Even though Patrick Chung failed to make the Gonzaga baseball roster as a freshman out of Cascade High School in 2015, Bulldogs coach Mark Machtolf saw enough ability in the former Bruins two-sport star to offer him a roster spot in 2016.
Chung has repaid Machtolf’s faith in him by emerging as a key reserve on Gonzaga’s NCAA Tournament-bound squad that claimed the first at-large berth in school history this season.
Gonzaga, the No. 3 seed in the Fort Worth (Texas) Regional hosted by TCU, faces second-seeded Arizona State at noon Friday.
Chung, who has started 21 of the 36 games in which he has appeared for Gonzaga this season, is batting .306 in 98 at-bats and has driven in 14 runs. He is one of two Snohomish County products on the Zags’ roster, along with junior outfielder Sam Brown (.274, two home runs, 26 RBI).
Chung started at shortstop for three seasons at Cascade and was the Bruins’ No. 1 singles player on the tennis team, reaching the state tennis tournament three times and placing fourth in 2014.
But Chung’s size — he stands 5-foot-7 and weighs 165 pounds — was a hindrance in his college recruitment. Mostly NCAA Division III schools were vying for his services.
“I think a lot of people didn’t believe in him because of his size,” said Scott Stencil, the baseball coach at Cascade. “He had all the physical skills. … Even as soon as his freshman year we saw he had the potential to do some big things.”
Although Chung turned into a contributor for the Zags this season, at the start of last season he was cleaning out his locker after failing to make the team. It wasn’t until later that spring that Machtolf called to offer Chung a spot on the roster for the 2016 season.
“I accepted it right away,” said Chung, who was eating in Gonzaga’s dining hall when the coach called. “I just had a huge smile on my face.”
Chung had been invited to try out for the Bulldogs in the fall of 2014 after the coaching staff saw him play at a few Gonzaga camps during the summer. Stencil’s connection to the Zags’ coaching staff also helped in getting Chung a foot in the door.
“I think for him, that was kind of his dream school anyway,” said Stencil, who played for the Bulldogs from 2000-2001.
During his time at Gonzaga, Stencil played with Danny Evans, now an assistant coach with the Zags. Evans said the Gonzaga coaches were always impressed with Chung’s bat speed and hand-eye coordination at the plate, but his fielding needed improvement. As Chung moves along in his college career, improving that aspect of his game will be key to becoming an everyday player.
“He’s gotten a lot better from last year to this year, and probably still needs to make another jump defensively,” Evans said.
Chung started the season in the conversation for the starting spot at second base, but wound up sliding over to the designated-hitter role, which was an uncertainty for the Bulldogs at the start of the season. When Chung went out with an illness midway through the year, it provided other players opportunities to prove themselves.
Nick Brooks, a redshirt sophomore, emerged as the Zags’ everyday DH, surpassing Chung.
“(He) adds a big-time power punch to our lineup,” Evans said of Brooks, who has six home runs and 20 RBI.
Since Gonzaga has gone with the power-hitting Brooks over Chung, the Bulldogs have used the Everett product in pinch-hitting and pinch-running situations. The change hasn’t hurt Chung at the plate. He’s hitting .411 as a pinch-hitter this season, including a two-run single in the 12th inning against Loyola Marymount on May 15. That 9-7 victory helped the Zags clinch a berth in the West Coast Conference Tournament.
“He can really hit a lot of line drives and handle the bat when we need to touch the baseball,” Evans said. “He’s done a great job at that.”
According to Evans, Chung’s consistency at the plate is one of his best attributes. Whether it’s in practice or in a game, his approach to the plate is steady.
“He probably repeats his swing mechanics as good as about anybody that we’ve seen in a long time,” Evans said.
While Chung’s best physical tool is his hitting, his attitude is what makes him special to Evans and the Gonzaga coaching staff. Rather than stew over losing his role as the team’s DH, Chung has embraced his role as a pinch hitter.
“It’s obviously all about just doing whatever I can to help out the team, whether that’s starting or coming off the bench in a role-playing position or doing a chart,” Chung said. “Some other people came in and are doing well, obviously I couldn’t be happier for them.”
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