Titans Nevin, Popoff Get Top Honors

Cal State Fullerton junior third baseman Phil Nevin won Big West Conference most valuable player honors, and Titan senior James Popoff was named the conference’s most valuable pitcher in a vote of conference coaches Monday.

Nevin and Popoff were two of five Fullerton players named to the All-Big West first team, along with pitcher Dan Naulty, catcher/first baseman Jason Moler and freshman outfielder Dante Powell. Cal State Long Beach senior outfielder Michael Case, a former Troy High standout, and UC Santa Barbara junior shortstop Danny Lane, a former Laguna Beach High standout, also made the first team.

Nevin hit .390 with 20 home runs and 71 runs batted in to lead Fullerton to a 38-15 record and a berth in the NCAA tournament. Popoff went 11-2 with a 3.08 earned-run average and 106 strikeouts. Moler, a senior, hit .374 with 24 doubles and 53 RBIs. Powell hit .329 with 18 stolen bases and 32 RBIs, and Naulty, a senior, went 10-3 with a 3.77 ERA.

Titan second baseman Steve Sisco, a senior, hit .330 with 52 runs and 43 RBIs, and was a second-team selection. Five UC Irvine players--senior pitcher David Bladow, junior first baseman Corey Parker, senior second baseman Joe Furukawa and outfielders Steve Ott, a senior, and junior Tim McDonnell--received honorable-mention honors. Cal State Long Beach’s Dave Snow was named coach of the year.