2 ex-Vaqueros taken in MLB Draft

Zack Zehner, a former star outfielder at SBCC in 2013, was selected in the seventh round of this week's Major League Baseball draft (204th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays. Joey Epperson, the top hitter for UCSB, was picked in the 13th round by the San Diego Padres.

Zehner was the highest drafted current or former player from the Western State Conference. Epperson was third on the list of 12 players who were selected.

Zehner was the third-leading hitter (.316) on Cal Poly, helping the Mustangs to the best record in school history (47-12) and their first Big West title. He hit his third homer of the year on June 1 in a 6-5 win over Sacramento State in the four-team NCAA Regional that Cal Poly hosted.

He was honorable mention All-Big West with seven doubles, three triples and 16 RBI. He made 44 starts and became Cal Poly's regular left fielder in mid-April. Zehner had two four-hit games and earned the team's Dave Oliver Hustle Award.

Epperson, who played first base for the Vaqueros in 2012, led UCSB in hitting this year as a senior, batting .376 with four homers, 13 RBI and 15 steals in 18 attempts. Epperson, who had a 24-game hitting streak, played first base, third base and in the outfield.

Epperson started all 52 games for the Gauchos (34-17-1) and was named first-team All-American by College Sports Madness. He's just the second UCSB player to earn first-team All-American honors.

A native of Lafayette, Calif., Epperson was No. 1 in the Big West in on-base percentage (.483), second in batting and runs (45), third in hits (74) and fourth in slugging percentage (.508).