Photo by: SMC Athletics / Piper Westrom
BASE | Three Gaels Make All-Preseason Team, SMC Picked Fourth
2/8/2024 10:24:00 AM | Baseball
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference has released its 2024 Baseball All-Preseason Team and Coaches' Poll. Christian Almanza, Connor Linchey, and Coleman Schmidt have all made the All-Preseason Team, and the Gaels were picked to tie for fourth in the WCC.
Last season Almanza was the WCC Co-Player of the Year and made All-WCC First Team. He led all players in home runs in conference play with 12, and had 16 dingers overall on the year, good for third among all WCC hitters. Almanza hit .320 on the season in WCC play, with a .423 on-base percentage and a .709 slug.
His 25 RBIs in conference play were good for seventh in the WCC, and he finished fifth in runs scored with 29. The Stockton, Calif. native's 16 round trippers ties him for second in program history for a single-season total. Almanza showed his power to all fields, and had three games with two home runs in 2023.
Linchey solidified himself as the Gaels' Friday starter after a season-ending injury to Derik Eaquinto. After pitching five shutout innings against Santa Clara on March 18, the Alamo Calif. native made seven straight starts of six innings or more. He went 4-0 in his eight starts, and finished with a 2.98 ERA in WCC play.
The Gaels were 8-2 in his 10 starts on the season, where he had an almost identical ERA including non-conference games with a 2.99, and opponents hit a mere .217 against him. He walked just 12 batters to 41 strikeouts, in 54.1 innings pitched in WCC play and threw a complete game against Pacific. Overall Linchey was 5-1 with a 3.11 ERA in 15 games with 11 starts.
Schmidt was the Gaels top power-speed combo last season after tying for the team lead with 16 home runs (second most in a season at SMC) which tied for third in the WCC as well with Almanza. He also 11 stolen bases in 12 attempts.
The Reno, Nev. native hit .274 with a .348 on-base percentage and slugged .568 with a .916 OPS in 2023. He also tied for the team lead in sac flies with six and was second in total bases at 108. The junior had that breakout season on the field while pulling down a 3.733 GPA as a physics major.
SMC is coming off a trip to the semifinals of the WCC tournament after upending top-seed LMU, and if opening-day starter Eaquinto hadn't been lost to a mid-season injury, it's quite possible they could have gotten even further. Saint Mary's also returns the majority of an offense that hit 76 home runs last year, which were second-most in the WCC and a Saint Mary's single-season record. Five members of last year's bullpen who had sub-4.00 ERAs are back for 2024 as well.
The Gaels are set to play their first season in Brother Ronald Gallagher Stadium beginning February 16, 2024 against Oakland University. Saint Mary's full schedule can be viewed here and season tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
#GaelsRise
Last season Almanza was the WCC Co-Player of the Year and made All-WCC First Team. He led all players in home runs in conference play with 12, and had 16 dingers overall on the year, good for third among all WCC hitters. Almanza hit .320 on the season in WCC play, with a .423 on-base percentage and a .709 slug.
His 25 RBIs in conference play were good for seventh in the WCC, and he finished fifth in runs scored with 29. The Stockton, Calif. native's 16 round trippers ties him for second in program history for a single-season total. Almanza showed his power to all fields, and had three games with two home runs in 2023.
Linchey solidified himself as the Gaels' Friday starter after a season-ending injury to Derik Eaquinto. After pitching five shutout innings against Santa Clara on March 18, the Alamo Calif. native made seven straight starts of six innings or more. He went 4-0 in his eight starts, and finished with a 2.98 ERA in WCC play.
The Gaels were 8-2 in his 10 starts on the season, where he had an almost identical ERA including non-conference games with a 2.99, and opponents hit a mere .217 against him. He walked just 12 batters to 41 strikeouts, in 54.1 innings pitched in WCC play and threw a complete game against Pacific. Overall Linchey was 5-1 with a 3.11 ERA in 15 games with 11 starts.
Schmidt was the Gaels top power-speed combo last season after tying for the team lead with 16 home runs (second most in a season at SMC) which tied for third in the WCC as well with Almanza. He also 11 stolen bases in 12 attempts.
The Reno, Nev. native hit .274 with a .348 on-base percentage and slugged .568 with a .916 OPS in 2023. He also tied for the team lead in sac flies with six and was second in total bases at 108. The junior had that breakout season on the field while pulling down a 3.733 GPA as a physics major.
SMC is coming off a trip to the semifinals of the WCC tournament after upending top-seed LMU, and if opening-day starter Eaquinto hadn't been lost to a mid-season injury, it's quite possible they could have gotten even further. Saint Mary's also returns the majority of an offense that hit 76 home runs last year, which were second-most in the WCC and a Saint Mary's single-season record. Five members of last year's bullpen who had sub-4.00 ERAs are back for 2024 as well.
The Gaels are set to play their first season in Brother Ronald Gallagher Stadium beginning February 16, 2024 against Oakland University. Saint Mary's full schedule can be viewed here and season tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
#GaelsRise
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