PRESSBOX

8/24/8: Host Warriors Roll Big in World Series Opener With 19-0 Triumph "Matt Fitts, who returned to LCSC for his junior season despite being drafted in the 15th round by the Houston Astros, checked Embry-Riddle on one hit through four innings. With the game in hand, LCSC coach Ed Cheff pulled Fitts to save him for later in the tournament.

LCSC: Picked as an NAIA preseason All-American after a solid summer playing in Corvallis and a big season last year. Last season, he started all 12 games he appeared in, second most on the team, and posted a 10-1 record with a 2.08 ERA. Was named to the NAIA Region I team and also was selected to the Avista World Series all-tournament team. He pitched 65 innings, third most on the team, and also finished third in strikeout with 75. Opponents only hit .198 off him. He joined the team prior to the 2007 spring semester.


COLLEGE: Played freshman season at Long Beach State University in 2005, but sat out in 2006. Played for Warrior coach Ed Cheff in Alaska during the 2005 summer.
HIGH SCHOOL: Fitts lettered three years in baseball and two in football at Cardinal Newman High School. In baseball he was all-league in both 2002 and 2003, and was the league’s Player of the Year in 2004 after going 10-1 with a 1.62 ERA and 105 strikeouts. He went 7-2 as a junior with a 0.72 ERA and 80 strikeouts. Played quarterback on the football team an earned all-league honors his final two years, including Player of the Year his senior year when he threw for more than 2,000 yards, rushed for 650 yards, and was a part of 36 touchdowns.

PERSONAL: Fitts was born on Sept. 14, 1985 to Matt and Ysabel Fitts. His father attended Cal-State Fullerton where he played baseball. His is majoring in Sports Administration.

 

• 11/8/7: 2008 Pre-season All-American Fitts, a 6-2 right-hander from Cloverdale, Calif, earned NAIA second team All-America honors a year ago. Fitts went 10-1 with a 2.08 earned runs average. He started 12 games last year and threw two complete games, including one shutout. Overall, he threw 65 innings, allowed 46 hits and 22 walks, but struck out 75. Opponents hit just .198 off him. 

• 6/13/5: Panners shoot down Running Birds - "Matt Fitts had a long day of travel, but he helped make Sunday a long night for the Southern California Running Birds. In his first appearance for the Alaska Goldpanners, the right-handed junior pitcher from Long Beach State hurled six scoreless innings to aid a 10-1 rout and a 2-0 start for his new team this Alaska Baseball League season. "I felt a little tired, but I was ready to go,'' said Fitts, who was on an airplane at 5 a.m. and arrived in Fairbanks at 3 p.m., four hours before the start of the Goldpanners' second non-league game against the Running Birds in as many nights at Growden Memorial Park. Alaska won 11-8 on Saturday night."

High School: Lettered three years in baseball and two years in football… in baseball named all-league in both 2002 and 2003… in 2004 named the league’s Player of the Year as well as the All-Empire Player of the Year after going 10-1 with a 1.62 ERA which included 105 strikeouts… named All-CIF as a senior as a shortstop and a pitcher… the Cardinals won the league in 2004, setting the school-record for wins with a 25-3 mark… as a junior went 7-2 with an 0.72 ERA, striking out 80… two-time all-league and All-Empire player in football… as the Cardinals’ quarterback he earned the league and Empire’s Player of the Year following 2,000 passing yards, 650 rushing yards and 36 combined touchdowns.

Personal: Son of Matt and Ysabel Fitts… father, Matt, went to CS Fullerton… major is undeclared.

2005 Alaska Goldpanners