June 9 , 2004
Five Dons Selected in 2004 Major League Baseball Draft; Blue Jays Select Cooper In 17th Round

SANTA ANA, CA - On Monday (June 7), freshman pitcher Michael Cooper became the first of five Santa Ana College (SAC) baseball players to be selected in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft when the Toronto Blue Jays nabbed him in the 17th round with the 507th overall pick.

The former Tustin High School-product appeared in
16 games for the Dons and was 4-0 with a 2.41 ERA in 33 2/3-innings of work. Cooper, who struck out 37 and walked just 12, won both of the games he started against San Diego Mesa (10-5) and Cerritos (10-6). He led the team with his 2.41 ERA and was second on the team in walks allowed (12); third in games pitched (16) and wins (4); fourth in strike outs (37); and fifth in innings pitched (33 2/3).

Sophomore outfielder Chad Gabriel was the second Don to be drafted when the St. Louis Cardinals selected him with the final pick (600th) of the 20th round. Gabriel, who was a second team all-Orange Empire Conference (OEC), played in 37 of the Dons' 38 games and finished sixth on the team in batting with a .366 average. The Valley Christian High School-product was second on the team in plate appearances (153), triples (2), home runs (8) and RBI (49); third in hits (56); and fifth in doubles (8) and runs scored (38). Gabriel also collected 11 walks and was 7-for-11 in stolen base opportunities.

Like Cooper, freshman first baseman Jacob Vasquez also became a product of the Toronto Blue Jays when they selected with the 1197th overall pick in the 40th round. The first team all-OEC selection played in all of Santa Ana's 38 games and led the team in RBI (58) and walks (19); and was second in batting average (.396), hits (59), doubles (13), home runs (8), slugging percentage (.644) and on-base percentage (.483); third in at bats (149); and fourth in runs scored (43). Vasquez was also named to the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association (CCCBCA) 2004 All-America Team as a designated hitter.

Trevor Mortensen, the OEC Player of the Year, was the fourth Santa Ana player to be chosen when the Cleveland Indians took him with the 1275th pick in the 43rd round. The sophomore outfielder led the Dons in 10 offensive categories including batting average (.503), at bats (155), runs scored (73), hits (78), doubles (15), home runs (13), total bases (136), slugging percentage (.877), on-base percentage (.577) and stolen bases (18). Mortensen was also second on the team in triples (2) and walks (17), and third in RBI (45) and hit by pitch (10). The former Don Lugo High School-product was named to the CCCBCA all-America team and received the organization's Southern California Big Stick Award.

Reserve shortstop Jose Chavez was the final Don to be drafted as the Cleveland Indians made him their 49th round selection (1448th). The freshman infielder batted .222 (4-for-18) in 15 games with a double, home run and five runs scored.

May 11, 2004
Santa Ana's Mortensen, Sneddon Earn
Orange Empire Conference Top Honors

SANTA ANA, CA - On Tuesday, the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) baseball coaches named Santa Ana College's Trevor Mortensen (Don Lugo HS) the OEC Player of the Year and head coach Don Sneddon OEC co-Coach of the Year after they lead the Dons to their 16th conference title.

Sneddon was named co-Coach of the Year along with Golden West College's Bert Villarreal.

Mortensen, who led the conference in 7 of the 11 offensive categories, was one of 10 Santa Ana players honored on either the OEC first or second teams. The sophomore lead the OEC in batting average (.489), hits (45), runs (39), home runs (10), RBI (30), slugging percentage (.902) and stolen bases (9). Overall the Don Lugo High School-product batted .500 (73-of-146) with 44 RBI and 67 runs scored. Of his 73 hits, 28 went for extra bases including a team-high 13 home runs.

Joining Mortensen on the first team were catcher Albert Zerega (So., Long Beach Polytechnic HS), shortstop Jose Castanon (So., Woodrow Wilson HS) and third baseman Matt Morris (Fr., El Modena HS) and utility player Jacob Vasquez (Fr., Diamond Bar HS).

Zerega batted .352 (25-of-71) in conference play while handing the catching duties for Santa Ana. The sophomore finished second in the conference in walks with 15. He also

scored 17 runs.

Castanon, who started at shortstop in every game for the Dons, batted .402 (37-of-92) in league action. The middle infielder drove in 21 RBI while finishing fourth in runs scored with 27.

Morris, the Don's third baseball, was one of six freshmen to be named to the OEC first team. He tied for 12th in league batting (.377), was second in triples (4) and finished third in runs scored (28) and stolen bases (7).

Vasquez, who split time between first base and designated hitter, tied for the league lead in RBI (30) along with teammate Trevor Mortensen. The freshman from Diamond Bar batted .364 (32-of-88) against OEC opponents and scored 17 runs. He also leads the team in RBI with 56 and is second with eight home runs (including three grand slams).

Five Dons were honored on the conference's second team including three pitchers in Kyle Christensen (So., Calvary Chapel HS), John Tundis (So., Damien HS) and Pedro Parra (So., Garfield HS). Outfielders Chad Gabriel (So. Valley Christian HS) and C.J. Rice (Fr., El Dorado HS) round out those receiving second team honors.

For a complete list of the all-OEC teams click here.

Contact the coach directly at sneddon_don@rsccd.org