Though basketball and baseball have almost no similarities, the Sacramento State baseball team is taking a page out of the Michigan Fab 5 playbook.

This season, head coach Reggie Christiansen is employing a new tactic in the pitching rotation by starting freshmen and having the upperclassmen finish out the games.

“We thought initially that going into the season, it would be better for freshmen to start games as opposed to coming out of the bullpen,” Christiansen said. “We wanted to give them more of a routine to be on so they know when they’re pitching so they can prepare that way.”

Christiansen felt these changes would be beneficial and appropriate because it gives the freshmen experience, and also benefits the veterans.

“It gives the older guys the harder innings to pitch in, which is the seventh, eighth and ninth,” Christiansen said. “Those guys have done that before, and I just think it makes more sense.”

Though they might not be sponsored in an ESPN documentary, the freshmen have another thing in common with the former Michigan starters &- talent.

“They’re talented, and I think they’re deserving of it,” Christiansen said.

If anyone can vouch for the talent of these freshmen, it would be the person behind home plate, catcher Derrick Chung.

“They have a lot of talent,” Chung said. “If they just keep working hard, they’re going to be really good.”

Christiansen admits it might have been tough for some of the older pitchers to lose their starting positions, but most of them understand the decision made by the coaching staff is for the betterment of the team.

“They were disappointed, but I think that they understand it’s in the best interest of our program that way,” Christiansen said.

The maturity level of the older pitchers is something that Christiansen commends.

“Our older guys understand that our pitching hasn’t been that great like last year,” Christian said. “They’re older so they understand what we’re trying to do here and we have next year to look forward to.”

Chung also thinks the changes in lineup are a good idea, and that it helps to use the upperclassmen talent in later innings.

“They’re more use to coming out the bullpen because they did it last year so they’re more use to it,” Chung said. “They’ve been really good for us. When the freshmen struggle, they basically slow everything down and use their experience.”

With the team record at 6-19, Christiansen was looking for a different outcome to start the season. But he knows that with time, the freshmen will improve.

“It certainly hasn’t worked out like we have hoped in terms of wins and losses, but I think these freshmen have done a pretty good job,” Christiansen said. “That’s just what it’s like being a freshman.”

The move to have the freshmen start is something that Christiansen hopes will help the team not only in this season, but also in the seasons to come.

“We’re trying to build our program and at some point we believe this is going to be a special place,” Christiansen said.

“Obviously anytime you try to build something, you’re going to have some obstacles that come your way. We’re having a hard time overcoming those things and I think we all just need to look ourselves in the mirror and find a better way.”

The pitchers feel a sense of pressure to do well since they are starting over some of the upperclassmen, but the pitching staff for Sac State said they need to rely on each other in order to succeed.

“There’s some pressure, but we get a lot of support from everyone,” said freshman pitcher Shea Lukes. “When someone has a bad day, we all know what we’re going through. They treat us with respect, and we treat them with respect because they pick us up when we’re down.”

Lukes knows that even as freshmen, the group already has a lot of talent.

“We have a great future ahead of us. We’re not really looking at the future because the things we can do then, we can absolutely do now,” Lukes said. “There’s nothing that we can’t do now that we can’t do in a few years. We just haven’t found the groove yet, and it all comes with time.”

You can reach Anthony Honrade at [email protected]