Kitsap BlueJackets looking for another playoff shot

SILVERDALE – Last season, the BlueJackets finished 24-18 and took second in the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League’s West Division.

The team came up short in their first-ever playoff appearance, going down two games to one in the best-of-three series with rivals Corvallis (Ore.).

Much of that team returns, as Kitsap brings back 12 BlueJackets from a year ago.

Most of the returners are on offense, with Doug Buser and Jake Owens set to join Kyle Howe as the team’s only three-year players. Pitcher Sean Greer also returns for a third season.

Buser, who plays for the University of Oklahoma, hit .245 and scored 22 runs last season.

Buser played in 34 games for Oklahoma, which is now in the NCAA tournament. Owens redshirted for St. Martin’s in Lacey this year. Last season he hit .245 with a homer and five RBI in 20 games for Kitsap.

Ryan Voelkel brings his bat back after hitting .275 with 18 RBI and scoring 18 runs. He also had 11 doubles, second in the league.

San Diego State University infielder Brandon Decker brings his slick glove back, joined by utility men Keegan McCamment (Austin Peay State University in Tennessee) and former Seattle Prep standout Max Kwan (University of Washington).

Central Kitsap graduates Aaron Johnson (The Citadel) and Tyler Owens (New Mexico State University) also return on the offensive end.

Johnson spent his freshman year as a backup at The Citadel.

Joining Greer on the pitching staff as returners are James Douglas (Saint Martin’s-bound), who pitched in 14 games as a reliever, and Christian Scholl (Washington State University-bound), who went 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA in 11 games for the Jackets last year.

Four Jackets are coming in from other WCCBL teams.

Last year infielder Cody Bartlett played for Corvallis, pitcher Zach Miller took the mound for Bellingham, pitcher Paul Dickey suited up for Bend and pitcher Jeff Brooks toed the rubber for Kelowna (British Columbia).

Also new to the team this year are pitchers Tommy Mackoul (UC-Riverside), Alec Reichle (Southern Utah), Jake Shadle (Green River), Chad Wagner (Lower Columbia), Mike Wolford (UC-Riverside) and Conor Whalen (Santa Barbara CC).

Other new Kitsap position players include Hawaiian native and Southern Utah athlete Bucky Aona, North Dakota State’s Jordan Shadle and outfielder Curtis Dupart (Georgia Tech), Brian Heere (Kansas) and Justin Shultz (UC-Riverside).

The team will be looking for replacements for Scholl and Voekel however, as they were taken in last week’s MLB draft by the Los Angeles Angels and the Atlanta Braves, respectively.

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Let’s play ball

The team’s home opener is Wednesday, June 11 against the Tacoma Cardinals, the BlueJackets’ feeder team, at 7 p.m. at Kitsap Fairgrounds Ballfields in Silverdale.

The team is also hosting youth baseball clinics June 14 and Aug. 9. Both sessions are from 1 to 4 p.m. Other sessions are from 9 a.m. to noon and take place June 25, July 2, July 16, July 30 and Aug. 6.

To register for the camps, which are for ages 5 and older, call the BlueJackets at (360) 337-5350.

Tickets for the BlueJackets games are available by calling (360) 479-0123. For more information, visit the Bluejackets’ Web site at www.kitsapbluejackets.com.

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