weekend to play a round robin against Okanagan, Everett, and Wenatchee Valley.
The Cardinals coaching staff will be hosting an open Prospect Camp to all high school athletes. The camp is scheduled for Sunday, March 24th from 1pm-5pm. The cost is $25 and includes a personal scouting report from the SVC coaches. Athletes who are interested can register at www.CardinalBaseballEvents.com.
The recruiting season opened up on January 15th and the Cardinals were ready. Since then, 14 high school seniors have signed NWAACC letters of intent to play at SVC for the 2014 season. Head Coach Adam Roberts and Recruiting Coordinator Darren Westergard have been working hard recruiting and are happy with their first recruiting class.
"This is the first group of guys that we have signed and I couldn't be happier. We signed quality players but also quality students and most importantly, quality people. Our coaching staff has been working hard at recruiting and is confident it will payoff.” Said Roberts, “When you watch these guys play, you will see hard working, competitive and tough players. That's the kind of team we are trying to build. These guys are motivated to win and move on. That's our goal as a program and these guys are on-board."
Congratulations to the following future Cardinals!!! Coach Roberts had this to say about his recruits.
Robert Hill, 6'0"/180 lbs, RHP, Lake Washington HS. Robert is hidden gem in the NW. He recently moved to
Jay Leverett, 5'10"/165, INF, Sultan HS. Jay is my favorite kind of player. He is a competitive young man who is not afraid of contact. His dad is a coach and his brother, Steven, plays for us now. Jay is a middle infielder but can play anywhere. He can handle the bat and hit the ball with authority. He is a top of the order kind of hitter.
Ryan Harris, RHP, 6'3"/180, Puyallup HS. Ryan is a big game pitcher who wants the ball and knows how to win. He started in the state championship game as a junior and pitched well enough to win. He throws in the mid 80's and his untapped potential is scary.
Jacob Howard, RHP, 6'3"/190, Puyallup HS. Jacob is the type of pitcher that hitters don't like to face. He throws hard and hides the ball well. This makes his breaking ball that much tougher to hit. I can't wait to see Jacob throw for us because I don't think he knows how good he is.
Jarrett Martin, C, 6'0"/175, West Valley HS (Yakima). Jarrett is a switch hitting catcher that is as tough as it gets. He's a competitive young man who wants to be in the game. Our pitchers are going to love throwing to him.
Josh Adams, C, 5'11/180, Fife HS. Josh is a strong defensive catcher that knows how to handle different pitchers. He is smart and confident in his ability. What I love most of all about Josh is that he is extremely coachable. He's going to be competing for a starting spot.
Tyler Howlett, RHP, 6'6"/240, La Conner HS.
Austin Von Herbulis, RHP/INF, 6'7"/220, Burlington-Edison HS. Austin is 3 sport high school athlete that may also play basketball for SVC and has offers to play college football.
Taylor Van Vleck, RHP/OF, 6'0"/170, East Valley HS (Spokane).
Nick Moore, RHP, 6’3”/170, Graham-Kapowsin HS. Nick is a big presence on the mound with a lot of potential. He has a smooth athletic motion and is only going to get better. He is a hard worker and will be competing for innings either as a starter or reliever.
Colton Kelly, OF, 6’0/170, Moses Lake HS. Colton is an exceptionally athletic outfielder who can run, throw, and play defense. He is contact hitter with the ability to hit for power. Once Colton finds his power swing he’s going to be a force. I look for Colton to be competing for a starting job in center field.
Max Parker, RHP, 6’0/210, West Vancouver Secondary School. Max has a big strong frame to pitch with. He will improve quickly once he is learns how to prepare his mind and body to pitch in college. He is good person and is very coachable. Max is very raw and will make big jumps once he learns a routine.
Javier Villanueva, RHP, 6’1”/180, Heritage HS. Javier is a kid who has big time potential on the mound and he just started pitching. He has been an infielder growing up in Idaho and moved to Vancouver (WA) and began to pitch. He is a mid-80’s thrower and is committed to improving. We look for Javier to compete for a starting role on the mound.
Cardinal baseball is now on Facebook. Fans of the team can get updates on everything SVC Baseball like scores, youth camps, alumni events, recruiting info, advertising opportunities, just name a few. You can also contact the coaches and players as they will have access to the page.
Go to www.facebook.com/svcbaseball
Go Cards!!!
The Cardinal Baseball coaches and players will be holding a series of camps for players of all ages. The website, www.CardinalBaseballEvents.com will allow campers to register and pay online for youth camps. The Winter and Spring camp schedules have been announced and are accepting campers. The camps are designed to help prepare young ballplayers for their upcoming season.
In addition, Cardinal Baseball Events will be hosting a FREE camp for all ages and a Prospect Camp for high school aged ball player interested in playing college baseball. The Summer will be full of tournaments that will be held on the Dream Field. Summer camps will also be added
For more information, follow the website.
The Skagit Valley College Cardinals are entering their 59th season and their first under new Head Coach Adam Roberts. The Cardinals play a 42 game regular season which includes 24 league games in the challenging NWAACC North Conference. The Cardinals kick off the season against the reigning NWAACC champions Peirce College Raiders. The Cards' then hit the road to Wenatchee, Columbia Basin, and Walla Walla.
"This is a tough schedule from the begining. We open up against Pierce on the road and stay on the road. I'm excited to see how we come together as a team," said Head Coach Adam Roberts. "It's going to be a good test leading into our competitive conference schedule. We play in the North, which is what I believe to be the best region in the NWAACC. "
Before entering into the league schedule, the Cards' host Thompsons River and the inagural Alumni Softball softball game/event on March 23rd. Skagit will then play home and away double headers against their Northern Division rivals, including a non-league home stand versus Centralia College on April 6th and 7th. The Cards' finish the season at home against Bellevue College on May 12th.
The top four teams from the division will make the Northern Region Playoffs from May 17th-19th. The top two teams from the North will get a birth into the NWAACC Tournament in Longview from May 23rd-27th.
Head Baseball Coach Adam Roberts will be hosting Advanced Pitching & Hitting Camps this December. Camps will be held in the Field House at SVC behind the DuVall Gym. The cost is $25 each day. The age group is 13-18 year olds. Pitching Camp is December 1st, 8th, & 15th from 10am-noon. Hitting Camp is December 20th-22nd. To register, e-mail Adam Roberts at adam.roberts@skagit.edu or call (360) 416-7780.
The Cardinals finished the 2012 fall season with a 4-2-1 record. The coaching staff was happy with the fall as it gave them a chance to evaluate the fall roster and create a winning atmosphere. "As a new coach I had to get to know the players and they had to get to know me. I was happy with how hard the players and coaching staff worked. We have a solid core of players that want to win. I can't wait for spring to see who steps up into key roles." said Coach Roberts.
They also had a chance to scout and recruit for upcoming season, as they played against high school all-star teams NW Elite, Seattle Mariners Scout Team and the St. Louis Cardinals Scout Team. Games were also played against NWAACC North rivals Edmonds CC & Bellevue CC.
The Cardinals won both games versus NW Elite, split a double header versus the Mariners, tied with the Cardinals Scout Team, rained out versus Bellevue CC, and split a double header versus Edmonds CC.
Now that Fall Ball is complete, the Cardinal players will move their focus to the weight room, batting cage, and classroom. "It's time to put our heads down and get to work. We need to make sure that academics are our first priority." said Coach Roberts.
Baseball at Skagit Valley College has started a new year with many new faces on the field. No face is more noticeable than that of new Head Coach Adam Roberts. With all of the energy a new coach brings, the Cardinals are expecting to have a great fall ball season and hope to carry that energy into another trip to the playoffs next spring.
Coach Roberts played in the NWAACC as well as at the University of Hawaii. Roberts played on 2 NWAACC title teams and was an integral part of a very successful University of Hawaii team. Winning is everyone’s dream, but knowing how to prepare to win will give Coach Roberts an edge when the season rolls around.
The Cardinals have the biggest returning class of sophomores in recent memory at 17 and this will give the Cards an advantage in the experience column. Pitcher Peter Irvin, who was drafted in the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft by the Baltimore Orioles, has decided to return to the Dream Field to refine his craft and continue to pursue his dream of professional baseball. The Cardinal outfielders will be led by Jake Meyers and Jay Stout, both of whom were invited to the NWAACC Sophomore Showcase All-Star game this fall. Tanner Olson, after a very solid freshman season, will be expected to be the inning eater on the staff this season. Returning Captain Chase Myers will be holding down first base and anchoring the infield this year. Other notable returning sophomores are Steven Leverett (U), Lucas Nornes (P), Shayne Honcoop (P), Colin McBride (U), Shimpei Sato (P), Nick Rothermel (P) and Jeff Apigo (IF). In addition, Eric Thorvilson will return to the mound after a medical red-shirt season last year and looks to contribute significantly.
Incoming freshman that will be asked to contribute right away are Yusuke Akitoshi (ss), from Tokyo, Japan; Kurtis Taylor (LHP) from Okotoks, Alberta; Jens Jensen (1B) Davis HS in Yakima; Jace Waters(IF) Timberline HS in Boise, ID; Blake Wilson(P), Inglemoor HS in Bothell; Mark Woods(IF), Bothell HS and Jake Frost (C/U), Ferndale HS
Much to the delight of the Cardinal coaching staff, some key contributors on the 2012 Mt. Vernon HS baseball team (#1 ranked 3A team in the state); have decided to start their college baseball careers at Skagit Valley College as well. Shane Servoss and Sean Fitzgerald will be expected to compete for jobs in the middle of the Cardinal defense and Jordan Eliason (p) will be in the mix for innings in the spring.
Overall the Cardinal Coaches feel they should compete for a division championship in the toughest division in the NWAACC. “Defense, good pitching and timely hitting is what I will preach to the players during the fall” said Coach Roberts. “If we can do those 3 things well every day, we will be in every game this spring. The only way those things happen though, will be to have an intense fall practice schedule.” “I can’t wait to get started.”
Follow the team this spring, at the dream field, on their journey to an NWAACC Championship.
Go cardinals!
Story written by Jim O’Dell
It was another good day for the Cardinal Baseball program as freshman Peter Irvin, a 6 foot 7 left-handed pitcher out of Redmond High School, was selected in the 36th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.
Peter will be in communication with the Orioles and determine what the immediate future holds. His options include signing a professional contract, returning to Skagit Valley College for one more year, or moving on to a four-year school for at least the next two years.
Skagit Baseball Alum Ryan Verdugo Headed to the Royals
Left-handed pitcher Ryan Verdugo, who played for Skagit Valley College in 2006 and 2007 was called up on June 5th, 2012 by the Kanas City Royals. Verdugo, who played 1-year at Louisiana State University following his time at Skagit, will join the KC bullpen. Verdugo was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2008 and was traded to the Royals this past off-season.
