University of California Athletics

April 12, 2000

TELEVISION: The Sunday, Apr. 16 USC-Cal game will be televised live on Fox Sports...Glenn Kuiper (play-by-play) and former major leaguer Bip Roberts (color) will be announcing...RADIO: KALX Radio (90.7 FM) will broadcast the Apr. 14-16 USC-Cal games...the David Esquer Show will air 10 minutes before the first pitch...SERIES RECORD: Cal has a 124-208 overall series record against the USC Trojans...last season, the Bears were swept Apr. 9-12 at USC (4-3, 13-6, 6-2)...

HEAD COACH DAVID ESQUER: The Bears coach is in his first season at Cal and has a career record of 18-19 (.486)...Esquer, 34, became only the 10th coach in the long history of Cal baseball, which began in 1892, when he was hired June 10, 1999...Esquer replaced longtime Bear mentor Bob Milano, who retired May 17 after 22 years as the Bears head coach and 29 years involved in the Cal baseball program...Esquer comes to Berkeley after serving as the top assistant at Pepperdine since 1996...prior to working at Pepperdine, he was the No. 2 assistant coach at Stanford under Mark Marquess from 1991-96...a shortstop at Stanford from 1984-87, Esquer was a starter on Stanford's 1987 College World Series championship team, earning All-Tournament honors after hitting .350 with six RBI in Omaha...he also earned All-Pac-10 Southern Division honors as a senior and went on to play professional baseball for four seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers organizations...

BEAR NOTES: The 2000 California baseball team (18-19, 6-6 Pac-10) won one-of-three games Apr. 7-9 at No. 2 ranked Texas (lost 9-6, lost 6-0, won 10-2)...on Tuesday, Cal defeated Santa Clara, 6-3, at Evans Diamond...the Bears have now won seven of their last 10 games... Cal scored all its runs off of home runs in the Bears win over Santa Clara...the Broncos outhit Cal, 11-5, but the Bears hit three home runs, including a three-run homer by junior third baseman Xavier Nady (Salinas, CA) in the fifth inning...Nady's homer was the 50th of his college career, which tied the Cal school record for career home runs set by Troy Penix from 1990-92...senior right-hander Jon Shirley (Bakersfield, CA) picked up the win Apr. 9 at No. 2 Texas, pitching 5.0 innings with five hits, one run (on a balk call), two walks and six strikeouts...with six strikeouts against the Longhorns, Shirley is now second on the Cal all-time strikeout list with 252 K's, behind only Doug Weiss' 275 strikeouts from 1955-57...after not pitching since Mar. 5 due to a strained right tricep, Shirley returned Mar. 28 at Wichita State, pitching 3.0 innings with no hits, no runs, one walk and four strikeouts...he then picked up the win Apr. 2 at Washington, throwing 6.0 innings with five hits, two runs, no walks and six strikeouts...counting his performance Mar. 5 versus Washington State, in Shirley's last four outings he has thrown 17.0 innings with 11 hits, four runs, four walks and 22 strikeouts...senior right-handed submarine pitcher Jon Cuccias (Woodland Hills, CA) has also pitched well for the Bears lately...in his last five outings, Cuccias has thrown 9.7 innings with three hits, no runs, four walks and five strikeouts...he is now second on the Cal all-time appearance list with 106 games, only five appearances short of breaking the school record of 109 games set by Alex Franklin from 1993-95...junior shortstop Jason Williams (Fairfield, CA) has raised his batting average dramatically in recent weeks, going from .244 on Mar. 17 to .294 as of Apr. 11...on Apr. 9 at Texas, Williams was a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run and an RBI single...on Tuesday against Santa Clara, he was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer...

ADDITIONAL CAL NOTES: The Bears have hit 51 home runs this season, including a school-record four home runs in the seventh inning Feb. 2 at Santa Clara...Nady has hit two grand slams, Feb. 19 at Pepperdine and Mar. 18 at Arizona...the Bears have struggle at the plate at times this year, including Feb. 25-27 against Stanford when they only manage 10 hits...but, Cal also scored 26 and 24 runs on 51 hits in two games Mar. 18-19 at Arizona, had 20 hits and three home runs Feb. 19 at Pepperdine and 18 hits and five home runs Feb. 2 at Santa Clara...on the mound, Cal has maintained a respectable 4.89 team ERA, led by junior reliever Rob Meyer's (Antioch, CA) 0.95 ERA...the Bears are also fourth in the nation in fielding percentage (.976) and have turned 41 double plays, mostly via Williams and senior second baseman Tommy Callen (Burlingame, CA)...the Bears are currently 6-10 against teams ranked in this week's Baseball America Top 25 poll-No. 3 Texas (1-2), No. 4 Arizona State (1-2), No. 5 Stanford (0-3), No. 11 Cal State Fullerton (2-1), No. 18 Fresno State (1-0) and No. 22 Long Beach State (1-2)...

CAL'S TENTATIVE STARTING LINE-UP

PAC-10 RACE (as of Apr. 12)

PLAYER NOTES

CLINT HOOVER: Is batting .292 (.345 vs. Pac-10) with nine doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 31 RBI...has struggled recently, going 0-for-14 with an RBI in the last four games...was 7-for-18 with a triple, three home runs and nine RBI Mar. 28-Apr. 2 at Wichita State and Washington...hit the game-winning three-run homer Mar. 28 at Wichita State...went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI Apr. 4 vs. Saint Mary's...went 9-for-17 (.529) with two doubles, a triple and three RBI Mar. 17-19 at Arizona...was 5-for-14 with two home runs and four RBI Mar. 10-12 vs. Cal State Fullerton...hit the game-tying home run in the ninth inning Mar. 12 vs. CSF...hit the game-winning homer in the 11th inning Mar. 3 vs. Washington State...went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI Feb. 2 at Santa Clara...has a .250 (7-for-28, 2-2B, HR, three RBI) career batting average vs. USC...

TREVOR HUTCHINSON: Is 3-3 with a 4.68 ERA (3.33 ERA vs. Pac-10) and has 45 strikeouts in 65.3 innings...last outing got no decision Apr. 7 at Texas (3.0 innings, five hits, five earned runs, five walks, one strikeout)...earned win Mar. 31 at Washington (7.0 innings, nine hits, one run, two walks, career-high eight strikeouts)...got no decision Mar. 24 vs. Arizona State (7.0 innings, five hits, three runs, three walks, five strikeouts)...earned win Mar. 10 vs. Cal State Fullerton (career-high 8.0 innings, six hits, four runs, two walks, four strikeouts)...got no decision Mar. 3 vs. Washington State (6.0 innings, six hits, two runs, four walks, seven strikeouts)...got no decision Feb. 11 at Long Beach State (7.0 innings, seven hits, three runs, two walks, four strikeouts)...got no decision Feb. 4 vs. Loyola Marymount (6.0 innings, six hits, one run, one walk, four strikeouts)...won season-opener Jan. 25 vs. USF (5.0 innings, six hits, three runs, three walks, two strikeouts)...is 0-1 with a 90.00 ERA (0.3 innings, two hits, three earned runs) career vs. USC...is slated to start Friday...

ROB MEYER: Is batting .308 (.353 vs. Pac-10) with five doubles, two home runs and 18 RBI...is 2-0 with two saves and a 0.95 ERA (19.0 innings, 11 hits, two runs, nine strikeouts) on the mound...was 3-for-11 Apr. 7-9 at Texas and 1-for-4 Tuesday vs. Santa Clara...also picked up the save vs. Santa Clara, pitching a perfect ninth inning...went 6-for-16 with a double and two RBI Mar. 28-Apr. 2 at Wichita State and Washington...earned save against the Shockers, pitching the ninth inning (one hit, one run, two walks)...was 5-for-11 with a double and an RBI against Arizona State Mar. 24-26...concluded last season on a nine-game hitting streak and started this season on a six-game hitting streak for a career-high 15-game hitting streak (24-for-59, .407, 3-2B, 2-HR, 12 RBI)...went 5-for-16 with a double and three RBI Mar. 17-19 at Arizona...vs. Washington State Mar. 3-5 was 4-for-12 and pitched a total of 5.0 innings in two games (two hits, two strikeouts), earning the win in relief Mar. 3 (1.0 inning, one strikeout)...Feb. 29 at Fresno State went 2-for-6 with an RBI and picked up the win in relief (2.0 innings, one hit, three walks)...was 6-for-15 with a home run and three RBI Feb. 18-20 at Pepperdine...was 3-for-4 with an RBI Feb. 6 vs. Loyola Marymount...went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in the season-opener Jan. 25 vs. San Francisco...has a .143 (2-for-14, 2B, two RBI) career batting average vs. USC...

XAVIER NADY: Is batting a team-leading .331 (.327 vs. Pac-10) with team-high 12 home runs and 41 RBI...has 50 career homers, one away from breaking the school record (Troy Penix, 1990-92)...is also third on the Bears all-time RBI list (173)...was 3-for-10 with a double Apr. 7-9 at Texas and went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer Tuesday vs. Santa Clara...was 3-for-11 with a home run and three RBI Mar. 31-Apr. 2 at Washington...Mar. 17-19 at Arizona went 7-for-13 with three home runs and 11 RBI...on Mar. 18 vs. UA was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and a grand slam for a career-high seven RBI...earned Pac-10 Player of the Week honors for his exploits at Arizona...was 5-for-13 with a home run Mar. 10-12 vs. Cal State Fullerton...went 4-for-13 with a double, home run and two RBI Mar. 3-5 vs. Washington State...was 5-15 with a double and a grand slam Feb. 18-20 at Pepperdine...knocked in the game-winning RBI Feb. 4 and was 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBI Feb. 6 vs. Loyola Marymount...has a .278 (10-for-36, 2B, 3-HR, 10 RBI) career batting average vs. USC...

JON SHIRLEY: Is 2-3 with a 5.05 ERA (3.00 ERA vs. Pac-10)...has 38 strikeouts in 41.0 innings and is second on the Cal all-time strikeout list with 252 K's, behind only Doug Weiss' 275 strikeouts (1955-57)...in last outing earned win Apr. 9 at No. 2 Texas (5.0 innings, five hits, one run on a balk, two walks, six strikeouts)...earned win Apr. 2 at Washington (6.0 innings, five hits, two runs, no walks, six strikeouts)...was outstanding in a start Mar. 28 at Wichita State (3.0 innings, no hits, no runs, one walk, four strikeouts)...prior to Wichita State, had not pitched since Mar. 5 vs. Washington State (3.0 innings, one hit, one run, one walk, six strikeouts) after suffering soreness in his right tricep...had struck out six of the nine batters he had faced against the Cougars...lost Feb. 27 vs. Stanford (5.3 innings, nine hits, seven runs, one walk, six strikeouts)...lost Feb. 20 at Pepperdine (5.0 innings, eight hits, five runs, two walks, two strikeouts)...suffered the loss Feb. 13 at Long Beach State, pitching a season-high 7.0 innings (eight hits, three runs, one walk five strikeouts)...has thrown five complete-games in his career...is 0-2 with a 6.41 ERA (five games, 32.3 innings, 44 hits, 23 runs, 13 walks, 22 strikeouts) career vs. USC...is slated to start Sunday...

BRAD STEELE: Is 3-6 with a 4.90 ERA (5.00 ERA vs. Pac-10) and a team-high 71.7 innings pitched...suffered loss in last outing Apr. 8 at Texas (4.0 innings, seven hits, six runs, five walks, three strikeouts)...lost Apr. 1 at Washington (5.3 innings, nine hits, six runs, four walks, four strikeouts)...lost Mar. 25 vs. Arizona State (7.0 innings, eight hits, three earned runs, two walks, four strikeouts)...earned win Mar. 18 at Arizona (5.7 innings, 11 hits, five runs, three walks, two strikeouts)...got no decision Mar. 11 vs. Cal State Fullerton (7.0 innings, 11 hits, two earned runs, two walks, six strikeouts)...got a no decision Mar. 4 vs. Washington State, tying a career-high with 9.0 innings in an extra-inning contest (eight hits, two runs, two walks) with a career-high nine strikeouts...threw first career complete-game in Feb. 19 win at Pepperdine (10 hits, four runs, two walks, four strikeouts)...is 0-1 with a 11.10 ERA (four games, 7.3 innings, 12 hits, nine runs, four walks, two strikeouts) career vs. USC...is slated to start Saturday...

MIKE TONIS: Is batting .315 (.340 vs. Pac-10) with 13 doubles (team-high), nine home runs and 29 RBI...is fourth on the Cal all-time home run list (36)...went 2-for-10 with an RBI Apr. 7-9 at Texas and was 1-for-3 with a home run Tuesday vs. Santa Clara...went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI Mar. 28 at Wichita State and was 5-for-13 with a double, home run and two RBI Mar. 31-Apr. 2 at Washington...had a team-high 14-game hitting streak this season (23-for-57, .404, seven doubles, five home runs, 18 RBI) from Mar. 10-Apr. 4...was 4-for-8 with three doubles against Arizona State Mar. 24-26...threw out five Sun Devil baserunners during the series, including three runners Mar. 26...went 7-for-14 with two doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI Mar. 17-19 at Arizona...Mar. 19 at UA was 2-for-5 with a three-run homer and a two-run homer...went 4-for-13 with a home run and three RBI Mar. 10-12 vs. Cal State Fullerton...was 6-for-14 with a double, home run and two RBI Feb. 18-20 at Pepperdine...went 2-for-4 with two doubles Feb. 9 at Saint Mary's...was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI Feb. 2 at Santa Clara...has a .273 (9-for-33, 4-2B, one RBI) career batting average vs. USC...

PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Junior third baseman Xavier Nady (Salinas, CA) is the Preseason National Player of the Year and a first team Preseason All-American by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball after hitting 40 home runs last year (school record 23 for Cal in the spring and 17 for the USA National Team during the summer)...Nady, selected Baseball America's 1999 Summer Player of the Year, is also projected to be next June's No. 1 pick in the Amateur Draft by the baseball publication...fellow USA National Team member, junior catcher Mike Tonis (Elk Grove, CA), is a second team Preseason All-American in Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball...

USC: The USC Trojans (ranked 16th in Collegiate Baseball and 19th in Baseball America), coached by Mike Gillespie (14th year at USC, 543-306-2, .639), are currently 24-13, winning one-of-three Apr. 7-9 at UCLA (won 5-1, lost 15-5, 8-5) and defeating San Diego State 6-4 Tuesday at Dedeaux Field...top hitters for the Trojans are freshman left fielder Anthony Lunetta (.399, 6 HR, 30 RBI), senior third baseman Justin Gemoll (.383, 12 HR, 40 RBI) and sophomore right fielder Rob Garibaldi (.348, 3 HR, 22 RBI)...USC's tentative pitching rotation is junior right-hander Rik Currier (8-2, 3.99 ERA), sophomore right-hander Mark Prior (5-4, 3.69 ERA) and freshman right-hander Anthony Reyes (3-4, 4.26 ERA)...