SAUL LOEB/Arizona Summer Wildcat Former Wildcat shortstop Brad Hassey hits a pitch against Grand Canyon on April 16. Hassey, along with catcher Chris Cummingham, were taken yesterday in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

Neither Brad Hassey nor Chris Cunningham had to wait until the second day of yesterdayâs Major League Baseball Amateur Draft to hear their names called, as they might have once thought. Both players were taken yesterday on the first day of the three day long draft.

Hassey a former UA shortstop and a member of the All-Pacific 10 Conference team, was taken in the 19th round by the Toronto Blue Jays. Cunningham, the Wildcatsâ catcher, was selected as the first pick in the 13th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Both players saw their collegiate careers come to a close on May 26, which also ended the first season under UA head coach Andy Lopez.

The Wildcats closed out their 2002 season with a 31-24 overall record on the season and 9-15 record in the Pac-10. Arizona reached the 30-win plateau for the fifth time in the past six seasons.

Hassey, the only Arizona player to start all 55 games this season, concluded his fourth and final year with the Wildcats with a .315 average in a team-high 238 at bats. He led the team in hits (75), runs scored (50) and stolen bases (1500). He tallied 46 RBIs and also hit nine home runs this year. In his three previous seasons, he had not hit a single home run.

Seven UA seniors, including Hassey and Cunningham, completed their eligibility this season. Kevin Anderson, Clayton Bried, Kevin Sears, Matt Wersel and Wes Zlotoff all played in their final game in an Arizona uniform.

The Arizona Daily Star also reported that four other players ÷ pitcher Will Miller, catcher Ken Riley, first baseman Will Thompson and walk-on Greg Powers ÷ were not going to return to the team next season. Lopez did not return calls to confirm that report.