Fresno State Athletics
A Second Chance On The Diamond
3/22/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 22, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - Senior right-handed pitcher Shawn Hannah has walked to the pitching mound from both dugouts at Pete Beiden Field during his collegiate baseball career. He is the only player on this year's squad who can make that claim.
In his sophomore season at the University of Washington, Hannah posted a victory against the Bulldogs at his new home.
"It's different playing with guys now that I remember pitching against," Hannah said. "I wish now that we met up with Washington sometime."
Now in his second and final season as a Bulldog, Hannah is having a tremendous season. He enters this weekend's series against Rice with a 5-2 record and a 3.19 ERA. He has struck out 39 hitters in a team-high 53.1 innings pitched.
Hannah grew up watching Bulldog baseball and was recruited by Fresno State after graduating from Clovis High School. During his senior season, he was a first-team all-state selection after posting a 12-0 record with a 1.15 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 83 innings. He turned down an offer from Fresno State and decided to play for Washington.
"I wanted to get away for a while and experience life away from home," Hannah said. "Looking back, I feel that it was the right choice and a great all-around experience for me."
While playing for the Huskies, Hannah competed in the NCAA Tournament as a sophomore. During his that season, Hannah pitched 19.1 innings and posted a 2-1 record. He finished with a 2-1 record and a 6.08 ERA in 47.1 innings pitched as a freshman.
While at Washington, Hannah continually battled a back injury, and following his sophomore year, he decided to come back to Clovis. Hannah enrolled at Fresno State but did not plan to play for the Bulldogs.
"I just wanted to take some time off and get healthy," Hannah said. "I got a different view of what its like not to play baseball. After some time off, I decided to go for my second chance."
Last season, Hannah joined the team and went through a frustrating first half of the season.
"I couldn't do some things that had always came natural after coming back from the injury," he said. "It was the hardest thing for me not to be able to play how I used to,"
After the rocky start to the season, Hannah worked his way into the starting rotation by the end of the season and finished fourth on the team in strikeouts.
Becoming a Bulldog has meant several things to Hannah. For one, he grew up watching Fresno State play for head coach Bob Bennett. Secondly, Hannah's family now is able to come to all of the home games to watch him perform.
"I have always admired Fresno State's baseball program and the education the school provides," Hannah said. "Playing here has been great. I know my family enjoys being able to come to my games now. It wasn't very easy for them to make it to many games when I was playing at Washington."
Bennett said he admires Hannah's competitive attitude and support of his teammates on the playing field.
"Shawn is a tough player who is a good competitor," Bennett said. "His competitive spirit has driven him through his setbacks. He is self-motivated and we don't need to get on him because he always wants to become a better player.
"Shawn is one of our team leaders. When he isn't pitching, he is pulling for the other players. He is such a giver that when he pitches, everyone on the team pulls for him."
Hannah is scheduled to graduate this spring with a degree in sociology with an emphasis in kinesiology. His career plans are to coach collegiate baseball. He already has began to build his resum? in his preferred field. During his year off in 1998, Hannah coached the junior varsity team at Clovis High School. He is leaving his options open of where this career goal will take him and is thankful it will keep him connected to baseball.
"I've always enjoyed the coaching of the game and Clovis was a nice starting place for me," Hannah said. "I knew the coaches, the program and the players."
As for this season, Hannah is enjoying his individual and team's success. With a talented team, he looks forward to a trip to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
"We have been saying since the beginning of the season that we have a great shot at the World Series," Hannah said. "I want to leave playing college baseball with a winning season and a trip to the World Series."
-- Lisa Deaver, Fresno State Media Relations
