Brent Morel and Steven Fischback were named Thursday the Cal Poly baseball team’s player and pitcher of the year, respectively.
Morel, a junior third baseman bestowed the Ozzie Smith Most Valuable Player award (as well as the Monty Waltz Big Stick Award and the Jason Mass Captain’s Award), led the Mustangs with a .368 batting average, 60 RBI and 140 total bases.
“I’m pretty happy to get it,” Morel said. “We’ve got so many good players on our team; it’s an honor to be recognized as one of the best. It’s cool being a little part of history like that, seeing all the great players who’ve come through Cal Poly.”
The Bakersfield native, who was named Tuesday to the All-Big West Conference First Team after a campaign in which he added 18 doubles, five triples and eight home runs, capped Cal Poly’s 24-32 season with a 10th-inning grand slam during a 12-7 win Sunday at UC Riverside.
“He had a solid season from beginning to end,” Mustangs head coach Larry Lee said. “He was our leader on the field, and continued to get better each of the three years he’s been here. Right in the middle of our lineup, he was our clutch hitter throughout the course of the year.”
Along the way to finishing fourth in Mustangs single-season annals in hits (88) and sixth in RBI, Morel produced a 17-game hitting streak, the second-longest in school history since the program moved to Division I in 1995.
Although he said “you never know until it happens,” Morel said he plans to pursue a professional career stemming from Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft held June 5-6.
“If everything works out, I should be signing this year,” said Morel, who added he’s been told of likely being taken in the first five rounds.
Fischback, a right-hander, was honored with the Mike Krukow Outstanding Pitcher distinction (as well as the Robin Baggett Scholar-Athlete Award).
“It is an honor,” said Fischback, who grew up a San Francisco Giants fan listening to Krukow add broadcast commentary during their games. “But just with the kind of way the year went, it’s not quite as sweet as it could be.”
The sophomore from Walnut Creek, who posted a 5-4 record and 4.55 ERA as a Sunday starter, struck out 79 batters in 85 innings, including a career-high 11 during a 6-2 win at Alabama on Feb. 23.
“Steven really made a big jump from last year, and we expect him to make a similar jump going into his junior year,” Lee said. “He was our most consistent starter and threw a number of quality ball games. He’ll be looked upon to anchor our staff next year.”
Fischback will play this summer for the Mat-Su Miners of Palmer, Alaska.
“I do feel like I have a couple steps to take,” he said.
Other award winners included junior right fielder Ryan Lee (who won the Dick Morrow Coaches Award), senior second baseman Pat Pezet and sophomore left fielder Adam Melker (who shared the Dave Oliver Hustle Award), junior left-hander Jared Eskew (Scott Kidd Rookie of the Year Award) and senior right-hander Brian Grening (Jim Newkirk Fireman’s Award).