Behn leads new pitching era at FSU

April 12, 1994
Originally published by The Daily Collegian (Fresno State)

There are two things you can count on: the Dodgers and Giants will cut each other's throat in the pennant races every season and the Bulldog pitching staff will consistently mop things up.

Suddenly, the usually pitching-rich Bulldog baseball team faces uncertainties this season as FSU's hurlers have had to rebound from losing their entire starting rotating from 1993.

Gone are Steve Soderstrom, picked in the June draft by the Giants, Mike Salazar and Mark Cruise. Those three combined for 26 of FSU's 44 wins last season.

In are such names as Jared Fernandez, Tommy Minor and Brendan Behn. Behn, a freshman, has won over the coaching staff with his surprising poise and accuracy.

He has improved quickly in his rookie Bulldog season and FSU must look to their younger players to become even more solid if the Bulldogs are to avoid being on the beach come late May for the first time since 1987.

Going into 1994, only two of the Bulldog pitches had significant game experience and those two combined for a total of 145 innings in 1993.

"In a winning ball club, pitching is always the deciding factor," head coach Bob Bennett said. "We basically lost the starting staff from 1993 and a lot of our success has had to depend on our new talent on the pitching staff."

Behn, a product of Merced High School, was signed by FSU on the strength of his solid senior season in which he posted a 6-2 record and a 1.79 earned run average. He also hit at a .430 clip at the plate with 34 runs batted in.

"I split time between the mound and first base," Behn said, adding that switching to full time pitching has helped him improve at FSU.

BYU nearly signed the prospect, but instead Behn chose to be a Bulldog, "based on the program's reputation and being close to home," he said.

Behn lettered twice in baseball at Merced and was captain of his team as a senior. In two years, he was on a team that went a combined 37-23.

The freshman also earned first team All-Central California Conference honors in his final season.

Behn is currently 2-3 with a 2.96 earned run average with 39 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings of work.

With such impressive numbers as just a freshman, there's little doubt that the Bulldogs will have a strong go-to guy in Behn on the mound for many years to come.