March 7, 2002
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
BRIEFLY...
The Loyola Marymount University (LMU) baseball program has reached the halfway point of its eight-game road trip that includes seven games against teams ranked in the Baseball Weekly Coaches Poll. This week the Lions will travel to Starksville, Miss., to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a three-game series that begins Friday at 2 p.m. (PST). The trip to Mississippi will be the farthest east the LMU baseball program has traveled (since 1976). In addition, it will mark only the fourth time the Lions have faced an opponent from the SEC, playing Alabama in Stanford for the 1998 NCAA West Regional, Arkansas in the 1988 NCAA Midwest Regional and Louisiana State in the 1986 NCAA College World Series. LMU lost to Alabama 13-5, but defeated both Arkansas (8-3) and LSU (4-3).
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS...
This will be the first time the Lions will take on the Bulldogs of Mississippi State, who enter the three-game series with a record of 7-1-1. They defeated Jackson State 9-0 on Wednesday at their home ballpark, Dudy Noble Field. They have played all but two games at home, losing and tieing only to Ohio State. The Lions will once again have their work cut out for them as they take on a nationally ranked opponent for the seventh time in the last eight meetings. Mississippi State is ranked 25th by the Baseball Weekly Coaches Poll and 26th by Collegiate Baseball. As has been the case for the Lions in the previous travels to face top-25 opponents, they will be facing a tough starting rotation. Mississippi State will bring Paul Maholm, Tanner Brock and Joey Collums to the mound as their starters. Maholm has the highest ERA of the three, topping out at 3.38 and a record of 1-1. Collums is 1-0 on the season, striking out 18 and walking just one batter in 12 innings of work. He has an ERA of 2.25. Leading the bunch is Brock. The lone right-hander of the three, Brock has a 0.69 ERA with a record of 2-0, striking out 14 and walking just five. Leading the team in strikeout-to-walk ratio is reliever Jonathan Papelborn. The Bulldogs' closer is 1-0 with a save and a 0.00 ERA while striking out 17 batters and walking none in nine innings of work. Offensive support for the hurlers hasn't been an issue, as the Bulldogs average almost eight runs a game while hitting .326 as a team. Casey Long has been on fire through the first nine games, going 13-for-26 at the plate (.500) in nine starts. Steve Gendron leads the team with 12 RBI and is hitting .432 on the season. Jason Burkley leads the squad with four home runs, adding 10 RBI to a .300 batting average.
THE SERIES AGAINST ASU...
For the eighth time in program history the Lions headed to Arizona to take on the Sun Devils of Arizona State. Every meeting between the two teams has come at Arizona State's home park. The series began in 1977 with a sweep by the Sun Devils and the 2002 edition was no different, as ASU extended their win streak over the Lions to 10 games. In the series opener the Sun Devils pounced on the Lions quick and often for a 15-2 win. ASU finished with 15 hits to the Lions eight, with freshman Christian Campos and Sean Smith as the only LMU players to record two hits on the day. In game two the Lions were victim to a complete game by ASU starter Robbie McClellan, who allowed just three hits and one earned run in a 7-2 Sun Devil win. Smith, Joshua Whitesell and Billy Lockin were the only Lions to earn a hit. In the final game of the series, LMU couldn't over come a 7-0 deficit as they fell 10-5. Freshman Joe Frazee was 2-for-2 on the day with a run scored and an RBI.
AN L.A. PIT STOP...
After scoring just nine runs in a three-game set with Arizona State, the Lions returned to Los Angeles for a quick one game pit stop at UCLA. In the game the Lions found themselves facing yet another seven-run deficit heading into the sixth inning down 8-1 on Tuesday, March 5. However, LMU exploded for a seven-run sixth inning, the most in a single inning this season. The Lions would tie the game at 8-8 but would fall late to the Bruins, 10-9. The nine runs against UCLA equaled the total of the entire ASU series. In the game, senior Kris Zactuo was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. It was the seventh time in his four-year career he had two doubles in a game. His eight doubles leads the team this season and with three RBI against the Bruins, Zacuto now leads the team with 14.
LOOKING BACK...
In the last four games for the Lions, freshman Joe Frazee had a break-out weekend for the Lions. He finished the stretch of games going 4-for-6 at the plate with a pair of RBI. In addition, he made a leaping catch at the wall against UCLA that took away a home run from Casey Janssen. He was 1-for-3 in the start against UCLA, and was 2-for-2 pinch hitting in game three of the series against Arizona State. He also had a hit in his only plate appearance as a pinch hitter in the first game against the Sun Devils.
UNUSUAL THREE-BAGGER...
Senior Tommy Perez hit just his third triple of his career against the Longhorns, the first of the season for the Lions. Perez, who is quickly climbing the all-time home run list with 33, had two triples as a junior while hitting 11 home runs. In his sophomore and freshman seasons combined, Perez had 19 home runs and no triples.
LONG BALL...
After just one home run by freshman Christian Campos in the first six games of the season, the Lions exploded for eight home runs in the next eight contests. Senior Tommy Perez hit three home runs, including the first ever by an LMU player over the Mikos Blue Monster against Cal Poly. Campos added his second of the season, the game winner against Cal Poly on Feb. 18. Sophomore Brady Koch added his first of his career, another game winner against Cal Poly on Feb. 17. Senior Kris Zacuto and freshman Sean Smith had their first of the season against Cal State Fullerton. Zacuto added his second of the season on Feb. 24 against Texas.
DOUBLED-UP...
Senior Kris Zacuto continues to climb up the record books at LMU. With a pair of doubles against UCLA, he has moved a step closer to fourth place on the all-time doubles list at LMU. He is now five shy of David Jones (1976-78) for fourth all-time with 58 doubles in a career at LMU. Zacuto, the only two-time All-West Coast Conference selection on the roster, added his second home run of the season against Texas, giving him 22 in his career, one shy of the all-time top-10. His eight doubles through 17 games has him on pace to finish the season in the top-5 for doubles in a season. The record is 31 set by LMU Hall of Famer Miah Bradbury in the 1989 season. Zacuto is on the pace to finish second with 26 doubles, passing Joe Ciccarella (1991) and Chris Gomez (1990) who had 24 in their respective season. If Zacuto holds this pace, he will finish one shy of Bradbury's career record of 72 doubles.
His climb up the records is thanks in part to his .324 batting, which is second on the team this season. He is one of just three players to start every game for the Lions in 2002 (Tommy Perez and Sean Smith). Zacuto's .529 slugging percentage is tops on the team, as is his 14 RBI.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK...
Junior right-handed pitcher Kevin Jenson was named the West Coast Conference/Rawlings Pitcher of the Week for Feb. 5 thanks to his 5-0 shutout of UC Santa Barbara in the first game of the 2002 season. The Yuba City native pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits in his debut with the Lions. He struckout four Gauchos and walked just one in the win. Jenson, a transfer from Yuba Community College, claimed the first pitcher of the week honor given in the 2002 season as he earned the Lions first shutout since May 9, 2000, when they blanked UCSB. Jenson has made five appearances this season, three as starts. He has a 6.26 ERA with a 1-3 record. Opponents are hitting .298 off of him.
SOLID DEBUT...
In his first season of collegiate baseball, freshman Christian Campos stormed out of the gates to finish hitting .455 from the plate in a three-game series against UC Santa Barbara. The outfielder from Modesto, CA, went 5-for-11 (.455) against the Gauchos, earning a hit in all three games. In his first game as a Lion, Campos was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer that helped the Lions to a 5-0 shutout victory. In game two of the series he went 2-for-4 with four RBI in a 8-4 loss. In the final game in the series he went 1-for-4 with a run scored to help the Lions to a series sweep of UCSB. His hit in game three was as double. He finished with a slugging percentage of .818, adding two walks and five putouts from right field. On the season Campos is third on the team with 11 RBI while hitting .224 (11-for-49). He is also second with two home runs, getting his second in the final game of the LMU Baseball Classic. He had a game-high 10 putouts against Cal State Fullerton.
A SENIOR LEADER...
Senior Tommy Perez has started his final season at LMU right where he left off in his junior campaign. He was named by the West Coast Conference as its Player of the Week twice, including the honor in the final week of the season on May 15. He finished the 2001 season on a torrid pace, hitting .684 (13-for-19) in the final four games to earn his second P.O.W. He had eight RBI and eight runs scored, hit three home runs and two doubles. His slugging percentage of 1.263 jumped his season average to .607 to lead the team. In the final week, he moved his average from .299 to .341 to lead the Lions. His 11 home runs and 45 RBI were also a team high. He had 30 home runs in his career heading into the 2002 season, tied for fifth all-time with Jim McAnary. He has already added three this season, putting him at fifth all-time with 33. In addition, his 13 RBI (second on the team) has him at 136 for his career, five shy from cracking the top-10 all-time at LMU. He would tie Tim Williams (1988-91) and David Jones (1976-79) with 141 career RBI.
PIPE LINE TO THE PROS...
The 2001 season once again produced prospects for the 2001 Major League Baseball draft. LMU's pipe line to the pros continues to run strong as pitchers C.J. Wilson and James Clelland were both selected by teams. Wilson was selected in the fifth round by the Texas Rangers and Clelland was a free agent by the Montreal Expos. The two signees give the Lions 14 players in the past five seasons who have gone pro. The 2000 season produced some of the top prospects in the country, as five Lions were selected in the first 20 rounds of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft. Junior left-handed pitcher Billy Traber, who was named second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, was the 16th overall pick in the draft, being selected by the New York Mets. Right-hander Michael Schultz, who was also a junior, was selected in the second round with the 69th overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Schultz's and Traber's battery mate, junior Scott Walter, was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the third round with the 74th overall pick. The third team All-America selection was a Johnny Bench Award finalist for the countries best catcher and finished tops in the West Coast Conference with 19 home runs. In the ninth round, the Chicago White Sox selected utility specialist Jason Aspito with the 262nd pick in the 2000 draft. The WCC Co-Player of the Year, senior Anthony Angel, was selected by the Houston Astros in the 14th round as the 427th pick in the 2000 draft. Following the draft, the Diamondbacks remained committed to the Lions pitching, signing Ben Bonilla as a free agent.
LIONS AND THE REGIONALS...
The three-time defending West Coast Conference Champions headed into their third straight Regional appearance as the number three seed and facing Cal State Fullerton in the Lions first game. Behind the efforts of second team All-American Billy Traber, LMU earned its first postseason win since the upset of Stanford in 1998, 6-4 over the number two seeded Titans. Traber's complete game, 13-strikeout performance included two bases loaded jams, coming in the fifth and ninth innings with no outs. In the fifth, after the Titans loaded the bases on a walk, a single and an error, Traber struck out the next three batters to get out of the jam. With a 6-3 lead in the ninth, the Titans again loaded the bases. Traber allowed a run on a sac fly and retired the next two batters on a fly and a ground out for his 10th win of the season. David Maffei's two-run home run in the first inning started a four-run outburst for the Lions in the first two innings of the game. The win allowed the Lions to advance in the winner's bracket against Southern California. USC used a three-run eighth and a five-run ninth to break a 5-5 tie in the top of the eighth for a 13-5 win over the Lions. LMU dropped to 0-3 against the Trojans on the season. The Lions allowed 18 hits in the loss, dropping the Lions to an elimination game against Cal State Fullerton, who defeated Virginia Tech to advance. Michael Schultz went seven and two-thirds innings and picked up his sixth loss of the season. Jeff Walker was an offensive spark for the Lions, finishing the game 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double. Senior Ben Bonilla pitched a complete game for the Lions, but picked up his first loss of the season in a 5-2 defeat to Cal State Fullerton, knocking the Lions out of the NCAA Tournament. Fullerton's Ronnie Corona went eight innings and allowed only four hits and struck out 12 Lions for the win. Kirk Saarloos came in the ninth for the save. The Lions had only five players reach base, as Fullerton advanced to the championship against USC. The Trojans would win the regional to advance to the Super Regional.
20 Years of Baseball at Page Stadium...
Now in its 20th season as the home of Lion Baseball, George C. Page Stadium has established itself as a tough place for opponents. With its newest addition, Page Stadium continues to stake claim as college baseball's most unique ballpark. The facility, which has been the site of filming for numerous commercials as well as feature films, is named in honor of George C. Page, president of the Incentive Aid Foundation. Maynard Kambak, father of LMU baseball alumnus Jeff Kambak, assisted Mr. Page in the stadium's construction that was completed in 1983. LMU's historic first game in Page Stadium was played on March 19, 1983, LMU losing to Cal State Fullerton, 5-1. In the 2000 campaign the Lions were an impressive 21-6 at Page Stadium, which was the best winning percentage (.778) in the conference. Since 1997, when Frank Cruz took over the program, LMU has established a 80-66 record at Page, a winning percentage of more than 55 percent. That percentage is just below the Lions' overall mark at home in the park's 19 years, as LMU has posted a 325-222-1 record (.593). Some of the best years have come in the five conference titles the Lions have won while calling Page Stadium home. They are 168-55 in conference championship years at home. The first Page Stadium conference title came in 1986 when the Lions posted a 24-8 record at home that season. The best record came in 1988, when LMU was 30-4 at home (88 percent).
THE MIKOS MONSTER...
Thanks to a gift from Paul Mikos, a new leftfield wall has been installed at Page Stadium that contains a manual scoreboard, complete with out-of-town scores reminiscent of some of Major League Baseball's classic ballparks. The Mikos Blue Monster stands 130-feet wide and 37-feet tall. Within the wall is one of only a handful of manual scoreboards in all of baseball. The board itself isn't small, standing 18-feet tall and 46-feet wide. Complete with a line score. The scoreboard will have electronic balls, strikes and outs, along with electronic at-bat and hit/error identification. Every other component will be tallied using 2-foot square aluminum score cards slipped in behind the scoreboard manually. The first ever home run was hit over the wall was hit by UCLA's Adam Berry on Feb. 11. The first Lion to hit it over the Blue Monster was Tommy Perez against Cal Poly on Feb. 17.
