Baseball Weekly Release #14

May 15, 2006

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Player of the Week

Justin Johnson, UIC
Senior * C * Chaska, Minn.
Johnson highlighted an explosive week for the Flames, pacing an attack which scored 73 runs in four games. The senior hit .526 (10-for-19) and drove in 15 runs while scoring nine runs. He belted three home runs to raise his season total to a career-best 11 and also had three doubles while compiling a 1.158 slugging percentage for the week. His efforts helped guide the Flames to a fifth consecutive regular-season League title.

Pitcher of the Week

Robert Barrett, Wright State
Senior * RHP * Sacramento, Calif.
Barrett threw the third complete-game shutout in the League this year, blanking Cleveland State on four hits while striking out nine in a 5-0 victory on Saturday. He walked one batter and allowed only six runners to reach base, retiring 15 batters in a row at one point. In the process, he lowered his season ERA to 2.43, second-best in the League.

Other Top Performances for the Week Ending May 14

Steve Chinn, Cleveland State
Senior * 2B * Valley City, Ohio
Chinn was the Vikings' leading hitter last week, going 6-for-19 with a homer, three runs scored and three RBI versus Wright State. He has reached base safely in 44 of 47 games this year.

Mark Hallberg, UIC
Sophomore * 2B * Barron, Wis.
Hallberg posted a .706 (12-for-17) batting average with 12 runs scored in four games last week, helping UIC clinch the regular-season title. He also drove in five runs and walked five times.

Zak Rivera, UW-Milwaukee
Senior * OF * Bartlett, Ill.
Rivera batted .333 for the week, collecting seven hits in 21 at-bats. He scored a pair of runs and drove in four as the Panthers won three of five games during the week.

Dan Biedenharn, Wright State
Junior * 3B * Dayton, Ohio
Biedenharn compiled a .529 average in four games, going 9-for-17 at the plate. He drove in three runs, posted a .600 on-base percentage and did not strike out in 20 plate appearances.

Brandon Caipen, Youngstown State
Senior * C/OF * Tallmadge, Ohio
Caipen became the first player in YSU history to post two five-hit games with a 5-for-5 effort versus UW-Milwaukee on Sunday. He scored the game-winning run in Saturday's 12-inning opener.

Pat McKitrick, Cleveland State
Junior * RHP * Steubenville, Ohio
McKitrick pitched seven scoreless innings in three appearances last week, allowing only five hits with six strikeouts. He has 40 K's in 42.1 innings this season.

Ryan Martin, UIC
Senior * RHP * Missoula, Mont.
Martin shut down the Butler offense, throwing six shutout innings in UIC's 12-0 victory on Sunday. He allowed only three hits to gain his fourth win of 2006 and improve to 13-3 in his career.

Rick Cavaiani, UW-Milwaukee
Senior * RHP * Appleton, Wis.
Cavaiani won his sixth consecutive decision, allowing two runs in 6.1 innings versus Youngstown State on Sunday. He shares the League lead with seven victories as part of his 7-1 overall ledger.

Brian Boone, Youngstown State
Senior * RHP * Pickerington, Ohio
Boone gained his third League win of the year, defeating UW-Milwaukee on Saturday. He allowed only two earned runs on eight hits in six innings while posting a career-high eight strikeouts.

Horizon League Players and Pitchers of the Week

Date-- Player of the Week
Feb. 21-- Bart Babineaux, UIC
Feb. 28-- Brian Shoup, Wright State
Mar. 7-- Mike Goetz, UW-Milwaukee
Mar. 14-- Erich Diedrich, Youngstown State
Mar. 21-- Ross McCoy, UW-Milwaukee
Mar. 28-- Mike Goetz, UW-Milwaukee
Apr. 3-- Joe Dempsey, Butler; Bart Babineaux, UIC
Apr. 10-- Bart Babineaux, UIC
Apr. 17-- Steve Chinn, Cleveland State
Apr. 24-- Justin Wilson, Wright State
May 1-- Zak Rivera, UW-Milwaukee
May 8-- Justin Banks, Youngstown State
May 15-- Justin Johnson, UIC

Date-- Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 21-- Robert Michalkiewicz, UW-Milwaukee
Feb. 28-- Joe Smith, Wright State
Mar. 7-- Zach Peterson, UIC
Mar. 14-- Josh Vollmer, Butler
Mar. 21-- Garret Holleran, Wright State
Mar. 28-- Zach Peterson, UIC
Apr. 3-- Robert Barrett, Wright State
Apr. 10-- Eric Shaffer, Youngstown State
Apr. 17-- Joe Skinner, UIC
Apr. 24-- Zach Peterson, UIC
May 1-- Brian Long, Cleveland State
May 8-- Rick Cavaiani, UW-Milwaukee
May 15-- Robert Barrett, Wright State

Around the Horizon League

Flames secure title in grand style
UIC won all four of its games last week and captured the regular-season League crown for the fifth consecutive year as the Flames swept three games from Butler to improve to 20-6 in the League and 31-17 overall, surpassing the 30-win mark for the seventh year in a row.
UIC also routed then-Big Ten co-leader Northwestern 23-5 in midweek action, rapping out a season-high 26 hits in that game. For the week, the Flames batted .506 as a team, scoring 73 runs and pounding out 86 hits in the four games.

Sophomore second baseman Mark Hallberg set the table, batting .706 (12-for-17) from the leadoff spot and scoring 12 runs. Senior catcher Justin Johnson was 10-for-19 at the plate and drove in 15 runs, while senior outfielder Bart Babineaux clubbed two more home runs to raise his League-best total to 16 this season.

Johnson remains second on the League hitting charts with a .398 average and is also second with 54 RBI, four behind Babineaux (58) on the latter list. Hallberg's .378 average puts him third in the League.

Flame pitching also had a strong showing last week, compiling a 1.75 average and holding opponents to a .200 average. Juniors Zach Peterson and Joe Skinner are two of four hurlers tied for the League lead with seven wins in 2006, with Peterson owning a circuit-best 2.06 ERA.

Raiders sweep their way into second place
Wright State took over the second spot in the standings, and would receive the other first-round bye if the Raiders hold on to that spot.

WSU improved to 27-23 overall and 16-11 in the League with a three-game sweep of Cleveland State, limiting the Vikings to two runs in the three contests. The road sweep was the Raiders' first in League play since 1997 when Wright State took four games at Butler.

Senior right-hander Robert Barrett threw a complete-game shutout in Saturday's opener at CSU, allowing four hits and striking out nine. Barrett moved into a tie for the League lead with his seventh win of the season, and his 2.43 ERA is second-best in the League. Junior Erich Schanz ranks fifth with a 3.66 mark.

Junior right-hander Joe Smith posted his 11th save of the year against the Vikings, continuing his dominance out of the bullpen. He has struck out 57 batters while allowing only 29 hits this season, fashioning a 0.80 ERA for the year. In League play, he has not allowed a run in 25.1 innings, fanning 34 while giving up only 12 hits in 15 appearances.

Junior infielder Ross Oeder set a pair of school records last week, being hit by a pitch for the 13th time this year and the 34th of his career. Oeder's .452 on-base percentage is fourth in the League and includes a .350 batting average, which is eighth on that list.

Panthers prepare for final push
UW-Milwaukee is one of three teams fighting for the #2 position, starting the week one game behind Wright State with a 15-12 League ledger after dropping two of three games at Youngstown State over the weekend. UWM carries a 27-22 overall mark.

Senior outfielder Mike Goetz extended his hitting streak to a school-record 29 games, breaking his own mark of 27 set earlier this year. He has now hit safely in 56 of his last 57 games, and also eclipsed previous one-year Panther standards for doubles and base hits. He tops the circuit with 22 two-baggers among his 99 hits this year, and shares the League lead with 45 runs scored. Goetz's 16 stolen bases are six more than any other Horizon League player this year, while his .510 batting average gives him a 122-point margin on that chart.

Senior Rick Cavaiani has now won his last six decisions, allowing only two runs in 6.1 innings to defeat YSU on Sunday. The right-hander is now 7-1 on the season, and ranks ninth in the League with a 4.39 ERA. Cavaiani also shares the League lead with 60 strikeouts, matching UIC's Zach Peterson and YSU's Lucas Engle for that honor.

Senior first baseman Joe Nowicki ranks fifth in the League with 69 hits, third in runs scored (50) and tied for fourth in home runs (nine). His 46 RBI put him fifth on that League chart, as well.

Penguins move closer but miss opportunity
Youngstown State won two of three games against UW-Milwaukee last week, improving to 14-13 in the League (24-27 overall). But the Penguins' loss Sunday puts YSU two games behind Wright State and one in back of UWM in the chase for second place and that first-round bye.

Sophomore Ryan Sellman broke the school single-season record against UWM, taking the mound for the 28th time this season. He improved to 5-0 (all against League opponents) with a 2.08 ERA after winning Saturday's opener, and has already equaled his six-save total of last season.
Senior Kevin Libeg established his own school standard with his 81st career appearance on the mound. Libeg has pitched in 23 games in 2006.

Sophomore catcher Erich Diedrich had three RBI Saturday, giving him 50 for the season. That total ranks second on the all-time one-year charts at YSU, behind only Jason Triveri's 51 in 1997. Diedrich is fifth on the Horizon League hitting charts with a .354 average this year, and is third in run production.

Senior catcher-outfielder Brandon Caipen registered his second five-hit game of his career with a 5-for-5 showing in Sunday's finale. That capped a stellar weekend which also saw him score the game-winning run in the 12th inning of the series opener. Caipen is tenth in the League with a .344 average this season and has scored 43 runs for the Penguins in 2006.

Bulldogs try to shake off rust
Butler was swept in three games at UIC, slipping to 9-18 in loop play and 17-30 overall. Saturday's doubleheader was BU's first action in 11 days, following time off for final exams and a rainout earlier in the week.

Sunday's 12-0 loss was only the second time this season the Bulldogs have been shut out. Xavier turned the trick (5-0) on April 4.

With one week remaining in the reguar season, four players are battling for the team lead in hits. Junior catcher and junior outfielder Tony Barnes lead the way with 52 safeties apiece, followed by senior second baseman Jeff Brown and sophomore shortstop Joe Pauley with 51 each.

Pauley hit safely in all three games at UIC, extending his hitting streak to six in a row. He has hit safely in 15 of the team's last 17 games, boosting his season batting average to a team-best .313.

Sophomore right-hander Bryan Bokowy was hit hard over the weekend but still stands tenth in the League with a 4.60 ERA. His 72.1 innings pitched are the fourth-most in the League this season, and he ranks sixth with 51 strikeouts in 2006.

Vikings' struggles continue
Cleveland State lost four of five games last week to drop to 9-38 overall and 6-20 in the League. The one win came Tuesday when the Vikings edged Duquesne 6-5 at Jacobs Field, but CSU managed only two runs in a three-game sweep at the hands of Wright State after suffering a 6-5 loss to Toledo on Wednesday.

Senior infielder Steve Chinn has reached base in 44 of the team's 47 games this season. He ranks fourth in the League with a .357 batting average, while his 65 hits and 27 RBI are team-best marks in each category. Chinn is the only Viking to start all 47 games this season.

Junior right-hander Pat McKitrick pitched seven scoreless innings in three appearances last week, allowing only five hits while striking out six batters. He has 40 K's in 42.1 innings of work this season.

Sophomore Nathan Schaefer ranks sixth on the loop charts with 51 strikeouts in a team-high 62.2 innings of work.

With Tuesday's victory, head coach Jay Murphy is just one win away from 300 in his career. He holds a 299-474-1 ledger in 15 seasons at Cleveland State and George Washington, including 183 wins at CSU.

On Deck for the Horizon League

UIC has already secured the top seed for the Horizon League Championship which gets underway next Wednesday (May 24), but all three of this weekend's series have large ramifications for the remainder of the bracket.

Wright State moved into second place in the standings with a three-game sweep of Cleveland State, but the Raiders (27-23 overall, 16-11 in the League) face a stiff challenge to that status as UIC (31-17, 20-6) visits for the first of two consecutive trips to Fairborn, including the League Championship next week(May 24-28). The Flames come off a perfect 4-0 week which included a three-game sweep of Butler.

UW-Milwaukee (27-22, 15-12) looks to move into that #2 spot and gain a first-round bye in the loop summit. To do that, however, the Panthers will have to get past a Butler (17-30, 9-18) squad trying to get back on track and looking for revenge after dropping all three games in Milwaukee earlier this year. UWM salvaged the final game of its series at Youngsown State this past weekend to hold off the Penguins for third position in the standings.

Youngstown State (24-27, 14-13) also has an outside chance to gain that second seed, as the Penguins visit Cleveland State (9-38, 6-20) to close the regular-season schedule. Two of the Vikings' six League wins came in a three-game set at Youngstown last month, but CSU was swept in a three-game series against Wright State last weekend while Youngstown State took two of three games against UW-Milwaukee.

Midweek action outside the League has only one game scheduled for Tuesday evening, as UW-Milwaukee hosts Chicago State in a re-match of the Apr. 12 slugfest which UWM won 26-12, along with Cleveland State hosting Ohio University.

On Wednesday, UIC begins its trek through Ohio with a matinee against Toledo, while Youngstown State (at Bowling Green) and Wright State (at Kent State) also have afternoon match-ups against Mid-American Conference competition. Cleveland State continues that theme when the Vikings host MAC representative Akron, while Butler travels to Indiana State in evening action.

Top Offensive Performances of 2006

20-Run Games
26 -- UW-Milwaukee vs. Chicago State (Apr. 12) * W, 26-12
24 -- UIC vs. UW-Milwaukee (Apr. 11) * W, 24-2
23 -- UIC vs. Northwestern (May 9) * W, 23-5
22 -- Wright State vs. Toledo (Apr. 4) * W, 22-4
20 -- UW-Milwaukee vs. Akron (Mar. 18) * W, 20-12
20 -- UIC vs. Butler (May 13) * W, 20-5

20-Hit Games
29 -- UW-Milwaukee vs. Chicago State (Apr. 12) * W, 26-12
27 -- UW-Milwaukee vs. Akron (Mar. 18) * W, 20-12
26 -- UIC vs. Northwestern (May 9) * W, 23-5
24 -- UIC vs. Butler (May 13) * W, 20-5
23 -- Wright State vs. Toledo (Apr. 4) * W, 22-4
23 -- UIC vs. UW-Milwaukee (Apr. 11) * W, 24-2
22 -- Youngstown State vs. Butler (Mar. 26) * W, 11-10
22 -- UIC vs. Butler (May 13) * W, 18-1
21 -- Youngstown State vs. West Liberty (Mar. 23) * W, 18-1
21 -- Butler vs. Cleveland State (Apr. 2) * W, 15-8
20 -- Youngstown State vs. Morehead State (Mar. 15) * L, 16-13
20 -- UIC vs. Butler (Apr. 22) * W, 19-10