Keeping tabs: David Berg

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One of the best stories in college baseball this season is former La Puente Bishop Amat pitcher David Berg, a freshman at UCLA who is 5-2 with a 1.40 ERA. He has set a school record for most appearances by a freshman at 35 and counting.

‘He’s having an amazing year,’ Bishop Amat Coach Andy Nieto said.

Berg was one of the last players from the class of 2011 to decide his college choice. As a junior, he became a sidearmer, and it changed his baseball future.

By his senior year, he had become a standout for Bishop Amat, going 7-1 with a 1.05 ERA in helping the Lancers win the Southern Section Division IV championship.

By June, UC Irvine and UCLA were pursuing him. He has become a prolific setup man for the Bruins, which is one reason Scott Griggs has 13 saves this season.

Nieto said Bishop Amat knew how valuable Berg had become.

‘Whenever we needed to secure a victory, he was the guy,’ he said. ‘We called him, ‘Goldie.’ He was gold.’

And nothing has changed at the college level, and considering how badly major-league teams need setup pitchers from the bullpen, you can say Berg’s future looks pretty bright.

-- Eric Sondheimer