Washington State University Athletics
Cougars Take On Aztecs At Tony Gwynn Stadium
Feb. 22, 2000
2000 Overall Record: 4-7
Home: 0-0
Road: 1-2
Neutral: 3-5
February: 4-6
1999 Record: 24-31
AROUND THE HORN WITH COUGAR BASEBALL
The Washington State Cougar baseball team dropped three of four games last weekend at the Arlington Morning News Invitational, but it was easily a weekend where they could have gone 3-1, if not 4-0.
Senior pitching ace Todd Meldahl turned in his finest collegiate performance by throwing a three-hit, complete game at Arkansas, unfortunately his only mistake was a home run that gave the Razorbacks the narrow 1-0 victory. WSU lost Satuday's game to Nebraska 12-4 in a game that was a lot closer than the score shows. WSU was only down 6-4 in the seventh inning. The diamond Cougs forged back into the win column Sunday against Texas-Arlington with a strong relief appearance from Zach Fisher who did not allow an earned run in 5.2 innings.
In a non-tournament game against UTA on Monday, the Cougs once again settled for a one-run setback in a game that could have easily been won by WSU. At one point the Cougs led 4-2 before UTA rallied for three runs in the sixth and held on for the 5-4 run.
At the plate redshirt freshman Stefan Bailie was nearly unstoppable with a .529 (9x17) batting average. Bailie combined to hit for the cycle and knocked in four runs during the weekend games. Sophomore Evan Hecker also had a breakthrough weekend at the plate going 5-for-12 (.417). Senior Jordan Nilsen battled back from a rough series against Gonzaga to go 4-for-11. Baile is now hitting .452 (19x42) on the season and has a hit in all of WSU's 11 games.
On the mound Meldahl paced the staff with his phenomenal outing Friday. The senior lefty is now a hard-luck 1-2 for the season with a 2.38 ERA. Fisher a dropped his ERA to 2.08 with his solid outing Sunday and may work his way into the starting roation for the Sunday game. Lanakila Niles (0-0, 1.93) and Matt O'Brien (1-0, 2.84) have also been go-to guys in the bullpen that may be in the starting rotation following Meldahl's start Friday.
WSU will look to bounce back into the win column this weekend with a three-game series against San Diego State (7-7) at Tony Gwynn Stadium in San Diego. SDSU leads the all-time series 8-5 and is 5-1 vs. the Cougars since 1997.
LAST WEEK:
Arlington Morning News Invitational, Arlington, Texas (UT-Arlington, Nebrasa, WSU, Arkansas)Friday, Feb. 18 - WSU 0, Arkansas 1, Allan Saxe Stadium, Arlington, Texas.
Saturday, Feb. 19 - WSU 4, Nebraska 12, Allan Saxe Stadium, Arlington, Texas.
Sunday, Feb. 20 - WSU 7, UT-Arlington 3, Allan Saxe Stadium, Arlington, Texas.
Monday, Feb. 21 - WSU 4, UT-Arlington 5, Allen Saxe Stadium (non-tournament)
THIS WEEK:
Vs. San Diego State at Tony Gwynn Stadium (SDSU Leads All-Time Series 8-5)Friday, Feb. 25 - WSU at San Diego State, 5:00 p.m., Tony Gwynn Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
Saturday, Feb. 26 - WSU at San Diego State, 5:00 p.m., Tony Gwynn Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
Sunday, Feb. 27 - WSU at San Diego State, 100 p.m., Tony Gwynn Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
NEXT WEEK:
Friday, March 3 - WSU at Cal Berkeley, 2:00 p.m., Evans Diamond, Berkeley, Calif.Saturday, March 4 - WSU at Cal Berkeley, 1:00 p.m., Evans Diamond, Berkeley, Calif.
Sunday, March 5 - WSU at Cal Berkeley, 1:00 p.m., Evans Diamond, Berkeley, Calif.
THE PROBABLE COUGAR NINE (4-7, 0-0)
1B - STEFAN BAILIE, RS-FR. (.452, 19 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI)
Steve Curran, RS-Sr. (.300, 6 H, 5 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
2B - BOOKIE GATES, SO. (.286, 8 H, 2 3B, 6 RBI)
David Perreira, Sr. (.250, 2 H, 1 RBI)
SS - SHAWN STEVENSON, Sr. (.262, 11 H, 4 RBI, 44 A)
Kurt Paskal, So. (Transfer from Lethebridge CC)
3B - RAY HATTENBURG, Sr. (.273, 12 H, 3 2B, 8 RBI)
Stefan Bailie, RS-Fr., (.520, 11-game hitting streak)
OF - EVAN HECKER, So. (.235, 8 H, 1 3B, 5 RBI)
Justin Williams, Jr. (.143, 4 H, 1 3B, 1 HR)
OF - MIKE KNIGHT, Jr. (.382, 13 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI)
Justin Williams, Jr. (.143, 4 H, 1 3B, 1 HR)
RF - JORDAN NILSEN, Sr. (.306, 11 H, 4 2B, 4 RBI)
Justin Williams, Jr. (.143, 4 H, 1 3B, 1 HR)
C - RYAN SMITH, Sr. (.222, 3 H, 1 3B)
Jon Baeder, Rr. (Grand Slam HR vs. Gonzaga)
DH - STEVE CURRAN, Sr. (.300, 6 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
Wes Falkenborg, RS-Fr. (.286, 4 H, 2B, 4 RBI)
P1 - TODD MELDAHL, Sr. (1-2, 2.38, 22.2 IP, 23 SO)
P2 - NICK KENYON, Fr. (0-2, 8.68, 9.1 IP, 6 SO)
P3 - TYSON THOMPSON, So. (1-1, 6.35, 11.1 IP, 7 SO)
R1 - Matt O'Brien (LHP), Sr. (1-0, 2.84, 12.2 IP, 6 SO)
R2 - Les McTavish (R), Lanakila Niles (R)
R3 - Sean Donlin (L), Reggie Rivard (R)
PROBABLE MOUND ROTATION FOR UPCOMING GAMES:
| Date | Opp. | WSU Starter | Opponent Starter |
| Feb. 25 | SDSU | Todd Meldahl, LHP | Chris Hartshorn, RHP |
| Feb. 26 | SDSU | Tyson Thompson, RHP | Jeremy Cook, RHP |
| Feb. 27 | SDSU | Reggie Rivard, RHP | Ben Julianel, LHP |
JASON GROVE EARNS PRESEASON ACCOLADES: After two solid seasons during his freshman and sophomore campaigns, junior Jason Grove has earned national respect by being named to three preseason All-American teams. Grove was selected as a second-team pick by Collegiate Baseball and by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and was given a third-team award from Baseball America. The Outfielder/Pitcher, who has connected on 30 home runs and hit at a .359 clip in his two seasons in a Cougar uniform, is also widely considered one of the top college prospects in the nation for the 2000 draft. Earlier this year he was name the No. 28 prospect for the draft by Baseball America. Grove is currently out with a broken bone in his right wrist.
INJURY UPDATE: The Cougar outfield was without preseason All-American Jason Grove in the season opener and the New Mexico tournament because he had surgery on his right hand. Grove broke the Hamate bone before batting practice at LCSC and will be out of the Cougar lineup for 2-3 more weeks. Grove is expected to start swinging a bat in the next week and is looking to be back in the lineup either by the Cal series or the spring break trip to Oregon State and Cal State Northridge.
STEVENSON IS SIZZLING AT SHORT: Senior shortstop Shawn Stevenson made a commitment to becoming a more all-around player in 2000, and thus far has done both with the bat and glove. Stevenson has only two errors in 64 chances and has made several spectacular plays. The senior has 44 assists to his credit this season and 508 in his career making him third in that category in the record books.
MELDAHL IS THE MAN: Senior left-handed starter Todd Meldahl knew his stay in the bullpen wasn't going to be long in 2000. But he had no idea that it would last only one game. The team's projected closer for the 2000 campaign has rewritten his role as the staff ace. So far this season Meldahl has turned in three solid starts, but has only a hard-luck 1-2 record to show for his efforts. He beat No. 19 Texas A&M in first start and has pitched well enough in his other two to be 3-0. In his last start vs. Arkansas, Meldahl threw a three-hit complete game, but was saddled with the loss as the Razorbacks defeated WSU 1-0. Here is a look at Meldahl's game-by-game statistics in 2000:
| Date | Opponent | IP | H | R | BB | SO | W-L | ERA |
| 1/29 | LCSC | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0.00 |
| 2/04 | A&M | 7.2 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 1-0 | 2.08 |
| 2/11 | Gonzaga | 6.0 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1-1 | 3.07 |
| 2/18 | Arkansas | 8.0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1-2 | 2.38 |
| Totals | 22.2 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 23 | 1-2 | 2.38 |
THESE GUYS HAVE SEEN THE AZTECS BEFORE: Several current Cougars have played the Aztecs in 1997 and 1998. Ray Hattenburg is a .500 (10x20) career hitter vs. the Aztecs and Shawn Stevenson is 7-for-21 (.333). Meldahl is 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA in three games, while Les McTavish and Reggie Rivard have also seen action against SDSU. WSU is 1-5 vs. the Aztecs since 1997 and 1-1 at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
A NEW MILLENNIUM OF COUGAR BASEBALL: The Cougar baseball team had a successful past millennium, ranking fourth in all-time NCAA Division I victories. The Cougars best decade in history was the 1980s when the Cougs posted a 391-186 record. Listed below is a breakdown by decade in the 20th century for the Cougar baseball program:
| Decade | Record | Decade | Record |
| 1900-09 | 89-53 | 1950-59 | 207-127 |
| 1910-19 | 99-54 | 1960-69 | 269-95 |
| 1920-29 | 147-75 | 1970-79 | 367-141 |
| 1930-39 | 154-93 | 1980-89 | 391-186 |
| 1940-49 | 181-98 | 1990-99 | 301-279 |
"KNIGHT" TIME IS THE RIGHT TIME: Junior transfer Mike Knight made the most of his first action as a WSU Cougar by being named the co-MVP of the Spalding Fiesta Tournament. Knight, a transfer from Laney (CA) College, was 8-for-12 (.667) with two doubles, a triple, and three runs scored during the tournament. Knight started two games as the designated hitter and one game in centerfield.
Knight's and Teams Stats at Spalding Baseball Fiesta:
| Avg. | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | |
| Mike Knight | .667 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Team Totals | .374 | 107 | 26 | 40 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 24 |
TAKING ON THE TOUGH GUYS: If the two wins by the Cougars over No. 19 Texas A&M seems like a big deal, that is because it is. The Cougars were 1-10 against ranked opponents in 1999, with a win over No. 22 USC breaking the losing streak. The Cougs will take on several other nationally ranked opponents in 2000, including No. 2 Stanford, No. 8 UCLA, No. 9 USC, and No. 17 Arizona State in this weeks Baseball America poll.
HOW THE COUGS STACKED UP LAST WEEKEND: The Cougs left Texas with tons of what if's, but none-the-less finished 1-3 and are now 4-7 in 2000. Stefan Bailie turned in a great weekend at the plate going 9x17 (.532). Todd Meldahl also turned in a great performance on the mound with a complete-game, three-hitter that wound up being a 1-0 loss to Arkansas. Here is how the Cougs hit as a team vs. their opponents at the 2000 Arlington Morning News Invitational:
Team Totals from Four-Game Roadtrip in Texas.
| Avg. | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | |
| Cougars | .246 | 130 | 15 | 32 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| Opponents | .266 | 128 | 21 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 18 |
BAILIE IS AS HOT AS THEY COME RIGHT NOW: What better way to start your collegiate career than with an 11-game hitting streak. Bailie was the hottest Cougar hitter during their recent trip to Texas, scorching opposing pitcher for a .529 (9x17) average with a double, triple, home run and four RBI. For the season Bailie is the Cougar's top hitter with a .452 average has hit safely in all of WSU's 11 games. Bailie is also tied for tops with two home runs. Here is a look at Bailie's stats from last weekend and for the 2000 season:
Stefan Bailie's totals from Texas and 2000 Season:
| Avg. | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | |
| Texas Trip | .529 | 17 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2000 Season | .452 | 42 | 9 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Les McTavish made his 60th career appearance on the mound last weekend and now needs only 15 more to tie the school record of 75.
- With his start last weekend against Arkansas, Todd Meldahl moved past current Seattle Mariner Aaron Sele in the WSU record books with 38 in his career. Meldahl has still not missed a week of pitching in his Cougar career.
- Mike Knight recorded a hit in his first WSU at-bat, joining Stefan Bailie, Jon Baeder, Justin Williams, and Wes Falkenborg who matched that feet this year.
- Jason Grove needs just 10 more home runs to tie the school record of 40, but that record looks to be on hold with the broken bone in his hand.
- The 1999 edition of Cougar baseball had only 10 triples ... the 2000 squad alrady has eight in the young season.
- WSU is hitting .292 (33x113) with runners in scoring position this year. WSU is 4x13 (.308) in pinch-hitting.
- Shortstop Shawn Stevenson has 508 career assists, making him third in the WSU record books.
- WSU has been outscored by its opponents 13-5 in the eighth and ninth innings.
- Stefan Bailie's 11-game hitting streak is the longest streak a Cougar player has had since Shawn Stevenson broke the school record with 28 in 1997-98.
COUGAR FIRSTS: The series vs. Gonzaga in the Tri-Cities was a weekend of first for several Cougars. Garrett Alwert, Ryan Sullivan and Kurt Paskal all made their Cougar debuts. Alwert looked good on the mound throwing a perfect two-thirds of an inning. Other Cougar firsts were Justin Williams' first home run as a Coug, Jon Baeder's first hit and home run, and starting pitcher Nick Kenyon scored his first run as a pinch runner.
BAEDER MAKES MOST OF FIRST CAREER HIT: Freshman catcher Jon Baeder admitted that even his grand slam home run vs. Gonzaga (2/13) surprised him, but he couldn't be happier that his first hit as a Cougar sailed out of Posse Stadium for a home run. Baeder has started three games and is 1-for-8 this year with five RBI.
THREE-HIT COUGS: Only Stefan Bailie has notched four hits in a game this year, but several have tallied three in a game. Most recently Ray Hattenburg, Shawn Stevenson and Steve Curran all had three-hit games vs. Gonzaga on 2/13. Mike Knight (2), Hattenburg (2), Stevenson, Bookie Gates, Curran and Stefan Bailie are the Cougs with three-hit games in 2000.
GIVE THE BALL TO THE BULLPEN: While the Cougar starters have faired well in 2000, the bullpen has been outstanding with a 3.28 ERA and a 2-0 record. Senior Matt O'Brien (1-0, 2.84) has been the leader out of the 'pen and may start this weekend vs. SDSU. Sophomores Sean Donlin (0-0, 6.75) and Zach Fisher (1-0, 2.08) have also been impressive in relief. Les McTavish, Donny Davis, and Lanakila Niles have also faired well in relief roles.
CURRAN IS A BULLDOG KILLER: Steve Curran only got one start vs. Gonzaga two weekends ago, but made the most of it as one of the sparkplugs leading the Cougars to a 18-2 bombing of the Bulldogs. Curran was 3-for-5 with a bases loaded double, three RBI and three runs scored. Curran is now a .469 (30x64) hitter vs. the Zags with 21 runs scored, 29 RBI and six doubles in 19 career games.
ROSTER CHANGES: Quick get out your media guides, because there have been some changes since the beginning of the season. Infielder Kevin Harasimowicz and freshman outfielder Collin Henderson left the team prior to the Cougs season opener at LCSC. Harasimowicz was a backup infielder who saw action in three games in 1999. Henderson was a highly acclaimed prep star from Puyallup, Wash. Henderson was a top receiver on the gridiron for the Cougs in the fall and will lift weights this spring.
COUGARS AND THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES:
The WSU Cougars have appeared in four College World Series finals. The first came in 1950 when the Cougars placed second under the coaching of Buck Bailey. WSU returned to Omaha in 1956, with Bailey's squad finishing seventh. Bobo Brayton's 1965 club earned a spot in the final eight and finished third. WSU returned to the CWS with Brayton in 1976 and placed fifth.
JAMAAL GAINES TO PLAY PRO BALL: Jamaal Gaines, one of WSU's top pitchers in 1998 and 1999 has signed a contract to play professional baseball this summer with the independent league Dubois County Dragons. The Dragons are part of the Frontier League, with teams in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Gaines was 4-4 in 1999 with a 6.29 ERA and was named the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week in May.
SCRAP IRON PHIL GARNER HAS PRAISE FOR COUGAR BASEBALL: Detroit Tiger Manager Phil Garner was in attendance at last weekends Spalding Fiesta Tournament because his son, Ty, plays for the Texas A&M squad. Garner, who managed the Milwaukee Brewers in past years, was a guest during Sunday's radio broadcast of the WSU-A&M game. Garner had praise for the WSU Cougar baseball team saying: "they are an excellent hitting team who is a lot of fun to watch. They are going to surprise a lot of people in the Pac-10 this year."
TOURNAMENTS DOT COUGAR SCHEDULE: An integral part of the Cougars non-conference preseason schedule has always been playing in several tournaments every season. In past years Cougar squads were fixtures at the Johnny Quick/Pepsi Tournament in Fresno, Calif., the California Riverside Tournament and the Bannana Belt Tournament in Lewiston, Idaho. WSU already traveled to New Mexico where they were 2-1 in the Spalding Baseball Fiesta. WSU traveled to Arlington, Texas in mid-February to play against Texas-Arlington, Nebraska and Arkansas. Here is a breakdown of how WSU has done in recent tournaments.
| Year | Tournament | Record | Finish |
| 1994 | Pepsi/Johnny Quick | 6-0 | 1st |
| 1995 | Husky Classic | 1-2 | 3rd |
| 1996 | Husky Classic | 1-2 | 3rd |
| 1997 | Bannana Belt | 2-3 | 3rd |
| 1998 | Coors Desert Classic | 2-3 | 5th |
| 1999 | Hormel Foods Classic | 1-2 | 3rd |
| 2000 | Spalding Baseball Fiesta | 2-1 | T-1st |
| 2000 | Arlington Morning News Invt. | 1-2 | T-3rd |
FOLLOW SHAWN STEVENSON ON THE WEB: Throughout the 2000 baseball season you can track the seaon and stories of senior shortstop Shawn Stevenson by viewing his weekly diary at www.wsucougars.com. A new diary will be posted each Wednesday, so keep posted on what is going on inside Cougar baseball from the world of Shawn Stevenson.
CAREER RECORD WATCH: A check of the WSU record book showed the following players moved into Cougar Top-10 career lists:
HITTING:
Home Runs:
Jason Grove, 30, 6th
Triples:
Shawn Stevenson, 9, 11th
Strikeouts:
Steve Curran, 120, 5th
Ray Hattenburg, 96, tie-8th
Runs Scored
Shawn Stevenson, 168, 6th
Hits:
Shawn Stevenson, 225, t-5th
At-Bats:
Shawn Stevenson, 691, 6th
Batting Average
Jason Grove, .359, 7th
Ray Hattenburg, .346, Top 15
FIELDING:
Assists:
Shawn Stevenson, 508, 3rd
Errors:
Shawn Stevenson, 64, 3rd
PITCHING:
Runs Allowed:
Todd Meldahl, 223, 1st
Earned Runs Allowed:
Todd Meldahl, 186, 1st
Losses:
Todd Meldahl, 20, 1st
Hits Allowed:
Todd Meldahl, 313, 2nd
Saves:
Reggie Rivard, 9, tie-3rd
Games Pitched:
Les McTavish, 60, t-6th
Games Started:
Todd Meldahl, 38, 8th
THE CAPE COD CONNECTION: Over the past two years the Washington state Cougars Baseball team has been well-represented in the Cape Cod League with the Wareham Gatemen. Shawn Stevenson and Jason Grove have played in each of the last two years with the Gatmen. Stevenson had a banner year in the summer of 1998, earning team MVP honors and being named an all-star. Bookie Gates is being considered for the Gatemen roster in 2000.
JASON GROVE IS CHASING HISTORY: Junior Jason Grove was well on his way to setting the career home run record at Washington State before breaking a bone in his right hand, but still has a chance to break the record. In his freshman season he connected on 12 home runs and in his sophomore campaign he hit 18, despite missing more than a month with a broken thumb. Prior to the 2000 season Grove was named a preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America, and NCBWA. The Top-10 list of career home run leaders is listed below:
WSU Career Home Run Leaders
1. Jeff Hooper, '84-87 2. Casey Kelley, '96-98 3. Jim Connor, '87-90 4. Beau Campbell, '89-92 5. John Olerud, '87-89 6. Jason Grove, '98-P 7. Phil Westendorf, '74-77 8. Dale Ford, '64-66 9. Glen Walker, '79-80 10. Rob Smith, '84-87 Mike Kinkade, '92-95
McTAVISH NEEDS 16 APPEARANCES FOR CAREER RECORD: Senior pitcher Les McTavish has been a mainstay in the Cougar bullpen and is inching his way towards the WSU career record in games pitched. In three seasons McTavish has appeared in 60 games, ranking t-6th in the record books. The senior right-hander needs to pitch in 15 games to tie the school record of 75 games set by Tom Pellerin from 1983-86. The complete list is below:
WSU Career Pitching Appearances
1. Tom Pellerin, '83-86 2. Reed Rainey, '83-85 3. Darin Nolan, '88-91 4. Brian Sajonia, '85-88 5. Guy Normand, '83-86 6. Tom McGraw, '97-90 Les McTavish, '97-P 7. Shawn Hathaway,'84-87 8. Joe McIntosh, '71-73
RIVARD CLIMBS TOWARDS SAVES RECORD: At the mid-season point in 1999, Reggie Rivard almost seemed to be a lock to move into second place as the all-time saves leader in WSU history. With nine saves, he needed only four more to move into second place, but was then converted to a starting pitcher where he has enjoyed some success. The all-time leader in saves for the Cougars is Reed Rainey, who logged 24 from 1983-85.
MAKING A FASHION STATEMENT IN 2000: The Cougs took a step up in the fashion world in 1999 by adding a white sleeveless jersey, but have increased their wardrobe tenfold in 2000 by adding two new uniforms. A gray sleevless jersey with "Cougars" in script has been added for a road uniform and a solid crimson button-up jersey can be used at home or on the road. The Cougars now have five sets of uniforms which include Sunday pinstripes, white home jersey, white sleeveless, home/road crimson and gray sleeveless. The Cougars will also be adding an alternate cap in 2000.
COUGAR BASEBALL IS TRADITION: The Washington State baseball program is one filled with a history of success, pride, and achievements. Among the facts:
- 89 winning seasons
- Only 15 losing seasons in 104 years
- 41 conference championships
- Five College World Series appearances
- 22 NCAA appearances
- 24 no-hitters
- Four coaches over the last 67 years
- Nine first-team All-Americans
- One college baseball player of the year
- 132 first-team all-league selections since '47
THESE SENIORS HAVE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: If senior leadership counted for wins, then the Cougars would be off to a 13-0 start in 2000. Seven of those seniors, Zach Bode, Steve Curran, Ray Hattenburg, Todd Meldahl, Les McTavish, Ryan Smith and Shawn Stevenson are all in their fourth or fifth years with the WSU program.
2000 PAC-10 PRESEASON COACHES POLL
2000 Overall 1999 OVERALL
W L Pct. W L
Stanford 8 4 .667 50 15
UCLA 6 5 .545 31 31
USC 6 3 .667 36 26
ARIZ 10 8 .556 33 23
CAL 5 7 .417 27 31
ASU 12 4 .750 39 21
UW 1 4 .200 33 23
WSU 4 7 .364 24 31
OSU 1 2 .333 19 35
THE CHAFFEY AND LANEY PIPELINE: From a recruiting standpoint, the WSU Cougar coaches definitely know where to go when it comes to getting good players. In the past few years the Cougs have gathered several players from Rob Wilson's Laney (Calif.) College program, including current players Tony Dawson, Donny Davis and Mike Knight. From the prep baseball ranks, the Cougars have tapped into of the nation's premier summer baseball programs in Chaffey Construction. Several players on the WSU roster played for Chaffey in their prep careers, including Jon Baeder, Zach Bode, Steve Curran, Sean Donlin, Wes Falkenborg, Bookie Gates, Nick Kenyon, Ryan Smith and Tyson Thompson. WSU's links to Chaffey go even farther back as John Olerud played for the team during his prep days at Interlake High School.
ONE TOUGH SCHEDULE: The NCAA doesn't compile a power ranking for college baseball until the end of the season, but if the 2000 WSU baseball schedule was put to a vote, it would be one of the toughest in the nation ... in all WSU has games scheduled against six teams in Baseball America's and Collegiate Baseball's national polls. The Cougars' schedule includes unanimous No. 1 selection Stanford, UCLA, Texas A&M, USC, Arizona and Arizona State.
| Collegiate | Baseball | Baseball | |
| Team | Baseball | America | Weekly |
| Arizona State | 19 | 17 | 16 |
| Arizona | NR | NR | NR |
| Stanford | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Texas A&M | NR | NR | NR |
| UCLA | 15 | 8 | 19 |
| USC | 16 | 9 | 14 |
*NR= Has Been Ranked in 2000 or ranking when WSU played them.
2000 HITTING LEADERS
Batting Average: 1. Stefan Bailie .452 2. Mike Knight .382 3. Jordan Nilsen .306 4. Steve Curran .300 5. Bookie Gates .286
Hits 1. Stefan Bailie 19 2. Mike Knight 13 3. Ray Hattenburg 12
Runs Scored 1. Stefan Bailie 9 2. Jordan Nilsen 8 3. Shawn Stevenson 8
Doubles 1. Jordan Nilsen 4 2. Ray Hattenburg 3 3. Mike Knight 2
Triples 1. Bookie Gates 2 2. Several Players 1
Home Runs 1. Steve Curran 2 2. Stefan Bailie 2
2000 PITCHING LEADERS
Earned Run Average (Min. 5 Inn.) 1. Lanakila Niles 1.93 2. Zach Fisher 2.08 3. Todd Meldahl 2.38 4. Matt O'Brien 2.84
Wins 1. Matt O'Brien 1 2. Todd Meldahl 1 3. Tyson Thompson 1
Strikeouts 1. Todd Meldahl 23 2. Sean Donlin 8 3. Nick Kenyon 6 4. Matt O'Brien 6
Innings Pitched 1. Todd Meldahl 22.2 2. Matt O'Brien 12.2 3. Tyson Thompson 11.1 4. Reggie Rivard 11.1
2000 FIELDING LEADERS
Errors 1. Bookie Gates 6 2. Ray Hattenburg 5 3. Shawn Stevenson 2 4. Mike Knight 2
Assists 1. Shawn Stevenson 44 2. Ray Hattenburg 28 3. Bookie Gates 19
Putouts 1. Stefan Bailie 97 2. Ryan Smith 47
COUGARS IN THE MINOR LEAGUES IN 1999: During the 1999 professional baseball season, 19 former Cougars played at various levels of the minor league system. Robert Ramsay and Rob Ryan, both 1996 grads of WSU, received late-season call-ups with the Mariners and Diamondbacks respectfully. The following Cougars played at the minor league level in '99.
| Todd Belitz | P | Orlando | AA | Tampa Bay |
| Ken Cameron | OF | Reno | -- | Independent |
| Burdette Greeny | P | Beloit | A | Milwaukee |
| Terrel Hansen | 1B/DH | Chico | -- | Independent |
| Mark Hendrickson | LHP | Knoxville | AA | Toronto |
| Jim Horner | C | New Haven | AA | Seattle |
| Kyle Kawabata | P | Reading | AA | Philadelphia |
| Casey Kelley | 1B | Boise | A | Anaheim |
| Mike Kinkade | 3B | Norfolk | AAA | NY Mets |
| Chad Miles | P | Jacksonville | AA | Detroit |
| Greg Mitchell | 1B | Tri-City | -- | Independent |
| Wade Parrish | P | Yakima | R | Los Angeles |
| Robert Ramsay | P | Tacoma | AAA | Seattle |
| Rob Ryan | OF | Tucson | AAA | Arizona |
| Jeff Scherer | C | Tri-City | -- | Independent |
| Mark Small | P | Ottawa | AAA | Montreal |
| Ole Vigeland | P | Charlotte | A | Texas |
| Dave Wainhouse | P | Colo. Springs | AAA | Colorado |
| Dave Wheeler | P | Kingsport | R | NY Mets |
104 YEARS OF COUGAR BASEBALL: The Cougar baseball team was the first competitive athletic team at Washington State when it debuted in 1892 with an 11-1 record. Since in 104 years of Cougar baseball tradition WSU has posted a career 2,226-1,201-17 record while notching 89 winning seasons. WSU has a career winning percentage of .649 and has won 41 conference championships, appeared in the NCAA playoffs 22 times and five College World Series appearances.
COUGARS IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES: During the 1999 season seven former Cougar baseball players dotted the rosters of major league clubs. John Olerud (1987-89) had another great year at the plate hitting .298 with 173 hits, 19 HR and 96 RBI. In the offseason he signed a free-agent contract with the Seattle Mariners. Aaron Sele also had another great year with 18 wins and has 37 in the last two years and like Olerud signed a contract with the M's. Listed below are the statistics of the seven Cougars who played in MLB in 1999:
| 1999 Stats | Pos | Team | Avg. | HR | G | H |
| Scott Hatteberg | C | Boston | .275 | 1 | 30 | 22 |
| Mike Kinkade | 3B | New York (N) | .196 | 2 | 28 | 9 |
| John Olerud | 1B | New York (N) | .298 | 19 | 162 | 173 |
| 1999 Stats | Pos | Team | W-L | ERA | G | SO |
| Robert Ramsay | LHP | Seattle | 0-2 | 6.38 | 6 | 11 |
| Aaron Sele | RHP | Texas | 18-9 | 4.79 | 33 | 186 |
| David Wainhouse | RHP | Colorado | 0-0 | 6.91 | 19 | 18 |
ALL-ACADEMIC: While the Cougars have proved they can compete with the best on the field, several players are maintaining outstanding marks in the classroom as well. Last season WSU placed five players (Boyd Robertson, Ray Hattenburg, Shawn Stevenson, Todd Meldahl and Les McTavish) on the Pac-10 All-Academic team.
HATTENBURG SWEEPS PAC-10 AWARDS IN 1999: Senior Ray Hattenburg etched his name in the Cougar record books last season by hitting .398. His on-field accomplishments earned him first-team All-Pac-10 honors and his academic achievements as a construction management major earned him first-team all-academic recognition.
BASEBALL COMPLEX RENAMED BAILEY-BRAYTON FIELD: Buck Bailey and Bobo Brayton have 1,765 victories and have coached 65 of the 104 years of Cougar baseball. It is only fitting that the Cougar baseball complex which they both helped build be renamed to honor both of their distinguished names. Bailey Field was renamed Bailey-Brayton Field Jan. 22 as part of a "Celebration for the Ages." Numerous former Cougars, including John Olerud Sr. and Jr., Scott Hatteberg, and Robert Ramsay helped celebrate the renaming of the Cougar baseball Field.
2000 NATIONAL POLLS
Baseball America Top-25 1. Florida State 2. Stanford 3. LSU 4. Cal State Fullerton 5. Alabama 6. Baylor 7. Georgia Tech 8. UCLA 9. USC 10. Houston 11. Auburn 12. Texas 13. North Carolina 14. Miami, Fla. 15. Tulane 16. Wichita State 17. Clemson 18. South Carolina 19. Arizona State 20. Loyola Marymount 21. Rice 22. Long Beach State 23. Notre Dame 24. East Carolina 25. Lousiana-Lafayette
Baseball Weekly Top 25 1. Florida State 2. LSU 3. Stanford 4. North Carolina 5. Auburn 6. Georgia Tech 7. Alabama 8. Texas 9. Houston 10. Miami, Fla. 11. Wichita State 12. Baylor 13. Clemson 14. USC 15. Cal State Fullerton 16. Arizona State 17. Tulane 18. South Carolina 19. UCLA 20. Long Beach State 21. Florida International 22. Rice 23. Fresno State 24. Kentucky 25. Lousiana-Lafayette
Collegiate Baseball Top-25 1. Florida State 2. Stanford 3. LSU 4. North Carolina 5. Texas 6. Georgia Tech 7. Cal State Fullerton 8. Alabama 9. Clemson 10. Houston 11. Miami, Fla. 12. Tulane 13. Auburn 14. Wichita State 15. UCLA 16. USC 17. Baylor 18. South Carolina 19. Arizona State 20. East Carolina 21. Rice 22. Long Beach State 23. Fresno State 24. Oklahoma State 25. Notre Dame
PAC-10 FORMAT: The 1999 season marked a new era in Pacific-10 Conference baseball as the disbanded the former North and South divisions to form one unified league. Portland State dropped its program following the '98 season leaving only three teams in the Northern Division. The Pac-10 baseball conference is made up of nine schools (Oregon does not have a team) with each team playing a 24-game schedule, with the regular season champion earning the conference automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. WSU will play Oregon State and UW twice, but only one of the series will count towards the league standings.
COACH FARRINGTON: In his five years at the helm of the Cougar baseball team Farrington has posted a 136-187 record ... in his first year with WSU his squad won the Pac-10 North crown and he was named the league coach of the year ... before coming to WSU in the summer of 1994 Coach Farrington spent 11 seasons as the coach of Lower Columbia College in Longview, Wash ... at the JC level Farrington posted a 280-149 record, with three NWAACC titles ... he was the National Junior College Coach of the Year in 1992.
THE COACHING STAFF: Former Major Leaguer Russ Swan joined the coaching staff in 1998 and heads up the WSU pitching staff ... Swan spent 11 seasons in the majors with Seattle, Cleveland, and San Francisco ... he is joined by first-year assistant coach Ken Johnson ... Johnson, who is in charge of recruiting, infielders and hitting, came to WSU after 10 successful seasons at Walla Walla Community College. Ray Walker is a volunteer assistant in 2000 and coaches the Cougar catchers.
COUGAR BASEBALL RANKS IN TOP FIVE IN ALL-TIME NCAA VICTORIES: In a list compiled by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), Washington State University ranked fourth in all-time NCAA Division I baseball victories with 2,226. A list of the Top 5 baseball programs is listed below with their respective records and number of seasons played:
| 1. Fordham | 3,088-1,423-39 | (140) |
| 2. Texas | 2,571-785-26 | (103) |
| 3. Michigan | 2,277-1,213-36 | (132) |
| 4. WSU | 2,226-1,201-17 | (104) |
| 5. Stanford | 2,178-1,414-32 | (107) |
WSU ON THE RADIO: Most of the Washington State baseball games are broadcast by Broadcast Ink in Seattle, but a select few games will not be on air this year ... games will be on the internet in the next month as designatd by Broadcast Ink ... airtime is usually set for 20 minutes before the start of the game...all games are scheduled to air on KCLX (1450 AM).
OLERUD RANKS SEVENTH AS "PLAYER OF THE CENTURY"
Washington State baseball great John Olerud was recently ranked seventh as college baseball's "Player of the Century" by Baseball America. The top 10 players of the century were voted on by fans, coaches, and baseball writers and are listed below:
1. Pete Incaviglia (Oklahoma State)
2. Bob Horner (Arizona State)
3. Robin Ventura (Oklahoma State)
4. Burt Hooten (Texas)
5. Dave Winfield (Minnesota)
6. Phil Stephenson (Wichita State)
7. John Olerud (Washington State)
8. J.D. Drew (Florida State)
9. Eddie Bane (Arizona State)
10.Derek Tatsuno (Hawai'i)
