|
|
| Hunter Brown-Rice |
|
| Bob Runyon-Fresno State |
New Page 1DENVER - For the sixth year in a row, Rice has been selected to win the 2002 Western Athletic Conference regular season baseball crown in a vote by the league's six head coaches. The coaches also voted on a preseason all-WAC team, and Rice led the way with four players making the team including the preseason Player of the Year, senior third baseman Hunter Brown.Rice received 25 points and five first place votes after a 47-20 season in 2001, the regular season WAC title and a trip to its seventh straight NCAA tournament. Fresno State earned 20 points to place second after a 41-25 season and its second straight trip to the NCAA postseason. Nevada placed third with 18 points followed by San Jose State with 13 points, Hawai`i with eight and WAC newcomer Louisiana Tech with six.
The preseason all-WAC team included four Rice players: sophomore outfielder Austin Davis (last year's WAC Freshman of the Year), senior outfielder A.J. Porfirio, sophomore shortstop Jose Enrique Cruz and senior third baseman Hunter Brown. Brown was picked as the Player of the Year after hitting .335 with 25 doubles, seven home runs and 44 RBI in 2001. Fresno State had three players make the team, and one made it at two positions. Bulldog junior Ben Fritz made the team as the designated hitter and relief pitcher. Last year, Fritz was 3-5 with a 4.65 ERA and six saves and also hit .282 with 10 doubles and four home runs. His teammate, senior Bob Runyon, was voted the Pitcher of the Year. Runyon was 10-1 with a 3.54 ERA in 2001. Nevada also had three players make the team including two pitchers, Mateo Miramontes and Darrell Rasner. San Jose State featured two players on the preseason all-WAC team while Hawai`i and Louisiana Tech each placed one player on the team.
The 40th year of WAC baseball begins Wednesday, January 30, when Hawai`i hosts Florida State.
-WAC-
2002 WAC Baseball Coaches' Poll
(Points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis as coaches
not allowed to vote for their own team)
Rk. Team 1 2 3 4 5 Total
1. Rice 5 - - - - 25
2. Fresno State - 5 - - - 20
3. Nevada 1 1 3 - - 18
4. San Jose State - - 3 2 - 13
5. Hawai`i - - - 3 2 8
6. Louisiana Tech - - - 1 4 6
Preseason All-WAC Team
OF Austin Davis, So., Rice
OF Chris Dickerson, So., Nevada
OF A.J. Porfirio, Sr., Rice
OF Tobey Riday-White, Sr. Fresno State
1B Gregg Omori, Sr., Hawai`i
2B Gabe Lopez, Sr., San Jose State
SS Jose Enrique Cruz, So., Rice
3B Hunter Brown, Sr., Rice
C Adam Shorsher, Sr., San Jose State
UTI Cullen Simmons, Sr., Louisiana Tech
DH Ben Fritz, Jr., Fresno State
SP Mateo Miramontes, So., Nevada
SP Darrell Rasner, Jr., Nevada
SP Bob Runyon, Sr., Fresno State
RP Ben Fritz, Jr., Fresno State
Player of the Year
Hunter Brown, Sr., Rice
Pitcher of the Year
Bob Runyon, Sr., Fresno State