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Former MLB star Gwynn to coach against Wildcats

Photo courtesty San Diego State Athletics

Former MLB All-Star Tony Gwynn comes to UA today as an assistant coach for the San Diego State Aztecs, who face Arizona's baseball team at 3 p.m.

By David Stevenson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday Feb. 7, 2002

Tony is here today.

Future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn comes to Tucson today as a member of the San Diego State coaching staff.

Today Arizona plays host to SDSU in the opener of a three-game series.

Gwynn retired at the end of the 2001 Major League Baseball season with a .338 career average. He won eight National League batting titles and has 3,141 hits in his 19 years all with the San Diego Padres.

Now the former right fielder is a volunteer assistant coach and will inherit the Aztec head coaching job next year.

The Wildcats are anticipating his presence.

"I'm excited; I want to meet this guy," freshman third baseman John Hardy said. "It'll be pretty interesting to see what he does as a coach."

Sophomore pitcher Joe Little met Gwynn at an award ceremony and was impressed with his personality.

"He's a really nice, personable guy to talk to that never acts like he's bigger than life. He's just real down-to-earth," Little said.

Head coach Andy Lopez likes the fact that Gwynn will hopefully draw a large crowd.

"It's good for the game of college baseball to have a guy with that kind of notoriety," Lopez said. "Anything that brings people out to the games is good."

SDSU (5-1) is currently riding a five-game win streak. The Aztecs played 10 exhibition games in Australia and won their season-opening series against Hawaii Hilo in Hawaii.

Centerfielder Anthony Gwynn, the son of Tony Gwynn, was named a second-team preseason All-American by Baseball America. The sophomore is currently batting .261 with five stolen bases.

"He's very fast, a threat to steal bases anytime," Lopez said. "He's the kind of guy that likes to run on the bases and create some havoc."

UA (6-1) is coming off of a two-game sweep against Southern Utah on the heels of solid play from the freshman trio of Jeff Van Houten, John Hardy and Rick Mercado.

On Tuesday against SUU, Van Houten and Hardy each hit their second home runs of the season while Mercado went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs.

"Right now (the freshmen) are showing that they look like they already have a year under their belts," Little said. "I'm really happy for them and that they're putting runs up on the scoreboard."

Sophomore Sean Rierson will make his third start of the year on the mound for the Wildcats sporting a 2-0 record and a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings pitched.

Today's game against the Aztecs begins at 3 p.m. at Sancet Field.

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