ThunderWolves Baseball Camps
Head Coach Bobby Applegate
On June 30, 2021, Bobby Applegate was hired as the CSU Pueblo Head Baseball Coach.
A graduate of CSU Pueblo and a member of the 1994 team that resurrected the baseball program, Applegate brings nearly 25 years of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I level to the ThunderWolves. Applegate had spent the last seven seasons as an assistant coach at the United States Naval Academy where he also served as the pitching coach and co-recruiting coordinator. He also had stints as an assistant at NCAA Division I University of California, Riverside, Brigham Young University and the United States Air Force Academy. In all, Applegate has developed more than 30 players who have signed to Major League Baseball organizations.
Under his tutelage the Navy pitching staff continued cementing its place in the program record books, as well as in the hierarchy of the Patriot League and the NCAA Division I. During his four years with the Mids, Navy is one of just six programs nationally to finish top-50 in both ERA and winning percentage in four separate occasions (2015-19). Louisville and Oregon State have completed that task in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, while Navy ('15-'16-'18-'19), Florida ('15-'16-'17-'18) and Texas A&M ('15-'16-'18-'19) have achieved that milestone four times. In 2018, Navy's staff ERA ranked No. 8 at 3.10 and the team won at a .710 clip (38-16) to place 12th. Only Oregon State -- who won the national championship -- had a lower combined Win% (No. 1) + ERA (No. 12) total in 2018.
During the 2021 season, Applegate assisted the Midshipmen to a record of 17-15 overall and 11-12 in the Patriot League. Navy finished the 2021 season with a 6.45 ERA and struck out 241 batters over the 32 games during the year.
Applegate coached Second Team All-Patriot Leaguers Charlie Connolly and Trey Braithwaite. He also assisted in Braithwaite tying the program record for most saves in a career with 17.
During the 2020 season, Applegate helped the Navy pitching staff lead the Patriot League with a 3.07 ERA while also posting league-bests in strikeouts with 131 and saves with seven. The Midshipmen’s ERA ranked 52nd overall in the nation while their 7.00 hits allowed per nine innings ranked 39th in the NCAA with a WHIP of 1.13 to rank 28th overall. Junior Charlie Connolly led the Patriot League with a 1.04 ERA and 32 strikeouts as opposed to three walks.
Navy finished the shortened season with a 14-1 record, which included 14-straight wins to end the year that ranks second all-time in program history for the longest single-season winning streak. Prior to the 2020 season, juniors Jared Leins and Trey Braithwaite were selected to the Preseason All-Patriot League team with Braithwaite being named to the NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.
During his fifth season as the pitching coach in 2019, Applegate helped Navy rank in top 50 in the country in strikeouts per nine innings (10th, 10.0), hits allowed per nine innings (17th, 7.69), WHIP (25th, 1.28), strikeout-to-walk ratio (29th, 2.57), shutouts (29th, five) and earned run average (32nd, 3.82). The Midshipmen also broke the program record strikeouts per nine innings (10.0), strikeouts (527) and saves (17), while helping Navy record the second-most wins in program history with 39.
Applegate also coached Golden Spikes Finalist Noah Song, who re-wrote the program record books. Song was named the first First Team All-American in school history and he became the first player in program history to be selected as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy, while also being selected as the Pitcher of the Year by Perfect Game. Song also set the program record for wins (32), strikeouts (428), innings pitched (334-1/3) and tied for most shutouts with nine. He also set the school record of strikeouts in a season (161) and strikeouts per nine innings (15.41). Song led the country in strikeouts per nine innings, which is the best in NCAA Division I since 2009 and is tied for sixth all-time in Division I history. Song was also drafted in the fourth round (137th overall) by the Boston Red Sox and made him the highest drafted player in program history.
Along with helping Song grab national attention, he helped sophomore relief pitcher Trey Braithwaite earn national recognition after being named the Stopper of the Year Watch List. Braithwaite -- who also the First Team All-Patriot League relief pitcher -- finished the season with 10 saves and a 3.10 ERA. Braithwaite's 10 saves rank sixth all-time for career saves and tied the school record for most saves in a single season.
In his fourth year at the helm of Navy's pitching staff in 2018, the Mids finished atop the regular standings of the Patriot League with a conference record of 18-7, thereby earning the team its fourth straight number one seed in the postseason. Overall, Navy finished 38-16 in 2018, the second highest win total in program history. As a staff, Navy hurlers posted a 3.10 ERA with 1.26 WHIP, .242 opponents batting average and 418 strikeouts over 476.1 innings. In 54 games, the Mids recorded seven shutouts with 13 saves by its bullpen. Nationally, Navy ranked eighth in ERA, ninth in shutouts, 12th in win percentage, 20th in WHIP, 27th in fewest walks/9 innings (3.17), 40th in fewest hits allowed/9 innings (8.14) and 43rd in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.49).
Individually, a host of Navy hurlers drew both national and conference attention. Junior RHP Noah Song was recognized as a Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American, while freshman RHP Jared Leins earned a nod as a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American. Song was one of the most dominant starting pitchers in the nation as he struck out 121 batters with a 1.92 ERA over 89.0 innings pitched. Leins immediately asserted himself as top bullpen arm and won four Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors during his first collegiate season. Leins finished with a 5-2 record and a Patriot League-leading five saves in 19 appearances. Senior RHP Sean Kamhoot and freshman RHP Tommy Goodridge also garnered league accolades as the duo each won Patriot League Pitcher of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors, respectively in 2018.
Over his first four season, Navy’s pitching staff has garnered 10 All-Patriot League awards under Applegate.
In 2017, his third year leading the Mids' staff, Navy won its third straight Patriot League regular season title as the team posted a 16-4 record to win the conference by four games and earn the number one seed in the postseason tournament. In addition to its strong performance in league play, Navy won 21 non-conference games for an overall record of 37-17. That win total ties the 2015 team for third-most victories in a season. Statistically the Mids’ pitching staff posted a 3.99 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and .268 opponents’ batting average to go along with 379 strikeouts over 456.0 innings pitched. Navy led the Patriot League in each of the first three categories and ranked second in strikeouts. All-time, the 2017 team’s strikeout total ranks sixth in program history, while its save total of 10 and shutout tally of four stand sixth and 13th, respectively. Nationally, the Mids ranked 37th in walks allowed per nine innings (3.14), 57th in shutouts 61st in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.38) and 62nd in ERA.
Individually, Applegate had a hand in three Midshipmen pitchers earning All-Patriot League playing honors with senior Kyle Condry leading the way as the league’s Pitcher of the Year. After three solids seasons, Condry broke out in 2017 with dominant form as he completed the year with a 7-2 record, 2.89 ERA, four complete games, 71.2 innings pitched, 61 strikeouts and a .254 opponents’ batting average. In Patriot League-only regular season contests, Condry went 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 33.1 innings. Joining Condry as an All-Patriot League First Team honoree in 2017 was the Mids’ closer Jett Meenach, who was saved a league-high eight games, while compiling a 5-1 record, 2.12 ERA and 26:6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 34.0 innings over 27 games. Noah Song, the reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year, followed up his standout freshman campaign with a spot on the All-Patriot League Second Team with a 2017 line of 6-4, 3.67 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 76.0 innings.
Condry’s Pitcher of the Year honor was the fourth straight for the program and third straight for Applegate.
In 2016, Navy recorded a program-best 43 wins, Patriot League regular season and postseason titles and a win in the NCAA Tournament as part of the Raleigh Regional. Applegate's pitchers posted a 43-16-1 record with a 3.20 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 440 strikeouts, 12 shutouts and an opponents' batting average of .241. Three of the Mids' four weekend starters had 3.09 or lower ERAs (the fourth was at 3.76). Nationally, Navy's shutout total ranked second overall, while its winning percentage (.750-10th), ERA (19th), WHIP (21st) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.65-23rd) all ranked in the top-25. The Mids' strikeout mark stands second all-time in Navy history trailing only the 2015 staff's 464 punch-outs.
Amongst individual members of the Navy pitching staff, Luke Gillingham and Noah Song earned national accolades for their work with Applegate. For the second straight season Gillingham found himself honored by both the NCBWA and Louisville Slugger on the respective organization's All-American teams. Gillingham turned a senior pitching line of 2.35 ERA, 8-4, eight complete games, four shutouts, 93 strikeouts in 93.0 innings and a .202 opponents' batting average. The left-handed pitcher was named the Patriot League Pitcher of the Year. Gillingham's career culminated by being selected in the MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. Song came into the program as a freshman and immediately secured a role as one of the nation's most impactful rookies. After hurling 75.1 innings over 17 contests, Song finished with a 2.75 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 9-3 record, three shutouts, 57 strikeouts and a .182 opponents' batting average. His WHIP and hits allowed per nine innings (5.85) marks both ranked in the top-16 in NCAA DI. For his dominant first season, Song was selected to Freshman All-American teams for the NCBWA and Louisville Slugger.
In addition to Gillingham and Song's national awards, the Mids' closer Sam Sorenson was recognized on the All-Patriot League First Team.
In his first year as the pitching coach for the Mids in 2015, Applegate led the transformation of a solid staff to one of the best in the nation. Statistically, Navy’s staff dropped its ERA 64 points from 2014 down to a 3.04 mark that ranked 21st in the NCAA. A newly-found aggressive approach in their respective attacks helped the Midshipmen hurlers strike out 464 batters and walk only 146 for a 3.18:1 strikeout to walk ratio that was ninth in the nation. The Mids’ 8.4 strikeouts per nine ratio was 21st overall. Applegate’s staff also ranked 11th in WHIP (1.17), 12th in shutouts (7), 21st in hits allowed per nine (7.9) and 21st in walks allowed per nine (2.66). All-time in Navy’s record books, the 2015 staff is first in strikeouts, tied for third in wins (37), second in shutouts and third in strikeouts per nine.
Individually, Applegate helped Luke Gillingham transition from the team’s number three starter to a Second-Team All-American that led the NCAA in hits per nine (4.75) and WHIP (0.70), in addition to ranking third in strikeouts per nine (11.99) fourth in ERA (1.19). Reliever Jett Meenach also had a breakthrough under Applegate’s tutelage as the one-time infielder became a lights-out closer that was named to the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List in late April. The first-year pitcher posted the lowest ERA amongst Patriot League bullpen arms (1.99) and was one of 10 DI relievers with seven or more wins and less than 50.0 innings pitched. Both pitchers earned All-Patriot League honors, including the Pitcher of the Year accolade for Gillingham.
Applegate’s first season in Annapolis concluded with senior Stephen Moore being drafted in the 10th round by the Atlanta Braves. Moore’s selection as number 300 was the highest in school history at the time.
Prior to joining Navy, Applegate served as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator and, for a time following the retirement of Doug Smith, the interim head coach of the UC Riverside Highlander baseball program. A three-year member of the Highlanders, Applegate led a pitching staff that saw five hurlers join the professional ranks. In this past June, Jacob Smigelski (Miami Marlins, 13th) and Zach Varela (Los Angeles Angels, 23rd) and Dylan Stuart (Atlanta Braves, FA) all were drafted or signed as a free agent after three years of tutelage under Applegate. With the addition of Trevor Frank, a 2013 eighth round draftee of the Cleveland Indians, and Eddie Orozco, a 2012 22nd round pick of the Chicago Cubs, all five hurlers also were recognized on All-Big West teams during their careers at Riverside.
Besides his mentoring of the pitching staff, Applegate was also in charge of coordinating the recruiting, scheduling and alumni relation efforts of the Highlanders' program.
Before heading west to UC Riverside in 2011, Applegate was an assistant coach at Brigham Young University for eight years. During his time with the Cougars his pitchers found both individual and group success as 16 different pitchers signed professional contracts and his staffs posted the two lowest team earned run averages in BYU's history. In a conference known for explosive offensive numbers, the Cougars' 2007 earned run average mark of 3.93 stands fifth all-time in the Mountain West Conference's record book.
In addition to his work with pitchers, Applegate was responsible for the scheduling of all games, managing the travel budget, directing the program's alumni relations and assisting with all facets of recruiting. For his work with the team, he was honored as the Assistant Coach of the Year by BYU Athletic Department in 2010.
A one-year stint as an associate scout for the Kansas City Royals from 2002 through 2003 served as a buffer for Applegate between BYU and his previous stop at the United States Air Force Academy. From 1998 until 2002, he was the pitching coach for the Falcons and guided Matt Kaercher, who became the first pitcher from the academy to sign a professional baseball contract. Applegate and his Air Force squad left its mark on the school's record book with the most wins versus D1 opposition in 2002 and the second-lowest ERA since 1983 during the 2000 season. Six Falcons earned All-Conference accolades under his tutelage.
Applegate's first collegiate coaching opportunity came in 1995 at his alma mater, the University of Southern Colorado (now known as Colorado State University-Pueblo). Between 1995 and 1997, he served as the school's pitching coach and aided the 1996 team to a fourth place finish in the NCAA Division II College World Series.
Applegate began playing collegiately at Southwestern Community College in San Diego (1991-93) before transferring to the University of Southern Colorado. He completed a distinguished career in 1995 after earning accolades as the Colorado Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year ('95) and on the All-Mile High Intercollegiate team ('95). In recognition of his success as a player and a coach, Applegate was inducted into the USC Diamond of Fame in 1999.
After playing professionally for the Pueblo Bighorns of the Texas-Louisiana League during the summer of 1995, he returned to CSU and finished his Kinesiology degree in 1996.
