Stonecipher transfers to Grossmont CC

Freshman Sequoyah Stonecipher was one reason Baseball America rated USD's 2007 recruiting class the best in the nation.

But Stonecipher is playing the outfield this season for Grossmont College, not the Toreros. The Mission Bay High graduate left USD and enrolled at Grossmont during the semester break.

USD coach Rich Hill did not give a reason for Stonecipher's transfer, saying only: "He is no longer a part of the USD baseball team and we can't comment on the specifics of his departure."

Stonecipher participated in USD's fall series against Long Beach State and would not have been eligible to play this season at another Division I school. Playing for a junior college team does make him eligible for the 2008 draft.

USD picked to repeat in WCC

West Coast Conference coaches made USD a unanimous pick to defend its WCC championship in a poll released today by the conference.

The Toreros received all seven first-place votes in the poll. Pepperdine was picked for second place, followed by Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, Gonzaga, USF, Portland and Saint Mary's.

USD won the WCC's regular season title in 2007, giving the Toreros the home field advantage in the WCC Championship Series. USD defeated Gonzaga in the series to earn the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

USD pitching staff receives high praise

Junior left-handers Brian Matusz and Josh Romanski and senior right-hander Matt Couch give USD a formidable starting rotation. Sophomore right-hander A.J. Griffin is a quality closer. In between is a group of highly-regarded newcomers and veterans.

Just how good is the Toreros' staff from top to bottom?

Asked who they regarded as the nation's top pitching staff coming into the season, Baseball America's Aaron Fitt wrote in a Jan. 4 chat:

"John Manuel and I debated Arizona's pitching staff vs. San Diego's yesterday, and we both settled on the Toreros ... but it's close."

Here's a link to the entire chat:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/chat/2008/265386.html

Season opens with City Rivalry

San Diego State and USD kick off the 2008 season with a four-game series against each other.

Here's the schedule:

Friday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium
Saturday, Feb. 23, double-header
1 p.m. at Cunningham Stadium
7 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium
Sunday, Feb. 24, 1 p.m. at Cunningham Stadium