USD Baseball 1999

UNIVERSITY OF

BASEBALL

1999 MEDIA GUIDE

Discover the University of San Diego Setting The University of San Di ego is an independent Ca tho lic institution of higher educa tion . Founded in 1949, USO is loca ted on 180 acres over– looking Mission Bay, San Di ego Harbor and the Pac ific Ocean. The cam– pus is named Al ca la Park and is located just 10 minutes from downtown San Di ego and the world famous San Diego Zoo. Hi stori c Old Town is just minutes away as we ll. The city of Sa n Diego along w ith thi s campus traces their origins to fifteenth centu ry Spa in . The campus was named after a Spanish vi ll age near Madri d - A lca la de Henares. Founded by the Greeks as Compl utum, the vi llage was later renamed A l Ka la (the Castle) by the Mos lems. Chris– ti ans recaptu red the vill age centuries later and fou nded a un iversity, the Univers ity of Al ca la, whose buil di ngs became the inspiration for USD 's sty le. Both instituti ons are located on a hill overlooki ng a river va lley.

The Campus

The USO campus is rega rded as one of the most architectu rally uni que insti– tutions in the country, fea turing 18 major buil di ngs des igned in an ornamenta l 16th centu ry Spanish Renaissa nce style. Since 1984, USO has completed 11 major constructi on and expansion projects. A five-story, Spanish Renaissance pa rking ga rage (1, 100 spaces) was completed in 1998 . A landscaped fountain plaza was fi nished in the fa ll of 1995, con necting the entra nces of the lmmacul ata and Hughes Administration Center. In 1992, the unive rsity comp leted the 45,000 square foot Loma Hall, which inc ludes an ex– panded bookstore, a larger ma il center, classrooms and laboratori es. In 1990, the renovated Katherine M . and George M . Pardee Jr. Lega l Resea rch Center opened, a faci lity that offers the latest in in formation technology. Academics USO enro ll s more than 6,600 students who have a choice of more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The university 's academic uni ts include the Co llege of Arts and Sciences, and the Schoo ls of Business Administra– ti on, Educa tion, Law and Nursing. Cl ass size generall y averages between 18-25 students with the student to teacher ratio bei ng 18: 1. Over 97 percent of USD 's full-time faculty ho ld doctorates. In the annual ratings of the cou ntry's colleges and un iversiti es, publi shed by U. S. News & World Report, USO moved from the regional to nati onal category in 1994. The university is ranked among the top 100 schools in the nation .

Student Life Student activities include cultural events, dances, boat cruises, beach parties, BBQ's, concerts, comedy nights, symposia and much more. Students parti cipate in a wide range of volunteer projects such as adult li teracy tutoring, senior citi zen outreach, and house building in Tijuana. The intramu ral program is also an integral part of student life on campus w ith over two-thirds of the USO community parta king in intramural sports. Athletics The Un iversity of San Diego is a member of the West Coast Conference for nearly all sports and competes in 16 interco llegiate sports on the NCAA Divi sion I leve l. Women's sports include: basketball , crew, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and vol leyba ll. Men's sports include: baseball , basketball, crew, cross coun– try, golf, football , soccer and tennis. Since 1990 USO teams have won five confer– ence championships; made 19 post-season appea rances; had 16 Conference Coaches of the Yea r; 12 Con ference Players of the Year, 10 Conference Freshman of the Year, three WCC Scholar Athletes of the Yea r and 18 NCAA A ll-Ameri ca ns. This past year, Zuza na Lesenarova, a sophomore on the women's tennis team, ea rned her second– straight NCAA Al l-American honor after advancing to the semi finals of the 1998 NCAA Individual Champ ionships -- she fini shed with a nationa l ranking of ninth .

DID YOU KNOW • The University of San Diego was selected \ by the John Templeton Foundatiori for its 1997-98 Honor Roi I of Character-Building Colleges. The honor ro l l recogni zes 1.LS four year accredited undergraduate institutions that emphasize character bui lding an integral part of the college experience. Foundation officials made special mention of USD 's "Ethics Across the Curricu lum, " a campus-wide initiative funded with a two-year, S 138,000 grant from the E.L. Wiegand Foundation . USO is one of eight Ca lifornia co lleges and universities named to the honor roll.

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1 USD Athletic Administration

USD General Information School Name University of San Diego Location 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92 11 0-2492 Year Founded 1949 Enrollment 6,600 Conference West Coast Conference Affiliation NCAA Division I Sports Information Director Ted Gosen Assistant SIDI Baseball Contact Ryan McCrary Office Phone (6 19) 260-4745 Fax (619) 292-0388 Press Box (6 19) 260-4600 ext. 2055 USD Sports Information

President Alice B. Hayes

NCAA Faculty Rep. Mi tch Malachowski

Athletic Director Tom Ian nacone Associate Athletic Director Dan Yourg Assistan t Athletic Director/SWA Wendy Guthrie Director of Athletic Development Brian Fogarty Director of Athletic Promotions/Mrktg. Renee Wiebe Director of Facilities John Martin Director of lntramurals/Recreation Gary Becker Head Athletic Trainer Carolyn Greer, M.A., A. T. , C. Assistant Tra iners Suzi Higgins, Steve Grech Sports Information Director Ted Gosen Assistant SID/Baseball Contact Ryan McCrary Baseball Information Head Coach Rich Hill (First Season - Cal Lutheran, 1984) Assistant Coaches Chris Cann izzaro Rick Hirtensteiner Sean Kenny Administrative Assistants Kevin Hughes, Christina Peacock Baseball Phone (6 19) 260-5953 Table of Contents 1999 Preview

San Diego Baseball Media Out/ets -

Baseball Weekly 1000 Wilson Blvd., 21st Floor Arlington, VA 22229 (703) 276-3400 Fax: (703) 276-6438 Associated Press P.O. Box 19 1 San Diego, CA 92 112 LA: (213) 626-1200 Fax: (2 I3) 346-0200 Los Angeles Times Times Mirror Square Los Angeles, CA 90053

Daily Californian P.O. Drawer 1565 El Cajon, CA 92020 (6 I9) 442-4408 Fax: (6 19) 447-6165 USA Today 10877 Wilshire #406 Los Angeles, CA 90024 (3 I0) 443-8900 Fax: (3 10) 443-8923

co11egiate Baseball P.O. Box 50566 Tucson, AZ 85703 (520) 623-4530 Fax: (520) 624-550 I Baseball America

600 S. Duke St. P.O. Box 2089 Durham, NC 27702 (919) 682-9635 Fax: (9 I9) 682-2880 San Diego Union-Tribune P.O. Box 19 1

Torero Hotline (6 19) 260-2323

San Diego, CA 92112 (6 I9) 293- 1343 Fax: (6 I9) 293-2443 North County Times P.O. Box 90 Oceanside, CA 92054 (800) 200-1 60 I Fax: (760) 740-5045

LA: (800) 528-4637, 77 145 Fax: (2 I3) 237-7876 Orange County Register 625 N. Grand Ave. Santa Ana, CA 927 11 (71 4) 953-7805

Fax: (7 14) 565-6765 San Diego Baseball Quick Facts

2-3 4-5 6 7- 12

1998 Record: Baseball Phone Pressbox Phone West Coast Conference Record: 18-1 2 (T-3rd) (6 19) 260-5953 (6 19) 260-4600 ext. 2055 Colors: Columbia blue, navy and white Home: 17-11 Away: 11-1 9 Neutral: 1-0 Head Coach: Rich Hi ll (First Season) Cal Lutheran, 1984 Career Record: 333-220 (1 1 years) Assistant Coaches: Admin. Asst. Home Field: Cunningham Stadium Capacity: 1,200 Surface: Natural Grass 29-30

USD Coaching Staff 1999 Torero Roster Returning Player Bios Newcomer Bios 1998 Final Statistics West Coast Conferrence USD Honor Roll Torero Record Book USD Statistical Leaders USD Director of A thletics USD A thletics D irectory USD Academic Support USO Baseball Supporters

12-14 15- 16

17 18

19-2 1 22-23 24 25-26

Field Dimensions: LF - 309; CF - 395; RF - 329 LettermenReturning/Lost: 19/6 Starters Returning/Lost: 8/4

Chris Cannizzaro Rick Hirtensteiner Sean Kenny

Kevin Hughes Christina Peacock

27 28

Acknowledgements 1999 San Diego Baseball Media Guide Produced by the USDSports Information Office Design, Edit & Layout: Ryan McCrary & Ted Gosen Cover Design and Artwork - Susan Reyno lds Photography: Brock Scott - Scott Photo Printing: K ings Printing

Team Photo ID - Back Cover: Back Row (1-r): Asst. Coach Rick Hirtensteiner, Asst Coach Sean Kenny, Marty Hayes, Kevin Gray, Dominic Repetti, Dan Giese, Juan Garcia, Brian Bealer, Sean Skinner, Chris Liosi, Ryan Hamilton, Aaron Healy, Asst. Coach Chris Cannizzaro, Head Coach Rich Hill; Middle Row: 1-r) Tony Betancourt, Joe Lima, David Dunn, Greg Sain, Mike Amundson, Jason Anderson, Geoff Babbitt, David Moore, Zach Koukos, Chris Humpert, Eli Cecil, David Waters; Front Row: (1-r) Andrew Slania, Alan Leuthard, Chris Kahl, Eric Jorgensen, Ron Lauer, David Wright, Mark Vallecorsa, Kevin Reese, Brian Barden, S.C. Assael, Tyler Sparrer

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1999 Torero Baseball Preview Rich Hill Era Ushers in New Millenium of USD Baseball.... After posting a record year offensively in 1998, the

1999 edition of the University of San Diego Torero baseball will have a decidedly different look. The most noticeable change probably occurs in the dugout where Rich Hill becomes just the third coach in USD's baseball history. Hill replaces John Cunningham who retired last season after directing the Toreros for 35 years. Hill comes to Alcala Park after spending the last five seasons at West Coast Conference rival, University of San Francisco, where he guided the Dons from a 22-33 mark in 1994 - his first season on the Hilltop, to a school-best record of 34-24 record and a third place WCC finish in 1998. Hill inherits a San Diego squad which boasted the most prolific offensive team the Toreros have ever fielded, with nine team records set, including team batting average (.338), RBI (367), hits (721) and total bases (1,028). USD led the WCC in both overall batting (.338) for just the second time in school history and also in conference only batting (.366). The confer– ence batting average was the highest posted since the 1990 campaign. 1999 promises more offensive fireworks as a solid nucleus of run producers returns, highlighted by West Coast Conference Second Team performers, Kevin Reese (San Diego, CA) who became the first Torero to lead the West Coast Confer– ence in hits (88), Tony Betancourt (San Diego, CA), who drove in 44 RBI and batted .364 in WCC action, and David Wright (Medford, OR) who batted .371 during 1998. Of USD's All-WCC selections, three ranked in the top ten in conference batting: Reese (.379, #7), Wright (.371, #9) and Hayes (.371, # I0). Hill is understandably enthusiastic about the Toreros' prospects for the upcoming season. 'This team's attitude has been phenomenal. We will play hard and stay in the moment," said Hill who has already instilled his philosophy in his players. "I want the following to be trademarks of this team. We will play with a lot of heart and a lot of pride. Each individual will be held responsible and accountable. This will set us apart from the pack," Hill said. Offensively, Hill has reason for confidence as seven Toreros who batted .300 or better return, and three posted averages above .350. Hill is also encouraged by the team defense, which posted the best fielding percentage in school history in 1998 (.965). _ "Our first seven hitters are capable of good numbers m average, RBI and on base percentage. Our offensive run produc– tion will be a strength," Hill said. "Defensively, we're multidimensional. We have the number one catcher in the WCC (Betancourt) and we are strong in the middle of the diamond with Dominic Repetti, (Cupertino, CA), Sean Skinner (Phoenix, AZ ) and Juan Garcia (Barcelona, Spain). _ Although the Toreros appear loaded offensively and possess a solid defense Hill identified areas of concern, which included questions on pitching depth, what Hill considers

Torero Seniors: Back Row: (l-r) Kevin Gray, Dan Giese, Juan Garcia, Dominic Repetti, Eli Cecil; Front Row: (l-r) Chris Humpert, Mark Vallecorsa, Geoff Babbitt, Chris Kahl, Tony Betancourt average team speed and the effects on his offense of playing in a pitcher's park. PITCHING "It starts and ends with pitching," according to Hill, repeating the mantra of every known baseball coach - save Bobby Cox. The Toreros returning pitchers accounted for 15 of the Toreros 29 wins in 1998, but only Mark Vallecorsa (7-4; 4.18 ERA) posted more than three wins. Vallecorsa proved durable as the San Dimas, CA native pitched six complete games. "Not many of these guys have a lot of innings," Hill admits, so he will rely on his upperclassmen for leadership to stabilize a young rotation and bullpen. "Mark Vallecorsa (1998 All-WCC Second Team) is the ace of the staff and he has earned the distinction as a senior. He's a great competitor and a pitcher in every sense of the word," Hill said. Others tabbed for potential starting roles include Mike Amundson (Newbury Park, CA), Kevin Gray (Yorba Linda, CA) and Brian Bealer (Medford, OR). While the Torero pitching staff set a new school record with 312 strikeouts in 1998, the team ERA did not threaten the 2.31 ERA posted in 1971. Hill is encouraged with the significant progress Dan Giese, (San Clemente, CA), Geoff Babbitt (Englewood, CO) and Erik Jorgensen (San Diego, CA) have made in their fall season workouts under the direction of USD pitching coach Sean Kenny. One of the biggest new additions for the staff may be Ryan Hamilton (San Rafael, CA) a transfer from College of Marin who looks set to take over relief chores. ' Overall, Hill believes his staff capable, but not without remembering the basics. "They must change speeds, get ahead of hitters and not give up a lot of walks. We are never going to be out of a game with our offense. Our pitchers must give us a chance."

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1 '999 Torerro Bas,eball 1999 Torero Baseball Preview

CATCHING

If p itc hing poses some concern fo r Hill, at least one half of the

battery remains constant.

"Tony Betancourt has been preparing hi s who le li fe fo r thi s opportunity, He provides great leadership fo r thi s team and he has a chance to pl ay in the maj or leagues," Hill said , Having such an ex perienced bac kstop can only improve a young staff and the Toreros ' pitching staff is in capabl e hands according to Hill. " Hi s experi ence definitely he lps. It lowers our ERA signifi cantl y, He does a ll kinds of things to help us w in , He handl es th e pitching staff, bloc ks and rece ives and throws we ll." Others seeing duty behind the pl ate include Alan Leuthard (E l Cajon, CA) and fres hman, Andrew Slani a (Houston, TX).

Toreros ' outfi eld unit is highli ghted by seni or center fi elder, Juan Garcia (Barce lona, Spain). Garcia hit .308 last season and led the team in sto len bases ( I0), " Juan Garcia is poised fo r a ste ll ar season. He is the best center fi elder in the confe rence," stated Hill. Hill is also high on junior left fi e lder, Dav id Wri ght who earned All-WCC Second Team honors in 1998, " He may be the best pure hitter on the team and has made himself into a good corner outfi elder," Hill sa id. DH: So Much Power••. Rich Hill has many options at the des ignated hitter spot, but the fro nt-runner is j unior Marty Hayes (Anaheim Hills, CA) who posted impressive numbers last season. "Marty Hayes is on the verge of doing something great in the middl e of the lineup . He can put it all together. He can hit fo r average and th e power is just about there," Hill sa id. Chri s Kahl (Reno, NV) and Chri s Li os i (San Diego, CA) may see time at the spot as defensive repl acements. WEST COAST CONFERENCE PICTURE Coach Hill ex pects another ti ght race in the West Coast Conference thi s season as the middl e of the pack continues to close the gap between the upper and lower echelon. "There's a tremendous amount of parity in the WCC. Pepperdine, Santa C lara and Loyo la Marymount are all at the top ti er. Sa in t Mary's and Portl and have new coaching staffs . For all the talk of parity in the conference, Hill is optimisti c about the chances fo r the Toreros thi s season. "For the first time in many years, almost any team ca n w in the who le thing," Hill stated.

INFIELD: Power and Poise

USO appears loaded in the infi eld w ith three returning

starters,

Kev in Reese return s after posting one of the most impress ive offensive campaigns in Torero baseball hi sto ry in 1998 , He led USO in hits (88), batting average (,3 79) and set a schoo l record in putouts (492), " Kev in is our most potent offensive player. He is the fi ercest competitor on thi s team. Fres hman, G reg Sain (Torrance, CA) is ex pected to make an immedi ate impact. " He doesn ' t look li ke a freshman out there. If he can make some adjustments at th e pl ate, he can be a rea l fo rce in thi s league, He is truly a blue chip pl ayer. " OUTFIELD: Power to Spare After posting a sc hoo l record .965 fi elding percentage in 1998, US O baseba ll is once aga in stocked in the outfi eld, The

4

US[) Coaching Staff

Rich Hill First Season

Head Coach

(Cal Lutheran, 1984) When Torero baseball takes to the field this season, there will be a new skipper at the helm. Rich Hill, head coach at the University ofSan Francisco the past five years, becomes just the third head coach in San Diego baseball history, replacing John Cunningham who retired after directing USD baseball for 35 years. The 36-year-old Hill has a proven record of success in head coaching stops - first at his alma mater, Cal Lutheran and most recently at the University of San Francisco. This past season he guided the USF Dons to a school-record 34 victories, including a school best 18 wins in the West Coast Conference as the Dons finished tied with USD for third place in the WCC. Over the past three seasons, Hill guided USF to upper division finishes in the WCC; and posted three straight winning sea– sons, including two campaigns of 30 or more victories. This past January, Hill became one of the youngest coaches in NCAA history to reach 300 career wins. He

comes to USD with a career record of 333-220 (11 seasons). Previous to his tenure at USF, Hill led Cal Lutheran to a record of 194-76 (.719) over six seasons, including two World Series appearances. His 1992 squad posted a 43-6 record before falling a couple of outs shy of the NCAA Division III title, while the 1993 team finished first in the Western Region with a 32-7 record. Under Hill's guidance, the Kingsmen knocked off Division I opponents such as USC, Pepperdine, San Diego State, UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge. During his six seasons at Cal Lutheran, 92 percent of his players received their degrees. In addition to his collegiate coaching positions, Hill was head coach for the Chatham A's of the Cape Cod League between 1990-93, winning the league title in 1992 with a franchise record of 35-11. He has twice been recognized as the ABCA West Region Coach of the Year (1992, 1993); was the 1992 Cape Cod Baseball League "Manager of the Year"; was. twice named the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (1992, 1993); and twice was the recipient of the California Lutheran University Alumni Career Excellence Award (1993, 1994). Hill has made his mark off the field as well. The past four years he has served on the American Baseball Coaches Association, Editorial Committee; and has been an advisor with the Fellowship ofChristian Athletes. He started an innovative peer mentoring program with his USF team. Dons players and coaching staffvolunteered at the nearby Hamilton Community Center, reading stories and playing games with homeless children. Furthermore, Hill is a speaker and clinician at various conventions and camps throughout the region. Hill earned his Bachelor of Arts degree (Physical Education) in 1984 from California Lutheran University. After playing one season with the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1985 (Single A affiliate in Savannah, Georgia), he returned to his alma mater where he earned his Master of Science degree in Education in 1988. Rich and his wife, Lori, live in San Diego with their two children, Robbie (7) and Lindsey (4).

Hill's Coaching File

Conference Record 18-12 (T-3rd WCC) 17-11 (3rd WCC) 15-13 (4th WCC) 11-17 (5th WCC) 9-21 (6th WCC) 1st (West Region) 1st (NAIA Dist. 3) 1st (NAIA Dist 3) 2nd (NAIA Dist. 3) 6th (NAIA Dist. 3) 1st (SCIAC)

Record

Year 1998

School

34-24 29-27 30-25 24-35 22-33

USF

1997 USF 1996 USF

The Hills Lori, Rich, Robbie and Lindsey

USF

1995

1994 USF

32-7 43-6 32-8

Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran

1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988

35-16 31-18 21-21

333-220 (.602) 139-144 (.491)

11 Years (Overall) 5 Years (Division I)

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1999 Torero Baseball USD Coaching Staff

5

#8

Chris Cannizzaro Assistant Coach

First Season

Chris Cannizzaro brings a wealth ofmajor league experience to USD head coach Rich Hill's staff. No stranger to baseball in the city of San Diego, Cannizzaro spent 13 years in the majors - including two stints with the San Diego Padres, where he became the first All-Star in Padre baseball history in the 1969 campaign. A durable defensive catcher, Cannizzaro played in 740 major league games while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals (1960-61), New York Mets (1962-65), Pittsburgh (1968), San Diego (1969-71 ; 1974), Chicago Cubs (1971) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (1972-73). Cannizzaro holds a share of the Major League record for most unassisted double plays by a catcher (2). Once his playing career ended, Cannizzaro shifted his focus to coaching and spent three seasons (1976-78) with the Atlanta Braves organization before coaching in the California Angels organization from 1979-82 in the Class A Cal State League. Cannizzaro has two sons - Chris Jr. and Ken, and a daughter, Kimberlee. Chris Jr. was a two-time All– America selection at San Diego State where he was a teammate ofUSD head coach Rich Hill for one season. Cannizzaro also has three stepdaughters - Marcia, Tricia and Jennifer. Aside from his lifelong passion for the game of baseball, Cannizzaro also enjoys golf and spending time with his four grandchildren - Brittney (11 ), Morgan (7), Zachary (6) and Cassidy (3) . Cannizzaro and his wife, Janice, reside in San Diego.

#37 Rick Hirtensteiner First Season Assistant Coach Pepperdine, 1989 Rick Hirtensteiner brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience in his first year at the University of San Diego under head coach, Rich Hill. Hirtensteiner ended a stellar playing career at Pepperdine in 1989 when he was named First Team All– America, West Coast Conference Player of the Year and WCC Scholar Athlete of the Year. He gained international playing experience as a member of USA Baseball team which won the silver medal at the 1987 Pan American Games. Hirtensteiner was drafted in the eighth round by the California Angels and reached the AAA level in the Montreal Expos organization. Hirtensteiner began his collegiate coaching career at Lamar University in 1995 as a volunteer instructor for outfielders and hitters, while working on his Master's in Business Administration (1997). After completing his MBA, he returned to his alma mater as a volunteer hitting instructor for the Waves. Hirtensteiner gained additional coaching experience when he served as pitching coach for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Summer League in 1998.

#34

Sean Kenny Assistant Coach

First Season Eastern Michigan, 1997

Sean Kenny begins his first year at the University of San Diego on head coach Rich Hill's staff. Kenny pitched for three years at Eastern Michigan University, where he completed a Bachelor's degree in English Literature with a minor in coaching in 1997. Kenny was drafted by the Mets and played for three seasons in the New York system. No stranger to baseball in the West Coast Conference, Kenny began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Saint Mary's College, where he worked with the Gaels pitching staff in 1996-97. In 1997-98 he served as pitching coach at Laney Community College. Kenny is currently completing his Master's degree in Physical Education at Saint Mary's. Kenny's younger brother, Seth, also pitched for Eastern Michigan and currently plays in the Oakland A's minor league system.

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1999 USC> Baseball Roster

Numerical Roster

Pitching Staff

1

INF

Ron Lauer

2 3 5 7 8 9

C

Andrew Slania

RHP RHP

David Dunn

Bff

WT.

HT.

EXP.

fil1 29 5 9 22 3 30

YR.

NAME

HQMETQWN/LAST SCHQQL

Jason Anderson David Wright

2V HS 2V 2V HS 3V 2V TR 3V IV

190 Jr. 175 Fr. 190 Sr. 180 Jr. 170 Fr. 180 Sr. 175 Jr. 170 Jr. 175 Sr. 180 So.

Amundson, Mike 6-1

Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park Tucson, AZ/Salpointe Catholic HS Englewod, CO/Cherry Creek HS

R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R LIL LIL R/R MI R/R SIR LIR R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R LIL R/R R/R R/R MI R/R R/R R/R R/R L/R R/R R/R R/R MI

OF

6-2 6-0 6-3 6-1 6-3 6-2 6-0

Anderson, Jason Babbitt, Geoff Bealer, Bryan Dunn, David Giese, Dan Gray, Kevin Jorgensen, Eric

Chris Cannizzaro Asst. Coach

RHP

Geoff Babbitt

LIL Medford, OR/North Medford HS

Head Coach

Rich Hill

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34 35 36 37 38

Folsom, CA/Jesuit HS

C

S.C. Assael

San Clemente, CA/Rubidoux HS Yorba Linda, CA/Troy HS San Diego, CA/SDSU San Dimas, CA/Damien HS Scottsdale, AZ/Horizon HS HQMETQWNLLAST SCHQQL Glendora, CA/Glendora HS San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo El Cajon, CA/El Cajon Valley HS Houston, TX/Stoake Jesuit HS

INF INF RHP

Dominic Repetti

Joe Lima

21 25 17 14

David Waters Greag Sain Sean Skinner Chris Humpert Kevin Reese Zach Koucos Kevin Gray Bryan Bealer

INF INF

Vallecorsa, Mark 6-1

6-0

Waters, David

Mark Vallecorsa LHP

Catchers

OF

INF

OF

EXP.

YR.

WT.

HT. 6-0

fil1 11 36 38 2 fil1 26 32 27 1

NAME

RHP LHP

HS 3V 2V HS

175 Fr.

Assael, S.C.

Betancourt, Tony 5-11 185 Sr.

OF OF

Eli Cecil

5-11 185 Jr. 5-10 170 Fr.

Leuthard, Alan Slania, Andrew

Chris Liosi

LHP INF INF

Eric Jorgensen Brian Barden Marty Hayes

J:nfielders

HQMETQWNLLAST SCHQQL

EXP.

YR.

WT.

HT.

NAME

OF

Chris Kahl

5-10 175 Jr.

R/R Mill Valley, CA/College of Marin

TR TR 2V HS HS 2V IV HS 2V 3V 3V 3V TR TR 3V HS 2V

Barden, Brian Hamilton, Ryan

Mike Amundson RHP

RHP

San Rafael, CA/College of Marin Anaheim Hills, CA/Servile HS Los Angeles, CA/Crepi HS San Diego, CA/Mira Mesa HS San Diego, CA/Mission Bay HS Cupertino, CA/De Anza College

6-3 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-0

180 Jr. 180 Jr. 175 Fr. 180 Fr. 180 Jr. 190 Sr. 180 Fr. 175 Jr.

Dan Giese

OF

Tyler Sparrer Ryan Hamilton

Hayes Marty Lauer, Ron

INF/RHP

Asst. Coach

Sean Kenny Juan Garcia

Lima, Joe

13 19 12 15 16

OF

Reese, Kevin

Tony Betancourt C

Repetti, Dominic 6-4

Rick Hirtensteiner Asst. Coach

Torrance, CA/West HS Phoenix, AZ/Horizon HS

6-2 6-3

Sain, Greg

C

Alan Leuthard

Skinner, Sean

Outfielders

HQMETQWN[LAST SCHQQL Fallbrook, CA/Fallbrook HS Barcelona, Spain/USO HS Arcadia, CA/Arcadia HS Reno, NV/Nevada-Reno

EXP.

YR.

WT.

HT. 6-0 6-4 6-0

fil1 23 35 18 28 20 24 31 7

NAME

175 Sr. 190 Sr. 195 Sr.

Cecil, Eli

Garcia, Juan

Humpert, Chris Kahl, Chris Koucos, Zach Liosi, Chris Sporrer, Tyler Wright, David

5-10 175 Sr. 5-11 175 Jr.

Salt Lake City, UT/Judge Memorial

San Diego, CA/UNLV

180 Sr.

6-2

Yorba Linda, CA/El Dorado HS Medford, OR/South Medford HS

5-10 165 Fr. 5-11 175 Jr.

Rich Hill (First Season; Cal Lutheran, 1984)

Head Coach:

10

Chris Cannizzaro (First season)

Assistant Coach: 8 Assistant Coach: 37 Assistant Coach: 34

Rick Hirtensteiner (First season; Pepperdine, 1989) Sean Kenny (First season; Eastern Michigan, 1997)

Torero Roster Breakdown

By Country: United States: 30

By State:

By Class

By Position

Oregon:

3

2

10

10 Arizona: 12 California:

Seniors: Juniors:

Pitchers: Catchers: Infielders: Outfielders:

1

21

1 1

Texas: Utah:

Spain:

4 9 8

1 1

Colorado:

1

Sophomores:

Nevada:

8

Freshmen:

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Meet the Toreros

7

Hill on Babbitt: Another pleasant surprise. A player we expect to provide middle relief. A great strike thrower. Year GIGS w L sv IP H 1998 1110 1 0 0 16.3 20 1996 410 0 0 1 6.6 7 Career 15 1 0 1 23.0 27 12 Dominic REPETTI K 5 5 10 BB ERA 6 7.16 1 7.11 7 7.14 1998: Batted .293 in 75 plate appearances in first season at USD.. . Recorded 22 hits and four RBI... Played in 42 games with 19 starting nods. De Anza College: Played two years for the De Anza Dons. Prep: Won the Outstanding Athlete Award during senior season at Monta Vista High School. Personal: Communications major with minor in psychology.. . Chose USD for the baseball program and strong academics... Parents are John and Evelyn Repetti... Born August 23, 1976 in San Jose, CA. Hill on Repetti: Good glove man with a good understanding of the overall game. He is a better offensive player than he's given credit for. Repetti's USD Statistics Year GIGS AB R H HR RBI BA SB FD% 1998 42119 75 10 22 0 4 .293 1 .932 Career 42/19 75 10 n 0 4 .293 1 .932 13 Joe LIMA 6-1 Fr. INF R/R 1998: Played in nine games with two starts ... Hit .250 with two hits in eight plate appearances before suffering a season-ending injury... Granted medical hardship and received additional year of eligibility. Prep: Hit .426 in senior season at Mira Mesa High School and earned All-Eastern League First Team honors... As a junior, hit .390 for the Marauders and was named Eastern League Player of the Year. Personal: Business Administration major.. . Chose USD for the location, academics and the baseball program... Also recruited by Chapman College... Parents are Wolfgang and Rachelle Lima... Born Aug. 16, 1979 in La Jolla, CA. Hill on Lima: Good athlete who is developing into a good defensive player. He has good intensity and has all the traits we want in a USD baseball pl11yer. 6-4 Sr. Cupertino, CA De Anza College INF R/R San Diego, CA Mira Mesa HS

David WRIGHT

R/R

Jr.

5-11

OF

Medford, OR South Medford HS 1998 West Coast Conference Second Team Sophomore: Enjoyed an outstanding season offensively... Ranked second on the Toreros in batting average (.371) and hit six home runs and 38 RBI... Tied for fourth in hits (69) and was fourth in total bases (108)... Hit .381 with 4 home runs and 25 RBI in 30 West Coast Conference games. 1997: Did not play. Freshman: Appeared in 38 games with eight starts... Batted .303 with 20 hits and 9 RBI... Triple against San Jose State (2- 12)... Stolen base versus St. Francis (2-16)... Went 3-4 versus Oregon State (2-15)... Selected to All Tournament Team of Arthur J. Gallagher Classic. Prep: All-Southern Oregon Conference selection for two years at South Medford High School... Batted .422 with 10 home runs during senior year... Panthers reached state playoffs junior and senior years... Also played basketball and was an all– conference pick. Personal: Sociology major with a minor in business adminis- tration... Also recruited by Portland, Willamette and Cal Poly.. . Chose USD for its academic reputation and baseball program.. . Brother, Rob played basketball and baseball at Pacific Lutheran... Parents are Richard and Susan Wright... Born November 23, 1976 in Medford, OR. Hill on Wright: Exceptional hitter who is now just realizing his full potential. There is no reason why he can't be one of the leaders in numerous categories in the West Coast Conference. Wright's USD Statistics Year GIGS AB R H HR RBI 1998 52146 186 46 69 6 38 1996 3818 66 12 20 0 9 Career 90/54 252 58 89 6 47 9 Geoff BABBITT 6-0 Sr. RHP R/R Englewood, CO Cherry Creek HS BA SB FD% .37 1 2 .975 .303 1 .875 .337 3 .925 Junior: Posted a 1-0 record in 11 appearances for the Toreros in 1998... Won decision at Southern Utah (3-11-98). 1997: Did not play. Freshman: Appeared in four games and recorded one save versus UC Riverside (2-27). Prep: Played for Cherry Creek High School... Bruins won Colo– rado state championship during senior season... All-Centennial League selection.. . All State Honorable Mention.. . Also played football and was named First Team All League. Personal: Accounting major.. . Also recruited by Dartmouth, Penn and Denver. .. Chose USD for its academics, location and size... Parents are Barry and Scottie Babbitt... Born September 22, 1976 in Denver, CO.

I 8

I

1999 Torero Bas-ebal l

Mee1" The Toreros

17

14 6-0

David WATERS

Mark VALLECORSA 6-1 Sr. LHP L/L

So .

RHP

R/R

Scottsdale, AZ Horizon HS 1998: Made IO re li ef appearances and recorded four strike outs in 9,2 innings of work. Prep: Hori zon Hi gh School was state champi ons for two years and league champs for three years... Ranked # I in state... All - Desert Valley Conference pitcher.. . Second Team All-Region . Personal: Business Administration maj or. .. Also recruited by Grand Canyon, Pepperdine, and Utah.. . Chose USD because of locati on and sc hoo l's reputation.. . Brother currentl y attends USD and sister graduated from USD .. . Parents are Ken and Linda Waters.. . Born April 25, 1979 in Stockton, CA. Hill on Waters: Waters is another guy just starting to scratch the surface of hi s ability. He improves every time he goes to the mound . 16 Sean SKINNER 6-3 Jr. INF R/R Phoenix, AZ Horizon HS Sophomore: Turned in solid sophomore campaign hitting ,258 with 2 1 RBI... Hit .247 with 10 RBI in 27 West Coas t Confer– ence games for the Toreros in 1998 . Freshman: Hit .299 during fres hman campaign and ranked sixth on the team .. . Pl ayed in 38 games with 29 starts... Re– corded eight mu lti-hit games.. . Named to San Diego Baseba ll Class ic All -Tourn ament Team. Prep : Selected to All-Arizona State team as well as Super Nine, All -Reg ion and All-City during seni or season... Hori zon Hi gh School went 30-2 and was ranked number one in the state and 5th in the country .. . Hu ski es won three Desert Vall ey League tit les and two state titles during hi s prep career. .. Also earned two letters in bas ketbal I. Personal: Communi catio ns maj or with a minor in Urban Stud– ies .. . A lso rec ruited by Arizona and Utah... Chose US D for its academi cs a nd baseball program ... Fa th e r, M ike, played at Potomi c State and for the Pittsburgh Pirates... Parents are Michae l and Lynn Skinner.. . Born June 13, 1978 in Phoeni x, AZ. Hill on Skinner: Skinner continu es to impress us. He gets the most out of hi s ability.

San Dimas, CA Damien HS

1998 West Coast Conference Second Team Junior: Posted a 7-4 record in 16 starts fo r USD in 1998 ... Led Toreros with a 4.18 ERA and went the distance in six games - second on the team... T ied for team lead with 68 strikeouts... Went 6-2 during West Coast Conference campai gn with a 3.84 ERA in IO starts... Also earned two shutouts during WCC play... Named USD' s Most Valuabl e Pitcher. Sophomore: Led the team with a 2.86 ERA in 14 appearances... Started in e ight games and posted a 3-4 record .. . Struck out 32 batters, rank ing fourth o n the team... Strongest o uting came against St. Mary's, going 7 1/.1 without all owing a run in 2-0 win. Pitched fiv e-hit complete game at USF (5- 10). Freshman: Scho lar Ath lete... Appeared in 15 games with fo ur starts, compiling a 1-2 record .. . 18 strikeouts... Pitched 5 1/3 innings with three K's in 6-3 victory ove r USF (5- 12)... Struck out five in 4+ innings of re li ef against UNLV (3- 15 ). Noteworthy: Se lected in the 1995 draft by the Los Ange les Dodge rs. Prep : 50 strike outs in 49 innings pitched during seni or season at Dam ie n Hi gh School. .. Named Most Valuabl e Pitcher for the Spartans... Selected as a Inland Valley All-Star. .. Junior year pitched 45 innings with 30 strike outs. Personal: Accounting major... Recruited by Cornel l, UC Santa Barbara and Gonzaga... Se lec ted USD becau se of its qu ality edu cation ... Last name is pronounced Vall ey-kors-uh .. . Parents are Joseph and Marie Va ll ecorsa... Born October 4, 1976 in Cov ina, CA. Hill on Vallecorsa: Vallecorsa is our staff ace. He has good command of three pitches. He ' s a great competitor and has a tremendous fee l for the game. Va llccorsa's USOStatistics Year GIGS w L SY IP H K BB ERA 1998 16/1 6 7 4 0 112.0 129 68 34 4. 18 1997 1418 3 4 0 63.0 65 32 16 2.86 1996 1514 I 2 0 29.3 36 18 20 5.52 Caree,· 45128 II 10 0 204.3 230 /1 8 70 4. 19

Skinner's USOStatistics Year GIGS AB

R

H

BA

HR

SB

RBI

FD%

1998 1997

151

19 15 34

2 1

54146 38129 92/75

39 29 68

.258 .299 .279

I

.966 .963 . 964

I I

II

97

0

Career

248

32

2

I

9 I

1999 Tor ero Baseball

Mee1" The Toreros

Personal : Political Science maj or... Chose USO fo r the academic reputati on and the baseball program... Also recruited by the Naval Academy, West Po int, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine and San Franc isco... Parents are Robert and Imil da Reese ... Born March 11 , 1978 in San Diego, CA . Hill on Reese: A decorated pl ayer coming into hi s juni or year. He ' s even a better competitor and person than he is a physical ball pl ayer. I' m proud to coach a guy like thi s. Reese's USO Hitting Stats Year GIGS AB R 1998 58153 232 49 1997 2412 1 74 14 Career 82/74 306 63 Reese's USO Pitching Stats Year GIGS w L 1998 11 12 2 4 1997 I 115 2 4 Career 22/ 7 4 8 H HR RBI BA 88 10 46 .379 21 3 17 .284 109 13 63 .332 SY IP H 2 17.0 23 0 33. 1 28 2 50.1 51 K 7 16 23 SB FD% 5 .978 I .946 6 .962 BB ERA 11 6.88 28 4.86 39 5.87

18

Chris HUMPERT

6-0

OF

Sr.

R/R

Arcadia!/ CA Arcadia HS

Junior: Hit .328 in 58 pl ate appearances... Hit one home run and added seven RBI... Pl ayed in 24 games with 18 starting assign– ments... Drew 13 walks. Sophomore: Pl ayed in 39 games with 27 starts... Hit both home run s on the road (at UCLA 4-22, at USF 5-10)... 13 of 20 hits came in confe rence pl ay . Freshman: Batted .328 in freshman campaign... Started in 18 games and pl ayed in 36.. . Only made one error in 49 attempts. Club: Batted .420 fo r the Arcadi a Astros and was a Babe Ruth All Star. Prep: Arcadi a Hi gh Schoo l went 22-3 during seni or season as a member of the Pac ifi c League... Apaches were ranked in Top 20... Had a .4 IO batting average during seni or year. Also pl ayed foo tball. Personal : Soc iol ogy maj or with mino rs in Hi story and Spani sh.. . Chose USO for the location and the academi c repu tation... Also rec ruited by Cal State Northridge, Full erton and Mi ami ... Fa- ther, Ron, pl ayed baseball at New Mex ico Hi ghl ands... Parents are Ron and Debbie Humpert... Born November 12, 1976 in West Cov ina, CA. Hill on Humpert: Humpert has outstanding power and good speed. He will be looked upon fo r veteran leadership thi s season. Humpert's USO Statistics Year GIGS AB R 1998 24/18 58 14 1997 39127 97 12 1996 36/1 8 67 9 Career 99/ 63 222 35 19 6-0 Jr. H HR RBI BA SB FD% 19 I 7 .328 5 .977 20 2 8 .206 3 .954 22 I 8 .328 0 .980 61 4 23 .287 8 .970 Kevin REESE IN L/L 1998 West Coast Conference Second Team Sophomore: Ex pl oded for one of the greatest offensive seasons in Torero baseball hi story... Pounded a USO record 88 hits, whil e hitting a team best .379... Led the Toreros in home run s ( I0), RBI (46) and total bases ( 136) ... Hit .38 1 with six home runs and 30 RBI in West Coast Conference pl ay .. . Also posted a 2-4 record on the mound in I I appearances and recorded two saves. Freshman: Made 11 pitching appearances in '97 whil e splitting time at first base... Pl ayed in 47 total games ... Batted .263 with fo ur home run s and 22 RBI's.. . Had 2-4 record as a pitcher. .. Named to Bombs at the Beach All Tournament Team. Prep: Mi zuno HS All-Ameri can at Mi ssion Bay Hi gh Schoo l.. . First Team All -S tate... CBCA South All-State Team se lecti on.. . Western League Co- Pl aye r o f the Year fo r two years... Voted Buccaneers' MVP .. . Team went 29-5 during senior season and were state champi ons... C IF and Western League champi ons... Ranked #7 in USA Today. San Diego!/ CA Mission Bay HS

21

Kevin GRAY RHP R/R

6-2 Jr. Yorba Linda!/ CA Troy HS

1998: Made 15 appearances on the hill fo r the Toreros in 1998, including six starts... Earned first USO career victory in 8-3 win against Portl and (2- 19-98) . 1997: Did not pl ay . Prep: Selected to the All- Freeway League team during seni or campaign at Troy High Schoo l... Warri ors MVP.. . Baseball team ranked 16th in the nati on... All- Freeway League during junior year... Also pl ayed football and was an all -league selecti on. Personal: Communicati ons maj or with a minor in business... Al so rec ru ited by Loyo la Marymoun t and Redl and s... Chose USO fo r strong academi c repu tation, baseball program and loca– ti on.. . Pare nts are Terry and Hope Gray ... Born May 5, 1977 in Yorba Linda, CA . Hill on Gray: I' m counting on him to be in the starting rotation. He's a good competitor and a good kid . Hope full y he will continue to improve at the same rate he has so fa r.

I 10

I

Mee1" The Toreros

22 6-3

24 6-2

Bryan BEALER LHP L/L

Chris LIOSI

Jr.

Sr.

OF

R/R

Medford, OR North Medford HS

San Diego, CA Mission Bay HSIUNL V

Sophomore: Posted a 1-3 record in 24 pitching appearances in 1998 ... Got two starting nods and earned two saves... Won 5-3 dec ision against Santa Clara (3 -15-98). Freshman: Made 12 appearances with six starts.. . First co ll e– giate win came Feb. 16 vs. Portl and State... Recorded 22 strikeouts. Noteworthy: Drafted in the 30th round by the Kansas City Royal s. Prep: Se lected to First Team All -Southern Oregon Conference, after posting a I 1-1 record fo r North Med fo rd HS as a seni or.. . Second Team All State after a 10-3 record as a junior. .. Blac k Torn ados went 20-7 during seni or season and ranked third in state... Played bas ketball during sophomore year. Personal: Bu siness maj or... Also rec ruited by Orego n State, Portland State, Gonzaga... Chose USO because of baseball pro– gram and school size... Son o f Bobb ie Jo Bealer. .. Born Decem– ber 7, 1977 in Loma Linda, CA . Hill on Bealer: Bea ler is another great competitor and person. He will always g ive hi s max imum effort on the mound .

1998: Hi t .327 with 16 hits and five RBI in 1998 ... Four extra base hits including two tripl es ... Pl ayed in 35 games with 16 starts. 1997: Ranked fi fth on the team in batting with a .300 average... Had three multi-hit games... Pl ayed in 41 games with nine starts. 1996: Appeared in eleven games with fo ur starts... Knoc ked in run versus Ca l Poly in first game o f seri es. Noteworthy: Attended UNLV in 1995, but returned to San Diego to be cl oser to home. Prep: Pl ayed fo r a Mi ss ion Bay HS team ranked 20th in the nati on during seni or season and 7th during junior campaign... Al so pl ayed foo tball fo r the Buccaneers and was se lected First Team All-League and Special Teams MVP. Personal: Ocean Studies maj or with a minor in Environmental Studies... Chose USO to stay close to home... Recrui ted by San Francisco State and UNLV... Parents are Pat and Pete Phelps... Born June 10, 1976 in Las Vegas, NY. Hill on Liosi: He ' s another outstanding athl ete. He possesses great tools - arm and speed. If he can continue to make prog ress at the pl ate he will find hi s way into the lineup. Liosi's USD Statistics Year GIGS AB R H HR RBI BA SB FD% 1998 35116 49 14 16 0 5 .327 4 .946 1997 4119 50 10 15 0 9 .300 4 .943 1996 1114 11 2 0 0 I .000 0 .857 Career 87/29 110 26 31 0 15 .209 8 .915 27 Marty HAYES 6-2 Jr. INF R/R Anaheim Hills, CA Servite HS Sophomore: All -West Coast Confere nce Honorabl e Menti on selecti on... Produced bi g o ffensive numbers fo r USO in 1998 .. . Posted a .367 batting average and hit four home run s with 37 RBI... Pounded 62 hits - 22 fo r ex tra bases... Led the Toreros with 20 do ubl es ....987 fi e lding percentage. Freshman: Pl ayed in 31 games with 18 starts ... Led team in fi elding percentage (.989) with onl y two errors in 184 chances... Hit .229 with two home run s. Prep: First Team All -Go lden West League se lecti on at Servite Hi gh School. .. Team Coach's Award winner. .. Team went 20-7 during seni or season and advanced to second round of the CIF pl ayo ffs. Personal: Business maj or... Chose USO for its academi c pro– gram, small sc hoo l size, and athleti cs .. . Father, Mike, pl ayed baseball and ran track at St. Norbert 's in Wi sconsin ... Parents are Mike and Roberta Hayes ... Born February I, 1978 in Milwau– kee, WI. Hill on Hayes: Hayes is just starting to rea li ze hi s potenti al as a batter. I look fo r him to have another great year in 1999.

Beater's USD Statistics Year GIGS W

sv IP

L

ERA 6.70 6.1 1 6.41

H

K

BB 29 2 1 50

1998 1997

24/3 1216 36/ 9

I I

3 3 6

2 0 2

47.0 58 35. 1 43 82. I IOI

33 22 55

Career

2

23 6-0

Eli CECIL OF R/R

Sr. Fallbrook, CA Fallbrook HS

Junior: Pl ayed in 12 games with three starting ass ignments. Sophomore: Ranked fourth on the team in batting with a .3 10 average... Scored game-winning run in bottom of tenth in win over Point Loma (3 -26). Freshman: Pl ayed in four games with three RBI and two hits... Prep: Three- time All-Palomar League First Team member at Fallbrook HS ... Batted .395 with fi ve home runs fo r the Warri ors who won 20 games hi s seni or year. .. Pl ayed wide rece iver on football team and voted All-Palomar League three times.. . Ranked in the top 15 nationally in receptions with 65. Personal: Communicati o ns maj or, with a minor in Eng li sh... Al so recruited by Ari zona, UCLA and Portl and... Chose USO for its location, baseball program and reputation... Parents are Ron and Mary Cecil. .. Born December I, 1976 in South Lag una Beach, CA. Hill on Cecil: A four year pl ayer we will re ly o n fo r hi s leadership. He can run , hit and fi eld above average. Cecil's USD Statistics Year GIGS AB R H HR RBI BA SB FD% 1998 1213 15 0 2 0 0 .133 0 1.000 1997 37/16 7 1 10 22 0 6 .3 10 I .667 1996 4/1 4 0 2 0 3 .500 0 .000 Career 53120 90 IO 26 0 9 .3 14 .556

I

11 I

1 '999 Tore~o Baseball

Meet The Toreros

Personal: Business major. .. Also rec ruited by Notre Dame, UC Ri vers ide, Chapman and Whitti er. .. Chose USO for its baseba ll program, location and quality of schoo l... Born May 19, 1977 in Anaheim, CA . Hill on Giese: He will be looked upon to provide veteran seni or leadership on a young staff and give us some quality innings. Giese's USD Statistics Year GIGS w L sv IP H 1998 2713 3 3 I 50.3 57 1997 510 0 0 0 4. 1 8 1996 1418 4 4 0 46.6 56 Career 46/ 11 7 7 101.0121 35 Juan GARCIA 6-4 Sr. OF R/R Barcelona, Spain USDHS K BB ERA 26 13 5.76 3 5 12.46 29 33 5.68 58 51 7. 96 Junior: Cemented reputation as one of top center fi elders in the West Coast Conference... Batted .308 with five home runs and 37 RBI... Earned 58 starting ass ignments... Drew a team-high 28 walks... Led the Toreros in stolen bases with I0... Recorded a .98 1 fie lding percentage. Sophomore: Pl ayed in all but fi ve games and rece ived 38 starts... Batted .266 with 16 RBI... Lone home run came on Feb. 25 at Cal State Northridge.. . Perfect 3-3 in stolen bases during league play. Freshman: Recorded game winning hit versus San Francisco (5- 11 )... Stole five bases to rank fourth on the team... Pl ayed in 44 games ... Knocked in IO runs... Triple came aga inst St. Francis (2- 16)... Seven game hitting streak in mid-March ... Made fo ur appearances on the mound with one victory before mov ing to the outfi e ld . Prep: Compil ed a 9- 1 record as a starting pitcher at USO Hi gh School and was named All-Western League. Spain: Has pl ayed on th e Spanish National and Junior Nati onal Teams.. . Played on '98 World Cup team... Team won Spanish National Champi onship in 1993. Personal: Also recruited by North Carolina, Wyoming and Cal State Northridge... Chose USO because of the baseball program and the city ... Born Jul y 11 , 1976 in Barcelona, Spain. Hill on Garcia: Garci a is an exce ll ent athl ete in center fi eld. I consider him the best center fi elder in the West Coast Confer– ence this year in defense. If he can be consistent at the plate, he can have a bi g-time year. Garcia's USD Statistics Year GIGS AB R H HR RBI BA SB FD% 1998 58158 234 48 72 5 37 .308 10 .98 I 1997 49138 128 25 34 I 16 .266 4 .962 1996 44136 110 16 29 0 10 .264 5 .943 Career 151/ 132 472 89 135 6 63 .279 19 .962

Hayes' USD Ca reer Statistics Year GIGS AB R

H

HR

RBI

BA

SB

FD%

5 1141 3 1118 82/59

1998 1997

169

4 2 6

33

62 16 78

4 0 4

37 10 47

.987 .989 .988

.367 .229 .298

70

9

Career

239

42

29

Mike AMUNDSON

R/R

6-1 RHP NetNbury Park, CA NetNbury Park HS Jr.

Sophomore: Started nine of 17 appearances on the mound for USO in 1998 .. . Posted a 2-4 reco rd with a 4.92 ERA ... Turned in a 1- 1 reco rd during West Coast Conference play with a 3.63 ERA ... Recorded 39 strikeouts in 59 innings ... Won decisions aga inst San Francisco (5-3-98) and UC Ri verside (3 -17-98 ) Freshman: Tied fo r team lead in saves... Made 22 appearances, all coming in relief except one starting nod... Struck out 26 batters in 32+ innings pitched .. . Got first co ll eg iate win in 12- 1I victory over Point Loma (3-26). Prep: All-County ... Student Sports All-America during seni or yea r... Posted I0-2 record with a 2.9 1 ERA during seni or cam– paign at Newbury Park Hi gh School... 2.68 ERA and 8- 1 record as a junior... Second Team All-County and Second Team AII– Marmonte League during juni or year. .. Also pl ayed on CIF Champion football team during sophomore year. Personal: Communi cations major with a minor in Economics ... Also rec ruited by UCLA , USC, Cal State Northridge and Fresno State ... Chose USO for academics, baseball program and coach– ing staff. .. Father, Curt, played baseball and football at Cal Lutheran... Born December 20, 1977 in Westl ake, CA. Hill on Amundson: Another one of our three starters. He has command of three pitches. I think thi s will be hi s breakthrough yea r. Amundson's USD Statistics Year GIGS w L sv IP H 1998 1719 2 4 0 53.0 66 1997 22/1 I 4 2 32.2 34 Career 39/ /0 3 8 2 85.2 JOO 30 Dan GIESE 6-3 Sr. RHP R/R San Clemente, CA Rubidoux HS K BB ERA 39 23 4.92 26 2 1 6.6 1 65 44 5. 76 Junior: Recorded 3-3 record in 1998 in team-hi gh 27 appear– ances for USO... Posted a 5.76 ERA with 26 strikeouts.. . Earned victori es against Portland (4-1 9-98), Loyo la Marymount (3-28 - 98) and at Pepperdine (3-20-98). Sophomore: Made fi ve appearances al l in reli ef. Freshman: Appeared in 14 games with eight starts... Recorded a 4-2 record in WCC play ... Complete game against Portland (3- 29-96) and onl y all owed one run with four strikeouts.. . Career hi gh six K's in win versus Gonzaga. Prep: Named All-Ivy League and All-County at Rubidoux Hi gh School as a senior... Falcons Most Valuable Pl ayer... Pl ayed club ball fo r Ri verside Roya ls... Also pl ayed soccer.