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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Prep baseball: Ferris rookie baseball coach Samuel Brown finding his way

The first season for a head coach requires adjustments.

Figuring out practice schedules, getting to know players, learning about travel requirements. It’s all something a little new.

When Ferris hired former Gonzaga star Samuel Brown to be the Saxons’ coach, they found the right guy at the right time – in ways the South Hill school never imagined.

To say that 2019 has had a strange start to the baseball season is, to say the least, an understatement.

It’s all too familiar to Brown.

“We’ve had a lot of time working inside in the gym,” the first-year coach said. “But I’ve been there before. I just finished up my playing career at Gonzaga not that long ago and we were always having to practice in the gym to start the season because we couldn’t get on our field.

“Starting the season with five straight wins (in Greater Spokane League play) was a nice surprise, but we knew we were going to have a hiccup along the way.”

Still, things are only now getting back to something close to normal.

“When we played Mead at our place last week?” Brown said. “That was the first time we’ve been on our home field all season long – to practice or play, either one. That’s the kind of spring this has been – as soon as we finally got rid of all the snow, we got rain. You can’t win.”

Despite the handicap, the Saxons started the season with six straight wins before dropping three straight – an 8-1 loss to University and a two-game sweep by Mead.

Brown’s squad is long on senior leadership but not so much on depth. Pitchers Tristan Lookabill, Brock Bozett and Eric Mast are four-year varsity players, but most of those seniors are playing their first season on the Saxons’ varsity.

“The way things have gone so far this season you kind of have to send these guys out there and let them find their own way,” Brown said. “They’re going to make mistakes. You just hope they won’t make the same mistakes.”

Ferris’ starting pitching has been a strength, and the coach said he’s still looking for kids who can come out of the bullpen and throw strikes dependably.

“We’re all kind of in this together,” Lookabill said. “We’ve come together and this is a pretty special group. We’re all pulling together. Brock and Eric have been great leaders and everyone has pitched right in – from our freshman catcher, who’s doing a fantastic job, on up.”

Lookabill won his first three starts and Bozett won his first two as the Saxons started off with those six straight wins.

“I sat down and looked at our stats just the other day and the thing that jumped out at me was just how consistent Tristan has been for us,” Brown said. “He’s throwing strikes and not wasting a lot of pitches. He’s not throwing a lot of pitches and that’s a big help.”

By keeping his pitch count low, Lookabill has been available to pitch in relief between starts – a bonus.

Without access to a practice field, Brown has been limited with what he’s been able to do to get his players ready.

Pitchers have been able to throw indoors, for example, but their time on an actual mound has been limited. Same with his hitters – who have spent plenty of time hitting in an indoor cage but weren’t able to hit outside against live arms.

“I wasn’t so much worried about guys getting a feel for throwing off an actual mound so much as I was worried about arm health,” Brown said. “Indoors you’re pretty limited as to how long you can throw – you can only throw about 90 feet. We were finally able to clear off an area so we could go out and get in some long toss.”

“It’s totally different getting outside and throwing off a mound, but it’s just what you have to do,” Lookabill said. “For me, I was already working my way back from an ulnar collateral ligament injury, so I was just focused on getting my arm strength back.”

After completing their home-and-home series with Shadle Park today at Ferris, the Saxons have six games remaining in the regular season, including two each with the league’s leaders: Central Valley and Mt. Spokane.