|
|
|
|
|
|
2001
Baseball Players
TITANS ’00: Proved his sophomore transfer season was no fluke by batting .322 and belting eight home runs, second most on the squad • Started 46 games, all at first base • Was second on the Titans with 16 doubles and a slugging percentage of .559 • Batted .384 with six home runs in Big West Conference play • Finished the season with a six-game hitting streak and was 5-for-17 with three doubles, three RBI and three runs in the NCAA Regionals • Struck out a team-high 50 times (fifth most in Titan history) • Tied for fourth on the team with 17 multiple-hit games • Had a go-ahead two-out RBI-single in the top of the ninth inning in the Titans’ 5-4 win at USC on April 5 • Hit five home runs on a seven-game trip through Nevada, Oklahoma and New Mexico State, including two in the series finale against New Mexico State • Hit just one home run after April 1 • Defensively, made just four errors in 395 chances for a .990 fielding percentage, tops among Fullerton regulars. TITANS ’99: Had remarkable season for first year at Div. I after transferring from Div. III Chapman University • First-team All-Big West Conference selection • Selected to all-tournament team at Notre Dame regional, going 5-for-9 with 3 RBI on Friday and game-winning home run in sixth inning on May 30 • Hit two homers at Ohio State Super Regional • Team’s regular designated hitter after mid-February, playing in 58 games and starting 50 • Hit .378 with six home runs and 47 RBI despite a late-season slump (6-for-30, .200) over the last nine regular season games that dropped his season average from .427 to .384 • Was hitting .487 as late as Apr. 1 • Went 4-for-4 at Sacramento State on Mar. 19 with two doubles and a home run • Two days later, he went 3-for-4 with two homers and five RBI • Second on the team with 37 walks and .491 on-base percentage • Hit .357 vs. lefthanded pitchers (5-for-14). CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY: Played his freshman season for Coach Rex Peters at NCAA Div. III Chapman University in Orange, Calif. • Batted .416 with 10 home runs, 52 RBI and 26 doubles in 1998 as a right fielder • Selected to first-team All-Western Regional team. ETIWANDA H.S.: Two-time All-Mt. Baldy League first-team selection for Coach Paul Finkleman • Also first-team All-Inland Valley and selected to play in the Inland Valley Senior All-Star Game • Batted .494 as a senior with three home runs and RBI • As a junior, batted .511 with four home runs and 26 RBI and was second in league MVP voting • Also played varsity soccer • Was on the honor roll. PERSONAL: Born on March 12, 1979, in Tarzana, Calif. • Parents are Howard and Patricia Rifkin • Has a younger brother, Greg, and a younger sister, Jenni • Majoring in history • Selected by Arizona in the 54th round of the 1997 MLB draft • Says his father has had the most influence on his career, but also attributes credit to Ray Joyner, his friend, and to Rex Peters, his coach at Chapman • Favorite home run call is “Del-Got-It” for Toronto Blue Jays slugger Carlos Delgado • Favorite major leaguer is Barry Bonds and favorite team is the Giants • Likes Mexican food.
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
