36  Rory Shortell Class: Senior Hometown: Portland, Ore. High School: James Madison Height / Weight: 6-3 / 215 Position: Pitcher Birthdate: 06/03/1981 Experience: 2V

Regular member of the Aztec starting rotation last season who will continue in that role in 2002...Played both pitcher and infielder (shortstop/second base) during his freshman campaign, but was utilized strictly as a pitcher a year ago...Received honorable mention freshman All-American accolades from Collegiate Baseball...One of the top prep players in the nation as a high school senior...A fourth-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in the 1999 major league draft...Played during summer 2001 for the Torrington Twisters where he went 2-3 with a 3.64 ERA...In 1997, played for the Oregon team at the USA Baseball Junior Olympics in Florida...Was selected to the National Junior Olympic team that played in the World Youth Championships in Taiwan that summer.

2001: A second-team all-Mountain West Conference selection...Earned MWC pitcher of the week honors after holding UNLV to one run on three hits in eight full innings of work on April 14...His three-hitter vs. the Rebels was the second fewest total of hits allowed in a game for the Aztecs during the regular season...Matched a season high by striking out nine batters in that contest...Also recorded nine strikeouts (in six innings of work) against Utah on March 30...Turned in his best work against UNLV, holding the Rebels to three runs (one earned) and allowing seven hits, striking out 16 and walking four in his two starts against them (14.0 innings of work) for a 0.64 ERA...Picked up the win in both of his outings against UNLV...Was the winning pitcher in SDSU's victory over Minnesota, holding the Golden Gophers to two runs and five hits in eight innings...Ranked among the Mountain West Conference leaders in wins, opponents' batting average and earned run average for the majority of the season.

2000: Talented freshman who began the season as a starter at either shortstop or second base...Also served as the team’s closer, often times going to the mound directly from his fielding position in the eighth or ninth inning...Moved into the starting rotation in early April and did not play in the field after that...Winning pitcher in the Mountain West Conference Tournament championship game vs. Air Force...Recorded three saves as SDSU’s closer, a mark which led the team...As a hitter, batted .291 with 22 runs scored, three doubles and a home run...Personal best hitting streak of eight games came in late February-early March...As a starting pitcher, had a season-best eight strikeouts in his complete-game 4-3 win over New Mexico on April 22...Struck out 53 batters in 59.2 innings.

High School: Won four varsity letters as a baseball player at James Madison High School in Portland, Ore...Coached there by Jeff Erdman...Named the state player-of-the-year as a senior...Compiled a pitching record of 9-2 with a 0.32 earned run average...Recorded 126 strikeouts in 63 innings...As a hitter, batted .495 with 12 home runs and 48 RBIs...Selected to the all-Portland Interscholastic League team three times...As a junior, had a 1.02 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 41 innings while hitting .491 with nine HR and 46 RBIs...An all-state selection as sophomore when Madison won the state championship...That season he went 10-2 with a 0.88 ERA, striking out 82 batters in 79 innings...Also hit .380 with four homers and 39 RBIs in 18 games...Earned three letters as a guard for the basketball team.

Personal: Rory Alexander Shortell was born June 3, 1981, in Portland, Ore...Son of Robert and Susan Shortell...Mother was a point guard at St. John’s University...She was his coach during his little league playing days...Father played pro baseball with the Portland Mavericks...Interests include working out and basketball...Favorite athlete is Yankee outfielder Bernie Williams...Majoring in political science.

Shortell’s SDSU Career Pitching Statistics
Year     G-GS-CG    IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   W   L  SV   ERA
2000    23-9-1    59.2   67   48   38   42   53   6   6   3   5.73
2001    15-13-0   75.2   87   59   49   38   67   6   2   0   5.83
Totals  38-22-1  135.1  154  107   87   80  120  12   8   3   5.79

Shortell’s SDSU Career Hitting Statistics
Year   G-GS   AB   R   H   2B   3B   HR  RBI  BB  SO  SB-A    AVG
2000  32-30  110   22  32   3    0    1   15  10  12   4-10  .288