Baseball Release #5

March 24, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

Horizon League Player of the Week

Brett Schaefer, UIC
Junior 1B * Orland Park, Ill.
Schaefer hit .450 (9-for-20) with a double and a home run in five games, leading the Flames to a 5-0 record for the week. He scored eight runs,including the tying tally in the eighth inning of Sunday's series finale versus Milwaukee. The junior also drove in four runs in the series. He raised his season batting average 82 points to .304 and carries a six-game hitting streak into this week's action.

Previous Players of the Week: Zach Rodeghero (Valpo), Feb. 26; Jeff Mercer (WSU), Mar. 4; Ross Vagedes (WSU), Mar. 11; Josh Wallace (Valpo), Mar. 18.

Horizon League Pitcher of the Week

Aaron Swenson, Youngstown State
Sophomore RHP * Twinsburg, Ohio
Swenson pitched a complete-game eight-hitter Saturday as YSU salvaged the finale of a three-game series at Butler. Swenson yielded one run in the first inning, but allowed only two runners past first base in the final eight frames. He struck out four batters for his first victory of the year, and has not given up a walk in 26.2 innings this season.

Previous Pitchers of the Week: Brian Long (CSU), Feb. 26; Bryce Shafer (Valpo), Mar. 4; Grant Kohlstaedt (UIC), Mar. 11; Josh Hungerman (CSU), Mar. 18.

Other Top Performances for the Week Ending March 23
Ryan Neat, Butler
Sr. * IF * Speedway, Ind.
Neat had a home run and two doubles as Butler took two of three games against Youngstown State. His homer on Friday opened the scoring in a 5-4 Bulldog victory, and he doubled twice in Saturday's nightcap.

Nick Wichser, Milwaukee
Sr. * OF * Waukesha, Wis.
Wichser posted five hits in ten at-bats during a weekend series at UIC. He scored three times, and is hitting .485 (16-for-33) during his current nine-game hitting streak to raise his season average to .328.

Jeremy Hamilton, Wright State
Jr. * 1B * Cincinnati, Ohio
Hamilton reached base in seven of ten plate appearances versus Valparaiso, going 3-for-5 with four walks and a sacrifice bunt. He had a two-run homer Friday and finished the series with three runs batted in.

C.J. Morris, Youngstown State
So. * OF * Canfield, Ohio
Morris compiled a .364 batting average with four hits in 11 at-bats in three games versus Butler. He had a pair of hits and scored a run in Friday's loss and hit safely in each game of Saturday's doubleheader.

Ryan Kruszka, Butler
Jr. * RHP * Joliet, Ill.
Kruszka allowed one (unearned) run on three hits in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, leading Butler past Youngstown State, 4-1. Kruszka fanned six batters and walked two for his first victory of the season.

Brad Lusti, Milwaukee
Jr. * RHP * Menagha, Minn.
Lusti took a tough-luck loss Sunday, allowing two unearned runs in six innings of a 2-1 loss at UIC. He allowed five hits while striking out three Flame batters. Lusti has given up only one earned run in his last 12 innings of work.

Derrick Miramontes, UIC
Jr. * RHP * Durham, Calif.
Miramontes yielded only three hits and an unearned run in 7.2 innings to get the victory Sunday versus Milwaukee. He did not allow a hit until the fifth inning, and lowered his League-leading earned-run average to 1.89.

Jon Durket, Wright State
Jr. * LHP * El Dorado Hills, Calif.
Durket threw five scoreless innings of relief in Friday's series opener versus Valparaiso, striking out five batters while allowing only two hits. He retired eight batters in a row at one point during the longest outing of his Raider career.

Flames move back to top of League ladder
UIC brings a six-game winning streak into the week, improving to 10-7 overall after sweeping three consecutive games from Milwaukee by one run apiece to open the League schedule. The Flames are 7-1 at home this season.

Junior right-hander Adam Worthington saved the first game Sunday and was the winning pitcher in the nightcap, tossing a total of 4.1 innings of one-hit relief with six strikeouts. He also made a key play on a suicide-squeeze attempt in the ninth inning of the first game Sunday, throwing out the tying run at the plate. Worthington's victory followed 3.2 innings of relief in game two.

Junior infielder Tony Altavilla logged six stolen bases in five outings last week and has taken over the League lead with eight for the season. Altavilla ranks second in the League with a .353 batting average, while freshman shortstop Jason Ganek is tied for third on the League charts with 14 runs batted in.

Junior right-hander Derrick Miramontes leads the Horizon League with a 1.89 earned-run average after yieldng one unearned run on four hits in 8.1 innings to improve to 2-0. Senior right-hander Grant Kohlstaedt leads the circuit with three victories in four decisions.

UIC concludes its homestand with non-League contests versus St. Francis [Ill.] and Illinois Tech before a three-game weekend series at Wright State.

Bulldog pitchers record strong outings
Butler opened League play by winning two of three games against Youngstown State, improving to 3-11 overall.

The Bulldog pitching staff entered the weekend with an 8.41 earned-run average but held the Penguins to seven runs (five earned) on 18 hits in the three games. Junior right-hander Ryan Kruszka allowed only one run on three hits over seven innings in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, as all three starters---junior left-hander Matt Sokolowski, Kruszka and senior southpaw Bryan Bokowy---pitched at least seven innings for BU.

Senior shortstop Joe Pauley led the Bulldog attack with four hits, including three doubles, while scoring twice and stealing his second base of the year.

Senior first baseman Ryan Neat added a homer (his second of the year) and two doubles in ten at-bats. Six of Neat's 11 hits this season have gone for extra bases---four doubles and the two home runs.

Freshman third baseman Grant Fillipitch drove in the winning run Friday with a walk-off single in the ninth inning for a 5-4 victory. Fillipitch leads the Bulldogs with 15 hits this season.

Butler hosts IPFW on Tuesday in a game rescheduled twice last week, and visits Louisville on Wednesday before hosting Milwaukee in a three-game weekend series.

Raiders rally to earn split in first series
Wright State stands at 4-11 overall and 1-1 in League play after splitting a doubleheader with Valparaiso on Friday. The third game of the series was canceled due to the weather.

Sophomore catcher Gerald Ogrinc plated the winning run in the nightcap with his tenth-inning single. WSU has won three of five games at home this year, with all three victories coming in walk-off fashion. Junior shortstop Justin Parker had a three-run game-winning homer and sophomore infielder R.J. Gundolf was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to end a doubleheader versus Eastern Michigan on Mar. 15. The Raiders had only two walk-off victories last year.

Junior first baseman Jeremy Hamilton had a single, double, home run and four walks in the three games, posting a 1.400 slugging percentage and .778 on-base clip. Hamilton scored twice and drove in three runs in the doubleheader. He now has 97 RBI in his career, needing three more to become the 27th player in school history to drive in 100 runs.

Senior outfielder John Kopilchack added four hits in the twinbill and scored a pair of runs.

Head coach Rob Cooper also is approaching the century mark in victories, currently at 98 in his four-year career after Friday's triumph.

Wright State continues a homestand Tuesday versus Cedarville before UIC comes to Dayton for a pivotal three-game weekend series.

Crusaders open home schedule
Valparaiso moved to 5-15 overall with its doubleheader split against Wright State in the Crusaders' Horizon League debut on Friday. Valpo won the opener 5-4 before losing the nightcap 8-7 in ten innings.

The Crusaders visit Purdue on Wednesday before finally making their home debut Friday, opening a three-game weekend series against Cleveland State.

Senior outfielder Zach Rodeghero homered and drove in four runs in the opener. He has taken over the League lead with 18 RBI (one more than sophomore infielder Josh Wallace) and also tops the circuit with 25 hits, eight doubles and 18 runs scored, and stands seventh with a .347 batting average. Wallace leads the League with a .355 average and six home runs.

Senior outfielder Dan DeBruin had a nine-game hitting streak snapped in the first half of the doubleheader.

Freshman right-hander Jarad Miller earned his second save Friday with 1.1 innings of hitless relief. Miller has not allowed a hit in his last three outings, covering 3.1 innings, while logging two saves.

Freshman right-hander Bryce Shafer was the winning pitcher in game one Friday, allowing four hits in 7.1 innings of work. He struck out six in the game and has held opponents to a .205 batting average this season.

Penguins salvage season finale
Youngstown State starts the week at 4-11 overall and 1-2 in the League after losing two of three games at Butler. The Penguins dropped the first two contests (5-4 and 4-1) before rallying for a 2-1 victory in Saturday's nightcap.

Sophomore right-hander Aaron Swenson recorded his initial win of the year with the first complete-game effort of his collegiate career, allowing one run on eight hits. He allowed only two runners past first base in the final eight innings and finished the game with four strikeouts. He has not walked a batter in 26.2 innings of work this season.

Senior right-hander Lucas Engle was not involved in the decision Friday, allowing two runs on two hits in 5.1 innings while fanning six hitters.

Junior third baseman/outfielder John Koehnlein returned to the lineup after missing almost a month with a broken bone in his hand. Koehnlein had two hits in four at-bats Friday but went hitless on Saturday. He is 3-for-18 (.167) at the plate this year after hitting .434 last season.

YSU has outhit its opponent in eight of 15 games this year but has won only three of those eight games.

The Penguins make their home debut Tuesday versus Indiana [Pa.] before traveling to Akron on Wednesday and visiting Western Kentucky for a three-game weekend set.

Vikings lose week to Mother Nature
Cleveland State remains at 5-7 overall after having all four of its games canceled due to the weather last week. The Vikings were scheduled to visit Duquesne and Bowling Green in midweek action before a two-game set versus Case Western Reserve, but rain and snow in the area forced all four contests to be called off.

Cleveland State has been successful when able to take the field, winning four of its last five games. The Vikings are well ahead of their pace from last year, as CSU did not win its fifth game of 2007 until April 3, when the Vikings stood at 5-21.

Junior right-hander Brian Long leads the way with a 2.52 ERA, fanning 17 hitters in 25 innings. Junior left-hander Josh Hungerman lowered his mark to 3.38 after allowing only one earned run and striking out a career-high 11 batters in eight innings to earn the victory in his last outing versus Evansville (March 14).

Senior outfielder Kyle Bischof has nine hits in his last six games, scoring three runs and driving in six. He now leads the team with ten RBI this spring. Senior catcher Josh Geric ranks third in the League with a .351 batting average this season.

Cleveland State hosts Niagara on Tuesday and visits Kent State on Wednesday before opening Horizon League play with a weekend series at Valparaiso.

Panthers drop three to open League slate
Milwaukee suffered a three-game series sweep at UIC to begin the League schedule, falling to 3-14 overall. The Panthers are 0-3 in loop play for the first time since moving to Division I in 1991.

Six of Milwaukee's 14 losses have come by one run apiece, including four of the last five defeats. The series in Chicago marked the first time UWM has lost three consecutive games by one run each since March 26-27, 1991.

Senior outfielder Nick Wichser extended his hitting streak to five games, going 5-for-10 in Chicago. Wichser is batting .485 during an active nine-game hitting streak and lifted his season average to .328. Sophomore outfielder Tim Patzman carries a six-game hitting streak into the week,

Junior right-hander Brad Lusti did not allow an earned run in six innings but took the loss in Sunday's 2-1, game-one defeat. Lusti ranks second in the League with a 2.45 earned-run average but has a 1-2 record. The junior has pitched at least six innings in three of his last four appearances.

The Panthers are 3-1 this season when leading after six innings, but 0-1 when tied and 0-12 when trailing entering the seventh frame.

Milwaukee visits Notre Dame in non-League play Wednesday before beginning a three-game set at Butler on Friday afternoon.

This week features early-season showdown
Defending Horizon League champion UIC visits Wright State in an early-season battle this weekend.

The Flames jumped to the front of the standings with a three-game sweep of Milwaukee, while WSU is 1-1 in the League after splitting two games with Valparaiso.

Wright State entered the season as the favorite to unseat UIC as the loop titlist (the poll results can be found on page 1).

UIC has won the last six regular-season championships, but has claimed the tourney crown only three times during that run (2003, 2005, 2007). Youngstown State won the title the last time the tournament was played at Eastwood Field in 2004, with Wright State defending its home field in 2006 and Milwaukee capturing the 2002 championship in Cleveland.

In other Horizon League action this weekend, Cleveland State opens the loop schedule with a three-game set at Valparaiso (1-1 in League play), with Milwaukee (0-3) at Butler (1-2) for three games. Youngstown State (1-2) faces Western Kentucky in non-League play.

The 2008 Horizon League Baseball Championship, presented by the U.S. Army, is set for May 20-25 at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio. Action begins with a single-elimination game that Tuesday before double-elimination play the rest of the week.