By Jeff McAlpine, On-line Forty-Niner
May 15, 1997
Today marks the opening of the 1997 Big West Tournament and the Dirtbags have reason to be concerned.
The 49ers enter the tournament with a 34-19 record and a No. 1 seed in the Southern Division, but the team is not breathing easy as they prepare to go up against UC Santa Barbara tonight at 7 p.m.
The 49ers, to say the least, are struggling. After a hideous 6-8 start in February, the 49ers regained composure and went on a tear in March posting a record of 14-4, including a streak of nine consecutive wins.
But the month of May hasn't been as good to the 49ers. The team started out well by taking two out of three against UCSB (their first opponent in the tournament), but Cal Poly SLO dampened the Dirtbag's spirits by sweeping CSULB at Blair Field.
Coach Dave Snow will take no chances in Thursday night's 49er opener. Notorious for saving his best pitchers for later rounds, Snow won't roll the dice this time around.
Snow has opted to start 49er ace Marcus Jones in an attempt to give the team a needed early edge in the tournament. Jones has been stellar for the 49ers since recovering from control problems early in the season. He posted a team-leading nine wins and a respectable ERA of 4.12.
UCSB will start Brian Noyes (6-4, 6.77). Noyes pitched against the 49ers on May 2 and had a victory locked up, but shaky defense eventually cost him and the Gauchos the game.
UCSB is a decent hitting team with average depth on the mound. UCSB's major problem is defense. Among all tournament teams, only Pacific has committed more errors.