USD Baseball 1993

The Outlook

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TOREROS LOOK TO '93 AS A BANNER SEASON The USO baseball team is coming into the 1993 campaign offits best season in many years. Its 28-24 mark was its best since !987's 31-23-1 finish, while its second place WCC finish (14-13) was its finest showing ever. With an experienced group of everyday players returning to bolster a young but promising pitching corps and a talented list of newcomers, the USO Toreros have every reason to believe that 1993 could truly be a "Banner Season". Eight players who started for the Toreros in 1992 return for Head Coach John Cunningham in 1993. Heading the list is USD's "Mister Versatlity", senior Kevin Herde. Herde, a two-time team MVP and an All-WCC selection in 1992, will be looking to lead the Toreros in RBIs for the fourth consecutive season. During his time at USO, Herdehas played first base, third base, catcher, pitcher and has been the team's DH. He led the '92 Toreros with a .340 batting average, 13 doubles and 44 runs batted in. In 13 appearances on the mound, Herdecompiled a 2-1 record with five saves. He is expected to see much action as the Toreros' catcher in 1993, but don't be surprised to see him at IB , 3B, on the mound and in the DH role, as well. Three members of what should be a strong infield both offensively and defensively return in 1993. Senior Tony Moeder, who made a smooth transition from centerfield in '92, will anchorthe team at first base. The team's home run leader in '92 with eight, Moeder began the season with a I6-game hitting streak and ended with a .337 batting average. Second base will be shared by the duo of senior Dave Pingree and sophomore Eric Morton. Pingree, who has also played third base, shortstop and leftfield during his USO career, batted .305 as a junior while Morton, who started 14 times in '92, batted .200. Shortstop will be the domain of three year starter Chad Boyd. Boyd, a senior, was a second team All-WCC selection in '92 who led the Toreros in hitting in '91 and batted .249 as a junior. He is considered by Cunningham as "the finest fielding shortstop in the WCC". Third base is up for grabs and will be contested by freshmen Karl Schmidt and Jay Parks and junior Scott Thielman, a transfer from CS Los Angeles. Depth in the infield will come from sophomore Dave Romero and freshman Dave Sanchez. Two sophomores and ajuniorreturn to man the outfield spots forthe Toreros in 1993. Sophomore Brady Clark began 1992 as a third baseman but ended up in leftfield where he batted .297 with a WCC-leading seven triples and a season-ending 14-game hitting streak. Sophomore speedster Larry Williams, who batted .258 with 27 runs scored as a freshman, returns to his spot in centerfield. Junior Charlie Setzler, a .270 batter with 14 runs scored in '92, will occupy rightfield. This trio will be challenged by a group that includes junior John Fenn, a prime candidate for the DH role who hit .271 as a sophomore, and freshmen Chris Feeny, speedster Steve Ashton and Collin Weitzman. Handling the catcher's chores will be Herde or either sophomore Jacob Slania or freshman Ryan Burkeen. Slania saw limited action in 1992 and is considered a "fine handler ofpitchers", according to Cunningham. Burkeen is a fine defensive catcher who has exhibited a strong throwing arm in early workouts and may be the prime candidate for the starting assignment. Returning to lead the young Torero pitching staff is sophomore Mike Saipc. Saipe climaxed an outstanding freshman campaign (8-3, 3.53 ERA, 8complete games, one shutout) by earning a unanimous berth on the AII-WCC team and being named the WCC "Freshman Of The Year". He will be joined in the potential starting rotation by sophomore Pat James (3-2, 5.27 ERA in '92), sophomore lefthanders Travis Burgus (1-2, 6.75) and Sean Durbin (who missed the '92 season due to injury) and sophomore righthander Matt LaBelle, a transfer from UC Irvine. Long and middle relief will be the domain of freshman lefthander David Russell and junior righthanders Pete Schoen and Josh Stepner ( a second team AII-WCC selection as an outfielder when he hit .272 in '92). who is making the transition to the mound in '93. Junior Chris Collins, the USO "Pitcher Of The Year" in 1991 who compiled two saves in '92, will be given the role ofcloserout ofthe bullpen with Herde also expected to occupy that role. The 1993 season will be a challenging one for the USO Toreros. With their fine showing in 1992, the Toreros have given every indication that they are "on the verge of something good", according to Cunningham. They will face an interesting, if not difficult schedule in 1993 that will include six games against defending national champion Pepperdine, two with 1992 runner-up Cal State Fullerton, two with perennial powers UCLA and San Diego State, three with UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge as well as a trip through Louisiana that will see them play a doubleheader with Tulane and a single contest with Southern University. The stage is set for what should be an interesting 1993 season. With an experienced everyday line-up backed by a young and talented pitching staff, the Toreros are well-placed to play exciting baseball for their avid group of supporters. The 1993 campaign should, indeed, be a "Banner Season".