Garrett Wittels, FIU Baseball Star, Charged With Rape – SI.com

Garrett Wittels, the Florida International University hitting star whose 56-game hitting streak is two small of the NCAA record, and a group of friends were arrested in the Bahamas last week and charged with the rape of two 17-year-ancient girls.

The incident, reported Monday by the Miami Herald, happened at the Atlantis Resort and Casino in Paradise Island on Dec. 20. Wittels and two friends were each released on $10,000 bond after a court hearing Thursday.

Wittels’ father, orthopedist Michael Wittels, confirmed to the newspaper that his son had been arrested in the Bahamas but said when all the facts are released, his son would be vindicated.

“Anyone can accuse anyone of anything any time,” Michael Wittels said. “He’s not doing well, obviously. He’s blown away. He’s devastated that someone would accuse him of this.”

It’s not know what effect the arrest might have on Wittels’ eligibility for FIU’s 2011 baseball season.

Wittels is set to resume his chase of Robin Ventura’s NCAA record 58-game hitting streak the weekend of Feb. 18-20 against Southeastern Louisiana.

In FIU’s regular-season series finale against Florida Atlantic University, Wittels went 7-for-14.

He continued his streak over the next eight games — six in the Sun Belt Championships and two in the NCAA Regionals, where the Panthers lost to Texas A&M and Dartmouth.

Wittels, who played primarily second base, had a hit in all 56 games last season and batted .417.

“He seems like a fantastic kid,” FAU pitching coach Jason Jackson told FanHouse following the FIU series.

“He’s playing really hard and they are not cheap hits. Everything he hit, he hit very hard. He’s on the barrel every single time. He will chase every now and then, but he’s playing very confident and very aggressive. He’s in the zone. Everyone talks about the zone, locked in, whatever, but he’s the epitome of that right now.

“The confidence that has to go along with a streak that long is incredible.”

Longest Hitting Streaks in NCAA History

Robin Ventura, Oklahoma St. — 58 (1987)
Garrett Wittels, FIU — 56 (Present)
Phil Stephenson, Wichita St. — 47 (1981)
Roger Schmuck, Arizona St. — 45 (1971)
Chuck Abbott, Austin Peay — 42 (1996)
Michael Campo, Penn St. — 41 (2000)
Todd Nace, Southern Miss. — 41 (1989-90)
Rusty Adkins, Clemson — 41 (1965-66)
Shane Robinson, Florida St. — 40 (2004-05)
Brandon Caraway, Houston — 40 (1998-99)