June 1, 2004

FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State sophomore outfielder Richie Robnett was named WAC Player of the Year to highlight a list of eight Bulldogs who garnered all-conference honors announced Tuesday. Robnett, senior second baseman Ryan Haag, freshman third baseman Christian Vitters and junior designated hitter David Gomez were first-team selections while senior catcher Brandon Marcelli, senior shortstop Chris Patrcik, freshman outfielder Nick Moresi and sophomore righthander Matt Garza were second-team honorees.

Robnett hit .460 with 52 hits, 31 RBI, 14 doubles, nine home runs, 95 total bases and 31 runs scored in 29 conference games. The first-team All-WAC selection led the league in batting average, hits, doubles, total bases, slugging percentage (.841) and on-base percentage (.533). Robnett also led the WAC in overall batting average (.384), slugging percentage (.699), doubles (27), total bases (160), stolen bases (21) and was second in hits (88) and third in home runs (13). His single season doubles total ranks second in school history while he became the first Bulldog since Steve Hosey in 1988 to record at least 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases. Robnett is the second Bulldog to earn WAC Player of the Year honors with Josh Labandeira accomplishing the feat in 2001.

Haag tallied a conference-best 90 hits for the season and finished the year with a 16-game hitting streak. The Newhall, Calif., was also among the WAC leaders in several offensive categories in conference play ranking first in stolen bases (16), second in runs scored (34), fourth in doubles (11), tied for third in hits (48). A second-team All-WAC honoree last year, Haag started all 117 games over his two seasons in a Bulldog uniform.

Last week's WAC Player of the Week, Vitters hit a game-winning three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night against Nevada. The Anaheim, Calif., native was ninth in league games in slugging percentage (.553) and tied for fifth in home runs (6) while starting all 58 of Fresno State's games. Gomez hit .329 with 23 hits and eight doubles in conference play.

Marcelli was third in the WAC with a .404 batting average and a .667 slugging percentage in conference play and was tied for the league lead with four triples. A three-time all-conference honoree, Patrick established career highs in several offensive categories including hits (74), doubles (16), triples (2), RBI (42) and batting average (.341). Patrick was third in WAC play in doubles (12), seventh in batting average (.364), tied for seventh in hits (43) and tied for eighth in on base percentage (.425). Moresi was sixth in conference games with six home runs while batting .310 with 35 hits and six outfield assists. The team leader in wins (6) and saves (5), Garza was sixth in the league with a 4.15 ERA in WAC games, seventh in opponents batting average (.269), tied for fourth in wins (4) and tenth in strikeouts (42).

Conference champion Rice and Fresno State led all teams with four players each on the first team while the Bulldogs and Hawai'i paced the league with four players each on the second team. Fresno State led the WAC with eight all-conference selections. Rice's Wade Townsend was voted the WAC Pitcher of the year, Owls' second baseman Josh Rodriguez was selected the conference's Freshman of the Year and Hawaii's Mike Trapasso was named Coach of the Year.

Winners of five straight and nine of its last 11 games, Fresno State wrapped up the season with a 29-29 overall record and finished second in the WAC with a 17-12 mark.