Arizona State’s Tough Schedule Beat Out SDSU

For those wondering why San Diego State (39-18) is staying home and Arizona State (32-22) is going to the NCAA Division I baseball tournament, look at each school’s schedule.

SDSU played 17 non-Division I schools and lost to five of them; Arizona State did not play any non-Division I opponents. Even though the Sun Devils lost 22 games, their power rating was the second best in the West. For two consecutive seasons, Arizona State has not played a non-Division I school.

Because of the Aztecs’ schedule, SDSU probably had to win Western Athletic Conference tournament or regular-season title. But after losing five of its last seven WAC games, SDSU finished second to Hawaii for the regular season. In the WAC tournament last weekend in Hawaii, the Aztecs beat Brigham Young but then bowed out after losing to Hawaii, 1-0, in 10 innings and to New Mexico, 2-1, in 12 innings.

So for the fourth time in the past six years, SDSU will not be going to the tournament.

On a more positive note, SDSU infielder State Dietz finished the season with a 28-game hitting streak--tying Derek Vinyard’s school record that was set in 1991.

More Devils: Jeff Matranga, former Santana High and USIU pitcher, is Arizona State’s probable starter in its first-round game against Cal State Northridge Friday in the Midwest Regional at Wichita, Kan. Matranga, a senior right-hander, is 10-6 with a 4.33 ERA this season.

Miller looking for one more honor: Rich Miller, Point Loma Nazarene senior outfielder, added another award to his growing list of accomplishments. Miller, named the PLNC and NAIA District 3 player of the year, was selected as the NAIA Area 1 player of the year Monday. The only award Miller lacks now is NAIA All-American. That squad will be announced June 5.

Noriega makes it four: By being seeded second at the NCAA men’s tennis tournament that begins today in Athens, Ga., University of San Diego’s Jose Luis Noriega became the school’s first four-time All-American.

Kerry Dineen, an outfielder for the baseball team from 1971-73, was the only other three time All-American at USD.

Noriega, who has never advanced past the NCAA quarterfinals, became an All-American by being seeded among the top 16 players in the NCAA singles tournament. He reached All-American status the previous three years by reaching the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament.

For the last two years, Noriega has lost to the eventual champion in the NCAA quarterfinals--Steve Bryan of Texas in 1990 and Jared Palmer of Stanford in 1991.

Proven human: More than anything, UC San Diego was defeated by Cal Lutheran, 3-1, in the best-of-five NCAA Division III West Regional baseball series because of poor defense.

Triton Coach Lyle Yates agreed: “I think the one thing I was disappointed in was our defense,” he said.

UCSD entered last weekend’s series with a .962 fielding percentage. That mark was just shy of the school record .964 set in 1986 when the Tritons led the nation in that category.

In the four games against Cal Lutheran, however, UCSD made 14 errors, including five in the final game and four in the first inning of the final game.

Shortstop Guy Cataldo made five errors and first baseman David Rex made three.

No cigar: Having allowed no earned runs in eight-plus innings of a non-decision in Game 2, UCSD pitcher Brent Hansen appeared to be a lock to earn one of the two pitching spots on the all-tournament team--the other going to Cal Lutheran’s Pat Norville, who allowed only two hits and no earned runs in 9 1/3 innings of Game 2.

However in the final game, Hansen’s performance was upstaged by Kingsmen Mike Winslow, a junior right-hander, whose longest career outing had been seven innings.

In his complete-game victory, Winslow yielded only three singles and shutout the Tritons, 10-0.

Well done: Maybe it was an indication of having been there--UCSD, after all, is no stranger to national-type tournaments. But the hospitality shown to fans and members of the media at last weekend’s West Regional was extraordinary.

Hats off to the staff and volunteers of UCSD.