June 14: Red-Hot Shockers pull away from the pack

WSU OF Russ Morman

Over the past 10 games this June, the Texas A&M Aggies have won eight of ten games--and yet during that span, they lost a game in the standings to league-leading Wichita State.  The Shockers are looking nearly invincible as the season draws near the halfway point.  One by one, teams mount a challenge but fall back.   Arizona State surged in May, but has lost nine of ten to drop to .500 and 4th place.  LSU continues to pound the ball, but the Tigers have lost several recent high-scoring games because of pitching woes.  Only the Ags currently seem to be capable of keeping pace with WSU, with Knoblauch and Byington leading a formidable offense, but A&M has not been able to make up any ground after a slow start to the season.

The Shockers have sustained their balanced attack of on-base potential, power, and speed.  Although somewhat overshadowed by teammate Phil Stephenson in 1982, Wichita's Russ Morman has been particularly impressive.  Morman is tied for the league lead in hitting and OBP, and is in the top 10 in virtually every other offensive category.  Even so, Morman is only one standout among many fine hitting performances.   Furthermore, the starting rotation has been solid top to bottom, with #4 starter Stan Brown (12-3, 4.16) actually leading the league in wins, and closer Greg LaFever (0.42, 16 SV) continuing to be virtually unhittable.


College Greats League Standings

Year      Team                     W    L    PCT   GB   L10   
1982      Wichita State Shockers   49   17   .742  -    9-1   
1989      Texas A&M Aggies         42   24   .636  7.0  8-2   
1997      LSU Tigers               35   31   .530  14.0 3-7   
1967      Arizona State Sun Devils 33   33   .500  16.0 1-9   
2001      Miami Hurricanes         32   34   .485  17.0 5-5   
1995      Cal State Fullerton Titan31   35   .470  18.0 3-7   
1971      USC Trojans              29   37   .439  20.0 6-4   
1983      Texas Longhorns          29   37   .439  20.0 5-5   
1985      Miss State Bulldogs      27   39   .409  22.0 6-4   
1985      Oklahoma State Cowboys   23   43   .348  26.0 4-6

League Leaders in Batting

**AVE**
Last           First     Team                     AVE  
Dascenzo       Doug      Oklahoma State Cowboys   .321 
Morman         Russ      Wichita State Shockers   .321 
Knoblauch      Chuck     Texas A&M Aggies         .311 
Kotsay         Mark      Cal State Fullerton Titan.310 
Byington       John      Texas A&M Aggies         .310 
Stephenson     Phil      Wichita State Shockers   .307 
Hibbs          Loren     Wichita State Shockers   .305 
Thompson       Kirk      Texas A&M Aggies         .304 
Furniss        Eddy      LSU Tigers               .300 
Gaskell        Tim       Wichita State Shockers   .300 

**OBP**
Last           First     Team                     OBP  
Dascenzo       Doug      Oklahoma State Cowboys   .422 
Morman         Russ      Wichita State Shockers   .422 
Stephenson     Phil      Wichita State Shockers   .414 
Clark          Will      Miss State Bulldogs      .400 
Furniss        Eddy      LSU Tigers               .397 
Knoblauch      Chuck     Texas A&M Aggies         .393 
Day            Mike      Oklahoma State Cowboys   .392 
Hibbs          Loren     Wichita State Shockers   .392 
Byington       John      Texas A&M Aggies         .388 
Lucas          Dave      Wichita State Shockers   .383 

**HR**
Last           First     Team                     HR  
Incaviglia     Pete      Oklahoma State Cowboys   16  
Larson         Brandon   LSU Tigers               15  
Davis          Wes       LSU Tigers               13  
O'Brien        Charlie   Wichita State Shockers   13  
Koerner        Mike      LSU Tigers               12  
Clark          Will      Miss State Bulldogs      11  
Morman         Russ      Wichita State Shockers   11  
Mitchell       John      Miss State Bulldogs      10  
Bernhardt      Tom       LSU Tigers               10  
Taylor         Terry     Texas A&M Aggies         10  

**RBI**
Last           First     Team                     RBI 
Byington       John      Texas A&M Aggies         65  
O'Brien        Charlie   Wichita State Shockers   64  
Incaviglia     Pete      Oklahoma State Cowboys   56  
Stephenson     Phil      Wichita State Shockers   55  
Morman         Russ      Wichita State Shockers   51  
Thomas         Jim       Wichita State Shockers   46  
Fraser         Joe       Cal State Fullerton Titan42  
Kotsay         Mark      Cal State Fullerton Titan41  
Larson         Brandon   LSU Tigers               40  
Smith          Billy     Oklahoma State Cowboys   40  

**SB**
Last           First     Team                     SB  
Hibbs          Loren     Wichita State Shockers   62  
Rodriguez      Mike      Miami Hurricanes         57  
Stephenson     Phil      Wichita State Shockers   48  
Jimerson       Charlton  Miami Hurricanes         44  
Thomas         Jim       Wichita State Shockers   43  
Dascenzo       Doug      Oklahoma State Cowboys   40  
Rodriguez      Javy      Miami Hurricanes         36  
Morman         Russ      Wichita State Shockers   27  
Thompson       Kirk      Texas A&M Aggies         25  
Nelson         Fred      Arizona State Sun Devils 24  

**Max Hit Streak**
Last           First     Team                     STRK
VanCleve       Dan       Miss State Bulldogs      21  
Knoblauch      Chuck     Texas A&M Aggies         17  
Tolentino      Jose      Texas Longhorns          15  
Stephenson     Phil      Wichita State Shockers   14  
Koerner        Mike      LSU Tigers               13  
Jimerson       Charlton  Miami Hurricanes         13  
Hibbs          Loren     Wichita State Shockers   13  
Taylor         Terry     Texas A&M Aggies         13  
Thiesen        Gator     Miss State Bulldogs      12  
Loyd           Brian     Cal State Fullerton Titan12 

League Leaders in Pitching

**ERA**
Last           First     Team                     ERA  
Coffin         Tim       USC Trojans              0.81 
Sheffield      Chris     Miami Hurricanes         1.60 
Busby          Steve     USC Trojans              1.61 
Sonberg        Erik      Wichita State Shockers   1.70 
Pentland       Jeff      Arizona State Sun Devils 1.91 
Schiraldi      Calvin    Texas Longhorns          2.04 
Gentry         Gary      Arizona State Sun Devils 2.06 
Sogge          Mark      USC Trojans              2.14 
Brantley       Jeff      Miss State Bulldogs      2.16 
Clemens        Roger     Texas Longhorns          2.31 

**SO/9**
Last           First     Team                     SO/9 
Coffin         Tim       USC Trojans              14.5 
Sheffield      Chris     Miami Hurricanes         11.7 
Thompson       Doug      LSU Tigers               11.6 
Gentry         Gary      Arizona State Sun Devils 10.9 
Burgess        Tom       Arizona State Sun Devils 10.6 
Debold         Luke      Miami Hurricanes         10.4 
Oelkers        Bryan     Wichita State Shockers   10.0 
Sonberg        Erik      Wichita State Shockers   9.7  
Pentland       Jeff      Arizona State Sun Devils 8.9  
Coogan         Patrick   LSU Tigers               8.6  

**BB/9**
Last           First     Team                     BB/9 
Clemens        Roger     Texas Longhorns          0.8  
Debold         Luke      Miami Hurricanes         0.9  
Silva          Ted       Cal State Fullerton Titan1.1  
Sogge          Mark      USC Trojans              1.7  
Sweet          Pat       Texas A&M Aggies         2.0  
Farmer         Tom       Miami Hurricanes         2.1  
Pentland       Jeff      Arizona State Sun Devils 2.1  
Bengochea      Kiki      Miami Hurricanes         2.2  
Morgan         Gene      Miss State Bulldogs      2.4  
Brantley       Jeff      Miss State Bulldogs      2.4  

**W**
Last           First     Team                     W   
Brown          Stan      Wichita State Shockers   12  
Pentland       Jeff      Arizona State Sun Devils 11  
Gentry         Gary      Arizona State Sun Devils 11  
Oelkers        Bryan     Wichita State Shockers   11  
Brantley       Jeff      Miss State Bulldogs      10  
Debold         Luke      Miami Hurricanes         9   
Busby          Steve     USC Trojans              9   
Coffin         Tim       USC Trojans              9   
Capel          Mike      Texas Longhorns          9   
Morgan         Gene      Miss State Bulldogs      8   

**SV**
Last           First     Team                     SV  
Huguet         George    Miami Hurricanes         16  
LaFever        Greg      Wichita State Shockers   16  
George         Jim       USC Trojans              15  
Killingsworth  Kirk      Texas Longhorns          13  
Centala        Scott     Texas A&M Aggies         13  
Dillon         Tom       Cal State Fullerton Titan11  
Demouy         Chris     LSU Tigers               11  
Dillard        Gordie    Oklahoma State Cowboys   11  
Hild           Scott     Cal State Fullerton Titan6   
Brown          Stan      Wichita State Shockers   6