The UCSD baseball team lost nine seniors from the 2003 squad, but the Tritons return for the 2004 season strong and prepared to face the competition. The Tritons have returning key pitchers and added some important veteran players to the position core and pitching staff.
Head coach Dan O’Brien believes that the Tritons’ young but experienced pitching staff will be the key to the team’s success.
“”The staff has a combination of experience from both returners and transfers,”” O’Brien said. “”Experience and maturity in the bullpen could turn out to be the team’s most important piece of the puzzle. [We should] expect good things from this young core of pitchers for the next several years.””
The top returning hurlers are expected to be starters and pitch in the rotation. Senior pitcher Raf Bergstrom is a three-year veteran and has developed into the team’s ace pitcher. Bergstrom comes off of a strong 2003 season, pitching four complete games with a 4.20 ERA and 5-2 record on the season.
Sophomore pitcher Byron Grubman owns one of the best freshman pitching performances in the program’s history. Grubman led last year’s staff with a 7-2 record and finished the season with a 3.95 ERA in 73.2 innings pitched. Grubman was named to the All-West Region Second Team in his first year.
Fellow sophomore pitcher Jose Navarro is a strong left-hander. As a starter last year, he had a very solid freshman year. Navarro went 3-6 on the season with a 4.16 ERA in 75.2 innings pitched. He struck out a team-high 54 batters on the season and gave up just 21 walks.
The Triton coaching staff is excited about the new talent of the pitching staff. Sophomore Ryan Leake transferred to UCSD this year from Div. I University of Nevada, Reno. Junior Justin Allred joined the Triton pitching staff from Div. I University of San Francisco, and junior Shlomo Lipitz is a local transfer from Mesa Community College.
The Tritons also return strong position players. Senior team captain Jeff Riddle returns for his final season as a Triton. Riddle, a three-year starter, plays catcher and first base for UCSD. He had a .993 fielding percentage and team-high 247 putouts. Batting fourth in the lineup, Riddle hit .301 on the season and led the team with a .479 slugging percentage, 43 RBIs and five home runs.
Junior shortstop Keith Hernandez is a two-year starting shortstop, and is projected to hit in the middle of the lineup. Hernandez, a team captain, hit .323 in 2003 and led the team with 62 hits, 12 doubles and 76 total bases.
Sophomore Damian Fante is coming off a very strong freshman season. The outfielder started 40 games in his rookie season as a Triton. He hit .286 on the season with seven doubles and recorded his first collegiate home run.
With injuries to such key players, the Tritons needed to bring some veteran experience to the field.
UCSD senior returning outfielders David Hawk and Brett Burton are both battling early season injuries.
“”The team added several key-position player transfers, all of which will add to a strong defense and a solid offense,”” O’Brien said. “”The team has also added team speed off the bench and depth in several positions.””
Craig King, a junior outfielder and team captain, is a transfer from the College of the Desert. He is projected to start in center field and lead off in the lineup.
Junior first baseman Brian Robinson is a local transfer from Palomar College and is projected to start and hit in the middle of the lineup.
Ricky Pinocchio is a junior infielder who is projected to start at second base and add a consistent bat to the heart of the line-up.
Senior outfielder Josh Saunders is expected to start in the outfield and add strength to the Triton lineup.
Junior outfielder David Gomez is a transfer from Irvine Valley College, and O’Brien thinks he will start in right field this season.
Freshman catcher David Morehead is a local standout from Rancho Bernardo High School and will see time behind the plate this year.
With the roster, O’Brien’s has high expectations for his ball club.
aThe combination of new players and returning players provides us with a solid team this year,”” O’Brien said. “”You should see a well-rounded ball club this year that will work very hard and take pride in being fundamentally sound.””
The Tritons will play UCSD alumni at Triton Stadium on Jan. 24. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
