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2003 Baseball
TITANS ’02: Was a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy after putting together a fabulous sophomore campaign • Finished in a tie for ninth in the nation with 12 saves • Fanned 81 batters in 55.2 innings for an average of 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings (that would have tied him for second nationally if he had qualified by pitching just 3.1 additional innings) • For the second consecutive season, he paced the Big West Conference in appearances (33) and saves • Named the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week for the period ending Feb. 24 after posting a 1-0 record with a pair of saves and a 1.29 ERA in three outings (fanned 10 and walked two in 7.0 innings) • Earned repeat honors on Apr. 22 after picking up wins over Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara and striking out 10 in 5.1 innings • Never walked more than two batters in an outing, hit just five batters and uncorked just two wild pitches • Went eight consecutive outings (10 innings) without allowing a run from Mar. 16 through Apr. 9 • Allowed just two homers • Five times, he picked up all of his outs in an appearance by way of strikeout • Pitched twice on the same day vs. Nevada (in the continuation of a suspended game and in the regularly scheduled contest) • He wasn’t always invincible: twice he blew consecutive save opporunities (vs. LMU on Mar. 13 and at Nevada on Mar. 15; and then vs. UC Riverside on May 12 and at USC on May 15), though the Titans rallied to win two of those games • Saved both wins in the Arizona State series and in the finale, he retired the Sun Devils’ No. 3,4 & 5 batters in the ninth with the tying runs on base • Notched his first win with 2.2 scoreless innings vs. LMU on Feb. 19, as the Titans rallied in the ninth for the win • Also fanned a career-high six in that outing • Struck out two in an inning of work for his first save at No. 1 Stanford on Feb. 3 • Against Fresno State on Feb. 8, he fanned the only batter he faced (who represented the tying run) on three pitches to preserve a 3-0 shutout. TITANS ’01: Developed into one of the best closers in the nation as a true freshman • Earned Baseball Weekly and Baseball America first-team freshman All-American honors and was also tabbed to the Collegiate Baseball freshman All-American team • Was one of just two freshmen (teammate Darric Merrell was the other) to earn first-team All-Big West Conference honors • Appeared in 38 games (first in the conference) and posted a 3-4 record, 14 saves and a 1.83 ERA • His ERA would have led the conference and been in the top 10 nationally, but he was 2.0 innings shy of qualifying • Broke the Big West Conference freshmen record for saves (previously held by former Fresno State standout Bobby Jones) and finished tied for third in the nation • Struck out 63 and walked just 12 in 64.0 innings and held opponents to a .189 batting average • Opponents had just 10 hits in 56 at-bats (.179) with runners in scoring position • Allowed just seven of 32 inherited baserunners to score (22 percent) and just three of his last 24 • From March 30 on, he was 2-2 with 13 saves and a 1.16 ERA in 24 appearances • Pitched 19.2 consecutive scoreless innings over one stretch • Walked more than one batter in just one appearance and had just two wild pitches • Named Big West co-Pitcher of the Week for April 16-22, when he pitched 4.1 scoreless innings in four games and picked up a win and a save vs. Cal State Northridge • Entered the first game of the Miami series with one out in the ninth and struck out the final two batters on six pitches • The following night, he worked two scoreless innings vs. the Hurricanes and earned a save • Recorded saves in three consecutive games (April 22-28) • Induced a game-ending line-out with the bases loaded vs. UC Santa Barbara on May 13, as the Titans averted a three-game home sweep • Pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in the season finale vs. Long Beach State and earned the win when the Titans rallied for nine runs in the eighth • Allowed no runs on just two hits in four innings of work in the NCAA Regional and also pitched two scoreless innings in the super regional vs. Mississippi State • Recorded the final outs in both the regional and super regional • Appeared in three of the Titans’ four CWS games, pitching well in the opener against Nebraska on June 8 (2.1 perfect innings for the save), but having mixed results vs. Stanford (he was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs in an inning on June 10, but pitched two innings of no-hit ball on June 13) • Batted 1.000 after picking up a hit against Miami when an injury forced the Titans’ to retool the line-up • Invited to try out for the 2001 USA National Team. DON LUGO H.S.: Picked up four varsity letters for Coach Joe Marcos at Don Lugo H.S. in Chino, Calif., where he was a pitcher and first baseman • Was a three-time All-Baseline League pick, including the league MVP his junior year • Also earned second-team All-CIF honors his junior campaign, when he went 9-1 with a 3.16 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 60.1 innings from the mound and batted .348 with three home runs and 18 RBI • Followed up with a 7-4 record, 2.71 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 62.2 innings his senior year, while batting .416 with four homers and 21 RBI • Was a two-time first-team All-Inland Valley pick by the Los Angeles Times • Most memorable highlight was striking out 14 batters in a CIF quarterfinal game against the third-seeded team in the division • Was a four-year honor student and scholar-athlete and was a Renaissance card holder. PERSONAL: Born on March 18, 1982, in Upland, Calif. • Parents are Edward and Patricia Cordero • Has two younger brothers (Matthew – a freshman at Fullerton – and Alan) and a younger sister (Ashley) • Majoring in kinesiology • Nickname is “Chief,” bestowed on him by former Titan pitcher Jon Smith • Was selected by San Diego in the 26th round of the 2000 MLB draft • Says his father and grandpa (George Encinas) have had the most influence on his career • Biggest sports thrill was making the USA National Team • Best player he’s competed against is Tulane’s Michael Aubrey (who was on Team USA with him last summer) • Says he’s better than anyone else at “downloading music”...but he’s never been able to beat anyone in a race • As a superstition, he keeps a note from his grandpa in the right pocket of his baseball pants • If he doesn’t make the majors, he’d like to be a high school coach and P.E. teacher • Favorites...Baltimore Orioles (team), Felix Rodriguez (player), pizza and onion dip (food), MTV’s Cribs (TV show), History of Rock and Roll (class).
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