Sophomore Dillon Plew is looking forward to another season with the Cougar baseball team while making the transition from second base to third.
"I feel like we're all excited," Plew said. "The feeling around the park is we're a competitive team, and we're going to surprise a few teams early in the Pac. That last place projected finish has added to our motivation."
Plew is coming off of a strong freshman season in which he showed he can keep up with the veterans on the team, and can lead the team in the future.
"I see him hitting right where he hit last year, between one and three in the order," said head coach Marty Lees. "He can see pitches, works counts and produces good at-bats. He does a very good job with all of those things."
???????Plew was one of the top five batters on the team in his freshman season with a batting average of .293, an on base percentage of .399 and tied for the team-lead with 28 walks . He also was second on the team in runs scored with 31, only two runs short of the leading spot, and recorded 10 doubles to go along with two home runs.
Even though he proved to be a talented player, Plew is still striving to improve in his sophomore season.
"I'm looking to get better everyday," Plew said, "and looking to help improve my teammates everyday too."
Coach Lees thinks that the coaching staff has Plew right where they want him, and that he is transitioning into his new position just fine.
"The challenge when you're making those transitions is you've got to learn a different spot," Lees said. "Even though it's infield, it's a different spot. He's gotten better at that. We've had the whole fall and winter to prepare him that way."
Coach Lees made the decision to transition Plew from second base to third after deciding to move Justin Harrer to the infield thanks to the depth of talent the Cougars have in the outfield.
"We've got a lot of good players in that outfield," Lees said. "It's going to be easier and a better transition for Justin to play second than it was for Dillon to play second, or Justin to go over to third, so that's what we did."
Plew agrees with his coach that third base suits him better.
"I feel the position is better for me," Plew said. "I didn't see myself playing second base at all. I'd say I did a fine job over there last season, but third base is a better spot for me and I'm enjoying it."
Lees expressed satisfaction with Plew's transition to third base, and his ability to adjust to change in his game.
"You can count on him everyday being a good baseball player," Lees said. "It doesn't matter where you put him on the field, he kind of has an idea of what's going on all the time."
The Cougars' season is just five games in and Plew enters the weekend series against Alabama having reached base in all five games and produced a three-hit game in Tuesday's win at Grand Canyon.
"I feel like we're all excited," Plew said. "The feeling around the park is we're a competitive team, and we're going to surprise a few teams early in the Pac. That last place projected finish has added to our motivation."
Plew is coming off of a strong freshman season in which he showed he can keep up with the veterans on the team, and can lead the team in the future.
"I see him hitting right where he hit last year, between one and three in the order," said head coach Marty Lees. "He can see pitches, works counts and produces good at-bats. He does a very good job with all of those things."
???????Plew was one of the top five batters on the team in his freshman season with a batting average of .293, an on base percentage of .399 and tied for the team-lead with 28 walks . He also was second on the team in runs scored with 31, only two runs short of the leading spot, and recorded 10 doubles to go along with two home runs.
Even though he proved to be a talented player, Plew is still striving to improve in his sophomore season.
"I'm looking to get better everyday," Plew said, "and looking to help improve my teammates everyday too."
Coach Lees thinks that the coaching staff has Plew right where they want him, and that he is transitioning into his new position just fine.
"The challenge when you're making those transitions is you've got to learn a different spot," Lees said. "Even though it's infield, it's a different spot. He's gotten better at that. We've had the whole fall and winter to prepare him that way."
Coach Lees made the decision to transition Plew from second base to third after deciding to move Justin Harrer to the infield thanks to the depth of talent the Cougars have in the outfield.
"We've got a lot of good players in that outfield," Lees said. "It's going to be easier and a better transition for Justin to play second than it was for Dillon to play second, or Justin to go over to third, so that's what we did."
Plew agrees with his coach that third base suits him better.
"I feel the position is better for me," Plew said. "I didn't see myself playing second base at all. I'd say I did a fine job over there last season, but third base is a better spot for me and I'm enjoying it."
Lees expressed satisfaction with Plew's transition to third base, and his ability to adjust to change in his game.
"You can count on him everyday being a good baseball player," Lees said. "It doesn't matter where you put him on the field, he kind of has an idea of what's going on all the time."
The Cougars' season is just five games in and Plew enters the weekend series against Alabama having reached base in all five games and produced a three-hit game in Tuesday's win at Grand Canyon.