SADDLEBACK COLLEGE 2008 GAME RECAPS CLICK HERE

2008 SEASON PHOTOS AND SUMMARY CLICK HERE

Gauchos Conclude Season With Tough Loss To Fullerton College 13-11

The 2008 season came to an end Friday, May 2, as the visiting Fullerton College Hornets defeated the Gauchos 13-11.  The loss prevented Saddleback from entering the Southern California playoffs (the Gauchos have been to the playoffs 14 times in the past 19 seasons under Coach Hodges), as 2007 defending State Champion Riverside College and Saddleback tied for fifth in the always tough Orange Empire Conference.  Riverside won the season series between the two schools and therefore entered the playoffs as the conference’s fifth place team.

Saddleback finished the season 23-21, which marks the 16th straight season with a winning record. 

Offensively, Saddleback outhit their opponents with a team batting average of .303 to .276.  This is the 17th straight season the Gauchos have hit over .300 as a team.  Along the way, the team averaged seven runs and eleven hits per game, outscoring their opponents 305 runs to 247, and collecting 475 hits to the opponent’s 412.  Mike Cole led all hitters with a .408 average, amassing 73 hits in 44 games, including 16 doubles and two home runs.  Colin Rooney was a close second, hitting .371 overall (with 43 RBIs) and .415 in  the  conference.   Other Starters  hitting over .300 for the year included Max  Kirk (.344),  Chad Richardson (.342--and a team leading eight home runs and 44 RBIs), Brandon Loftus (.329) and Erik Mura (.310).  Starting catcher Max Burnett was close at .295.  Leadoff hitter Loftus had an amazing season in which he broke the school record for being hit-by-pitches (28) while  walking 19 times and stealing 24 bases.  He also led the team in runs scored with 48.

The pitching staff also had a commendable year with a 4.02 ERA compared to their opponent’s 5.60 ERA.  Robbie Ross led all pitchers with six wins, 21 appearances, 13 starts, and 90.2 innings pitched.  He had a very respectable 3.33 ERA.  Josh Brayley also pitched in 21 games, won four, pitched 52 innings with a team leading 63 strikeouts, and,  had a 3.96 ERA.  Opponents hit only .212 against him.  Zac Johnston won four games while appearing in 19.  He pitched 58 innings while striking out 42.  Following closely in appearances--Rich Kemp (18), Drew Jacobson (17 and three wins), Ryan Aguera (16 with two wins), James Condon (14 and two wins), and Joe Richardson (11).  The Gaucho staff threw one of only four shutouts in the Orange Empire Conference--a 15-0 victory over Golden West.

Pitcher Robbie Ross, Outfielder Mike Cole, and Infielder Colin Rooney were named to the Orange Empire All Conference team.

Gauchos Split With West LA ; Hodges Records 500th Win

Saddleback traveled to West Los Angeles College on Saturday, losing the first game of the doubleheader 5-4 and winning the nightcap 12-1. The host Oilers scored four runs in the seventh to tie the game, and scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a bases loaded single through the left side of the infield. Gaucho starter James Condon pitched the first five innings, allowing no runs on just four hits while striking out four. Chad Richardson hit a tape-measure home run for the Gauchos in the sixth. Richardson collected three hits. Erik Mura added two hits.

In the second game, the Gauchos gave head coach Jack Hodges his 500th victory at Saddleback College, and his 840th career win. Hodges' 19 year record at Saddleback now stands at 500-292, and overall he is 840-452 in his 39 year career. Saddleback scored early and often in a 12-1 victory, leading 5-0 after four innings highlighted by a two-run double off the bat of Mike Cole. Cole also drilled a 400 ft. home run in the seventh inning. He was 4 for 4 in the game with four RBIs. Catcher Mike D'Alessio also homered for the Gauchos.

Starting pitcher Robbie Ross pitched seven innings, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out five. Zac Johnston closed out the game, striking out the side in both the eighth and ninth innings.

Rob Johnson Called Up To Mariners Big League Squad

Former Saddleback College standout Rob Johnson was added to the Seattle Mariner’s big league roster in early September when the clubs were able to expand their rosters from 25 to 40 players.
Johnson was batting .268 with 40 RBI in 112 games for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers before being called up. He played in six games with the Mariners during September, getting his first hit on September 26 against Cleveland in the first game of a doubleheader. He scored his first run in the second game of that doubleheader.
He played at Saddleback during the 2002 and 2003 seasons before continuing his education and career at the University of Houston. He was drafted in the fourth round by the Mariners and has been in the organization ever since.
While at Saddleback he earned the Orange Empire Conference Player of the Year award in 2003 along with the Southern California Big Stick Award for the top hitter in the region. He also went on to earn All-American honors.