UC Irvine’s recruiting class touted

The UC Irvine baseball program’s recruiting efforts have been

recognized for the third consecutive year as the 2003-04 class has

been rated No. 22 by Collegiate Baseball.

UCI is among three Big West Conference teams to be featured in the

Top 30. Cal State Fullerton (18th) and Long Beach State (30th) are

also recognized by the periodical.

The Anteaters welcome a class of 13 newcomers -- 11 freshmen and

two community college transfers. Heading the group are freshmen

Justin Cassel, David Huff, Blair Erickson and Chad Lundahl.

Cassel was named first-team All-American by Baseball America after

recording a 15-0 mark with 119 strikeouts in 99 innings his senior

year at Chatsworth High. He allowed just 22 walks and yielded 57 hits

in 17 games, finishing the season with a 1.13 ERA. Baseball America

ranked the pitcher 39th among 2003 graduates on its Best Prospect

list. He was drafted in the 30th round by the Oakland Athletics.

Huff, a left-handed pitcher out of Edison High, was a 31st-round

selection by the Anaheim Angels in 2003. He was all-state and also

All-CIF Southern Section Division I as a senior.

Erickson, a right-handed pitcher out of Jesuit High near

Sacramento, was ranked the 51st-best prospect by Baseball America in

2003. The first-team All-Metro League honoree participated in the USA

Baseball Tournament of Stars and was a Top-50 player at the Area Code

Games. Erickson was selected in the 28th round by the Philadelphia

Phillies in June.

Lundahl, an infielder, was a three-time first-team All-Ventura

County shortstop at Thousand Oaks High. He was first-team

All-Marmonte League three seasons and was first-team all-state in

2003. He was a first-team All-CIF choice after helping his team to a

CIF Southern Section Division II title last spring.

“We think it’s the best class we’ve had in three years in terms of

depth,” UCI Coach John Savage said. “It’s as good a group of freshman

[pitchers as] we have assembled in one year. When you look at the

abilities of the players, there is immediate help in many areas. The

foundation is being built for UC Irvine baseball to be very

competitive in the future with the addition of these new players.”

Other recruits include: Alex Caldera (Southwest High in El

Centro); Cody Cipriano (Westlake High); Brady Dolan (Reno High);

Kevin Fox (Montgomery High in Chula Vista); David Kennedy (Arizona

Western Community College); Aaron Lowenstein (Calabasas High); Brian

Roades (Chaminade High in West Hills); Nash Robertson (Sierra

Community College in Grass Valley); and Tim Stewart (Mater Dei High).

Seven schools rated in the top 30 are on the UCI schedule in 2004,

including Arizona (No. 4).

North Carolina and South Carolina tied for the No. 1 spot.