Jan. 23, 2001

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team will unofficially open the 2001 season with its annual Alumni Weekend this Friday and Saturday.

"We always enjoy having our former players come back and take part in this season-opening weekend," said Head Coach Mike Cummins. "Our players enjoy meeting the alums and we all get a kick out of seeing what kind of shape the former players are in. Those guys are a crucial part of the success of our program and I hope they understand how much we appreciate their participation."

The weekend tees-off with the annual alumni golf tournament Friday at 10 a.m. at Santa Teresa Golf Course. That evening a reception and dinner will take place beginning at 6 p.m. at the Adobe Lodge on the Santa Clara University campus.

On Saturday, the Bronco baseball team will take-on the alumni squad in a nine-inning game beginning at 1 p.m. at Buck Shaw Stadium. Admission to the game is free.

Among the former players participating in the game are major leaguers Randy Winn and Mike Frank. Winn is a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, while Frank is a part of the World Champion New York Yankees organization.

Winn has appeared in nearly 250 games in three seasons with Tampa Bay. In 1998 he led all Major League rookies with 26 stolen bases. In his second season he hit an inside-the-park grand slam vs. New York on Oct. 3, 1999, the first of his career.

Frank played the 1998 season with the Cincinnati Reds where he appeared in 28 games. He recorded 20 hits and seven RBI in 89 at-bats. He played 107 games last season for the Columbus Clippers, the AAA affiliate of the Yankees.

For information on the Alumni Weekend, contact the Santa Clara University baseball office at 408/554-5267 or via email at jhipps@scu.edu.