Gevas Named 2003 CCAA Baseball Most Valuable Player of Year
Senior outfielder Joe Gevas earns top honor; five others named to All-CCAA team
May 8, 2003

Cal State Dominguez Hills outfielder Joe Gevas named the 2003 California Collegiate Athletic Association Baseball Most Valuable Player of the Year (File photo)

CARSON, Calif.--Cal State Dominguez Hills outfielder Joe Gevas has been named the 2003 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Baseball Most Valuable Player of the Year, as selected by the league head coaches. He is the first Toro CCAA Baseball MVP since first baseman Darrell Conner garnered the top player award in 1991.

Gevas, a senior from Vallejo, CA, led the Toros to a 29-26 record this year while leading the CCAA in home runs with 19. That mark established a new season home run record breaking a 25-year school mark for home runs in a season of 12 set by Ed Packard in 1978. Gevas also finished second in runs scored (51) and runs batted in (54) and fourth in batting average (.363).

A four-year starter, Gevas finishes his career at CSUDH holding several career offensive records, including: hits (253), highest batting average (.345); doubles (47); runs (169); slugging percentage (.557) and total bases (409). Gevas' season records include: home runs (19); slugging percentage (.716) and total bases (146).

"Joe is the best pure hitter I have ever had the opportunity to coach," says head coach George Wing. "He uses the entire field in hitting for average and power. Joe is so disciplined at the plate and is one of the best clutch hitters I have seen in my 16 years at Cal State Dominguez Hills. But even more importantly, he is one of the finest individuals I have ever had the privilege of coaching."

Five other players were selected to the 2003 All-CCAA Team. Pitcher Larry Robles (Mary Star of the Sea HS), third baseman Ruben Salazar (St. John Bosco HS) and utility player Tony Marquez (Roseville HS) were selected to the second team.

Robles, a junior from San Pedro, led the CCAA in strikeouts with 99 and finished with a 6-2 record and 3.61 ERA. Robles led the Toro staff in innings pitched (89.2) and complete games (4).

Salazar, a sophomore from Lynwood, had a brilliant first year in a Toros uniform. He ranked second in the CCAA in hitting and led the Toros with a .379 average. He also set the new school record for doubles in a season (25) and hits (83) while knocking in 48 runs.

Marquez, a senior from Roseville, earned all-CCAA honors for the second straight year. This season he hit .335 with 10 home runs and 42 runs driven in while playing three different infield positions.

Pitcher Brian Cortes (Century HS) and second baseman David Keesee were also honored by being named to the All-CCAA Honorable Mention list.

Cortes, a senior from Santa Ana, was a four-year letterwinner and finished the season with a staff-best 3.39 ERA. He was 6-3 on the year in 11 starts and 17 appearances spanning 82.1 innings. Cortes completes his CSUDH career as the all-time career saves leader (29) and owns the record for saves in a season (16). He also appeared in more games on the mound than any other pitcher in Toro history (93).

Keesee, a senior from Saugus, was solid at second with a .314 batting average and was second on the roster with 18 doubles. He also hit four home runs and drove in 35 while compiling a .970 fielding percentage.