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The 2013 Bend Elks finished the season with a 30-24 record. They faded down the stretch and finished the summer up by losing their last seven games in a row. As a pitching staff, the Elks were a pretty good staff, and finished the season with a team era of 4.05. They were led last season by Lewis-Clark’s David Murillo and Creighton’s Taylor Elman.  Murillo fanned 44 batters in 29.1 innings, and Elman sported a 3.35 era in 53.2 innings of work.  This season the Elks will be counting on a whole new crew to lead them to the West Coast League Title.

*This preview is comprised of six pitchers that have signed on to play for the Elks. As is often the case with summer ball rosters, they will change right up to the start of the first pitch of the first game.  I am basing my preview off my most current Elks roster. If there is an error, please contact me.

Jeff Albrecht comes to the Elks from Creighton University in Omaha. The Elks have had a good relationship with Creighton and Jeff joins a pretty big list of Blue Jays that have headed out west for their summer.  Albrecht is a freshman left-hander that stands about 5’10”, and weighs in at 200 pounds. He has made six starts this season and has not factored in a decision yet. He has a 5.14 era in 21.1 innings of work for Creighton.  The Omaha native has also struck out 18 batters this year.

The second pitcher in this preview comes to the Elks from Northwest Nazarene University. Nick Bland is a 6 foot 4 inch, tall right-handed pitcher from Tigard, OR. Nick has a 0-4 record, and is sporting a 8.64 era in 16.2 innings pitched this season. He has also saved a pair of games for the Crusaders this season.

Cal State Northridge’s Louis Cohen will bring plenty of summer ball experience to the Elks this summer.  The red-shirt junior spent the summer of 2012 with the Peninsula Oilers and last summer he had a tremendous season while playing for the Terre Haute Rex. He went a perfect 5-0 and finished the season with a 3.37 era in 50.2 innings pitched. He also had a WHIP of 1.08 for Terre Haute. Luis has seen plenty of action out of the bullpen this season. He has appeared in 17 games, and has an era of 3.92 in 20.2 innings of work. He has walked six batters this season and he has a K/9 ratio of 9.15 for CS Northridge.

How many New Zealand natives have ever played for the Elks? I really do not know if Mak Fox will be the first player from New Zealand to don an Elks uniform. Maybe somebody could answer that for me? Moving on though, Fox is currently a freshman at Oregon State. He hails from Auckland, New Zealand and he is known as a talented lefty, that isn’t afraid to challenge hitters. He has appeared in four games this season and has a 1-0 record to show for it. In 5.2 innings pitched this season, Fox has a 4.76 era. He has not walked a batter and he has struck out three.

Rio Gomez is a freshman LHP from Mesa CC, and he can either start or relieve for the Elks this summer. He hails from Phoenix, and he has appeared in one game this season.

The final pitcher in this preview is Corban College star, Austin Guzzon. If his name is familiar, it might be because I profiled him signing with the Elks about a week ago. He can view the article here.  Austin now has a 5-4 record, and has a great era of 1.99 this season.  He did appear in four games for Bend last summer.

I expect to have part two of this preview posted to the website sometime next week.