Heading into the final game of a Washington State series on Monday night, the Utah baseball team showed signs it was ready to take the rubber match.
Jokes. Smiles. Laughter.
The tension and nerves that gripped them last season when a series hung in the balance are no longer a problem for the Utes, co-leaders of the Pac-12 standings at 13-8. And the result — a 3-2 win in Pullman, Wash. — reflects the newfound confidence that has come to define a surprising season of success for a program that's spent the past few seasons in the conference basement.
"It's been life-changing, honestly," said junior first baseman Hunter Simmons, who earned Pac-12 player of the week as Utah clinched its fifth Pac-12 series win this year. "I think the way things were going early this season, we were questioning everything: our prep, our focus, all the work we did — was it worth it? But we didn't get down, and now we're winning."
Winning is no small feat for the Utes, who were 25-94 in the Pac-12 since joining the league four years ago and have never finished better than last place.
How is it done? Not with stars who will be future first-round MLB draft picks. On the Utes, everyone has to pitch in.
In Pac-12 play, the team is tied for second in batting average (.275) with seven players hitting .284 or better. When the lineup isn't manufacturing runs, it falls to pitchers to seize the win — like transfer Josh Lapiana did on Monday's victory with six strikeouts in 8.2 innings.
On the flip side, the hitting makes up for when Utah's solid pitching (4.11 ERA in Pac-12 play, No. 5 ranking) isn't on target. When Lapiana was drilled during a start against Oregon State, the offense produced 11 hits, 8 walks, and Dylan Drachler came out of the bullpen to hold on for a 7-6 win against the No. 14-ranked Beavers.
Moreso than in other years, coach Bill Kinneberg said, the players have risen to challenges when something isn't going their way.
"I just think there's a huge confidence level that comes once you've had some success," he said. "These guys have been through a lot. Just getting a taste of success has helped them stay loose as they can be when we go into ball games."
The team says that's tied into a program mantra: RECON. It's an acronym for the team's values: Respect the game, Enforce and enjoy, Compete, Outwork, and Next pitch. They've kept this philosophy for the past two years, which they say reminds them to concentrate.
"Whether things are good or bad, it keeps us always from the results and focus on that pitch, or that at-bat," junior infielder Dallas Carroll said. "It tells us to focus on the task at hand."
While players said they expected the wins to start coming, they've ambushed the Pac-12. They have series wins over Arizona and Arizona State, the two teams below them in the standings. Some parity has also gone Utah's way: Oregon State, UCLA and other traditional powers are mired in mediocre seasons.
The surprise extends to Utah's own campus, where athletic director Chris Hill said the Utes have surpassed expectations. With some obvious disadvantages to their Pac-12 competition — inclement spring weather, an off-campus stadium, and less prestige and history — the bar for the baseball program isn't always set as high as in other sports, Hill acknowledged, but he's pleased to see them shooting upward under Kinneberg, who has struggled through a difficult rebuilding process in the Pac-12.
"We all know baseball is difficult to compete with some of the California and Arizona schools," Hill said. "But I never was concerned about Bill. I know he's a great baseball man, he understands the game and is well-connected. It's difficult as heck what the team has to do starting for the first month on the road, but they've done well despite all that."
Oddly, that success hasn't translated over to non-conference play, where the Utes are 5-16, including an 0-5 mark against BYU and Utah Valley. While the Utes typically reserve their top starters for conference games, Kinneberg said those losses are costly — particularly if the Utes need an at-large berth to make their first postseason since 2011, which looks unlikely at the moment.
But the need to win the Pac-12 to make the NCAA Tournament doesn't add more pressure for the Utes in the stretch run, which features series against Stanford, Cal, and fellow league-leader Washington. While most counted them out of that race before the season, it's been their goal all along.
"That's what we've wanted to do: win the Pac-12," sophomore pitcher Jayson Rose said. "We're finally ready to compete at the Pac-12 level. And it's in our hands."
kgoon@sltrib.com
Twitter: @kylegoon
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune University of Utah baseball player Hunter Simmons warms up during a practice Wednesday May 11, 2016.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune University of Utah baseball players Dallas Carroll, left, and Hunter Simmons joke around while warming up during a practice Wednesday May 11, 2016.
