Texas Rio Grande Valley Athletics

A left-handed power pitcher, Brian Cretton was being recruited heavily out of high school when a terrible car wreck nearly claimed his life. He remains in rehab from the May 1996, accident in that left him in a coma with multiple injuries.     Cretton threw some innings in 1997 fall workouts at UTPA - the university where former Coach Al Ogletree honored his scholarship after Cretton's injury, then new Coach Reggie Tredaway renewed it for a second year.  Cretton's ability to pitch in games remains a question-mark after surgery, yet all who know him respect his heart.     At 6-1 and 190, Brain Cretton hopes to return to the form that enabled him to strike out 110 his senior year at Anderson High in Merrillville, Indiana. He is majoring in Business Management, minoring in Criminal Justice at UTPA.