Recent LMU Playoff Teams
Billy Traber was a first round pick in 2000.
PIPELINE TO THE MAJORS FLOWING WELL
Eight former LMU baseball players have made major league appearances during the past seven seasons, and with eight players from the 2000 and 2001 LMU squads signed to contracts by major league franchises, the pipeline to the major leagues looks to keep getting stronger. The latest to sign contracts were C.J. Wilson (Texas Rangers) and James Clelland (Montreal Expos). Wilson was a fifth round draft pick by the Rangers and Clelland was signed as a free agent by the Expos. The two signees give the Lions 14 players in the past five seasons who have gone pro. Wilson, whose first assignment was with the Pulaski Rangers in the rookie league, was impressive in his first several outings and was called up to Class A’s Savannah Sand Gnats. Wilson, who finished the 2001 season 3-9 with a 6.95 ERA, allowed only four earned runs in 14 innings. Clelland, who tied for the team lead with five wins on the mound for the Lions in 2001 and finished with a career best 5-2 record, was also impressive with the Vermont Expos in the Class A-Short Season New YorkPenn League. He was 2-1 on the season with a 1.88 ERA (a team best among pitchers with 20 or more innings). In 24 innings he had a 7-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio, striking out 15 and walking just two. Following the 2000 season, Billy Traber (New York Mets), Michael Schultz (Arizona Diamondbacks), Scott Walter (Kansas City Royals), Jason Aspito (Chicago White Sox) and Anthony Angel (Houston Astros) were all selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. Pitcher Ben Bonilla was signed as a free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Finally, third baseman Curt Fiore, who was drafted in 1999, is a member of the Atlanta Braves organization. Shane Bowers (Minnesota Twins), Jim Bruske (Los Angeles Dodgers), Tim Layana (San Francisco Giants), Brian Turang (Seattle Mariners), Chris Donnels (Boston Red Sox/Los Angeles Dodgers), Billy Bean (San Diego Padres), Darryl Scott (California Angels) and Terrell Lowery (San Francisco Giants) all played with their respective major league clubs. Three other former Lions, Joe Caruso (Boston Red Sox), Joe Ciccarella (Chicago Cubs) and Darrel Deak (St. Louis Cardinals) have appeared on major league 40-man rosters over the past six winters.
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2000 • For the fifth time in conference history a team has won three consecutive WCC titles, as LMU swept West Division Champion Pepperdine in the WCC Championship Series at Page Stadium. The Lions join Santa Clara and Pepperdine as the only programs in the WCC to have won back-to-back-to-back championships. In only its second year, the WCC Championship Series was a repeat from the first one, as the Lions took two games over Pepperdine. In Game 1, the Lions’ offensive weapons broke out for 19 runs on 23 hits in a 19-5 win as junior Billy Traber struck out eight in eight innings for the win. Scott Walter did most of the damage for the Lions, hitting his 18th and 19th home runs of the season, both coming with two runners on base. WCC Co-Player of the Year Anthony Angel finished the game 5-for-6 with 3 RBI. It was a different atmosphere, but similar outcome in Game 2, as the Lions won their third straight title with a 6-2 victory to close out the best-of-three series. Junior Michael Schultz went the distance, striking out five and scattering two runs on four hits. With the conference championship once again in hand, the Lions earned their third consecutive automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals, accepting an invitation to play in the West Regional hosted by Cal State Fullerton. The Lions, who rose to No. 12 in the national rankings prior to the tournament, were seeded No. 3 and opened the Regional against the host, Cal State Fullerton. Traber concluded his collegiate career throwing a gem. He went the distance, striking out 13 Titan batters and scattering four runs on nine hits to help the Lions to the first round win, 6-4. The Lions gave Traber a 5-0 lead to work with after three innings thanks in part to David Maffei’s two-run homer in the first inning. USC was up next for the Lions in the winner’s bracket of the West Regional.After jumping out to a 5-3 lead, LMU could not hold on as the Trojan’s scored five in the ninth for the 13-5 win. The 3 1/2 hour game took its toll on the Lions, as they had to turn around and face Cal State Fullerton once again in the elimination game that same night. Fullerton defeated the Lions, 5-2, ending the Lions’ season at 40-19, the fourth best win total in program history. 1999 • The Lions successfully defended their conference crown, defeating Pepperdine in a three-game series for the WCC Championship at Page Stadium. RHP Michael Schultz tossed nine complete innings and beat the Waves, 7-6, to clinch the title in the third and deciding game. The victory helped LMU win back-to-back titles for the first time in program history. The Lions advanced to NCAA Regional play for the second-straight year, traveling to Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif. LMU lost to the Cardinal in the opening round, 10-2, then was eliminated after a 4-3 loss to Nevada. LHP Billy Traber led the team and the WCC with 135 strikeouts while earning first-team all-conference honors. 2B Anthony Angel also earned first-team honors, the only member of the squad to do so in two-consecutive seasons. CF Matt Riordan was drafted following the season by the Baltimore Orioles, and SS/1B Curt Fiore was selected in the draft by the Atlanta Braves. Catcher Scott Walter during the 2000 WCC Championship Series. 1998 • Second-year head coach Frank Cruz guided the Lions to their first WCC title in eight years. With the nation's 16th best recruiting class, nearly all of which were freshmen, LMU narrowly edged rival Pepperdine by a half game for the conference crown earning the NCAA automatic bid to the West Regional at Stanford. Freshman RHP Michael Schultz nearly no-hit Stanford in the first round (Stanford was ranked No. 2 in the country) shutting out the Cardinal through the seventh inning. Schultz went on to win the game (6-2) while throwing a two-hitter. With the win, LMU posted its first postseason victory since May 28, 1989 in a 6-5 win over Oklahoma. Schultz and freshman C Scott Walter were named West Coast Conference Pitcher and Player of the Year, respectively, the first time in WCC history two freshmen ever from the same school garnered the awards.
1990 • Capturing sole possession of the league title for the first time in 17 years, LMU breezed to its third consecutive postseason appearance. The Lions posted 45 wins, the third highest total in school history, before being eliminated by host Arizona State. LMU representatives were honored by the league with WCC Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Coach of the Year accolades. 1989 • The Lions finished a game and one-half behind Pepperdine in the league race but were once again invited to the NCAA tournament. LMU lost its opening round game to Oklahoma but fought through the losers bracket before losing to host Arizona in the regional championship game. 1988 • An outstanding non-conference record against a strong schedule aided the LMU cause as the Lions were selected to the NCAA tournament as an at-large team. The Lions, who finished in third place in the WCC, were one of three teams in the WCC to post at least 40 wins and receive a postseason berth. LMU won two games but lost to host Oklahoma State in the regional semifinal game to end the season. 1973 • Marv Wood’s squad brought LMU its first West Coast Conference Championship after a 13-game win streak allowed the Lions to clinch the title on the final weekend of the season over second place Santa Clara. USC knocked off the Lions and Cal State Los Angeles in the NCAA District 8 regionals and eventually won its fourth consecutive national championship.
2003
BASEBALL