Wolf Pack SS Kyle Hunt a record-breaker in his own way

Wolf Pack shortstop Kyle Hunt has had a record-breaking career in Reno.

Now, he hasn't broken the records most kids dream about breaking.

You know, a home run record or RBI record or batting average record or even the steals records.

No, Hunt's records have been easy to miss. The Southern California native is Nevada's program leader in sacrifice bunts (40) and is second in being hit by a pitch (56, five behind Chris Gimenez). He's also on pace to appear in the third-most games of any Wolf Pack baseball player ever.

And while those stats don't jump of the page, it's hard to put a value on the smooth-fielding Hunt, a four-year starter and leader on the No. 22-ranked Wolf Pack's resurgence to national prominence.

"I can't quantify his value, and I know we're going to miss him when he's gone," coach Jay Johnson said.

The bulk of Hunt's value has come on defense, where he fit in immediately, starting 51 of the team's 57 games as a freshman. Johnson said Hunt has a "nose for the ball" and is a very aggressive defensive player who is a good communicator and gives the defense a calming effect because of his steadiness.

The shortstop's overall game has grown exponentially over the last two seasons, Johnson said.

"In my opinion, he's the most improved player in the 20 months we've been here and he's has really been a staple of our team," Johnson said. "The first characteristic that comes out is consistency. That position is very difficult to play. It's very difficult to find a good one and he's more than stabilized it for us. I really wouldn't trade him for any shortstop I've seen to this point from a defensive standpoint."

While this year's Wolf Pack team has mostly been defined by its offense – the team's 7.7 runs scored per game are among the nation's leader – Nevada's defense is tied for the fewest errors in the Mountain West. Hunt is a big reasons behind the Wolf Pack's defensive effort. During Hunt's freshman year, Nevada ranked second in the NCAA in double plays turned. This year, the team ranks fifth nationally.

"People always tell you, 'If you hit, they won't take you out of the lineup,'" Hunt said. "Well, that's a big key. But I've always believed that if you can play defense really well, they're not going to take you out of the lineup because defense is so important. I would credit my defense to the coaches I've had in the past and coaches I have now. They've taught me how to play that position and really succeed in it."

Offensively, Hunt made a big switch when Johnson was hired by Nevada two years ago.

Hunt was a switch-hitter since he was 14 and hit both ways during his freshman and sophomore seasons of college. But Johnson decided to make Hunt a right-hander only, a move Hunt was on board with.

"Going in last year, I actually wanted to switch it up because I wasn't really happy with the production I was having," Hunt said. "I went into his office thinking about talking about it and he brought it up and I said, 'That's great, because I wanted to talk about it, too.' We came to that conclusion and stuck to it."

Focusing on being a right-handed hitter, Hunt improved his batting average from .216 as a sophomore to .244 last season while cracking a career-best 18 extra-base hits. This year, Hunt's average has slipped to .227, but his on-base percentage is a .356 and he has 11 extra-base hits. The pure numbers might not be what Hunt was hoping for, but Johnson has been pleased with Hunt's approach at the plate.

"He's swung the bat and taken way better at-bats than his numbers indicate," Johnson said.

Fellow senior Austin Byler said Hunt is the leader of the team's defense and one of the best leaders on the team, a model for the younger players to look up to. In an odd way, that leadership was evident two weeks ago against Fresno State when, during a fracas, Hunt shoved Bulldogs player Korby Batesole.

During a three-game series earlier in the season, Fresno State pitchers hit Wolf Pack batters seven times, including Byler and Howell, two of the nation's top players, three times each. In the rematch series two weeks ago, Batesole, the son of the Bulldogs' coach, slid late and took out Hunt, who pushed Batesole before being mobbed by the Fresno State bench. Hunt was suspended four games for the push.

"He plays hard," Byler said of Hunt. "That thing with Fresno State, we knew something was going to happen at some point. Kyle's the kind of guy who's not going to let anything go by. He's going to stand up for his team. He gives 100 percent offensively, defensively and he's always right there mentally."

Hunt and Byler are two of seven fourth-year seniors at Nevada, a rarity in a sport where the top players leave for the draft after their junior years. The bond between those seniors is strong and has only been strengthened by the season the team is having this year as it looks to win the school's first MW title.

"It's special," Hunt said. "It's been a fun time. Going into the year, this is what we wanted it to be, that fun time. We wanted to have a senior season like this, and it's not over, but we wanted to go out with a bang and have a lot of fun."

Columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at cmurray@rgj.com or follow him on Twitter @MurrayRGJ.

WOLF PACK BASEBALL

Who: San Jose State (10-31, 3-15 Mountain West) at Nevada (31-10, 16-5)

Pitchers: SJSU RHP Josh Nashed (3-3, 5.11 ERA) at Nevada TBD

Where: Peccole Park (capacity, 3,000)

When: Friday-Sunday (first pitch Friday at 6 p.m.)

TV/Radio: None/1060 AM

Internet: NevadaWolfPack.TV

THE FILE ON KYLE HUNT

Class: Senior

Position: Shortstop

Height/weight: 6-0/180

Hometown: Mission Viejo, Calif.

High School: Capistrano Valley HS

Bat/Throw: Right/Right

2015 stats: 37 games: .227 BA, .356 OBP, .341 SLG, 25 runs, 19 RBIs, nine 2Bs, two HRs, four steals