Weaver Strikes Out 21 in Fresno State Victory

STANFORD —  Jeff Weaver heard the fans counting, but he lost track at 12.

It wasn’t until after the game that his catcher, Giuseppe Chiaramonte, gave him his final strikeout count: 21.

“I was a little taken back,” Weaver said.

Weaver, a 6-foot-5 right-hander who attended Simi Valley High, pitched a three-hitter and set an NCAA postseason record for strikeouts in Fresno State’s 2-1 victory over Texas A & M on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA West Regional at Stanford.

A sophomore, Weaver (11-5) had walked on at Fresno State three years ago and last summer pitched for the U.S. Olympic team.

Texas A & M scored in the second inning on a double by Rich Petru. Weaver then retired 15 in a row, striking out a school-record eight in a row.

Fresno State (38-26) scored its only runs in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Hook and a two-out infield single by Mike Williams.

Weaver broke a 34-year-old Fresno State record of 20 strikeouts set by Tex Clevenger in 1953 and equaled by Dick Ruthven in 1972. The NCAA post-season record was 20 by Steve Arlin of Ohio State in 15 innings in 1965.

“He kept us frozen at the plate and we were off balance,” Texas A & M Coach Mark Johnson said. “He wasn’t behind the count at all. He was doing all the things you want a pitcher to do.”