Dorman’s big year keeping San Rafael Pacifics in contention for Pecos League title
Beau Dorman’s parents encouraged him to play hockey, but baseball was always “just more fun.” Years later, Dorman is still having fun as he helps power the San Rafael Pacifics into title contention.
“My sister was a figure skater, and my mom took me to the ice rink with her,” said Dorman, who grew up in Phoenix, Ariz. “So, I took up hockey and played for a few years, but I was always preferred baseball.”
A former standout at Concordia University, Dorman’s stats have been raising eyebrows around the Pecos League, as well as with scouts in other leagues. He tops the Pacific Division in batting average (.460), doubles (13), walks (36), runs (50) and RBIs (47).
Dorman’s 10 home runs rank him second in the division, trailing only teammate Tyler Georgeson (11), who took the lead with a blast over the fence in Friday’s 11-3 loss to Bakersfield.
“We don’t get really competitive with each other, although sometimes it just happens,” Dorman said. “When Tyler homered to tie me for the team lead, he said something like ‘I guess we’re both in the lead for now.’ But it’s no big deal. We just have fun and encourage each other and try to pick each other up.”
Kyle Ulanday, an assistant manager last season, is enjoying his first season at the helm for the Pacifics. He still gets his uniform dirty as a player/manager, but he’s making a transition.
“I’m trying to pull myself away from the player aspect. Yes, I’ll pitch if we need it, but this is the time for the younger guys,” Ulanday said. “I want them to know I have nothing to prove as a player, and that I want them to prove themselves with all the talent they have. When they come to me with questions, I want to tell them and show them what I did when I played. If I don’t have an answer right away, I’ll go back to my old coaches for advice.”
The Pacifics have been putting up solid numbers at the plate and on the mound as they pursue a playoff berth. San Rafael’s Mark Dozier is second in the division with 64 strikeouts and Jayson Summers’ 2.93 ERA and six wins rank him among the top 10 pitchers.
San Rafael is creating “magic” on the field, according to Ulanday, who wants his charges to realize “this is their time and they should enjoy it and make the most of it.”
San Rafael (24-9) is locked in a battle for the Pacific Division lead with Tucson (22-5), with 19 games left to play in the regular season. Tucson took back-to-back wins from San Rafael last week to pull even atop the standings.
“After those two losses, this is a learning moment,” Ulanday said. “In that second game, we had the game in the bag, but it was two costly errors that hurt us. There’s no if, ands, or buts about it. The reason I felt like we have a huge learning curve is how we play a game, a real good baseball game, like we’re in the driver’s seat. You’ve got to play a clean game for that. It’s not anything crazy. You play clean baseball and then you win those good games.”
The Pacifics won’t face the Tucson Saguaros again in the regular season, and have just one more scheduled game against third-place Bakersfield (22-10).
Bakersfield and Monterey (18-16) are in contention for the other two Pacific Division playoff spots. The division champion will be decided after two playoff series, after which the champions from the Pacific and Mountain divisions will square off for the Pecos League crown in August.
The Pacifics are proving to be a solid addition to the Pecos League in their second season. The Pacifics won the Pecos League Bay Area championship in their first year in 2021, after years of dominating the now-defunct Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, which went through a few different iterations. San Rafael ended its run in the Pacific Association after the 2019 season when the Pacifics won the club’s fourth league championship (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019). The Pacifics also won the 2012 North American League North Championship.
Baseball season won’t necessarily end with the Pecos League championship series for the Pacifics players, some of whom are expected to join teams in other leagues toward the end of the summer. Others might still draw interest from Major League Baseball scouts looking to solidify their farm league rosters for the remainder of the season. Teams could be looking at the all-stars on the Pacifics roster for fresh talent.
Martinez hosted the Pecos League Pacific Division All-Star Game on Sunday. Dorman and San Rafael teammates Corey Davis, Jalil Marines, Summers, John Bicos, Jonathan Waite, Kohto Hasgawa, Dozier, Mike Manley and Tyson Thompson were named to the roster for the North team, managed by Ulanday.
“I just know that if they keep playing the way they’re capable of playing and show they have the ability, their names will light up,” Ulanday said. “I try to get the phones ringing for them, and to help them grow.”