Baseball Weekly Release #1

Feb. 20, 2007

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Player of the Week
Larry Gempp Jr., UIC
Senior Outfielder * Ingleside, Ill.
Gempp enjoyed a torrid start to the 2007 campaign, posting 10 hits in 24 at-bats (.417 average) with eight RBI and three runs scored in the Flames' first six games. The senior's bases-loaded single with two outs in the top of the ninth inning scored the game-winning runs as UIC rallied to defeat 14th-ranked Georgia Tech 11-4 last Saturday.

Pitcher of the Week
Josh Hungerman, Cleveland State
Sophomore Left-Hander * Pittsburgh, Pa.
Hungerman tossed a three-hit shutout against West Virginia on Sunday, giving Cleveland State its first victory of the 2007 season. The sophomore fanned eight and walked only one, recording the Vikings' first shutout in nearly three years since a 5-0 victory versus UW-Milwaukee on April 24, 2004.

Around the Horizon League

Flames use big innings in two victories
UIC posted a 2-4 record in February, taking time off until a March 2-4 series at Tennessee. The Flames' ledger includes one victory in a three-game set at #14 Georgia Tech, as UIC scored nine runs with two outs in the ninth inning to defeat the Yellow Jackets, 11-4. UIC also scored nine runs in the first inning of its other victory, a 9-8 triumph over Lamar on Feb. 10.

The comeback win over Georgia Tech marked the highest foe UIC has ever defeated. Mississippi was ranked 18th before losing 4-1 to the Flames on March 3, 2006.

Senior outfielder Larry Gempp Jr. led the Flames' offense with a .417 (10-for-24) batting average in the six games, driving in eight runs and scoring three.

Former prep teammates Steve Crnkovich and Brad Riegler combined for a strong start in 2007, with the two freshman hurlers allowing a total of three runs in 15.2 innings with 15 strikeouts. Crnkovic got the victory at Georgia Tech with five innings of one-run relief.

Sophomore catcher Brett Schaefer hit his first collegiate homer Saturday, part of a three-for-ten weekend. Schaefer has started four of the first six games, taking over for graduated All-League backstop Justin Johnson.

Junior right-hander Ryan Zink pitched three innings at Georgia Tech in his first action since 2005, allowing three runs on six hits.

Vikings begin new era with shutout vs. WVU
Cleveland State opened the 2007 campaign under first-year coach Kevin Kocks by winning the finale of a three-game series versus West Virginia. The Vikings dropped the first two contests to the Mountaineers before sophomore left-hander Josh Hungerman fired a complete-game three-hitter for a 3-0 victory on Sunday. The southpaw struck out eight to record his first collegiate victory.

CSU actually outhit West Virginia (22-20), winning the battles of total bases (33-28), slugging percentage (.355-.287) and on-base percentage (.314-.292). Three double plays helped WVU win the series, however, as Cleveland State hit just .146 with runners on base during the weekend.

Junior shortstop Bobby Cash led the team with a .364 average against WVU, collecting three singles and a double in 11 at-bats. He started all three games at shortstop for the Vikings.

Senior outfielder Marc Sikora hit .333 (three-for-nine) over the weekend, with all three hits going for two bases. He also scored a pair of runs against the Mountaineers.

As a team, half of CSU's 22 hits were doubles.

Cleveland State returns to action this weekend with games versus Charleston Southern and the College of Charleston.

Panthers drop three games at Arkansas
UW-Milwaukee began the 2007 season with a three-game sweep at the hands of sixth-ranked Arkansas, falling 8-3, 28-2 and 8-1. The Panthers, who were outhit 43-18 in the three contests, are now 4-21 all-time against ranked teams although one of those four wins came against top-ranked Rice (8-4 on May 28, 1999 at the NCAA Regionals).

Sophomore infielder Andy Hetebrueg provided some highlights for the Panther offense, batting a team-best .714 (five-for-seven) with a double and a run batted in. Junior outfielder Troy Vesling added a pair of hits in six at-bats, while senior outfielder Rob Brockel (.273, one run scored) and junior second baseman Jesse Hart (.250) each had three hits in their first action of the new season.

Senior left-hander Robert Michalkiewicz got off to a strong start with 5.1 innings of work in the opener, allowing two runs on six hits against the Razorbacks. He left the game in a 2-2 tie before Arkansas rallied for that victory.

UW-Milwaukee played errorless defense in the season-opener before committing six miscues in the last two games, leading to seven unearned runs.

The Panthers are idle until March 2-4, when they take on another Southeastern Conference representative in a three-game series at Kentucky.

Weather claims victories in other action
Wright State and Youngstown State both suffered losses over the weekend, albeit not on the field.

Defending League champion WSU was forced to cancel its three-game series against Morehead State due to unplayable conditions on the MSU campus. The Raiders now look to this weekend's three-game series at Mississippi for their first action of the 2007 campaign, attempting to sustain the momentum from last spring's 32-27 campaign.

Youngstown State (26-29 overall last season) also remains on the sidelines after having its scheduled opener against Dayton called off by bad weather last Saturday. The Penguins travel to Stephen F. Austin for a three-game series this weekend.

Butler (21-36 in 2006) finally begins its 2007 schedule Saturday, with a doubleheader at Morehead State to open a three-game set. The Bulldogs also are slated to travel to in-state rival Evansville for a single game next Wednesday.

Valparaiso, which officially joins the Horizon League for the 2008 season, is idle until March 3 when the Crusaders visit Longwood College to open a three-game series. The Crusaders make their final run through the Mid-Continent Conference season in 2007, trying to improve upon last year's 17-34 overall ledger.