Monday, 8/25/97 Sports Briefs
Baseball Former UCLA baseball star Jim Parque, who helped lead the Bruins to the College World Series in 1997 for the first time since 1969, has become the first player from the 1997 draft to reach Triple A. Drafted as the 46th pick in the supplemental first round this past June by the Chicago White Sox, the left-handed pitcher had a record of 7-2 with a 2.77 ERA for the Winston Salem Warthogs of the Carolina League. Parque had allowed just 29 hits in 61.2 innings and struck out 76 batters for the High A team. Parque heard about his promotion after his team's game on Sunday and will join his new team, the Nashville Sounds, on Tuesday. The former Bruin will make his first AAA start on Thursday versus the Bisons in Buffalo. He will face former Bruin, Torey Lovullo, as well as players with major league experience such as Mike Busch, Pat Listach and Casey Candaele. Parque is attempting to become the 16th former Bruin in the last two years to reach the majors, and the 31st former player under UCLA Coach Gary Adams to reach that plateau. Parque has already received an invitation to major league spring training in 1998 as part of his contract. In his last season with UCLA, Parque was 13-2 with a 3.08 ERA and 119 strikeouts. He finished his career third in school history with wins (25) and second in strikeouts (319). Women's basketball The UCLA women's basketball team knows it. And now so does the United States Olympic Committee. Maylana Martin, who had a spectacular freshman campaign for the Bruins, had an equally impressive summer for the U.S. junior national women's basketball team. So impressive, in fact, that the Olympic Committee overwhelmingly named Martin as its Athlete of the Month for July. Martin garnered seven of 10 first-place votes to win the honor. Hailed as the spark for the U.S. squad, Martin led the team in scoring (17.9) and in rebounds (7.0). Martin, selected as a co-captain of the American team, set new national Junior World Championship records for points in a game (24) and total points in a tournament (125). The sophomore recorded a double-double (21 points, 10 rebounds) in the 78-74 overtime victory over Australia in the gold medal game, giving the United States its first FIBA Junior World Championship title. Last season for UCLA, the Bruin center averaged 17.9 points to earn her the Conference Freshman of the Year honors as well as a place on the All Pac-10 team. Her total points of 484 in a season placed her third on the all-time conference freshman scoring list.