Nov. 14

Lineup Card

Lineup Card is a feature highlighting notes from around college baseball.

November 8-14, 2010

Garrett Wittels will carry his 56-game hit streak into the 2011 season and ESPN will televise FIU’s first weekend series against Southeastern Louisiana at FIU Baseball Stadium. Wittels is chasing Robin Ventura’s 24-year-old-record 58-game hit streak. Friday’s game will be at 7 p.m. and Saturday’s contest will start at 1 p.m., with both contests on ESPN3. Sunday’s potential record-breaker will be televised on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m.

Jose Behar went 3 for 5 with a double, one run, three RBI and a steal as FIU defeated Lynn 12-0 this past Thursday in exhibition play. Sophomore Rudy Flores added two singles and a stolen base for the Fighting Knights. R.J. Fondon allowed one hit and one walk in three innings with four strikeouts to earn the win.

Old Dominion retired Justin Verlander’s jersey this past Friday during its men’s basketball game with Georgetown. Verlander is the first baseball player in ODU history to have his jersey retired. Verlander notched 21 wins from 2002-04 and fanned 427 in 335.2 innings, the strikeout king in ODU, the Colonial Athletic Association and the Commonwealth of Virginia history. His No. 35 will be placed on the outfield fence at the Bud Metheny Complex this spring. Photo (left to right): current ODU head coach Nate Goulet, ODU President John Boderick, Tony Guzzo (Verlander’s coach at ODU), Verlander, AD Dr. Wood Selig, Assistant Vice President Mark Benson, Big Blue mascot.

Houston recognized its 2000 team Saturday evening during its Homecoming football game against Tulsa. The team set a school record with 48 wins, finishing No. 11 in the final polls and having 11 players taken in the MLB draft. The Cougars won their second straight Conference USA regular-season title and the team’s second C-USA tourney title. The Cougars won the Houston Regional, but lost to San Jose State in the Houston Super Regional.

Former Pepperdine and Major League infielder Rob Picciolo has been named bench coach for the Los Angeles Angels. Picciolo, 57, has been a roving infield coordinator with the Angels since 2006. He played nine seasons in the big leagues with Oakland, Milwaukee and California. Picciolo played for the Waves in 1974 and was a first-round pick of Oakland in 1975.

Georgia State head coach Greg Frady was named the European Baseball Coach of the Year for his work leading the German National Team, which finished third at the European Championship. It was the best finish for the Germans and their first medal in the history of the championships.

Western Carolina played the first two games of its Fall World Series this past Thursday and Sunday. Game 3 will be on Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 4:30 p.m. at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium.

UNLV had the opener of its two-game fall Scarlet and Black World Series this past Friday. The second contest will be on Friday, Nov. 19, at 10 a.m. at Wilson Stadium.

Former Long Beach State standout Troy Tulowitzki won his first Gold Glove as a shortstop for the Colorado Rockies. He led all NL shortstops with a fielding percentage of .984 as well as 103 double plays.

Duke volunteered for two games with the Miracle League of the Triangle last week. They served as buddies for the special needs children playing baseball. The Blue Devils have worked with the Miracle League of the Triangle for the past three years. click here for photo gallery

Former Long Beach State star Evan Longoria won his second American League Gold Glove. The third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays earned the same honor a season ago. He led AL third sackers with 43 double plays and was second with 302 assists and a fielding percentage of .970. Longoria is the first former Dirtbag to win a Gold Glove.

Former UCLA players Torey Lovullo and Dave Roberts have been added to major league coaching staffs. Both will be first base coaches, Lovullo with the Toronto Blue Jays and Roberts with the San Diego Padres. Lovullo played with the Bruins from 1984-87, batting .311 with 51 homers and 188 RBI. He played eight seasons in the big leagues. Lovullo has been a Triple-A manager the past five years, with the Pawtucket Red Sox this past season. Roberts was with UCLA from 1991-94, posting a batting average of .325 with 35 doubles, 10 triples, 82 RBI and a school-record 109 steals. He spent 10 years in the major leagues and was a special assistant to the Padres in 2010.

Former LSU standout Ryan Theriot will host his first Celebrity Golf Classic on Friday at Carter Plantation in Springfield, La., to raise awareness and funds for the National Wildlife Federation’s Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund, the Autism Society of America Greater Baton Rouge Chapter and Fore! Kids Foundation. Expected to attend are Mike Fontenot, Reid Brignac, Will Clark, Todd Walker, Jonathan Lucroy, Paul Bako, Josh Reed and Paul Wall.

Pepperdine played the first two games of its Blue and Orange World Series this past weekend. Game 3 is Wednesday, with Game 4 Saturday and Game 5 Sunday. Each contest begins at 1 p.m. with free admission.

This past weekend, Grambling State recognized its 1985 championship baseball team during Homecoming. Until this past spring, it had been 25 years since the Tigers claimed the SWAC crown. The 1985 squad made it three straight titles, as Grambling State also won in 1983 and 1984.

(photo courtesy of ODU Media Relations Office)