Fullerton’s Sophomore Shortstop Ruiz Sets Winning Example

Poncho Ruiz had a simple message to get across at a recent meeting of the Fullerton College baseball team.

Ruiz, a sophomore shortstop, stood up and said “I just want to win.”

His only concern is that the team wins. It matters much more to Ruiz than his own success.

He said he remembers the emotion of winning a Southern Section baseball title at Esperanza High in 1993 much more than any individual hit he got or play he made that season.

“He doesn’t have to say a word,” Fullerton Coach Nick Fuscardo said. “The kids just jump in behind him. He’s not a cheerleader but he’s been the beacon for our club all year.”

Fullerton got off to a strong start this season and Ruiz was leading the way.

The Hornets won their first five Orange Empire Conference games and improved their overall record to 14-2.

But then things started to fall apart. The timely hitting ceased for the most part, and the consistent pitching and solid defense also all but vanished. As a result, Fullerton went into a funk, losing seven of nine, including twice to longtime rival Rancho Santiago.

Fuscardo changed the lineup around Saturday and Fullerton beat Orange Coast, 9-5.

But through it all, Ruiz remained the steadiest performer on the team.

Ruiz, who hits equally well to all fields, opened conference play with a 12-game hitting streak and had a .511 batting average during that span.

The streak was stopped Thursday in a 9-1 loss to Rancho Santiago but he is still hitting .440 (40 of 91) with 11 doubles, a triple and a home run for the season. He has also driven in 29 runs and scored 25 and has struck out only eight times in 121 plate appearances.

“I’m seeing the ball really well right now,” he said, “and I’ve never had a season like this, but all that doesn’t mean a thing to me if we don’t win.

“That’s all that matters. We just need to pick it up a notch. Once we get on a roll again, hitting will be contagious again.”

Fullerton also got off to a fast start last season but stumbled at about the same time then lost four of the last six and missed the playoffs despite winning 29 games.

Ruiz had at least one hit in 17 of the last 18 games and finished with 60 hits, including 17 doubles and scored 48 runs.

He struck out only 10 times in 188 plate appearances and hit .360. He also earned all-conference honors.

“He’s very easy to coach,” Fuscardo said. “There’s really not a lot we have to do with him.”

The success of the last season helped ease the pain of the 1994 season, which Ruiz had to sit out because of a knee injury.

Ruiz had come to Fullerton from Esperanza High where he was a standout shortstop.

Ruiz and Marcus Jones, who is currently pitching at Long Beach State, led the Aztecs to the Southern Section Division I baseball title with a 3-0 victory over Simi Valley at Anaheim Stadium.

Ruiz, who was a Times all-county selection, came to Fullerton and was expected to be a standout performer on the baseball team in the spring of 1994. Only, he never got the chance.

Ruiz hurt his knee while running in December and was lost for the season.

Ruiz worked hard at rehabilitating the knee but found the experience very painful physically and mentally.

“I don’t like to talk about it,” he said. “It’s in the past and I want to just put it behind me.”

He stopped by to watch an early season game that spring but couldn’t even stand it for an inning.

“I’d never felt like that before,” he said. “When you’re playing, you get butterflies in your stomach before games. But I didn’t feel that anymore. I just wanted to be part of the action. I couldn’t even watch sports on TV.”