Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, Aprils, imt2
The Red and Black
Page 7
Fuentes’ bat proves number 13 not unlucky
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Fuentes leads the Dogs in batting average, KBls and doubles
By BRIAN R, MOERSCH
H«l and Black suit Writer
Most people think the
number 13 is unlucky. But
for the Georgia baseball
team, this old superstition
has been anything but true.
You see, this is the jersey
number of outfielder Rick
Fuentes, a sophomore
transfer who has already
proven himself one of the
most deadly hitters in the
Southeastern Conference.
Fuentes grew up in Fort
Lauderdale, Fla., and has
been playing baseball since
he was 7 years old. He
played high school ball at
Stranahan High School in
Broward County, Fla., a
region and school with a
strong tradition of producing
quality baseball players.
As an aspiring shortstop,
Fuentes fought his way into
the starting lineup as a high
school sophomore after the
regular shortstop was in
jured. He took full ad
vantage of the opportunity
and remained a fixture in the
lineup for the rest of his
high school career.
As a senior, Fuentes en
joyed a banner season and
established himself as one of
the best prospects in
Florida. He broke a 12-year
Stranahan record with a
county-leading 468 average
and was named all-state and
all-city.
Consequently, Fuentes
was recruited by a number
of colleges and junior
colleges. He was offered
scholarships to Florida
State, Cornell and other Ivy
League schools. The decision
weighed heavily on Fuentes'
mind for quite some time.
"I had a tough decision to
make out of high school,"
Fuentes said. “It came down
to choosing between the ex
posure of playing at a junior
college or a good education
It was tough because the
Comeback Dogs edge Shorter 11-10
By BRIAN R. MOERSCH
llrd anil Black Stall Writer
Georgia second baseman
Jeff Treadway lined his fifth
single of the game into
center field in the eleventh
inning Wednesday to score
John Basco from third and
give the Dogs a come-from-
behind 11-10 victory over
Shorter College. It was the
Dogs fourth consecutive win
and boosted their season
record to 14-13.
The Dog's rally in the
eleventh was not the climax
of the game, however, as the
Dogs scored five runs in the
bottom of the ninth to tie the
game at 10-10. This marked
the fourth straight game
Georgia has come from
behind and scored four or
more runs in the last inning.
Trailing 10-5, the Dogs'
Glenn Davis opened the
ninth with a walk Another
walk and a single by Jeff
LeKiger loaded the bases.
David Jackson, who extend
ed his hitting streak to 25
games, followed with a
single to score two Georgia
runs and make the score
10-7. Basco then hit a
sacrifice fly to make it 10-8.
After a ground out, Rick
Fuentes hit a double to left
center to score Mike Wirth.
Treadway then singled to tie
the score.
“Things have been going
good for us," Treadway said
after the game, "and that's
just another one. We've been
just thinking a little more
and keeping our composure
And when we do that, we
have the potential to win any
ball game we’re in.”
Tim Reker started the
game for the Dogs, but was
lifted in the fourth after
Shorter had gone ahead 5-3.
Craig Kizer then came on in
relief and pitched flawlessly
for seven and one-third inn
ings to get credit for the win.
Kizer improved his record to
2-1 for the season. His per
formance was the key to the
game.
“Kizer’s ability to shut
them down was the key to
the game because that allow
ed us to have a comeback,”
Webber said. “We hit the
ball hard all day. we just
couldn't get anything to
drop."
The Dogs jumped to a 2-0
lead in the first inning on
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idea of that super education
was always there, but I just
decided that what I really
wanted to do was play ball "
Fuentes eventually went to
Broward Community Col
lege after being redshirted
his first collegiate season at
Miami-Dade South junior
college.
Last year at Broward, he
proved he could play with
the best junior college
players in the country He hit
385, with 12 doubles, 4
tripies, 6 homers, 17 Stolen
bases and 33 RBIs.
“I was pleased with last
season," Fuentes said "I
was second in the lineup
behind Jeff (Georgia short
stop Jeff LeRiger) and we
got a lot done there We had
a record of 42-20 and we were
successful."
Fuentes was then forced to
make another decision: to
stay at Broward another
season and try to get
The transition from junior
college to Georgia has not
given Fuentes much trouble
this season. He is still among
the leading hitters in the
SEC with a .402 batting
average, and leads the Dogs
in hits, RBIs. doubles and
total bases
“The only thing I can see
different is that all the SEC
teams are loaded with hit
ters," Fuentes said.
"Whereas down at home, the
teams are real strong pit
ching wise. Down there you
would get a team with four,
five, maybe six good pit
chers But up here a team
has two or three at the
most."
The only problem for
Georgia with all Fuentes’
success this season is that he
might skip next year and try
to make it in the professional
ranks. He turns 21 in a few
months and will be eligible
for the June amateur draft.
I get a substantial offer,
there's no way I can turn it
down."
Fuentes is a confident, not
cocky, young man who
knows what he wants. Based
on his performances so far
this season, it's almost cer
tain he will be drafted in
June. Assistant Coach Dan
Radison said Fuentes has
everything it takes to make
it in the majors.
“I think you have to draft a
player like that," Radison
said. "He's got all the tools
— he's a good runner, he's
probably the strongest kid
we have here and he’s one of
the most intelligent young
athletes I've seen around
here in a long time. He's just
a solid player."
But for now, all the
thoughts of the draft and a
pro career have been set
aside until after the season.
Fuentes said this year's
team still has a good chance
of finishing high in the divi
sion.
“Were going to come
around,” Fuentes said, “and
I think the two wins against
Kentucky showed us what
We're made of. We need to be
a little more intense and go
out and know we can win."
Fuentes sees lack of con
fidence and leadership as the
two main problems with the
team.
"We need pitchers who
can start with confidence,"
he said. “We’ve got the arms
out there to win with, but
they just don't have any con
fidence. What we really
need, is for someone to come
forward and take a leader
ship role We haven't had
anyone do that yet. We don’t
have that this year and
every team needs that."
college. stay at Georgia for another
"I had offers from Vander- season, but he will have to
bilt, Purdue and Southern 11- wait and see what happens,
linois. But when I came up "I'd have to see how high,
here to visit and I talked to if at all, 1 get drafted,” he
coaches Radison and Web- said. "II would depend on
ber, I just decided this would what kind of money is involv-
be a good place for me to ed. I'd really like to come
come. I liked what they are back here next season and
trying to do here, which is to play another year. I see what
build a program, and Coach Coach Webber is trying to do
Webber is very dedicated to here and I think we'll have a
this goal." winner here in a year But if
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Belue's double and took a 3-1
lead after three But Shorter
exploded for four runs in
both the fifth and sixth to go
ahead 9-4. Shorter had 14 hits
in the game.
“The thing about baseball,
like I said four games ago, is
there’s no time clock and
they've got to get you out 27
times before the game is
over," Webber said.
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