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Baseball season marred with disappointment

Lack of pitching hurts Wildcats from onset

The UA baseball season can be summed up in one word - disappointment. Not many things have gone right for head coach Jerry Stitt's beleaguered Wildcats.

"We had some high expectations this year," Stitt said. "We thought that with a veteran team coming back, we had chance to do some things."

From the team's first series against St. Mary's (Calif.), it was apparent that Arizona was severely lacking in pitching.

UA, a team that made the NCAA regional playoffs last season, are currently 25-25 overall and are 7-11 in Pacific 10 Conference play and a long shot to make the NCAA Tournament.

"We've been very inconsistent until just lately," Stitt said. "It took awhile to get some problems resolved. By the time we fixed them, we may have had too many losses."

The team's inability to win important conference games has brought the ire of numerous people associated with the program, including sophomore right fielder Shelley Duncan.

"The season was a little disappointing," he said. "We didn't start off so well in conference, but the team's been playing awesome lately."

Despite carrying a pitching staff rife with upperclassmen, the Wildcats has just three legitimate starters - sophomore Ben Diggins and seniors Mike Crawford and Tony Milo. Sophomore left hander Brian Pemble, the team's original No. 2 starter, has missed half of the season due to tendinitis.

To make things worse, the Wildcats lost sophomore Shelley Duncan to a torn elbow ligament against Stanford. Duncan, who led the Wildcats in home runs and RBI last season, tore numerous ligaments in his pitching arm in a rare relief appearance in 6-4 loss to the Cardinal on March 25.

After an unsuccessful attempt at rehabilitation, the bulky right fielder finally endured reconstructive elbow surgery last week and will embark on a rehabilitation schedule unparalleled in the world of baseball injuries.

"I'll be back by (the 2001) opening day," he said. "Hopefully, I can try to swing a bat by October or November."

Despite the disappointing results, the 2000 season did have some bright spots.

Junior Erik Torres became just the third Wildcat in history to hit three home runs in a game, doing so in an April 8 victory against Washington.

Sophomore left fielder Kenny Huff hit for the cycle on April 22 against Washington State, ending an Arizona two-game home losing streak. Huff had four RBI in the victory, a 21-3 victory against the Cougars.

The team's likely MVP for the 2000 season is sophomore right hander Ben Diggins, who is currently 9-3 with a 3.55 ERA.

In defeating Cal State Northridge last Friday, Diggins became the first Arizona pitcher to win nine games in a season since current Baltimore Orioles' pitcher Scott Erickson did so in 1989.

"Ben's right up there with the best we've had," Stitt said. "At times, he's dominating. When he gets behind in the count, he's struggled. But when he's ahead, he can be a dominant pitcher."

Diggins, who was ranked as Baseball America's top collegiate prospect throughout the season, will enter baseball's Amateur Draft in June.

The season, which is still going on, could likely be redeemed with wins against Arizona State on May 19-21.

Victories against ASU, a team that swept the Wildcats in Tempe this season, would likely put a positive spin on a disappointing, often frustrating season.

"One criteria (of the selection committee) is who is hot at the end of the season," Stitt said. "If we can win all six games, even five of our last six, we'll have a chance for a bid."

Ryan Finley can be reached at sports@wildcat.arizona.edu.

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hedder: Up Next

May 19-21, 3 game series vs. Arizona State in Tucson