Tabbed the West Coast Conference's (WCC) "Player of the Year" in 1989, Hirtensteiner was an eighth round draft pick by the California Angels. Hirtensteiner played professional baseball for seven seasons with the California Angels, Florida Marlins and Montreal Expos organizations, reaching the AAA level with Montreal. Hirtensteiner also played in the Northern League with the St. Paul Saints, the Salt Lake City Trappers of the Pioneer League plus stints in Australia and Mexico.

A three-time All-WCC pick, Hirtensteiner ranks No. 11 on Pepperdine's all-time hitting chart with a .337 career batting average. Hirtensteiner is the Waves' all-time career leader in runs scored (228) and triples (17), and ranks No. 2 in base hits (295), RBI (175) and at-bats (876). As a senior in 1989, Hirtensteiner led the Waves with a .366 batting average and clubbed a team-best 12 home runs as a leadoff hitter. Hirtensteiner tied a single-game school record by slugging three home runs in a game at UC Santa Barbara. Additionally, Hirtensteiner emerged as the Waves' closer, oftentimes tossing warm-up pitches in the outfield during conferences on the mound.

Hirtensteiner earned Academic All-American honors in 1989 after earning a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Hirtensteiner was also recognized as the WCC's "Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year," becoming just the second Pepperdine athlete to earn the prestigious Pat Malley Award.