Stanford righty Mark Appel was considered by many as the likely No. 1 overall pick to Houston, but slid to Pittsburgh at No. 8. Appel, 10-1 with a 2.27 ERA, struck out 11 in a dominant four-hitter in a 9-1 win over Fresno State last Friday. He was unavailable to the media following the selection, saying in an email: “I’m currently concentrating on winning a national championship and finishing my academic endeavors at Stanford. I will address the possibility of a professional career in due time.”