Despite Several Shortages, Toreros Have Plenty of Confidence

The University of San Diego Toreros opened baseball season Thursday, but they appeared to be missing a few of the essentials.

Left-handed pitchers? USD has one, but he’s nursing a tender arm.

Left-handed hitters? USD has one among the regulars.

Respect? USD has only one team picked to finish behind it in the seven-team West Coast Conference.

Shoes? . . .

Shoes? Yes, even some spikes are missing. About 20 pairs sent in for “toe jobs” have yet to be returned.

One essential missing, however, from the missing list is confidence. There, USD has plenty.

“Our confidence level is so much higher than last year,” Tom Cheek said. “We know we have a lot of talent, and we know we can win.”

The talent starts with Cheek, a multi-purpose pitcher and infielder who last year led the Toreros in victories (seven) and saves (eight) and was second in ERA (3.89), but talent doesn’t end there.

Rick Doane, the left-handed hitting starter, led USD in batting (.342) and home runs (13) and was second in RBIs (43).

Kevin Herde, who led in RBIs (45) and was second in hitting (.330) and home runs (seven), and Dave Pingree, who hit .306 with 34 RBIs, joined Cheek on the All-WCC second team.

By position, Doane is at first and will bat cleanup. Jim Keen, who will bat eighth, is at second. Chad Boyd, the No. 2 hitter, is the shortstop, and Pingree, the leadoff hitter, is at third.

In the outfield are No. 3 hitter Tony Moeder, No. 6 Josh Stepner and No. 7 Dan McAdoo or Devin Bundy.

Junior Sean Gousha, the Toreros’ Gold Glove winner last year, returns at catcher, where he has started 103 games the past two years.

Herde, the No. 5 batter, is the designated hitter, but he may also see some action on the mound. Herde was a pitcher at San Pasqual High, but the possibility that he might pitch could be an indication of a depleted staff. USD lost four of its top six pitchers.

Cheek was the backbone last year, working 36 games as a reliever and one as a starter, a Torero record for appearances. He also played eight games at second base and was anticipated to be the starter there this year, as well as the No. 3 hitter, before Coach John Cunningham decided Cheek was needed more on the mound.

“If pitching is indeed 80% like everyone talks about, he’ll help us more on the hill than he will at second base,” Cunningham said.

Undoubtedly, Cheek will see some action in the field as well as more starts this year.

Marc Bouchard, Pat Crema and James Ferguson are the other returning pitchers, and there are four freshman. Junior Glen Yannotta played hockey at St. Bonaventure before transferring last year.

In regards to the WCC, the schedule is virtually unchanged from a year ago, with each team playing the other in home-and-home three-game series.

Loyola Marymount, ranked 10th in the NCAA preseason poll, is picked to finish first in the WCC coaches’ poll, followed by No. 15 Pepperdine, St. Mary’s, Santa Clara, Nevada-Reno, USD and San Francisco.

“Pepperdine and Loyola and some of the others, they’re good, but we know we can beat them,” Cheek said. “We beat them last year and, in baseball, you never know what will happen.”

The Toreros embodied that sentiment last year. Picked to finish last, USD beat every team in the WCC except St. Mary’s at least twice.

A bench-clearing brawl in the first game of a three-game series at Nevada in April resulted in that game being canceled and the final two being ruled forfeit losses for USD.

By the conference listing, USD finished 16-19 and in fifth place. Choosing not to count the two forfeitures, as USD did, the Toreros finished 16-17 and in fourth. Either way, both the WCC an1679840595 Such is college baseball, and few know it better Cunningham, who begins his 28th season.

Just a few months after receiving a controversial three-game suspension because of the fight, in which he was not a participant, Cunningham was elected into the American Baseball Coaches Assn. Hall of Fame.