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6/3/2002 12:00 AM | Baseball
June 3, 2002
2002 UTAH BASEBALL SEASON REVIEW
Record: 33-26 Conference: 16-14 Home: 15-8 Away: 17-16 Neutral: 1-2
Utah posted a 33-26 overall record, which was the second-most wins in school history dating back to 1963. "This season was a fantastic run by our team, and winning thirty-three games was an incredible feat," said head coach Tim Esmay. "The team broke a lot of records this season and have shown there is a bright future ahead for Ute baseball."
The Utes finished with a 16-14 league record to finish second in the conference standings. The second-place finish is the Utes' best since joining the Mountain West Conference. In MWC statistics, Utah ranked second in overall team ERA (6.29) and in overall team batting average (.327) (15th in the NCAA). "The pitching staff did a tremendous job this season," said Esmay. "To finish with the second-best ERA in the conference, with only one starter returning from the previous year, really says a lot." The Utes also led the league with 76 home runs, which was 19 more than the second-place team.
In its 33 wins, Utah hit .344 with 53 home runs, 89 doubles and 59 stolen bases. Through those wins, the Utes' pitching staff boasted a 3.84 ERA. Senior Adam Castleton led the team most of the season with a .369 batting average, a .662 slugging percentage and a .479 on base percentage. Junior Mike Westfall finished second on the team with a .356 average and 80 hits. Freshman Matt Ciaramella boasted the third-best batting average of .345 and was second on the team with four triples. Senior Nate Weese had a team-high 17 home runs, 60 RBI, 148 total bases and 19 stolen bases. Senior Brit Pannier knocked a team-leading 26 doubles, and he ranked sixth in the NCAA as of May 26 with an average of .47 doubles per game.
Senior Mitch Maio compiled a 9-1 record with a 3.98 ERA and five saves. Maio also recorded 94 strikeouts and held opponents to a .275 batting average. Cheyenne Rushton posted an 8-6 record with a 5.98 ERA and 63 strikeouts. Jason Wylie was 7-7 on the year with a 7.29 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 19 starts.
"I am grateful to the seniors," claimed Esmay. "They need to take a lot of pride in what they've accomplished. Lots of records were broken during their tenures, and they have set a new standard for Utah baseball."
In the classroom, Utah had 10 members of the team named to the fall semester academic honor roll. Of those 10, six received further distinction by being named to the Dean's List. In the spring, nine baseball team members were named to the honor roll. Three of those nine were named to the Dean's List.
2002 UTE HONORS
ACADEMIC HONORS
Fall Semester Honor Roll
Adam Castleton (Dean's List) Mitch Maio (Dean's List) Spencer Hunn (Dean's List) Brett Baldwin (Dean's List) Matt Ciaramella (Dean's List) Doug Mackay (Dean's List) T.R. Gourley Sean Overholt Donald Hawes Ryan Reisbeck
Spring Semester Honor Roll
Matt Ciaramella (Dean's List) T.R. Gourley (Dean's List) Sean Overholt (Dean's List) Brett Baldwin Doug Mackay Spencer HunnDan Owen Donald Hawes Ryan Reisbeck
CONFERENCE HONORS
Mitch Maio---MWC Co-Player of the Year, all-MWC first team
Adam Castleton---All-MWC second team, second baseDonald Hawes----All-MWC second team, catcherNate Weese---All-MWC second team, first baseMike Westfall---All-MWC second team, third base
2002 UTE RECORD BREAKERS
INDIVIDUAL HITTING RECORDS
Nate WeeseCareer Hits: 280Career Home Runs: 50Career At Bats: 876Brit PannierSingle-Season Doubles: 26Career Doubles: 60 Mike BashamT-Single-Game Hits: 6
INDIVIDUAL PITCHING RECORDS
Mitch MaioSeason-Strikeouts: 94Season-Win-Loss Perc.: .900 (9-1)T-Single-Game Strikeouts: 11T-Career-Saves: 9Jason WylieSeason-Games Started: 19Season-Wild Pitches: 19T-Season-Hits: 139T-Season-Runs: 98 Cheyenne RushtonT-Season-Hits: 139
TEAM HITTING RECORDS
Season-At Bats: 2175Season-Put Outs: 1555Season-Assists: 634
TEAM PITCHING RECORDS
Season-Appearances: 178Season-Innings Pitched: 518.1Season-Strikeouts: 391
2002 UTAH SEASON HIGHS AND LOWS
TEAM GAME HIGHS
Batting
At bats: 51 vs Pacific (Feb 08, 2002)Runs scored: 22 vs SUU (Mar 10, 2002) 22 vs Air Force (May 17, 2002)Hits: 24 vs SUU (Mar 10, 2002)RBIs: 18 vs SUU (Mar 10, 2002) 18 vs BYU (May 10, 2002)Doubles: 7 vs BYU (Apr 05, 2002)Triples: 2 (4 games)Home runs: 6 vs Mesa State (Feb 17, 2002)Total bases: 41 vs SUU (Mar 10, 2002)Walks: 7 (4 games)Strikeouts: 14 vs WASH (Mar 1, 2002)Sac hits: 2 vs Arizona (Feb 03, 2002) 2 vs SDSU (Mar 31, 2002) 2 vs UNLV (May 22, 2002)Sac flies: 2 (6 games)Stolen bases: 5 vs Mesa State (Feb 15, 2002) 5 vs Albertson (Apr 02, 2002) 5 vs Air Force (May 17, 2002)Hit by pitch: 4 vs UNLV (Mar 24, 2002) 4 vs BYU. (Apr 06, 2002)Caught stealing:2 (7 games)Runners LOB: 13 vs UNLV (Mar 23, 2002) 13 vs BYU (May 09, 2002)Hit into DP: 3 vs UNLV (Mar 24, 2002) 3 vs UNLV (Apr 22, 2002)
Fielding
Putouts: 36 vs Pacific (Feb 08, 2002)Assists: 20 vs BYU (May 10, 2002)Errors: 6 vs UNLV (Mar 23, 2002)Passed balls: 1 (11 games)DPs turned: 3 vs Cal Poly (Jan 26, 2002) 3 vs Cal Poly (Jan 27, 2002) 3 vs Mesa State (Feb 17, 2002)
Pitching
Innings pitched:12.0 vs Pacific (Feb 08, 2002)Strikeouts: 12 vs UNLV (May 22, 2002)Hits allowed: 3 vs Southern Utah Univ. (Feb 22, 2002)Wild pitches: 6 vs Air Force (May 17, 2002)Hit batters: 5 vs Albertson (Apr 02, 2002)
INDIVIDUAL GAME HIGHS
Batting
At bats: 7 CIARAMELLA, MATT vs Air Force May 17, 2002)Runs scored: 5 CIARAMELLA, MATT vs BYU (May 10, 2002) 5 CASTLETON, Adam vs Air Force (May 17, 2002)Hits: 6 BASHAM, Mike vs SUU (Mar 10, 2002)RBIs: 5 (6 games)Doubles: 2 (15 games)Triples: 1 (20 games)Home runs: 2 (4 games)Total bases: 9 PANNIER, Brit vs Mesa State (Feb 17, 2002) 9 SABA, Donnie vs BYU (Apr 06, 2002)Walks: 3 (4 games)Strikeouts: 3 (12 games)Sac hits: 1 (13 games)Sac flies: 1 (28 games)Stolen bases: 2 (12 games)Hit by pitch: 3 WEESE, Nate vs UNLV (Mar 24, 2002) 3 CASTLETON, Adam vs BYU (Apr 05, 2002)Caught stealing:2 PANNIER, Brit vs Pacific (Feb 08, 2002) 2 CASTLETON, Adam vs Pacific (Feb 08, 2002)Runners LOB: 5 (7 games)
Fielding
Putouts: 15 WEESE, Nate vs UNLV (Apr 21, 2002)Assists: 8 BALDWIN, Brett vs SDSU (Mar 29, 2002) 8 CASTLETON, Adam vs SDSU (Apr 28, 2002)Errors: 3 BALDWIN, Brett vs Arizona (Feb 02, 2002) 3 BALDWIN, Brett vs UNLV (Mar 22, 2002)Passed balls: 1 (11 games)
Pitching
Innings pitched:9.0 (7 games)
Strikeouts: 11 MAIO, Mitch vs WASH (Mar 3, 2002) 11 MAIO, Mitch vs UNLV (Mar 24, 2002) 11 MAIO, Mitch vs SDSU (Mar 31, 2002)Wild pitches: 3 WYLIE, Jason vs San Diego State (Apr 27, 2002) 3 REISBECK, Ryan vs Air Force (May 17, 2002) 3 WYLIE, Jason vs Air Force (May 17, 2002)Hit batters: 4 OVERHOLT, Sean vs Albertson(Apr 2, 2002)