The CBB continues our countdown for the 2010 College Baseball season by checking in on the Top 100 Players in the country. We will be providing one player per day until we reach number 1.
We continue the list today with number 34 in our countdown with UC-Irvine senior RHP Eric Pettis. The West Hills, California native had an outstanding high school career at El Camino Real. He ended up being named the All-West Valley League Co-MVP while picking up All-City and All-League honors in two seasons. He led his team in his junior season to the 2005 CIF State Championship.
Eric’s freshman campaign was successful as he appeared in 25 games with seven starts. He ended up finishing the season with a perfect 4-0 record with a 4.53 ERA in 59.2 innings. He spent the summer of 2007 with the Battle Creek Bombers of the Northwoods League where he went 2-2 with an ERA of 1.88 in 43 innings of action.
He jumped into the national picture in 2008 by becoming one of the top closers in the nation. He ended up finishing the season with a 4-3 record including 17 saves with an ERA 2.62 while holding opponents to a batting average of .224. He struck out 50 batters in his 44.2 innings of work. After the season was over, the awards came flying in with Collegiate Baseball naming him as a second-team All-American. He was also a second team All-American by the NCBWA and Ping! Baseball. The ABCA selected him to their third team All-American team.
He spent the summer of 2008 as a member of the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod Baseball League. He ended up serving as the team’s primary closer appearing in 19 games with a 2-0 record including eight saves with a 2.49 ERA. He struck out 24 batters in 25.1 innings while only allowing five walks.
Eric had a strong 2009 season where he had a 5-2 record, 17 saves with a 3.86 ERA while getting 37 strikeouts in 42 innings. He walked just seven while allowing 18 earned runs. He picked up several awards as he was named a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association second-team All-American, Collegiate Baseball All-American third team, All-Big West first-team honors, and NCBWA Stopper of the Year finalist. He was named a 2010 Preseason First Team All-American by the NCBWA.
