United Athletic Conference

Rd. Pick Name Pos. School Team
1-3, Philip Humber, P, Rice, NY Mets
1-4, Jeff Niemann, P, Rice, Tampa Bay
1-8, Wade Townsend, P, Rice, Baltimore
1-26, Richie Robnett, OF, Fresno St., Oakland
2-44, Matt Durkin, P, San Jose St., NY Mets
4-106, Josh Baker, P, Rice, Milwaukee
5-138, Paul Janish, SS, Rice, Cincinnati
10-292, Chris Kolkhorst, OF, Rice, San Diego
12-370, Kevin Frandsen, 2B, San Jose St., San Francisco
15-437, Brian Finegan, SS, Hawai'i, Cleveland
16-489, Ryan Haag, 2B, Fresno State, NY Yankees
19-557, Chris Gimenez, OF, Nevada, Cleveland
26-770, Kyle Wilson, C, Fresno State, Colorado
30-888, David Griffin, P, Fresno State, Cincinnati
30-900, Brandon Marcelli, C, Fresno State, St. Louis
33-992, Clary Carlsen, P, Hawai'i, Philadelphia
37-1110, Chris Patrick, SS, Fresno State, St. Louis
37-1114, Brad Chedister, P, Louisiana Tech, Houston
38-1127, Jose Amaya, P, San Jose State, Cleveland
38-1145, Colby Summer, P, Hawai'i, Boston

RICE COMES UP SHORT IN REGIONAL Rices season came to an end in early June after losing to Texas A&M, 7-5, in the regional championship game. Rice began the regional with a 4-3 loss to Texas Southern last Friday and had to win four straight to advance to the Super Regionals. Rice beat Lamar and Texas Southern on Saturday and then had to beat Texas A&M twice on Sunday. Rice won the first game, 3-1, before losing the second contest. The Owls had a 5-3 lead in the eighth inning before Philip Humber allowed a game-winning grand slam. Rice finished the season with a 46-14 overall record. It was the first time in four years that Rice had not advanced out of its own NCAA regional at Reckling Park. Five Rice players were named to the all-Regional team as selected by a vote of media members covering the event: C Travis Reagan; 1B Adam Rodgers; LF Adam Hale (Rice); RF Austin Davis (Rice); and P Jeff Niemann.

ALL-AMERICANS WAC players named to All-America teams include: Wade Townsend, P, Rice (USA Today/Sports Weekly, Louisville Slugger First Team, NCBWA First Team, Baseball America First Team); Philip Humber, P, Rice (USA Today/Sports Weekly, Louisville Slugger First Team, NCBWA First Team, Baseball America Second Team); Richie Robnett, OF, Fresno State (Louisville Slugger Second Team,Baseball America Second Team); Christian Vitters, 3B, Fresno State (Louisville Slugger Freshman Team); and Nick Moresi, OF, Fresno State (Louisville Slugger Freshman Team). Townsend is also one of five finalists for the 2004 Golden Spikes Award (will be announced July 13), given to the top amateur baseball player by USA Baseball and one of three finalists for the inaugural Clemens Award (will be announced July 15).

ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT The WAC had three players named to the Academic All-District teams as selected by CoSIDA. Rice had two players named to the District VI team in pitcher Wade Townsend and outfielder Chris Kolkhorst. Fresno State shortstop Chris Patrick was named to the District VIII team. All three are now eligible for the Academic All-America team to be selected later this month.

STREAKING Fresno State second baseman Ryan Haag finished the season with the WACs longest active hitting streak at 16 games. Haag hit .427 (32-for-75) with 12 RBIs and 23 runs during his streak. The longest streak in the WAC this season was 26 games by Fresno States Richie Robnett.

IN THE POLLS In the final polls, Rice finished 10th in Collegiate Baseball, 11th in Baseball America,and 13th in NCBWA.. No other WAC teams received votes.

NON-CONFERENCE In non-conference games, the WAC was 90-76-1 (.542). Fresno State was 12-17 (.414), Hawaii was 18-8 (.692), Louisiana Tech was 10-18 (.357), Nevada was 16-13 (.552), Rice was 22-8 (.733) and San Jose State was 12-12-1 (.500).

PRESEASON POLL The final WAC standings finished exactly as the WAC coaches predicted prior to the season: Rice (1), Fresno State (2), Nevada (3), Hawaii (4), San Jose State (5) and Louisiana Tech (6).

BASEHITS Team and individual notes:

Fresno State: finished the season with a five-game winning streak, its longest of the season ... won nine of its last 11 games ... Fresno State led the WAC in stolen bases (77) and batting average (.321) ... it was the most stolen bases for the Bulldogs since swiping 91 in 1991 ... sophomore outfielder Richie Robnett led the WAC in batting average (.384), slugging percentage (.699), doubles (27), total bases (160) and stolen bases (21) ... with 13 home runs and 21 stolen bases, Robnett is the first Bulldog since Steve Hosey in 1988 to have at least 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases ... Robnett is ranked fourth in the nation in doubles per game (0.47) ... Robnett was named the National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball on May 10.

Hawaii: its 31 wins were the most since winning 37 during the 1999 season ... lost eight of its last 10 games ... sophomore outfielder Matthew Inouye had 20 doubles on the season, third most in the WAC ... Andrew Sansaver led the WAC in sac bunts with 15 ... pitcher Ricky Bauer allowed a WAC-low 0.94 walks per game ... head coach Mike Trapasso will serve as an assistant coach on the 2004 USA Baseball National Team that will represent the United States at the II FISU World University Baseball Championships in Chinese Taipei, July 22-Aug. 1.

Louisiana Tech: in its second to last game of the year, Matt Lacy pitched all 10 innings of the Bulldogs 6-5 win over Rice ... the 10 innings pitched were the most by a WAC pitcher this year ... Tech finished its home season winning five in a row ... Tech was a WAC-best 8-1 in one-run games ... was shut out seven times this year, the most in the WAC ... the Bulldogs committed 132 errors, 55 more than the next worst team in the WAC (Nevada with 77).

Nevada: sophomore catcher Brett Hayes was one of 22 players to be selected to the Team USA baseball squad that will represent the United States at the 2004 II FISU World University Baseball Championships in Chinese Taipei, July 23-August 1 ... Jacob Butler led the WAC in home runs with 16, the sixth most in a season in school history ... junior outfielder Chris Gimenez has 30 career home runs, tied for the sixth most in school history ... the Pack led the WAC in home runs with 80 ... Gimenez was hit by a pitch a WAC-high 26 times this year, three shy of tying the school record, and has been hit by a pitch 61 times in his career, the most of any player currently in the WAC.

Rice: in its final WAC series, the Owls did not commit an error in the four games against Louisiana Tech, the only time all year that Rice did not have any errors in a series ... had at least 40 wins for the 10th year in a row ... was 0-2 in extra inning games ... Rices team ERA of 2.64 was ranked first in the nation ... Philip Humber led the WAC and was seventh nationally with 12.1 strikeouts/game ... Humber led the WAC in strikeouts with 154 ... senior outfielder Chris Kolkhorsts streak of consecutive games on base came to an end at 57 after an 0-for-1 pinch hit outing against Texas A&M in the final game of the season ... Kolkhorst missed three games of the regional due to an injury ... senior outfielder Austin Davis finished his career with 309 hits, the most in school history and sixth most in WAC history ... his 924 at-bats are the third most in WAC history ... junior Wade Townsends career ERA of 2.01 is the sixth best in WAC history (min. 200 IP) while his 13 saves are tied for 13th ... junior Philip Humber has 422 career strikeouts, the most of any active WAC pitcher ... Humber was named the National Pitcher of the Week by Collegiate Baseball on March 22.

San Jose State: swept Hawaii to finish the season, its only three-game sweep of an opponent all season ... Brad Kilby led the WAC with a 1.71 ERA, third best in the nation ... Travis Becktel led the WAC in triples per game (0.09) ... Matt Durkin is the WACs active career leader in both complete games (11) and shutouts (6) ... Durkin led the WAC in innings pitched per game (6.90) ... senior Kevin Frandsen finished his career with a school record 246 hits.

WAC ADDS NEW MEXICO STATE On July 1, 2005, New Mexico State, Utah State and Idaho will join the WAC as full members while Rice, SMU, UTEP and Tulsa will leave for Conference USA. Of those three new members, only New Mexico State sponsors baseball. The Aggies finished the 2004 season with a 33-25-1 record.