2014 Big West All-Conference
Cal Poly collected a trio of top awards, while Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State and UC Irvine each received an accolade as the Big West Conference announced player and pitcher of the year and all-conference honors as voted on by the nine Big West coaches. The 2014 Big West Conference champions earned Big West Field Player of the Year with the selection of Mark Mathias, Big West Defensive Player of the Year distinction with Chris Hoo and Big West Coach of the Year with Larry Lee receiving the nod. UC Irvine’s Andrew Morales picked up Big West Pitcher of the Year, Long Beach State’s Garrett Hampson was named Big West Freshman Field Player of the Year and Cal State Fullerton’s Phil Bickford became the second straight Cal State Fullerton pitcher to earn Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year honors.
Morales (9-2) becomes the first UC Irvine player to earn Big West Pitcher of the Year honors since Matt Summers nabbed the award back in 2011. The right-hander from Covina, Calif., enters the postseason holding the conference’s fifth-best earned run average of 1.56. A key component to the Big West’s second-best pitching staff, Morales struck out 119 in 109.1 innings to rank second in the Big West and seventh in the country. He also held his opposition to a league-low .183 batting average. Morales did not allow an earned run in the first 34.1 innings he pitched in 2014 and also logged a 31.1 shutout streak that included two complete-game shutouts. Morales is a semi-finals for the Golden Spikes Award and is recognized on the most recent watch lists for the Dick Howser and National Pitcher of the Year awards. He is also a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award.
Cal Poly collects its second Big West Field Player of the Year award in three years with the selection of Mathias. Mitch Haniger earned the distinction in 2012. With a league-high .378 batting average, Mathias’ offensive prowess helped lead the Mustangs to their first Big West championship. While pacing the league with 46 runs scored, the second baseman from Fremont, Calif., also ranks among the conference’s best in a variety of statistical categories. His sits third in both hits (74) and on-base percentage (.447) and sixth in slugging percentage (.485). A candidate for the Dick Howser award, Mathias collected back-to-back Big West Player of the Week honors back in April for his offensive outburst that led to an 8-0 mark over the two-week span.
Hoo’s near-perfect .998 fielding percentage as a catcher secured Big West Defensive Player of the Year accolades, a first for Cal Poly. In 493 chances, the senior from Cupertino, Calif., recorded 434 putouts to place sixth in the Big West in both categories. In 48 steal attempts against him, only 26 were successful, ranking him second in the league with 22 caught stealing. Hoo was also a force to be reckoned with on offense, especially once conference play started. In league-only contests he ranks third in both batting average (.400) and slugging percentage (.513) and second with a .484 on-base percentage. His 32 hits in Big West contests ranks third while his 18 RBI earns him the fourth slot. His efforts, both defensively and offensively, assisted the Mustangs to capturing the school’s first league title.
Bickford (6-3) joined a pitching staff that already showcased some impressive talent, but he quickly became an integral part of the nation’s best pitching staff that currently sports a 2.03 earned run average. In 70.2 innings pitched, the right-hander from Newbury Park, Calif., is third on the Titans squad and ninth in the conference with a ERA of 2.04. Primarily a mid-week starter, Bickford made a few weekend appearances to fill the void of an injured Justin Garza, 2013 Big West Pitcher of the Year. Over the course of the year he struck out 68 batters to rank eighth in the Big West Conference. He follows in the footsteps of fellow Titan Thomas Eshelman, who earned Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year honors in 2013.
Hampson made his presence felt the moment he stepped on the diamond this year as he led the Dirtbags in a multitude of statistical categories, including batting average with a .316 clip. His team-high 41 runs scored places him fourth in the conference while his team-best 71 hits lands him in the Big West’s seventh slot. The shortstop from Reno, Nev., also tied for for seventh with 13 doubles and tallied 16 RBI during his freshman campaign. One of only three players to start all 56 Long Beach State contests this season, he recorded 149 assists and 31 double plays to rank in the Big West’s top 10. Hampson is the lone freshman on the All-Big West First Team.
Coaching his 12th season at Cal Poly, Lee engineered one of the most impressive seasons in school history as he guided the Mustangs to a school record 45 wins en route to the program’s first Big West Conference title with a 19-5 mark. Cal Poly is making its third NCAA regional appearance in six years after being rewarded with the automatic bid to the tournament by virtue of capturing its championship. The Mustangs won six straight and nine out of 10 to close out the 2014 regular season and are hosting the NCAA Regionals for the first time. The Mustangs, currently ranked fourth in the country, earned the No. 1 national ranking in Division I baseball earlier this season, which was a first in the sport and the second by any Mustang team. Lee becomes the first Cal Poly baseball coach to receive coach of the year accolades.
Big West Champion Cal Poly led the league with six All-Big West First Team selections. UC Irvine was second with four nods and followed by Long Beach State with three representatives. Cal State Fullerton and UC Riverside each landed two players on the first team. Representing the Mustangs are three-time first team selection Reed Reilly (CP), two-time recipient Chris Hoo (C) and Nick Torres (OF), Mark Mathias (2B), Matt Imhof (SP) and Taylor Chris (RP). Connor Spencer (1B), Jonathan Munoz (DH), Andrew Morales (SP) and Taylor Chris (RP) were highlighted from UC Irvine and Garrett Hampson (SS), Richard Prigatano (OF) and Josh Frye (SP) represented Long Beach State State. The talent of Titans Matt Chapman (3B) and J.D. Davis (UTL) was recognized, along with Highlanders Thomas Walker (OF) and Dylan Stuart (RP).