WCC Rawlings Co-Pitchers of the Week
Matt Lujan, USF
Junior LHP Matt Lujan for WCC Pitcher of the Week. In one start this weekend, Lujan earned the 9-2 win and take the season series from the Lions. In 7.0 innings, Lujan (1-0, 0.00 for the week), allowed just one unearned run off two hits and struck out two in 7.0 innings. Chris Dennis, POR
Chris Dennis saved all four of Portland's games as the Pilots went 4-0 during the week, including a weekend conference series sweep at Pepperdine, where UP was previously 1-31. With 12 career saves, all this season, Dennis is now the all-time career saves leader at UP, topping John Nichols' previous program record of 11; Dennis needed just 20 appearances to set the new mark. His 12 saves are also a new single-season record at UP, as Nichols held the previous record of nine. During the week, Dennis allowed just one earned run in 4.1 innings. He also struck out five and surrendered four hits, while posting a 2.08 ERA. During the 3-2 win at Washington on Tuesday, Dennis recorded all three outs in the ninth on the strikeouts. WCC Rawlings Co-Players of the Week
James Meador, USD
Senior outfielder James Meador helped lead USD to a three-game sweep over Gonzaga, as he went 10-for-17 (.769) with a double, two home runs and 10 RBI. Meador fell just one triple short of hitting for the cycle in Sunday's 17-7 win, as he went 3-for-4 with a double a home run and five RBI. Also after Sunday's 3-for-4 performance, Meador moved into a tie for 10th all-time on the career hits list at USD, and he did it in stylish fashion with a three-run homer over the left field fence on his last at bat of the game. In Saturday's win, Meador went 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBI. In Friday's win, Meador went 3-for-4 with one RBI. Meador's bat helped lead USD to a 44-run weekend and a perfect 9-0 start in WCC play, the best start in league play in program history for the Toreros. C.J. Cullen, POR
C.J. Cullen hit .625 (10-for-16) with a home run, a triple, six RBI's and four runs scored during the week as the Pilots went 4-0 with a win at Washington and a three-game WCC series sweep at Pepperdine. The Pilots ended an eight-game losing streak to UW and they were previously 1-31 against Pepperdine in Malibu. During the 3-2 win at Washington, he went 3-for-4 and fell a double shy of hitting for the cycle. His home run was a solo blast in the first and he scored two of Portland's three runs. Cullen had two more hits and two RBI's during series-opening 8-6 win at Pepperdine. During the 8-4 win on Saturday, he went 4-for-5 for his third four-hit game of the season, knocked in two runs, scored once, and then added on another hit and another RBI during 5-1 win on Sunday. WCC March Pitcher of the Month: Matt Hauser, USD:
RHP Matt Hauser was named the WCC Pitcher of the Month for March after making nine appearances and picking up five saves with a 1.17 ERA. His month included a win and a save against #14 Rice and a pair of saves against #10 Coastal Carolina. He has pitched 22.1 innings this season in 12 appearances and has allowed just four earned runs. Also Nominated: John Lally, LMU; Robert Dickmann, PEP WCC March Players of the Month: Mark Castellitto, GON & Tommy Medica, SCU
OF Mark Castellitto was named a Co-Player of the Month for March after hitting .406 with seven doubles, a triple, eight home runs, 21 runs scored, and 24 RBI. His month included a three home run performance in a win over Utah Valley. OF Tommy Medica has continued his outstanding run this season as he was named WCC Co-Player of the Month for March after hitting .403, with five home runs, six doubles, 23 runs scored and 19 RBI. He also has the longest hitting streak in the conference at an outstanding 19 games. Over that span, he has notched 13 multi-hit games. also Nominated: Ryan Hawthorne, LMU; Victor Sanchez, USD WCC Rawlings Pitcher of the Week: Cole Cook, PEP
Bywater was impressive in the series opener against the Broncos en route to earning RHP Cole Cook tossed in his second complete game of the year en route to earning WCC Rawlings Pitcher of the Week honors in the first win over the Zags. He allowed just two runs, while striking out six. He has now gone at least seven innings in all eight games started this year and is tied for league lead in complete games (3) with teammate LHP Matt Bywater. Also Nominated: Cody Martin, GON; Kyle Kraus, POR; Kyle Blair, USD; Matt Hiserman, USF WCC Rawlings Player of the Week: Beau Fraser, POR
C/DH Beau Fraser had an impressive week on his way to earning WCC Rawlings Player of the Week honors. He hit 9-for-16 (.562) with two home runs and 11 RBI. Also Nominated: Royce Bolinger, GON; Ryan Heroy, PEP; Zach Walters, USD WCC Teams Garner Preseason Rankings
San Diego and Pepperdine were each listed among the nation's elite in numerous rankings heading into the 2010 campaign. The Toreros have been ranked in several publications, with the highest ranking coming in the Baseball America preseason poll, that had San Diego at No. 19. Collegiate Baseball ranked the Waves at No. 34 heading into the season, while Gonzaga received votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. San Diego
Baseball America - No. 19
USA TODAY/ESPN - No. 23
Collegiate Baseball - No. 24
NCBWA - No. 24 Pepperdine
Collegiate Baseball - No. 34 USA TODAY/ESPN - Receiving Votes
NCBWA - Receiving Votes Gonzaga
USA TODAY/ESPN - Receiving Votes WCC's Preseason All-Americans
Several WCC standouts were tabbed for 2010 preseason All-American honors. After winning the Triple Crown last year, Saint Mary's Troy Channing was tabbed a Louisville Slugger preseason second team All-American and was ranked No. 6 on the Rivals.com power rankings for third basemen. Santa Clara's Geoff Klein and Tommy Medica were both named honorable mention preseason All-America catchers by Ping! Baseball. Two Players Named To Stopper Of The Year Watch List
Gonzaga junior right hander Cody Martin and Portland junior right hander Zach Varce were both named to this year's Stopper of the Year Watch List. This marks Martin's second time being nominated to the list as he also made the midseason watch list as well. Last year, Martin posted a 3.07 ERA while going 5-4 with six saves and 68 strikeouts in 58.2 innings. In his freshman season, he set the school record for saves in a season with nine. Last season, Varce led the league with a 2.69 ERA and tied for the league lead with nine saves, which also tied the school record. Posting a 3-5 record, he held opposing batters to an average of .249 and had 62 strikeouts in 60.1 innings. The Boys of Summer
This past summer, many WCC baseball players took part in summer leagues all across the country with many receiving All-Star recognition and individual rewards. Below is a list of all the WCC players receiving recognition. Alaska Baseball League
Jonathan Johnson, LMU - Gold Glove
Drew Heid, GON - MVP
Ryan Carpenter, GON - All-Star Cal Ripken League
Jonathan Abrahamson, USF - All-Star, Co-Pitcher of the Year
Ryan Mulligan, SMC - All-Star Cape Cod
Kyle Blair, USD - All-Star Hawaii Collegiate
Mark Anderson, SMC - All-Star
Tyler Brubaker, PEP - All-Star
Ricky Villarreal, PEP - All-Star
Joe Vierra, LMU - All-Star
Case Miyahara, LMU - All-Star New York Collegiate
Miles Silverstein, PEP - All-Star
Brad Jesernig, PEP - All-Star Northwoods League
Zach Varce, POR - All-Star
Riley Henricks, POR - All-Star
Troy Channing, SMC - Rising Star (Rivals.com)
Aaron Gates, PEP - All-Star
Chris Engell, USD - Silver Slugger Award Prospect League
Nate Johnson, PEP - All-Star USF's Nino Giarratano named to USA Baseball Coaching Staff
This will mark the second stint with Team USA for Giarratano, following his work as an assistant coach on Rob Walton's Collegiate National Team staff in 2008. That year, the team won the Gold Medal with a 12 inning victory over Japan and finished the season undefeated at 24-0. He joins Bill Kinneberg (Utah), Dave Serrano (Cal State Fullerton), and Ed Blankmeyer (St. John's). Giarratano is entering his 12th season with the Dons after guiding them to a share of third place last year. San Diego Picked To Finish First In 2010 WCC Preseason Poll
San Diego was picked as the favorite to win this year's WCC regular season title in the 2010 preseason baseball poll, as voted on by the head coaches in the conference. The Toreros received six first place votes for a total of 48 points and are ranked 24th in Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll. Pepperdine was picked second with 38 points and is also receiving national recognition, ranked 34th in Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll. San Francisco totaled 33 points for third, while 2009 WCC Champion Gonzaga got one first place vote for 29 points to finish fourth, just edging out 2009 WCC runner-up Loyola Marymount, who received 28 points for fifth. Rounding out this year's preseason poll are Santa Clara, who received the last first place vote with 20 points, Saint Mary's with 17 points, and Portland with 11 points. The Toreros also placed the most number of players on the preseason all-conference team with five players being selected, including 2009 WCC Player of the Year, James Meador. WCC Baseball Preseason Poll
1. San Diego - 48 (6)
Pepperdine - 38
3. San Francisco - 33
4. Gonzaga - 29 (1)
5. LMU - 28
6. Santa Clara - 20(1)
7. Saint Mary's - 17
8. Portland -11
(first place votes) The 2009 WCC Baseball Season at a Glance
The West Coast Conference ended the season ranked in the top half of the NCAA RPI rankings, coming in at No. 11, finishing ahead of the Western Athletic (WAC) and Big Ten conferences ... Gonzaga University received the WCC's only bid to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of winning the WCC Baseball Championship Series against Loyola Marymount. The regular season and championship series title were the first in program history as the Zags finished ranked 22nd in the country according to Baseball America ... Half of the WCC schools finished with even or winning records against nationally ranked non-conference opponents, led by LMU, who finished with a 6-2 record ... Saint Mary's Troy Channing finished a historical year by becoming just the third player in conference history to win the Triple Crown. Channing led all freshmen in the country in home runs and RBI per game on his way to earning numerous accolades including being named to NCBWA and Baseball America All-America teams, the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team and being named a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy as well as the WCC Freshman of the Year ... The WCC had 24 players chosen in the MLB First Year Player Draft, the second most in league history, led by LMU's Angelo Songco, who was picked in the 4th round (127th overall) ... Songco was also a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award ... The WCC had numerous players on preseason watch lists, including four pitchers on the Stopper of the Year list and eight players on the Wallace Award Watch list ... Four players were also placed on the 2009 CoSida Academic All District VII Team, the most of any conference in the district ... San Diego's James Meador won the Player of the Year award |