June 1, 2010
Irvine, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton outfielder Gary Brown (Jr., CF, Diamond Bar, Calif., Diamond Bar HS), right-hander Dylan Floro (Fr., RHP, Merced, Calif., Buhach Colony HS) and Head Coach Dave Serrano all took home top conference honors and five Titans were named to the league's first team as the Big West Conference announced its annual all-conference awards Tuesday afternoon.
In all Fullerton took home 15 All-conference awards on Tuesday - three top, and five first-team awards, five second-team honors and two honorable mentions.
Brown was tabbed the Big West Player of the Year and a USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalist all in the same day after putting on quite a display throughout 2010.
The junior from Diamond Bar, Calif., is the first player of the year for Cal State Fullerton since Justin Turner took home a share of the award in 2006, and is the 17th all-time in Fullerton's 36-year Div. I history
Despite missing the last eight games of the regular season with a broken finger, Brown dominated the conference and continues to lead the league with a .438 batting average, a .485 on-base percentage, 62 runs scored, 92 hits, 8 triples, and 31 stolen bases. On top of that, the speedy center fielder is second in the league in slugging, third in doubles, third in total bases, and has also hit 6 home runs and driven in 41.
Brown was a two-time Big West Player of the Week this season, and as it stands today, would break Steve Woodward's 10-year-old school record for the best single-season batting average set back in 2000.
Floro has made quite a splash in his transition from reliever to starter, earning he Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year Award. Going into the postseason, Floro has posted a 7-0 record and 2.84 ERA with two saves in 24 appearances for the Titans and has won each of his five career starts. The righty has has struck out 55 and walked just eight batters, ranking him fifth in the country in fewest walks per nine innings.
In his last start, Floro tossed his second complete game shutout as he four-hit Cal State Northridge last Friday night. The Merced, Calif., native will get the start in the Titans' first Regional game on Friday night against Minnesota.
Floro becomes the fourth rookie to take home the freshman pitcher of the year award, and the first since Tyler Pill (Soph., RHP/OF, Covina, Calif., Covina HS) and Noe Ramirez (Soph., RHP, East Los Angeles, Alhambra HS) each took home a piece of the honor last season.
The 2007 Baseball America National Coach of the Year, Serrano, picked up his first career Big West Coach of the Year honor on Tuesday after guiding the Titans to a 21-3 Big West mark and his second league crown in his three years as the Titans' skipper. Serrano becomes the fourth Titan head coach to be billed as the coach of the year in the Big West, following the likes of two-time winner Augie Garrido (1987, 1995), Larry Cochell (1990), and five-time winner George Horton (1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006).
Over three seasons as the Titans' head coach, Serrano has taken the program to the postseason all three years, and reach the College World Series in 2009.
Brown, shortstop Christian Colon (Jr., SS, Corona, Calif., Canyon HS), first baseman Nick Ramirez (Soph., 1B, Anaheim, Calif., Katella HS), and right-handers Daniel Renken (Jr., RHP, Cypress, Calif., Orange Lutheran HS) and Noe Ramirez were all named to the All-Big West First Team.
Another 2010 Golden Spikes Award semifinalist and a Brooks Wallace Award quarterfinalist, Colon finds himself on the first team for the first time in his career.
Despite a slow start recovering from a broken leg, Colon has built his numbers back up to All-American-like status, batting .347 with 82 hits, 14 home runs, 58 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
Colon, along with Brown, has been projected as a first-round draft pick in this ear's 2010 MLB First Year Players Draft.
Nick Ramirez has developed into a force in the Titan line-up, batting .367 with 13 home runs and a conference-leading 68 RBI and 27 doubles. He has been consistent all year long at the plate and has taken well to working both at first base and on the pitcher's mound.
The southpaw has not only packed a punch with the bat, but has posted a league-leading 9 saves as the Titans' closer.
Ramirez' season has featured a 20-game hitting streak, a span of 7 home runs in 9 games, another with 4 home runs in 4 games, and a spot on the inaugural John Olerud Two-Way Player Award Watch List. This is Ramirez' second first-team award.
Daniel Renken won each of his starts in the Big West Conference (the first Titan to do that since Jason Windsor in 2004), and heading into the postseason, has the most wins of any pitcher in the league with 11. His 82 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings ranks him fourth in the league.
This is also Renken's second first-team honor.
Despite missing three starts with a fractured wrist, Noe Ramirez has backed up his 2009 Freshman All-American campaign with another solid season. Ramirez is 10-1 with the league's second best ERA at 2.50. The righty has struck out 95 and walked just 16 over 90 innings and has a pair of complete games to his credit.
A four-time Big West Pitcher of the Week this year, Noe Ramirez is amidst a string of five straight appearances with a victory and has not lost since the opening weekend of the season.
Second baseman Corey Jones (Jr., 2B, Camarillo, Calif., Camarillo HS), outfielder Pill, designated hitter Carlos Lopez (R-Fr., DH/OF, Northridge, Calif., Crespi HS), utility man Joey Siddons (Sr., INF/OF, Camarillo, Calif., Oxnard HS) and Floro were all named to the second team.
Earning honorable mentions were catcher Billy Marcoe (Sr., C, Bellevue, Wash., Eastside Catholic HS), and third baseman Richie Pedroza (Fr., INF, Covina, Calif., Northview HS).