When the season began, not even he expected to see his starting pitching staff become one of the most dominant in the NWC.  He did not expect the breakout year of NWC Pitcher of the Year Rob Dittrick (Jr., Mililani, Hawaii).  He did not expect a radically different roster with lots of turnover to be one of the best defensive teams of his 16 years leading the program.
 
“I don’t think there were a lot of people that thought we would do as well as we did,” Bradley said.  “We won a lot of close games last year.  Our pitching, in particular our starting pitching, was our strength.  It was probably one of the best group of starting pitchers that I have had here.”
 
Pitching certainly carried the day for the Boxers, with the starting trio of Dittrick, Chad Fahey (Sr., Keizer, Ore.) and Jason Sawyer (So., Scappoose, Ore.) went 15-10, while the Boxers’ closers picked up 10 saves.  Pacific won 13 of their 21 wins by two runs or less.
 
While Pacific returns their starting rotation and a total of 21 players from the 2011 team, the Boxers can’t be content on resting on their laurels.  While their pitching and defense were among the best in Division III, their hitting must improve to continue to move up in the conference standings.  Pacific’s .249 batting average ranked last in the NWC and was among the lowest in Division III.
 
“It’s amazing that, with our offensive numbers not being good, our pitching staff and defense kept us in game after game and found us a way to win in a lot of one-run games,” Bradley said of a Pacific team that ranked 53rd nationally in fielding percentage.  “Our No. 1 improvement has to be swinging the bat and all of our players know you have to be able to contribute offensively to help us get better.”
 
It is that need to find offense that will dictate what position players will get time, with a particular focus on situational hitting and performance with runners in scoring position.
 
Most important, though, Bradley wants to make certain that Pacific’s returners know that great improvement is still needed to take the Boxers from good to great.  Pacific has been picked to finish fourth by conference coaches in 2012, and Bradley is challenging his charges to show that they belong in the same division as Linfield and George Fox. 
 
“Even though we are a year older does not mean we are a year better,” Bradley said.  “We have to work hard.  We have to get to work on our weaknesses and get better at certain things.  I think we can improve.  It will be a real key to our season.”
 
PITCHERS
 
Dittrick turned in an incredible turnaround season in 2011 to earn NWC Pitcher of the Year and ABCA All-West Region honors.  The winner of one game his freshman season, Dittrick went 8-3 as a sophomore with an impressive 2.26 earned run average.  He ranked among the Division III leaders in wins, ERA and strikeouts.  Of his 11 starts, Dittrick turned in five complete games and advanced past the sixth inning nine times while throwing a school record 87.2 innings.
 
With a solid year of off-season training, Dittrick shows potential to be even better as a junior.  “Right now he is driven to be as good of a pitcher, as good of an athlete and as in as great of shape as possible,” Bradley said.  He has the experience, but his hard work should make him stronger.”
 
Fahey stepped in to give the rotation experience and maturity as a junior transfer from Chemeketa CC.  A Second Team All-NWC selection, Fahey went 4-2 in 11 starts with a 3.07 earned run average and went at least seven innings in six of his final seven starts.  A threat both on the mound and at the plate, Fahey batted .269 and also started 18 games in the outfield.
 
“Chad is such a competitive individual that he will find a way to get things done for us,” Bradley said.  “He played all summer in a competitive league and did well.  We look for him to continue to get better and better.”
 
Sawyer had about as good of a year as you could expect from a freshman starter, winning three games in 10 starts for the Boxers.  The No. 2 starter for much of the season, Sawyer hit his high-water mark when he went seven innings to pick up the win in a 4-1 victory over George Fox as part of the three-game sweep that put the Boxers on everyone’s radar.
 
And that year of experience will make Sawyer even more potent as a sophomore.  “Jason has already taken that leap from the freshman year where you expect players to have some inconsistency,” Bradley said.  “We are looking for him to get more consistent everyday.”
 
At the other end of the spectrum, Pacific will look to a pair of seniors to fill the role at closer departed by current assistant coach Dan Wolfe.  Jared Van Hoon (Sr., Lake Oswego, Ore.) made 10 appearances on the hill in addition to his starting shortstop duties.  His four saves ranked him 88th among Division III hurlers.  Nate Rasmussen (Sr., Sandy, Utah) pitched in six games in addition to his work at second base.  He picked two wins in relief while compiling a 1.59 earned run average.
 
Where the staff is experienced at the beginning and end of games, the Boxers will look to fit some new pieces in middle relief and long relief roles.  Mike McGuire (Sr., Olympia, Wash.) and Quin Moore (So., Bellingham, Wash.) both return with the potential to contribute.  McGuire was limited to just 13 innings as a junior after suffering an appendicitis early in the season.  Moore saw limited action as a freshman, but has shown great improvement in preseason practice.
 
Left-hander Tyler Kotchik (Fr., Beaverton, Ore.) leads the top of newcomers that will contribute in middle relief and could work his way into a starting role.  Kotchik played as part of a loaded Westview High School pitching staff and has shown plenty of growth since arriving in Forest Grove.
 
As with last year, much of Pacific’s success will be dependent on how deep the starting rotation can go into games.  “We need three guys who will be able to consistently go deep,” Bradley said.  “We need our starters to go six, seven, eight innings.  With the three guys we have back, I think we will be able to find a combination that’s going to work.”
 
INFIELDERS
Pacific enters 2012 with one of the deepest infields the program has ever seen.  The Boxers also return most of the pieces of one of the best defensive infields the school has ever experienced.  The team’s .962 fielding percentage ranked 53rd among all Division III programs.
 
The key to earning a starting role, though, will depend as much on offensive success as it will defensive prowess.  Bradley is not afraid to move players to different positions if it can help in pulling the batting average up.  “We have a lot of guys who can play.  We just have to find out what the best combination is going to be game by game,” Bradley said.  “In order to stay in the lineup, guys need to be able to swing the bat.”
 
Trux French (Jr., Kennewick, Wash.) saw most of the starting time at first base in 2011 and developed a reputation as a solid defensive player.  He committed just one error in a team-high 229 chances.  He also contributed at the plate, batting .250 in 104 at bats.
 
Mike Nagamine (Sr., Aiea, Hawaii) served as the Boxers’ primary designated hitter last year, batting .254 with 20 runs and nine doubles.  He also played 14 games at first base and could stand to see more time there with his hitting ability.
 
Returners Greg Tellez (Sr., White Salmon, Wash.) and Logan Moen (Jr., Brier, Wash.) will also compete for time at first base.  Tellez saw limited action in seven games last year, but has shown great improvement at the plate.  Moen made 23 starts at third base and is being looked at for time at both positions.  Moen finished 2011 as one of the Boxers’ top hitters, batting .280 with 21 hits.  Austin Gallagher (Fr., Lake Oswego, Ore.) will also figure into the mix after an all-league career at Lake Oswego High School.
 
The Boxers return all of the parts of what is arguably the best middle infield combination in the conference. Rasmussen started 34 games at second base, earning First Team All-NWC honors.  Committing just one error in 165 chances, Rasmussen combined with Van Hoon and Michael Arakaki (Jr., Mililani, Hawaii) for a league-leading 37 double plays.  At the plate, Rasmussen batted .270 with 33 hits.  His 17 doubles ranked 37th nationally.
 
Anson Arakaki (Jr., Hilo, Hawaii) will compete for second base time after some great improvement during the summer and fall.  He made eight starts at either second base or shortstop.  Newcomers Donnie Bradley (Fr., Beaverton, Ore.) and Grant Rogers (Fr., Clackamas, Ore.) will also figure into the mix.
 
Van Hoon and Michael Arakaki will battle for starting shortstop role, with whoever does not earn the spot likely seeing time at third base.  Van Hoon was an immediate contributor as a junior transfer, finishing second for the Boxers with a .305 batting average and 10 stolen bases.  He will also see time on the mound as he and Rasmussen compete for the role as the Boxers’ closer.  Michael Arakaki played in 23 games at third base and saw 28 starts as a sophomore.
 
The third base starting role could go to a combination of players, with Van Hoon, Moen and Michael Arakaki all being looked at for playing time.  Brett Nakasone (Jr., Wahiawa, Hawaii) will convert to a back-up third base role after spending his first two seasons in the Pacific bullpen.  Tyler Grant (Fr., Olympia, Wash.) will also compete for time after earning prep all-league honors as a senior.
 
Pacific will be looking for a new regular starter at catcher after the graduation of Scott Rowland.  Allan Cushing (Sr., Puyallup, Wash.) played in 15 games as the position, but will be limited early in the year with a broken thumb.  Conor Clark (Jr., Tigard, Ore.) will compete for the starting role after 11 games in his first year with the Boxers.  Jordan Siu (Jr., Redmond, Wash.) also figures into the mix after a season at Scottsdale CC.
 
OUTFIELDERS
 
Kevin Schwartz (Sr., Milwaukie, Ore.) anchors the Boxers in center field and continues a tradition of outstanding defensive players at the position.  A Rawlings Division III West Region Gold Glove winner last year. Schwartz did not commit an error in 92 chances and has not committed an error in his last two seasons.  He was also the Boxers biggest threat at the plate, leading the team with a .343 average, 46 hits and 25 runs.
 
“Kevin give us a solid foundation,” Bradley said.  “He had a great summer playing a real competitive league.  We have high hopes for how good of a season he will have.”
 
Nick Tasaka (Jr., Hawaii Kai, Hawaii) and Fahey both return having seen some significant time in the outfield.  Tasaka made 14 starts, primarily in right field.  Fahey will continue to see starting time in either left or right field thanks to his batting prowess.
 
Therone Bridges (So., Vancouver, Wash.) and Grant Gabriel (So., Honolulu, Hawaii) top the list of returners expected to compete for playing time.  Bridges played in 13 games, seeing spot time in the outfield as well as use in pinch-hitting and pinch-running situations.  Gabriel saw action in eight games as a freshman and made two starts.
 
Alex Okanek (Jr., Shelton, Wash.), Brad Williams (Fr., Olympia, Wash.) and Colin McCusker (Fr., Olympia, Wash.) top the list of newcomers expected to compete for outfield time.  Okanek played the last two seasons at Southwestern Oregon CC, earning NWAACC All-Academic honors as a sophomore.  Williams was a Washington all-state selection as a senior while McCusker was a two-time all-league selection and was selected for the Washington Senior All-State Game.