Nine Pirates march onward

Nine players from Orange Coast College’s baseball team that reached

last season’s state final four have signed national letters of intent

with four-year colleges, head coach John Altobelli announced.

Right-handed freshman Daniel Cooper, a Costa Mesa High product who

led the Pirates with an 8-3 record in 21 appearances, received a

scholarship offer from Rice University, the 2003 NCAA Division I

national champion. Cooper finished last season with a 3.25 ERA and

team-leading 57 strikeouts.

Coast’s Robbie Blauer, Luke Beck and Ryan Clear also signed with

Division I schools.

Blauer, a first baseman, will attend UC Santa Barbara after

leading the Bucs with a .362 average and 71 hits to go with a .989

fielding percentage.

Beck, an outfielder and reliever, will head to Cal State

Northridge after earning first-team all-Southern California and

Orange Empire Conference Co-Player of the Year recognition He hit

.344 with seven home runs and tallied 40 RBIs. Beck posted a 2.42 ERA

with nine saves.

Clear went 5-4 last season and signed with the University of North

Carolina-Greensboro.

Left-hander Josh Gagne, catcher Josh Banda and Bobby Slater will

remain in Southern California. Gagne will head to Cal Lutheran in

Thousand Oaks while Banda signed with Cal Baptist. Slater will

compete for Biola.

Right-hander Shaun Busby signed with Cal State Monterey Bay while

left-hander Steven Johns continues his career at Chico State.

The Pirates return a pair of sluggers in designated hitter Stephen

Schneider and outfielder Matt Meadows to go with infielder Gary

Gattis. Schneider, drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 46th round

of Major League Baseball’s draft in June, hit .320 last season (56

hits in 175 at-bats) and led the team with 44 RBIs. He tied Banda for

the team lead with nine home runs.

The Pirates will also welcome back starting pitchers Kyle Hogue

and Keith Rizor with relievers Mark Haderlein and Justin Peterson.