College Baseball

[batted balls]

October 5, 2007

For Cap Anson, the second time around was even better than the first.

Anson, Notre Dame’s All-Star third baseman, won the All-American Baseball League East batting title. A year ago, Anson led the East for much of the season before slumping late and ending the year with a .312 average. This season, he left no doubts as he collected an AABL-record 218 hits en route to a .339 average.

“Winning a batting title is certainly a highlight,” said Anson (shown below). “People have said hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports. If that’s true, then I take great satisfaction in winning a batting title.”

Anson’s teammate Louis Sockalexis was the East leader with a league record 33 stolen bases. Sockalexis was brought up from the minors in June and promptly went on a base-stealing tear.

“He brought a dimension that was missing from our offense,” said Notre Dame manager Pat Murphy. “If he learns to get on base more, he’ll become an elite player in the league.”

Last year’s Golden Spikes Award winner Lou Gehrig just may have etched his name on the plaque for a second straight year. The Ivy All-Star first baseman was the East leader in triples (9), home runs (32), runs scored (90) and RBIs (110).

Michigan State outfielder Kirk Gibson is in line for the Comeback Player of the Year. After batting a lowly .193 in 2006, Gibson wound up the East leader in OPS (.814).

“I felt so much more comfortable at the plate this season,” said Gibson. “I’m really excited to play winter ball, improve my game even more and to hit spring training running.”

LSU outfielder Albert Belle led the East in doubles with 36, one better than Chris Sabo of Michigan.

Ivy right-hander Jim Beattie led the East with 21 wins. Dave Sisler, Beattie’s Eagle teammate, was the top closer. Sisler racked up 41 saves, just two shy of Craig Skok’s AABL record.

“That’s a pretty good combination right there,” said Ivy manager Bob Seddon.

Michigan left-hander Geoff Zahn finished the season with the lowest ERA. Zahn, 19-11, recorded a 1.77 ERA.

“Geoff was throwing the ball as well as anyone in the league by season’s end,” said Michigan catcher Moses Fleetwood Walker.

Illinois right-hander Jeff Innis notched 184 strikeouts to lead the East.

[batted balls]

October 5, 2007

Bob Hamelin gave it his best shot.

“Maybe I was pressing too hard,” said the UCLA slugger. “Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Whatever the reasons, Hamelin fell one home run short of Mark McGwire’s record 54 home runs for a single season.

As the calendar turned to September, Hamelin seemed a lock to break McGwire’s record. The Bruin first baseman needed just four homers to stamp his name into the record book. Yet, Hamelin managed just three home runs over the 29-game period. Hamelin wound up with 53 homers.

UCLA manager Art Reichle even batted Hamelin in the leadoff slot for the last week of the season.

“We tried just about everything we could think of to get Bob more at-bats,” said Reichle. “Maybe I just added to the pressure.”

Still, no matter how you look at it, 53 home runs is still an incredible feat.

Hamelin also led the All-American Baseball League West in OPS (1.053) and runs scored (127). Those numbers make him the odds-on favorite to unseat McGwire as the West’s Golden Spikes Award winner.

“That’s in the hands of the voters,” said Hamelin.

McGwire edged out Southern California teammate Dave Kingman by two for the RBI title. McGwire collected 118 RBIs. Kingman tied Hubie Brooks of Arizona State for the West lead with nine triples.

“What matters now is how many we drive home in the College World Series,” said McGwire.

The Trojans also produced the West batting champion. Center fielder Fred Lynn won his second consecutive batting title with a .344 average. Lynn also was the leader in doubles with a record 52 two-baggers.

Arizona State right fielder Reggie Jackson broke the West record for stolen bases. Jackson swiped 31 bases to lead the division.

Arizona State also had statistical leaders from the mound. Right-hander Gary Gentry has the West’s lowest ERA at 1.64. Paul Moskau tied Jim Barr of Southern California with 23 wins. The pair tied the record set by USC’s Mark Prior last year.

Prior, 18-6 this season, struck out 279 batters. For Prior, it was his second straight strikeout title. Ray Lamb replaced an inconsistent Barry Latman as the Trojan closer. The move paid off as Lamb saved a West record 41 games.

“There’s no doubt that pitching won us the pennant,” said Trojan manager Rod Dedeaux.

[batted balls]

October 5, 2007

Bristol, Conn.—This year’s College World Series offers a bounty of questions.

Will Ivy repeat as champions? Will Southern California avoid losing the CWS after a 114-win regular season? Will All-Star Lou Gehrig suffer through a Series-long slump as he did a year ago? Who will be this fall’s unsung hero?

The answers to these questions and more will be addressed as the CWS opens Tuesday at Eagles Nest Park. A pair of likely Golden Arm Award winners will oppose one another in the first game. Ivy, the East champion, will send right-hander Jim Beattie (21-7, 2.22 ERA) to the
mound. Southern California, the West pennant winner, will counter with right-hander Jim Barr (23-3, 2.20).

“Both teams are fresh and have their frontline pitchers set to go,” said Ivy manager Bob Seddon. “It should be quite a Series.”

A year ago, Seddon’s Eagles swept West champion Arizona State. The Sun Devils had won 113 regular season games.

“We saw what happened last year,” said USC manager Rod Dedeaux. “We need to be ready from the first pitch of the Series.”

Dedeaux’s Trojans are perhaps the most balanced team in the All-American Baseball League. USC ranked first in numerous pitching categories including team ERA (2.39), opponents’ average .209) and runs allowed (467). Offensively, USC ranked second in runs scored (778)
and third in both home runs (162) and team batting (.257).

“Yes, we are balanced,” said Dedeaux. “We knew we had to be to win the West. Our pitchers really stepped it up this year.”

The Trojans boast five starters who won 11 or more games. A sixth, left-hander Bill Lee, won nine games. Perhaps the biggest pitching upgrade was at the backend of the bullpen. Coming out of spring training, Dedeaux named right-hander Ray Lamb as the team’s closer.

“Barry Latman was very inconsistent for us last year,” said Dedeaux. “You can’t have that in a closer.”

Lamb responded with a 41-save season. Left-hander Tom House chipped in a 5-1 record with seven saves. Latman also pitched well, posting a 6-1 record with two saves.

“It worked out well on all accounts,” said Latman.

Meanwhile, the Trojan offense features five players who hit at least 12 home runs. Third baseman Dave Kingman led the way with 41 homers. RBI champion Mark McGwire chipped in 36. Two-time batting champion Fred Lynn hit 26 longballs and a record 52 doubles.

“Those fellas can hit with the best of ‘em,” said Seddon.

While Ivy’s pitching appears to have slipped from a year ago, the Eagles managed to win 99 games en route to the East pennant. While Beattie is the team’s ace, right-handers Pete Broberg (18-14, 2.56 ERA) and Ted Olson (18-9, 2.87) were also solid. Seddon may elect to go with
a three-man rotation for the Series. If a fourth starter is needed, it will most likely be righty Ron Darling (11-8, 3.35).

The bullpen is the Eagles’ real strength. Closer Dave Sisler racked up 41 saves and a 1.56 ERA. The bridge to Sisler is long with fellow relievers Jeff Musselman (3-0, 2.71), Chris Young (6-7, eight saves, 3.82) and Bob Tufts (3-2, one save, 2.67) available. Add Darling and starter John Milligan (10-9, 3.06) to the mix, and the Eagles have depth to burn.

“Our pitching can carry us in this Series,” said Sisler, who saved three games in last fall's CWS.

The Eagle offense is anchored by Gehrig, perhaps on his way to a second straight Golden Spikes Award. Although his average slipped to .264 this season, the All-Star first baseman led the East in home runs (32) and RBIs (110).

“I can’t perform like I did in last year’s Series,” said Gehrig who hit a paltry .133 in last year's CWS. “The fellas really picked me up then. It’s my turn to produce this time around.”

Gehrig and the Eagles will sorely miss All-Star center fielder Roy Thomas, whose season ended with an injury a month ago. Defensive stalwart Doug Glanville (.229-1-52) has taken over in center, while utility man Bill Almon (.238-5-23) now plays left.

“Guys like me have to pick up the slack,” said right fielder Sam Mele. “You never know who will turn out to be the hero.”

A year ago, it was Ivy catcher Brad Ausmus who hit a robust .500 and drove home seven run as the Eagles rolled to their Series sweep. This season, Ausmus hit just .192.

“The regular season is over,” said Ausmus (shown below). “It’s time to step it up.”

Game One Lineups

Southern California Trojans (Avg.-HR-RBI)
Aaron Boone, 2B (.303-12-61)
John Berardino, DH (.253-12-73)
Fred Lynn, CF (.344-26-108)
Mark McGwire, 1B (.241-36-118)
Steve Kemp, LF (.215-8-70)
Dave Kingman, 3B (.244-41-116)
Jim Brideweser, SS (.233-6-52)
Chad Moeller, C (.265-9-47)
Ron Fairly, RF (.228-4-37)

Starting Pitcher—Jim Barr (23-3, 2.20 ERA)[/B]

Ivy Eagles (Avg.-HR-RBI)
Hughie Jennings, SS (.288-5-49)
Gene Larkin, DH (.282-14-72)
Lou Gehrig, 1B (.264-32-110)
Sam Mele, RF (.285-9-72)
Steve Yerkes, 2B (.254-5-30)
Red Rolfe, 3B (.221-4-37)
Doug Glanville, CF (.229-1-52)
Brad Ausmus, C (.192-8-52)
Bill Almon, LF (.238-5-23)

Starting Pitcher—Jim Beattie (21-7, 2.22 ERA)

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

Well, it’s College World Series time. The leaves are turning brilliant colors and the temperatures are falling faster than the Dow Jones.

For those of you who remember (or have it taped to your refrigerator), Ole Max predicted the Ivy Eagles would win the East and the Arizona State Sun Devils would win the West. Well, Ole Max was half right. Bob Seddon’s Eagles kept up their half of the bargain for the second straight season.

As for ASU, Southern Cal was just a touch better. The Trojans got their pitching act together (the move of Ray Lamb to the closer role really paid big dividends). When you combine the batting champion with the RBI champion with a ton of other good hitters and mix it with strong pitching, there was no stopping USC. The Men of Troy marched to 114 wins and the West title.

So, where does that leave us? Well, take out your yellowed, dog-eared copy of Ole Max’s predictions. Last spring, Ole Max said the Ivy Eagles would fly high and repeat as AABL champs. While Ole Max is concerned that All-Star center fielder Roy Thomas will miss the CWS with an injury, the Eagles will again find a way to triumph.

If you doubt Ole Max and the Eagles, just think back to last year’s Fall Classic. Arizona State rode in with 113 victories. Four games later, the Sun Devils went back to Tempe with their heads between their tails. Sure, USC looks too tough to beat. Sure, Jim Barr and Mark Prior will be the game one and two starters. Sure, Freddie Lynn and Mark McGwire and Dave Kingman have been earing the cover off the ball . . . but Ole Max sees something that the amateur eye will often overlook. There’s a certain something about Ivy. Ole Max isn’t sure what it is, heck, Bob Seddon’s boys aren’t even sure what it is. That doesn’t matter.

You heard it hear first, folks, Ivy in seven.

This is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off . . .

[batted balls]

October 5, 2007

Bristol, Conn.--It was the kind of game that goes down as a classic. It had drama, it had miscues and in the end it had an unsung hero.

The Ivy Eagles slipped past the Southern California Trojans 2-1 in 10 innings to take Tuesday's opening game of the College World Series. Ivy center fielder Doug Glanville looped a single off Trojan relief ace Ray Lamb to score the winning run.

"I was just looking to put the ball in play," said Glanville, who was hitless in his first three at-bats. "He went with a slider away, and I just went with it."

Glanville's looper was perfectly placed as it dropped just inches inside the right-field foul line and bounded into foul territory.

"None of us really had a chance at it even though we were playing in," said USC right fielder Ron Fairly.

Glanville's game-winner came with one out and the bases loaded. After Ivy first baseman Lou Gehrig was retired to lead off the inning, Sam Mele coaxed a walk from USC reliever Tom House. That brought Lamb into the game.

"We decided to take a chance," said Ivy manager Bob Seddon, who put on the hit and run.

The strategy worked perfectly as Steve Yerkes singled, sending Mele to third. USC manager Rod Dedeaux then ordered an intentional walk to left-handed hitting Red Rolfe. That brought up Glanville and set the stage for the game-winner.

The CWS opener turned into a classic pitching duel between likely Golden Arm Award winners Jim Barr of USC and Jim Beattie of Ivy. Between them, Barr and Beattie allowed just nine hits and one run.

"You could say it was a Jim Dandy of a game," quipped Seddon.

Ivy took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Gehrig lead off the inning with a home run into the right field bleachers. Although USC threatened in both the sixth and eighth innings, the score remained 1-0 heading into the ninth.

Seddon summoned closer Dave Sisler from the bullpen. Sisler, who recorded 41 saves during the regular season, retired the first two batters in the inning. Then, USC third baseman Dave Kingman blasted a 2-0 fastball for a game-tying 468-foot home run to straightaway center.

"I was sitting on his fastball," said Kingman. "I wanted to tie the game with one swing."

Ivy threatened to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs, lead-off hitter Hughie Jennings doubled off Barry Latman. Dedeaux brought in the left-handed Tom House to face switch-hitter Gene Larkin.

"We wanted him to hit from the right side, and of course Gehrig was on deck," said Dedeaux.

Larkin grounded out to short, ending the inning.

USC had its chance in the 10th. Fairly reached on a throwing error by Yerkes. Aaron Boone then doubled to left-center, putting runners on second and third with one out. Ivy played the infield in and Trojan John Berardino hit a sharp grounder to Gehrig. The Ivy first baseman held the runners and tagged Berardino for the second out.

Then, for the second time in the game, Seddon ordered an intentional walk to Fred Lynn.

"Lynn is a two-time batting champion and left-handed," Seddon said. "We decided to take our chances with (Mark) McGwire."

For the second time in the game, the strategy worked. Sisler struck out McGwire on a 2-2 pitch in the dirt.

"I swung at a bad pitch," said McGwire. "Maybe I was too anxious."

That set up Glanville's heriocs in the bottom half of the inning.

Winning Pitcher: Dave Sisler (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Tom House (0-1)

CWS Notes: USC starting short stop Jim Bridweser committed three errors in the first five innings and was replaced by Gary Sutherland . . . Sutherland made a spectacular fielding play to retire Sam Mele with two on and two out in the seventh . . . like West champion Arizona State a year ago, USC's fielding fell apart in game one of the Series. In addition to Bridweser's three errors, the Trojans had two more fielding miscues. Those five errors equaled the total Arizona State committed in an 11-8 loss in game one of last year's CWS . . . Dave Sisler gave us his first run in CWS competition. Sisler was unscored upon while saving three games against Arizona State last year . . . Glanville was 2-for-11 (.182) with an RBI in last fall's CWS . . . Game two will pit USC's Mark Prior (18-6, 2.34) against Ivy's Pete Broberg (18-14, 2.56) Wednesday night.


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Southern California 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 6 5
Ivy 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 8 1


Southern California AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
A. Boone 2B 4 0 1 0 1 1 .250 0 0
J. Berardino DH 5 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
F. Lynn CF 3 0 1 0 2 1 .333 0 0
M. McGwire 1B 5 0 0 0 0 1 .000 0 0
S. Kemp LF 4 0 1 0 0 0 .250 0 0
D. Kingman 3B 4 1 1 1 0 1 .250 1 1
J. Brideweser SS 2 0 0 0 0 1 .000 0 0
D. Buford PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
G. Sutherland SS 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
C. Moeller C 4 0 2 0 0 1 .500 0 0
R. Fairly RF 2 0 0 0 1 0 .000 0 0
Totals 35 1 6 1 4 6

BATTING
Doubles: A. Boone (1, 10th inning off Sisler, 1 on, 1 out.)
Homeruns: D. Kingman (1, 9th inning off Sisler, 0 on, 2 out.)
Runs Batted In: D. Kingman (1)
Sacrifice Hits: R. Fairly (1)

FIELDING
Errors: M. McGwire, J. Brideweser 3 , J. Barr

Ivy AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
H. Jennings SS 4 0 2 0 0 1 .500 0 0
G. Larkin DH 4 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
L. Gehrig 1B 4 1 1 1 1 0 .250 1 1
S. Mele RF 4 1 0 0 1 1 .000 0 0
S. Yerkes 2B 5 0 1 0 0 0 .200 0 0
R. Rolfe 3B 4 0 1 0 1 0 .250 0 0
D. Glanville CF 4 0 1 1 0 0 .250 0 1
B. Ausmus C 4 0 1 0 0 1 .250 0 0
B. Almon LF 2 0 1 0 1 0 .500 0 0
M. Berg PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
E. Allen LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
Totals 36 2 8 2 4 3

BATTING
Doubles: H. Jennings (1, 9th inning off Latman, 0 on, 2 out.)
Homeruns: L. Gehrig (1, 4th inning off Barr, 0 on, 0 out.)
Runs Batted In: L. Gehrig (1), D. Glanville (1)
Caught Stealing: R. Rolfe (1)
Sacrifice Hits: H. Jennings (1), G. Larkin (1)

FIELDING
Errors: S. Yerkes

Southern California IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
J. Barr 8 5 1 1 2 3 1 110 64 1.13
B. Latman 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 4 0.00
T. House L 0.2 0 1 1 1 0 0 11 6 13.51 0-1
R. Lamb 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 8 2 0.00

PITCHING
Wild Pitches: J. Barr
Intentional BB: J. Barr, R. Lamb
Batters Faced: J. Barr 33, B. Latman 3, T. House 3, R. Lamb 3
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: J. Barr 18-5, B. Latman 1-1, T. House 2-0, R. Lamb 0-0
Game Score: J. Barr 69

Ivy IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
J. Beattie 7.2 4 0 0 3 4 0 97 53 0.00
B. Tufts H 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.00
D. Sisler W 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 36 19 4.50 1-0

PITCHING
Intentional BB: J. Beattie, D. Sisler
Batters Faced: J. Beattie 29, B. Tufts 1, D. Sisler 10
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: J. Beattie 6-11, B. Tufts 1-0, D. Sisler 5-0
Game Score: J. Beattie 72

GAME INFO
Time: 3:25
Attendance: 42737 (45000) at Eagles Nest Park
Weather: Partly cloudy (58 degrees), wind blowing right to left at 21 mph
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jim Beattie

[batted balls]

October 6, 2007

Bristol, Conn.--In the blink of an eye, game two of the College World Series went from a pitching duel to a blowout.

Southern California rode the crest of a seven-run sixth inning Wednesday to break overtake Ivy and even the CWS.

"That's what scares you about them," said Ivy manager Bob Seddon. "They can strike like lightning."

The lightning began after Ivy had taken a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. USC left fielder Steve Kemp drew a walk off losing pitcher Pete Broberg. After a Dave Kingman single, pinch-hitter Don Buford tied the game with an RBI base hit.

Catcher Chad Moeller hit what looked like a sure-fire double play ball to Ivy infielder Steve Yerkes. However, the Eagle second baseman bobbled the grounder, loading the bases.

"I opened the floodgates," said Yerkes.

Ninth-place hitter Ron Fairly then singled home two runs, giving USC a 4-2 lead. Seddon then brought in John Milligan to pitch. Yet, the Trojans continued to add to their run total. Aaron Boone singled to reload the bases. John Berardino drew a walk to increase the USC lead to 5-2. Fred Lynn followed by a two-run double.

"Lynn's hit essentially put the game out of reach," said Seddon.

Mark McGwire capped the seven-run inning with an RBI ground out.

The runs were more than enough for USC starter Mark Prior. The right-hander allowed just one earned run on 10 hits in seven innings. Prior walked none and struck out four. Reliever Pete Redfern pitched the final two innings for USC.

"We wanted to at least split the first two games," said USC manager Rod Dedeaux. "We accomplished that. Now, we're headed back home."

After a travel day, game three is Friday in Los Angeles. Left-hander Barry Zito (18-8, 2.25 ERA during the regular season) will start for the Trojans. Right-hander Ron Darling (11-8, 3.35) will be Ivy's starter.

Winning Pitcher: Mark Prior (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Pete Broberg (0-1)


Game Two Notes: Ivy lead-off hitter Hughie Jennings set a pair of CWS records by going 5-for-5 and hitting for the cycle. Jennings capped his night with a two-run homer in the ninth . . . USC right fielder Ron Fairly was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing a called strike three . . . USC cleanup hitter Mark McGwire is hitless in 10 at-bats thus far . . . Gary Sutherland started the game at short for the Trojans after Jim Brideweser committed two errors in the CWS opener. Brideweser, however, took over at short after Don Buford pinch-hit in the sixth. Brideweser hit a solo home run in the seventh to straightaway center field . . . Dave Kingman hit his second home run of the CWS with a 442-foot homer to center in the fourth inning . . . Each team committed two errors . . . the USC victory broke the five-game CWS winning streak by Ivy. A season ago, the Eagles swept Arizona State in the Series.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Southern California 0 0 0 1 0 7 1 0 0 9 13 2
Ivy 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 2 5 11 2


Southern California AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
A. Boone 2B 5 1 3 0 0 0 .444 0 0
J. Berardino DH 4 1 1 1 1 0 .111 0 1
F. Lynn CF 4 0 2 2 1 0 .429 0 2
M. McGwire 1B 5 0 0 1 0 1 .000 0 1
S. Kemp LF 4 1 0 0 1 0 .125 0 0
D. Kingman 3B 5 2 3 1 0 0 .444 2 2
G. Sutherland SS 2 0 1 0 0 0 .333 0 0
D. Buford PH 1 1 1 1 0 0 .500 0 1
J. Brideweser SS 2 1 1 1 0 1 .250 1 1
C. Moeller C 4 1 0 0 0 1 .250 0 0
D. Littlejohn C 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 0 0
R. Fairly RF 4 1 1 2 0 1 .167 0 2
J. McAnany RF 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
Totals 41 9 13 9 3 5

BATTING
Doubles: A. Boone (2, 3rd inning off Broberg, 0 on, 1 out.) F. Lynn (1, 6th inning off Milligan, 3 on, 1 out.)
Homeruns: D. Kingman (2, 4th inning off Broberg, 0 on, 2 out.) J. Brideweser (1, 7th inning off Musselman, 0 on, 1 out.)
Runs Batted In: J. Berardino (1), F. Lynn 2 (2), M. McGwire (1), D. Kingman (2), D. Buford (1), J. Brideweser (1), R. Fairly 2 (2)
Caught Stealing: G. Sutherland (1)

FIELDING
Errors: D. Kingman, G. Sutherland

Ivy AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
H. Jennings 3B,SS 5 2 5 2 0 0 .778 1 2
G. Larkin DH 5 1 0 1 0 0 .000 0 1
L. Gehrig 1B 5 0 0 0 0 0 .111 1 1
S. Mele RF 4 0 2 1 0 0 .250 0 1
S. Yerkes 2B 3 0 0 0 0 2 .125 0 0
R. Rolfe SS,3B 4 0 0 0 0 1 .125 0 0
D. Glanville CF 4 0 2 0 0 1 .375 0 1
B. Ausmus C 4 0 1 0 0 1 .250 0 0
B. Almon LF 3 2 1 0 1 0 .400 0 0
Totals 37 5 11 4 1 5

BATTING
Doubles: H. Jennings (2, 1st inning off Prior, 0 on, 0 out.) D. Glanville (1, 6th inning off Prior, 0 on, 1 out.)
Triples: H. Jennings (1, 7th inning off Prior, 0 on, 0 out.)
Homeruns: H. Jennings (1, 9th inning off Redfern, 1 on, 1 out.)
Runs Batted In: H. Jennings 2 (2), G. Larkin (1), S. Mele (1)
Stolen Bases: D. Glanville (1)
Sacrifice Hits: S. Yerkes (1)

FIELDING
Errors: S. Yerkes, H. Jennings


Southern California IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
M. Prior W 7 10 3 1 0 4 0 85 53 1.29 1-0
P. Redfern 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 33 14 9.00

PITCHING
Batters Faced: M. Prior 31, P. Redfern 8
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: M. Prior 13-4, P. Redfern 3-2
Game Score: M. Prior 53


Ivy IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
P. Broberg L 5.1 9 6 5 1 1 1 95 58 8.44 0-1
J. Milligan 0 2 2 2 1 0 0 11 4 0.00
J. Musselman 1.2 1 1 1 0 2 1 23 15 5.40
C. Young 1.1 0 0 0 1 0 0 21 9 0.00
B. Tufts 0.2 1 0 0 0 2 0 14 8 0.00

PITCHING
Batters Faced: P. Broberg 27, J. Milligan 3, J. Musselman 6, C. Young 5, B. Tufts 3
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: P. Broberg 11-4, J. Milligan 0-0, J. Musselman 3-0, C. Young 3-1, B. Tufts 0-0
Game Score: P. Broberg 28

GAME INFO
Time: 3:42
Attendance: 42276 (45000) at Eagles Nest Park
Weather: Clear skies (58 degrees), wind blowing right to left at 9 mph

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Hughie Jennings (shown below)

[batted balls]

October 8, 2007

Los Angeles--Southern California used a left-right combination to knock Ivy out of Friday's game three of the College World Series.

Led by the pitching of left-hander Barry Zito and right-hander Tom Seaver, the USC Trojans defeated Ivy 4-1. The Trojans lead the CWS two games to one.

"Barry and Tom were the difference today," said USC manager Rod Dedeaux. "They kept men off base. Our defense played well behind them."

USC took a 1-0 first inning lead as center fielder Fred Lynn doubled home John Berardino from first base with one out. Berardino had coaxed a walk out of Ivy starter Ron Darling on a 10-pitch at-bat.

"Bernie really worked the count and got us going," said Dedeaux.

Ivy tied the game in the fourth inning when designated hitter Moe Berg singled home Sam Mele. Berg, making his first CWS start, then stole second. Zito, however, struck out Brad Ausmus and retired Doug Glanville on a ground out.

USC reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Left fielder Steve Kemp walked with one out. Short stop Jim Brideweser doubled Kemp home. Right fielder Ron Fairly knocked Brideweser in with a two-out single.

Ivy threatened in the fifth, but Zito got Eagle cleanup hitter Lou Gehrig to ground into an inning-ending double play. In the bottom half of the inning, Lynn drilled an opposite-field home run to increase the Trojan lead to 4-1.

"I was just looking to get on base," Lynn said. "He threw me a breaking ball away, and I made solid contact."

Ivy put together its final threat in the eighth. After getting the first two outs, Zito hit Gehrig with a high-and-tight fastball. Mele singled, sending Gehrig to third. Dedeaux pulled Zito from the game and brought in Seaver from the bullpen.

"I didn't want Barry facing (Hughie) Jennings again, not after game two," Dedeaux said.

In game two, Jennings set CWS records by going 5-for-5 and hitting for the cycle. Against Seaver, Jennings hit a smash deep into the hole. Brideweser, who had committed two errors in the Series opener, made a backhand stop and then threw out Jennings by a step to end the inning.

"That was a big time play," said Seaver. "Who knows what happens if that ball gets through or if Jennings beats the throw at first."

Seaver then set the Eagles down in order in the ninth to finish off the game. Seaver, normally a starter, earned his first career save.

"I'd rather start, but today was exciting," said Seaver. "I was able to help my team win."

Game four of the CWS is scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Jim Beattie, the game one starter and Ivy ace, will start for the Eagles. Hard-throwing left-hander Randy Johnson (13-4, 1.68 ERA during the regular season) will take the mound for the Trojans.

Winning Pitcher: Barry Zito (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Ron Darling (0-1)
Save: Tom Seaver (1)

Game Three Notes: After going 5-for-5 and hitting for the cycle in game two, Ivy's Hughie Jennings was hitless in four trips to the plate. Normally the Eagles' lead-off hitter, Jennings was dropped to fifth in the batting order in an effort to make up for the loss of injured starting center fielder Roy Thomas . . . USC cleanup hitter Mark McGwire is 0-for-14 in the CWS thus far . . . West batting champion Fred Lynn leads all Series regulars with a .417 CWS average . . . Ivy second baseman Steve Yerkes committed two more errors Friday. Yerkes has made four errors in three CWS games . . . Ivy first baseman Lou Gehrig is just 1-for-12 in this year's CWS. A year ago, Gehrig was just 2-for-15. Thus, the likely two-time Golden Spikes Award winner is just 3-for-27 (.111) for his post-season career. Interestingly, two of Gehrig's three hits are home runs.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Ivy 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 2
Southern California 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 X 4 10 1

Ivy AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
S. Yerkes 2B 3 0 1 0 0 0 .182 0 0
B. Almon LF 2 0 0 0 1 0 .286 0 0
L. Gehrig 1B 3 0 0 0 0 0 .083 1 1
S. Mele RF 4 1 2 0 0 0 .333 0 1
H. Jennings SS,3B 4 0 0 0 0 0 .538 1 2
M. Berg DH 4 0 1 1 0 1 .200 0 1
B. Ausmus C 4 0 1 0 0 2 .250 0 0
D. Glanville CF 4 0 0 0 0 0 .250 0 1
R. Rolfe 3B 0 0 0 0 2 0 .125 0 0
T. Upton SS 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 0 0
Totals 29 1 5 1 3 4

BATTING
Runs Batted In: M. Berg (1)
Stolen Bases: S. Mele (1), M. Berg (1)
Sacrifice Hits: S. Yerkes (2), B. Almon (1)

FIELDING
Errors: S. Yerkes 2

Southern California AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
A. Boone 2B 4 0 1 0 1 0 .385 0 0
J. Berardino DH 3 1 0 0 1 0 .083 0 1
D. Buford DH 0 0 0 0 1 0 .500 0 1
F. Lynn CF 5 1 2 2 0 1 .417 1 4
M. McGwire 1B 4 0 0 0 0 1 .000 0 1
D. Kingman 3B 4 0 0 0 0 0 .308 2 2
S. Kemp LF 3 1 3 0 1 0 .364 0 0
J. Brideweser SS 4 1 1 1 0 1 .250 1 2
C. Moeller C 3 0 1 0 0 1 .273 0 0
R. Fairly RF 4 0 2 1 0 1 .300 0 3
Totals 34 4 10 4 4 5

BATTING
Doubles: F. Lynn (2, 1st inning off Darling, 1 on, 1 out.) J. Brideweser (1, 4th inning off Darling, 1 on, 1 out.)
Homeruns: F. Lynn (1, 5th inning off Darling, 0 on, 0 out.)
Runs Batted In: F. Lynn 2 (4), J. Brideweser (2), R. Fairly (3)
Sacrifice Hits: C. Moeller (1)

FIELDING
Errors: C. Moeller

Ivy IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
R. Darling L 5.2 8 4 4 3 4 1 103 60 6.35 0-1
J. Musselman 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 4.50
B. Tufts 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 12 8 0.00
C. Young 0.2 1 0 0 1 0 0 13 6 0.00
M. Remlinger 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0.00

PITCHING
Batters Faced: R. Darling 29, J. Musselman 1, B. Tufts 4, C. Young 4, M. Remlinger 1
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: R. Darling 5-8, J. Musselman 1-0, B. Tufts 3-0, C. Young 0-2, M. Remlinger 0-1
Game Score: R. Darling 38

Southern California IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
B. Zito W 7.2 5 1 0 3 4 0 110 71 0.00 1-0
T. Seaver S 1.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 12 0.00 1 SV

PITCHING
Batters Faced: B. Zito 31, T. Seaver 4
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: B. Zito 12-2, T. Seaver 4-0
Game Score: B. Zito 68

GAME INFO
Time: 3:17
Attendance: 44991 (45000) at Dedeaux Field
Weather: Clear skies (53 degrees), wind blowing left to right at 9 mph

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Barry Zito (shown below)

[batted balls]

October 9, 2007

Los Angeles--For the first three games of the College World Series Mark McGwire couldn't buy a hit. In game four, the Southern California first baseman gave his team its money's worth.

McGwire, who came into the game hitless in 14 CWS at-bats, went 3-for-5 with two home runs and drove home five runs as the Trojans routed Ivy 13-2. Saturday's victory gave USC a commanding three games to one lead in the CWS.

"That's the Mark McGwire we knew would show up," said USC manager Rod Dedeaux.

The Trojans set the tone early in the game as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. After a hit by Fred Lynn scored the first USC run of the day, McGwire lined an RBI single giving his club a 2-0 lead. Steve Kemp and Dave Kingman followed with run-producing hits in the inning.

Ivy starter Jim Beattie lasted just 1.2 innings as USC battered him for seven runs. Beattie, the likely East's Golden Arm Award winner, gave up seven hits and walked two.

"I was just plain awful out there today," said Beattie. "Everything I threw was hit hard, even the outs."

The two Eagle relievers who followed Beattie were also hit hard. First Jeff Musselman surrendered two runs in 1.1 innings. Then Bob Tufts gave up four runs in 3.2 innings. McGwire homered off both Ivy left-handers.

"I was due, that's for sure," said McGwire. "It was nice to finally help my team win."

McGwire set single-game CWS records for home runs and RBIs.

Kemp, Aaron Boone and John Berardino joined McGwire with three hits each. USC set a CWS record with 20 hits.

Left-hander Randy Johnson pitched 5.1 innings to earn the win for USC. Johnson allowed two runs on seven hits before giving way to reliever Bill Lee.

The Trojans will send game one starter Jim Barr (23-3, 2.20 ERA during the regular season) to the mound Sunday in an effort to close out their first CWS title. Ivy will start right-hander Ted Olson (18-9, 2.87).

Winning Pitcher: Randy Johnson (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Jim Beattie (0-1)

Game Four Notes: Ivy All-Star first baseman Lou Gehrig was 0-for-3. Gehrig is just 1-for-14 in the CWS (.067) . . . For the first time in the Series, Ivy did not committ an error . . . USC pitchers Randy Johnson and Bill Lee gave up just one extra-base hit. Ivy's Sam Mele managed a two-out double off Lee in the seventh inning . . . Thanks for his record-setting day, Mark McGwire is tied with teammate Fred Lynn for most RBIs in this year's CWS with six . . . After hitting .500 and being named MVP in last fall's CWS, Ivy catcher Brad Ausmus is just 3-for-13 (.231) with no extra-base hits in this year's Fall Classic . . . All nine USC starters had at least one hit. Reserve short stop Gary Sutherland also collected a hit, making 10 Trojans in all to have at least one hit.


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Ivy 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 0
Southern California 4 3 1 2 3 0 0 0 X 13 20 2

Ivy AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
S. Yerkes 2B 3 1 1 0 2 0 .214 0 0
B. Almon LF 4 0 2 0 1 0 .364 0 0
L. Gehrig 1B 3 0 0 0 2 0 .067 1 1
S. Mele RF 5 0 1 0 0 0 .294 0 1
H. Jennings 3B 4 0 0 0 1 1 .412 1 2
M. Berg DH 4 0 1 0 0 0 .222 0 1
B. Ausmus C 4 0 0 0 0 2 .188 0 0
D. Glanville CF 2 1 2 0 0 0 .357 0 1
T. Upton SS 2 0 0 0 0 1 .000 0 0
R. Rolfe SS 2 0 1 1 0 0 .200 0 1
E. Grant PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 0 0
E. Collins CF 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 0 0
Totals 35 2 8 1 6 6

BATTING
Doubles: S. Mele (1, 7th inning off Lee, 0 on, 2 out.)
Runs Batted In: R. Rolfe (1)

Southern California AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
A. Boone 2B 5 2 3 0 0 1 .444 0 0
J. Berardino DH 4 3 3 1 1 0 .250 0 2
F. Lynn CF 4 2 2 2 1 1 .438 1 6
M. McGwire 1B 5 3 3 5 0 0 .158 2 6
S. Kemp LF 5 1 3 1 0 0 .438 0 1
D. Kingman 3B 4 0 1 1 0 2 .294 2 3
J. Brideweser SS 2 0 2 2 0 0 .400 1 4
G. Sutherland SS 2 0 1 0 0 0 .400 0 0
C. Moeller C 5 1 1 0 0 0 .250 0 0
R. Fairly RF 5 1 1 0 0 1 .267 0 3
Totals 41 13 20 12 2 5

BATTING
Doubles: F. Lynn (3, 5th inning off Tufts, 1 on, 1 out.) S. Kemp (1, 2nd inning off Musselman, 1 on, 2 out.) D. Kingman (1, 4th inning off Tufts, 1 on, 0 out.) J. Brideweser (2, 1st inning off Beattie, 1 on, 2 out.)
Homeruns: M. McGwire 2 (2, 4th inning off Musselman, 0 on, 0 out, 5th inning off Tufts, 1 on, 1 out.)
Runs Batted In: J. Berardino (2), F. Lynn 2 (6), M. McGwire 5 (6), S. Kemp (1), D. Kingman (3), J. Brideweser 2 (4)
Sacrifice Flies: D. Kingman (1), J. Brideweser (1)

FIELDING
Errors: D. Kingman, R. Johnson


Ivy IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
J. Beattie L 1.2 7 7 7 2 0 0 40 20 6.75 0-1
J. Musselman 1.1 5 2 2 0 2 1 32 22 8.10
B. Tufts 3.2 6 4 4 0 3 1 50 31 6.35
C. Young 1.1 2 0 0 0 0 0 16 9 0.00

PITCHING
Batters Faced: J. Beattie 13, J. Musselman 9, B. Tufts 17, C. Young 6
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: J. Beattie 2-2, J. Musselman 1-1, B. Tufts 3-5, C. Young 2-2
Game Score: J. Beattie 5


Southern California IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
R. Johnson W 5.1 7 2 2 3 4 0 108 62 3.38 1-0
B. Lee 3.1 1 0 0 3 2 0 55 29 0.00

PITCHING
Wild Pitches: R. Johnson
Batters Faced: R. Johnson 26, B. Lee 15
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: R. Johnson 9-3, B. Lee 4-5
Game Score: R. Johnson 47

GAME INFO
Time: 3:52
Attendance: 44957 (45000) at Dedeaux Field
Weather: Clear skies (60 degrees), wind blowing left to right at 11 mph

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Mark McGwire (shown below)

[batted balls]

Los Angeles--In the early 1970s Albert Hammond sang that it never rains in California. In 2007, the Southern California Trojans reign in baseball.

USC downed the defending champion Ivy Eagles 6-4 Sunday to take its first All-American Baseball League College World Series championship.

"This is as good as it gets," said USC manager Rod Dedeaux. "My guys worked hard all season for this. They deserve it."

Following a record-setting 114-win season, the Trojans reeled off four straight CWS victories after dropping the opening game.

"We wanted to close it out here in front of our home fans," said CWS Most Valuable Player Fred Lynn, who batted .476 with seven RBIs in five post-season games.

Ivy wasted a golden opportunity in the first inning to score off USC starter Jim Barr. Sam Mele lined into an inning-ending double play with runners on first and third base.

The Eagles did manage to take an early 2-0 when All-Star Lou Gehrig singled home a pair of runs in the third inning. It was just Gehrig's second hit of the CWS and his first since a game one homer.

USC scored a run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Dave Kingman off Ivy starter Ted Olson. The Trojans then tied the game on an RBI single by right fielder Ron Fairly in the fourth.

All Series long Ivy was plagued by shoddy fielding. Things didn't change in game five as short stop Hughie Jennings booted a ground ball by Kingman to start the sixth inning. Two outs later, Fairly homered into the right field stands.

"Our fielding was as bad as it's been in two seasons," said Ivy manager Bob Seddon.

Ivy cut the Trojans' lead to 4-3 on a two-out pinch-hit single by Eddie Grant in the seventh. The Eagles threatened again in the eighth as Gene Larkin and Gehrig led off the inning with a single and double respectively.

Dedeaux pulled Barr, a 23-game winner in the regular season, in favor of right-hander Tom Seaver. With the infield in, Mele popped out to short right field. Steve Yerkes grounded out back to the mound for the inning's second out.

Left-hander Bill Lee entered the game and promptly walked Red Rolfe to load the bases. Lee exited and Dedeaux brought in ace closer Ray Lamb.

"It was Ray's time," said the USC manager.

Lamb ended the inning as Doug Glanville grounded into a force out.

USC then tacked on a pair of insurance runs on a Lynn single and a bases-loaded walk to Steve Kemp.

"Those runs were huge," said Dedeaux.

Ivy, however, refused to go down easily. After Brad Ausmus struck out to open the ninth, Bill Almon tripled off Lamb. Jennings drew a walk, bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of Larkin. The Eagle designated hitter crushed a Lamb fastball to deep center field where Lynn caught the ball up against the fence.

"My heart skipped a beat and then it stopped," said Lamb.

Almon tagged and easily scored. Gehrig then stepped to the plate as Ivy's last hope. The likely East Golden Spikes Award winner grounded out to second baseman Aaron Boone, giving USC its first CWS title.

The Trojans now reign over the All-American Baseball League.

Winning Pitcher: Jim Barr (1-0)
Losing Pitcher:Ted Olson (0-1)
Save: Ray Lamb (1)

Game Four CWS Notes: Ivy's Ted Olson deserved a better fate. The Eagle right-hander allowed just two earned runs in 5.2 innings . . . USC outhomered Ivy 7-2 in the CWS . . . Most Valuable Player Fred Lynn set CWS records with 10 hits and a .560 on-base percentage. Lynn (shown below) also slugged .762 with three doubles and a home run . . . Ivy catcher Brad Ausmus won last year's Series MVP by batting .500 and slugging a record .786. In this year's CWS, Ausmus was just 3-for-20 (.150) with seven strikeouts . . . Eagle manager Bob Seddon inserted Eddie Collins into his lineup for game five. Collins, normally an infielder, played center field and had a bunt single . . . After winning five straight CWS games, Ivy has now lost four in a row.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Ivy 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 4 9 2
Southern California 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 2 X 6 10 1

Ivy AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
H. Jennings SS 3 0 1 0 2 0 .400 1 2
G. Larkin DH 4 1 1 1 0 0 .077 0 2
L. Gehrig 1B 4 0 2 0 1 0 .158 1 1
S. Mele RF 4 0 1 2 0 0 .286 0 3
S. Yerkes 2B 3 0 0 0 0 1 .176 0 0
M. Berg 2B 1 0 0 0 0 0 .200 0 1
R. Rolfe 3B 3 0 0 0 1 0 .154 0 1
D. Glanville LF,CF 4 1 1 0 0 0 .333 0 1
B. Ausmus C 4 1 0 0 0 1 .150 0 0
E. Collins CF 2 0 1 0 0 0 .333 0 0
E. Grant PH 1 0 1 1 0 0 .500 0 1
B. Almon LF 1 1 1 0 0 0 .417 0 0
Totals 34 4 9 4 4 2

BATTING
Doubles: L. Gehrig (1, 8th inning off Barr, 1 on, 0 out.)
Triples: B. Almon (1, 9th inning off Lamb, 0 on, 1 out.)
Runs Batted In: G. Larkin (2), S. Mele 2 (3), E. Grant (1)
Sacrifice Flies: G. Larkin (1)

FIELDING
Errors: H. Jennings 2


Southern California AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
A. Boone 2B 4 1 1 0 1 1 .409 0 0
J. Berardino DH 4 1 1 0 1 1 .250 0 2
F. Lynn CF 5 0 3 1 0 1 .476 1 7
M. McGwire 1B 4 0 0 1 0 2 .130 2 7
S. Kemp LF 3 0 0 1 2 0 .368 0 2
D. Kingman 3B 3 1 0 0 1 0 .250 2 3
J. Brideweser SS 2 1 1 0 1 1 .417 1 4
D. Buford PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 1
G. Sutherland SS 0 0 0 0 0 0 .400 0 0
C. Moeller C 3 0 1 0 0 1 .263 0 0
R. Fairly RF 4 2 3 3 0 0 .368 1 6
Totals 33 6 10 6 6 7

BATTING
Homeruns: R. Fairly (1, 6th inning off Olson, 1 on, 2 out.)
Runs Batted In: F. Lynn (7), M. McGwire (7), S. Kemp (2), R. Fairly 3 (6)
Sacrifice Hits: C. Moeller (2)
Sacrifice Flies: M. McGwire (1)

FIELDING
Errors: D. Kingman


Ivy IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
T. Olson L 5.2 7 4 2 4 5 1 105 61 3.18 0-1
B. Tufts 0.2 0 0 0 0 1 0 9 7 5.68
C. Young 1 2 2 2 0 0 0 19 11 4.15
D. Sisler 0.2 1 0 0 2 1 0 20 8 3.38

PITCHING
Batters Faced: T. Olson 28, B. Tufts 2, C. Young 7, D. Sisler 5
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: T. Olson 6-5, B. Tufts 1-0, C. Young 4-0, D. Sisler 1-0
Game Score: T. Olson 44


Southern California IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
J. Barr W 7 8 3 1 2 1 0 106 64 1.20 1-0
T. Seaver H 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 0.00
B. Lee H 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 2 0.00
R. Lamb S 1.1 1 1 1 1 1 0 27 13 6.75 1 SV

PITCHING
Wild Pitches: J. Barr
Batters Faced: J. Barr 30, T. Seaver 2, B. Lee 1, R. Lamb 6
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: J. Barr 10-9, T. Seaver 1-1, B. Lee 0-0, R. Lamb 2-1
Game Score: J. Barr 52


GAME INFO
Time: 3:44
Attendance: 44967 (45000) at Dedeaux Field
Weather: Cloudy (54 degrees), wind blowing right to left at 11 mph

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Ron Fairly

[batted balls]

Michigan second baseman Charlie Gehringer was selected as the inaugural East Rookie of the Year by All-American Baseball League officials.

Gehringer finished third among East batters with a .315 average. He collected 22 doubles, six triples and four home runs. Gehringer scored 89 runs, second only to Lou Gehrig's division-leading 90. In addition, Gehringer drove home 64 runs.

"Charlie has a very bright future ahead of him," said Michigan manager Don Lund. "What impresses me about his stats are his 98 walks (sixth best in the East)."

Gehringer said, "I'm honored to win this award. I'm excited for what next season holds for my Michigan Wolverine teammates and for me."

[batted balls]

San Diego State pitcher Royce Ring was selected as the inaugural West Rookie of the Year by All-American Baseball League officials.

Ring set an AABL record by appearing in 119 games. The Aztec reliever posted a 9-16 record with a team-leading 10 saves. Ring struck out 91 batters in 177 innings.

"This award means a great deal to me," said Ring. "It's a symbol of my hard work and dedication paying off."

[batted balls]

In a somewhat surprising vote, Michigan left-hander Geoff Zahn edged Ivy right-hander Jim Beattie for the East Golden Arm Award.

Zahn was selected as the East's top pitcher by a slim two-point margin over Beattie, All-American Baseball League officials announced.

Zahn was the East leader with a 1.77 ERA. The Wolverine lefty posted a 19-11 record. Zahn tossed an AABL-record six shutouts and pitched 15 complete games. In addition, he walked just 35 batters while striking out 111 in 294.1 innings.

"This is a special award," said Zahn. "I was disappointed not to win 20 games, but this makes up for it."

Beattie, meanwhile, won 21 games while losing seven. The Eagle right-hander posted a 2.22 ERA. He walked 82 batters and struck out 109 in 264 innings. Beattie had five shutouts and seven complete games.

"My congratulations go out to Geoff," said Beattie. "The voters have spoken."

Ivy closer Dave Sisler finished third in the voting. The Eagle reliever saved 41 games while posting a 1.56 ERA. Sisler had a 6-3 record.

[batted balls]

A day after many were surprised by the Golden Arm Award winner in the East, the reactions over the West voting ranges from elation to shock to anger.

Arizona State right-hander Paul Moskau was chosen over Southern California pitcher Jim Barr, the hurler many felt would walk away with the award.

While both pitchers won 23 games, Moskau had six losses compared to just three for Barr. Moskau posted a better ERA, 2.15 compared to Barr's 2.20. Moskau walked 64 batters and struck out 146 in 246.2 innings. Barr walked 45 batters and fanned 128 in 229 innings. While Moskau pitched five shutouts and eight complete games, Barr hurled three shutouts and five complete games.

"I'm very touched to win this award," said Moskau. "I'm elated."

Barr said only, "I felt my record would speak for itself."

USC manager Rod Dedeaux expressed a stronger emotion.

"I don't understand this at all," Dedeaux said. "Ask anyone who watched the 2007 season play out and they'll all tell you that Jim Barr was the best pitcher in the AABL."

Matt Young of UCLA finished third in the voting. Young was 22-8 with a 2.94 ERA.

[batted balls]

Ivy first baseman Lou Gehrig won his second straight East Golden Spikes Award, All-American Baseball League officials announced.

Although his batting average dropped to .264, Gehrig led the East in triples (9), home runs (32), runs scored (90) and RBIs (110). In addition, the two-time All-Star drew 76 walks to post a .350 on-base percentage. Gehrig, who struck out just 53 times, was second among East leaders with 12 stolen bases. He was sixth with 30 doubles.

"Lou Gehrig is the most feared hitter in the East," said Ivy manager Bob Seddon.

Gehrig thanked his supporters.

"To win this award again is a real honor," said Gehrig. "I will always treasure it."

Longtime columnist Max Mercy, Jr. said, "Despite what Gehrig doesn't do in the College World Series (.147 average in two CWS), he's far and away the best player in the regular season."

Michigan State outfielder Kirk Gibson (.322-16-83-East leading .884 OPS) finished second in the balloting. Miami catcher Mike Piazza (.291-26-70) was third.

[batted balls]

Southern California center fielder Fred Lynn capped his College World Series-winning season by garnering the West Golden Spikes Award, All-American Baseball League officials announced.

Lynn took the award with five more votes than runner-up Bob Hamelin of UCLA. Hamelin also finished second a year ago.

"This is the icing on the cake," said Lynn. "What a great way to wrap up the season."

Lynn becomes the second USC player to win the honor. Trojan first baseman Mark McGwire won the award last year.

Lynn won his second consecutive batting title with a .344 average. The Trojan also set an AABL record with 52 doubles. Lynn was first in hits (198), second in runs scored (115) and OPS (1.034), fourth in RBIs (108), sixth in triples (8) and ninth in home runs (26).

Hamelin was the West leader in home runs (53), runs scored (127) and OPS (1.053). The UCLA All-Star was third in RBIs (113) and 11th in doubles (25).

While Hamelin outslugged Lynn (.624-.591), the USC star held the edge in on-base percentage (.442-.429).

Hamelin went into the final month of the season needing just four home runs to break McGwire's AABL record. Yet, the UCLA first baseman managed just three homers and fell one longball short of McGwire's mark.

"Many voters also took into account Hamelin's slump at the end of the season and the fact that Lynn is a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder while Hamelin plays first base," said longtime columunist Max Mercy, Jr.

Lynn was also named College World Series Most Valuable Player as the Trojans defeated Ivy four games to one.

Arizona State third baseman Bob Horner (.310-40-105) finished third in the voting for the second straight season.

[batted balls]

Call Arizona State center fielder Oddibe McDowell the Man with the Golden Gloves.

When All-American Baseball League officials released the list of the 2007 Golden Glove teams, McDowell's name stood above all others.

McDowell (shown below) committed no errors in 303 total chances. The Sun Devil outfielder recorded 293 putouts and 10 assists. This just a season after McDowell committed just one error in 338 chances.

"Oddibe is as good as it gets," said Arizona State manager Bobby Winkles.

McDowell told reporters, "I didn't do it with the bat this year (.247-20-86) so my contributions came from my glove."

McDowell, San Diego State first baseman Mark Grace, Texas third baseman Grady Hatton and Arizona right fielder Dave Stegman were repeat Gold Glove recipients in the West. Michigan State first baseman Dan Masteller and Mississippi State center fielder Del Unser were second-time winners in the East.

The East team featured two players from division champion Ivy and two players from Michigan State.

The West team was headlined by three players from San Diego State and two each from both Arizona and Arizona State.

East Gold Glove Winners:
Pitcher: Steve Ontiveros (Michigan)
Catcher: Bruce Look (Michigan State)
First Base: Dan Masteller (Michigan State)
Second Base: Billy Reed (Notre Dame)
Third Base: Buddy Blair (LSU)
Shortstop: Dave Berg (Miami)
Leftfield: Doug Glanville (Ivy)
Centerfield: Del Unser (Mississippi State)
Rightfield: Sam Mele (Ivy)

West Gold Glove Winners:
Pitcher: John Andrews (San Diego State)
Catcher: Mike Colbern (Arizona State)
First Base: Mark Grace (San Diego State)
Second Base: Jackie Robinson (UCLA)
Third Base: Grady Hatton (Texas)
Shortstop: Bobby Meacham (San Diego State)
Leftfield: Terry Francona (Arizona)
Centerfield: Oddibe McDowell (Arizona State)
Rightfield: Dave Stegman (Arizona)

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

Well, Ole Max has been taking a few hits of late. Seems people want to dwell on Ole Max for picking the Ivy Eagles to win the College World Series in seven games. Well, Ole Max can admit when he’s wrong (even if it don’t happen very often).

But Ole Max has a bone (or two) to pick with the All-American Baseball League awards voters. Seems like Ole Max may be one of a select few with a brain. Ole Max can understand the Rookie of the Year choices. I mean who else was there to really vote for? Lou Gehrig as East Golden Spikes Award winner is an easy one. Ole Max can even understand Fred Lynn edging out Bob Hamelin to wear the West Golden Spikes. But, where on God’s green diamond do the Golden Arm Awards make any sense?!

Let’s start with the East. Geoff Zahn? Sure, the Michigan southpaw had a dandy year. Sure, he led the AABL with a 1.77 ERA. Ole Max sees by the charts that Zahn tossed six shutouts and only walked 35 batters all year long. But, Ole Max also sees that Jim Beattie of Ivy deserves the honor. Look at his record, 21 wins. Last time Ole Max checked that’s better than the 19 that Zahn won. Sure, Beattie’s ERA was 2.22; but the Eagle righty pitches in a smaller ballyard than Zahn. Plus, Beattie’s team won the East pennant. That should count for something.

As for the West, Ole Max just don’t get it. Are these supposedly progressive, modern stat-headed geeks watching the same game Ole Max is?! How does Paul Moskau of Arizona State finish in front of Jim Barr of Southern Cal? Sure, Moskau put on a big rush the second half of the year and wound up tying Barr with 23 wins. But, don’t folks realize Barr sat out his last start to get ready for game one of the CWS? Don’t people see that Barr only had three losses compared to six for Moskau? This new math may have changed a thing or two, but isn’t six double what three is? And, as Ole Max pointed out in the East, Barr pitched for a pennant winner (and ultimately for a Series champion).

So call Ole Max old fashioned . . . say that Ole Max hasn’t changed with the times. But, Ole Max knows his baseball. The bases are still 90 feet apart. The pitching rubber is 60 feet, six inches from home plate. My daddy didn’t raise no dummy.

Ole Max has common sense.

Ole Max just wishes the rest of the award voters did.

This is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off until the Hot Stove heats up . . .

[batted balls]

The following begins a 20-part series reviewing the 2007 All-American Baseball League. Each feature will focus on one team. It will include the following sections: The Good (highlighting a team strength), The Bat (highlighting a hitting star) and the Ugly (lowlighting a team shortcoming). It will also include the team Most Valuable Player and a final hitting and pitching statistical report.

Minnesota Golden Gophers
AABL East, 60-102, 10th place

The Good: Bryan Hickerson recorded a franchise record 12 wins. The left-hander posted a 2.47 ERA and established himself as the staff ace.

The Bat: Infielder Paul Molitor finished fifth among East leaders in batting (.301) and hits (175).

The Ugly: The Golden Gophers hit the fewest home runs (47) and scored the fewest runs (421) of any team in the AABL. Minnesota averaged just 2.59 runs per game.

Team MVP: Paul Molitor, Infielder (shown below). The St. Paul native led the team in batting (.301), hits (175), RBIs (57) and OPS (.704).

Minnesota Golden Gophers Clubhouse
Manager: Dick Siebert
Record: 60 Wins, 102 Losses, .370 Winning Pct.
Home Record: 33 Wins, 48 Losses
Away Record: 27 Wins, 54 Losses
1 Run Games Record: 23 Wins, 30 Losses
X-Innings Record: 6 Wins, 14 Losses
Record vs LHP: 16 Wins, 35 Losses
Record vs RHP: 44 Wins, 67 Losses
Batting AVG: .220 (17th)
Homeruns: 47 (20th)
Walks: 422 (18th)
Stolen Bases: 4 (17th)
Runs Scored: 421 (20th)

Pitching ERA: 3.42 (17th)
Opponents AVG: .245 (14th)
HRs Allowed: 75 (7th)
Walks Allowed: 553 (15th)
Runs Allowed: 612 (16th)

Active Roster

Player # Pos Bats Throws AVG HR RBI SB OPS
CATCHERS
Dan Wilson 6 C Right Right .260 6 39 1 .630
Mike Sadek 44 C Right Right .219 1 12 0 .513
Terry Steinbach 19 C Right Right .308 0 1 0 .708
INFIELDERS
Brian Raabe 19 2B Right Right .216 0 2 0 .553
Brent Gates 8 2B Both Right .274 4 32 0 .694
Paul Molitor 4 2B Right Right .301 4 57 0 .704
Jerry Kindall 16 SS Right Right .164 5 38 0 .463
Bobby Fenwick 19 2B Right Right .169 4 31 0 .456
Robb Quinlan 39 2B Right Right .187 4 36 0 .511
George Thomas 24 3B Right Right .148 2 29 0 .398
OUTFIELDERS
Harry Elliott 10 LF Right Right .233 4 45 2 .556
J.T. Bruett 26 RF Left Left .182 5 28 1 .464
Dave Winfield 31 RF Right Right .258 8 41 .693

Player # Role Bats Throws ERA W L S WHIP
STARTERS
Bryan Hickerson 41 SP Left Left 2.47 12 10 0 1.13
Steve Comer 11 SP Both Right 3.25 9 20 0 1.21
Denny Neagle 15 SP Left Left 3.39 8 16 0 1.30
Brian Denman 31 SP Right Right 4.29 6 14 0 1.43
Jim Brower 50 SP Right Right 3.03 6 8 0 1.15
RELIEVERS
Gregg Olson 30 CL Right Right 2.31 2 9 27 1.00
Kerry Ligtenberg 46 MR Right Right 3.69 7 6 3 1.42
Jeff Schmidt 37 MR Right Right 3.47 6 6 3 1.38
Jerry Ujdur 21 MR Right Right 5.20 2 5 2 1.69
Bill Davis 12 MR Left Left 3.29 1 1 1 1.83
Fred Bruckbauer 15 MR Right Right 10.45 0 3 1 2.13
Frank Brosseau 46 MR Right Right 4.50 0 4 2 2.00
Ralph Capron 14 MR Left Right 0.52 1 0 2 1.38

[batted balls]

The following is the second in a 20-part series reviewing the 2007 All-American Baseball League. Each feature will focus on one team. It will include the following sections: The Good (highlighting a team strength), The Bat (highlighting a hitting star) and the Ugly (lowlighting a team shortcoming). It will also include the team Most Valuable Player and a final hitting and pitching statistical report.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
AABL East, 62-100, 9th place

The Good: Outfielder Louis Sockalexis shattered the AABL record by stealing 33 bases.

The Bat: Third baseman Cap Anson set an AABL record with 218 hits en route to winning the East batting title with a .339 average.

The Ugly: The Irish were 19th or worse in four of the five major team offensive categories in the league.

Team MVP: Cap Anson, Third Base (shown below). Anson earned All-Star status for the second consecutive season. Anson set a team record with a 20-game hitting streak.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Clubhouse

Manager: Pat Murphy
Record: 62 Wins, 100 Losses, .383 Winning Pct.
Home Record: 27 Wins, 54 Losses
Away Record: 35 Wins, 46 Losses
1 Run Games Record: 25 Wins, 33 Losses
X-Innings Record: 6 Wins, 9 Losses
Record vs LHP: 13 Wins, 30 Losses
Record vs RHP: 49 Wins, 70 Losses
Batting AVG: .215 (18th)
Homeruns: 54 (19th)
Walks: 417 (19th)
Stolen Bases: 41 (5th)
Runs Scored: 434 (T-18th)

Pitching ERA: 3.15 (11th)
Opponents AVG: .252 (20th)
HRs Allowed: 54 (2nd)
Walks Allowed: 486 (8th)
Runs Allowed: 587 (14th)

Active Roster

Player # Pos Bats Throws AVG HR RBI SB OPS
CATCHERS
Peaches O'Neill 12 C Right Right .177 2 20 0 .448
Clem Clemens 15 C Right Right .201 7 41 0 .544
INFIELDERS
Cap Anson 1 3B 4 Right Right .339 3 55 0 .778
Billy Reed 6 2B Left Right .149 3 31 1 .398
Craig Counsell 4 SS Left Right .144 5 36 0 .376
Rupert Mills 34 1B Right Right .164 4 12 0 .504
OUTFIELDERS
Red Murray 7 RF Right Right .278 5 69 3 .681
Carl Yastrzemski 8 LF Left Right .255 10 68 0 .703
Cy Williams 14 CF Left Left .223 6 24 0 .562
Jackie Mayo 13 LF Left Right .191 0 10 2 .533
Dan Peltier 17 RF Left Left .250 0 1 0 .500
Paul Schramka 22 LF Left Left .169 4 29 2 .448
Louis Sockalexis 48 LF Left Right .201 3 15 33 .566

Player # Role Bats Throws ERA W L S WHIP
STARTERS
Lou Bevil 44 SP Both Right 6.00 0 3 0 1.72
Ed Reulbach 20 SP Right Right 2.86 10 21 0 1.20
Norwood Gibson 21 SP Right Right 2.82 11 20 0 1.26
Dick Rusteck 40 SP Right Left 3.00 8 18 0 1.24
Ron Reed 42 SP Right Right 3.61 10 11 0 2.31
RELIEVERS
Brad Lidge 54 MR Right Right 4.41 3 4 2 1.42
Jim Hannan 24 CLRight Right 2.62 8 7 0 1.24
Dan McGinn 96 MR Left Left 1.29 1 0 1 1.29
Ed Hanyzewski 45 MR Right Right 4.31 4 8 6 1.48
Frank Scanlan 27 MR Left Left 3.11 3 4 5 1.24
Frank Carpin 60 CL Left Left 2.15 3 3 25 1.40
Jim Brady 33 MR Left Left 4.50 0 1 0 2.00
Tommy Shields 65 MR Left Right 0.00 0 0 0 1.20
Aaron Heilman 48 MR Right Right 1.31 1 0 3 1.16

[batted balls]

The following is the third in a 20-part series reviewing the 2007 All-American Baseball League. Each feature will focus on one team. It will include the following sections: The Good (highlighting a team strength), The Bat (highlighting a hitting star) and the Ugly (lowlighting a team shortcoming). It will also include the team Most Valuable Player and a final hitting and pitching statistical report.

Michigan State Spartans
AABL East, 65-97, 8th place

The Good: The Spartans improved by seven games from a last-place finish a season ago.

The Bat: Outfielder Kirk Gibson raised his average 129 points to finish with a .322 average, second only to Notre Dame's Cap Anson.

The Ugly: Seven players batted below .188 as Michigan State hit an AABL-low .212 as a team.

Team MVP: Kirk Gibson (shown below). The All-Star finished second in the East Golden Spikes Award balloting. Gibson batted .322 with 16 home runs and 83 RBIs.

Michigan State Spartans Clubhouse

Manager: John Kobs
Record: 65 Wins, 97 Losses, .401 Winning Pct.
Home Record: 31 Wins, 50 Losses
Away Record: 34 Wins, 47 Losses
1 Run Games Record: 28 Wins, 32 Losses
X-Innings Record: 14 Wins, 9 Losses
Record vs LHP: 15 Wins, 24 Losses
Record vs RHP: 50 Wins, 73 Losses
Batting AVG: .212 (20th)
Homeruns: 55 (18th)
Walks: 511 (8th)
Stolen Bases: 1 (19th)
Runs Scored: 451 (17th)

Pitching ERA: 2.99 (9th)
Opponents AVG: .245 (15th)
HRs Allowed: 74 (6th)
Walks Allowed: 570 (16th)
Runs Allowed: 581 (11th)

Active Roster

Player # Pos Bats Throws AVG HR RBI SB OPS
CATCHERS
Bruce Look 25 C Left Right .220 10 39 0 .575
Ron Pruitt 61 C Right Right .158 1 10 0 .418
INFIELDERS
Dan Masteller 16 1B Left Left .172 3 26 0 .438
Steve Garvey 6 3B Right Right .287 5 42 0 .749
Nick Picciuto 7 2B Right Right .188 4 35 1 .487
Irv Bartling 12 SS Right Right .175 4 39 0 .465
OUTFIELDERS
Dick Billings 8 LF Right Right .181 7 49 0 .485
Rick Miller 3 RF Left Left .275 4 67 0 .689
Kirk Gibson 23 LF Left Left .322 16 83 0 .884
Rob Ellis 5 CF Right Right .131 1 25 0 .359
Dean Look 26 LF Right Right .258 0 9 0 .636
Bill Stewart 63 LF Right Right .090 0 1 0 .254

Player # Role Bats Throws ERA W L S WHIP
STARTERS
Mel Behney 93 SP Left Left 4.03 1 0 0 1.56
Ron Perranoski 16 Left Left 2.48 6 15 0 1.19
Ed Hobaugh 18 SP Right Right 2.70 10 21 0 1.37
Ed Pinnance 58 SP Left Right 4.21 4 12 0 1.45
Mark Mulder 20 SP Left Left 2.58 10 14 0 1.19
Robin Roberts 36 SP Both Right 3.36 4 15 0 1.33
RELIEVERS
Dick Radatz 17 CL Right Right 2.10 4 3 23 1.03
Tim Crabtree 37 MR Right Right 2.64 6 4 6 1.28
Tim Birtsas 49 MR Left Left 1.70 6 3 1 1.51
John Leister 1 MR Right Right 3.48 7 2 2 1.28
Don Gross 31 MR Left Left 3.34 4 5 4 1.36
Larry Pashnick 41 MR Right Right 3.97 3 2 3 1.39
George Smith 97 MR Right Right 2.70 0 0 0 1.20