Roth Rewarded as Top Closer in Nation

CLU reliever ties for Division III lead in 2014

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Aaron Roth was an instrumental piece of the CLU baseball success as the Kingsmen stopper during his junior and senior campaigns and was among the nation's best both years.

Photo: Tracy Maple

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. –Announced recently by the NCAA, 2014 Cal Lutheran graduate Aaron Roth earned a share of the title Division III saves leader with 13 during his senior campaign as the CLU closer. A year removed from the baseball squad earning top honors for batting average, runs per game and on base percentage, the hurler made some noise on the hill for the Kingsmen.

Roth, who began his career as a starting pitcher, transitioned nearly seamlessly to the bullpen where he dominated DIII for two seasons. During that span he was chosen as the 2013 SCIAC Pitcher of the Year, to the 2013 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Second Team All-America, twice to ABCA All-West Region teams and as a First Team All-SCIAC selection in 2014.

The righty tied with AJ Konopaski from Pacific Lutheran for the national lead this year. The pair each recorded 13 saves in 2014. Roth used those to go along with a dozen from 2013 to take over the CLU saves record with a total of 25. This spring he appeared on the hill 26 times, matching the number of relief stints that pitching coach Pete Schmitt made in 2008, and in 2013 Roth set a school record by taking the ball 29 times. Additionally, he produced a 4-2 record for the Violet and Gold and ended his career with a 13-5 mark.

His 148 career strike outs leaves him in a tie for 10th on the CLU all-time lists with classmate Jake Petersen.

Roth was an anchor as the Kingsmen claimed back-to-back Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) titles in 2013 and ’14 and SCIAC Post Season Tournament championships in the same seasons. Cal Lutheran advanced to the NCAA Division III West Regionals for the 13th time this spring and Roth was part of a squad that produced the best record (36-10) since CLU became an NCAA affiliate in 1992.

NCAA: Baseball Statistics
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