Baseball Weekly Release #3

Feb. 28, 2006

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Player of the Week

Brian Shoup, Wright State
Soph. * 3B * Bethel, Ohio
Shoup batted .421 (eight-for-19) in five games last week, including a stellar weekend at #21 Texas Christian, driving in seven runs and scoring three against the Horned Frogs. Shoup had the game-winning RBI in the opener of the seriesand posted at least one hit in each of the Raiders' five games, posting a .684 slugging percentage.

Pitcher of the Week

Joe Smith, Wright State
Junior * RHP * Cincinnati, Ohio
Smith pitched 5.2 scoreless innings in two relief appearances at #21 Texas Christian over the weekend. He threw 59 pitches over a career-high four innings to gain the save in the series opener, and came back later in the weekend to toss another 1.2 shutout frames. He allowed only one runner past second base in the two stints, striking out five while allowing only two singles.

Other Top Performances for the Week Ending February 26

Tony Barnes, Butler
Jr. * LF * Indianapolis, Ind.
Barnes sparked Butler's 9-2 victory over IPFW with a sixth-inning grand slam. It was his first hit of the season and the third home run of his career.

Justin Johnson, UIC
Sr. * C * Chaska, Minn.
Returned to action after missing all of 2005 by collecting three hits with an RBI and a run scored against #17 Long Beach State. He also threw out two potential base-stealers.

Rob Brockel, UW-Milwaukee
Jr. * OF * Pewaukee, Wis.
Brockel batted .417 (five-for-12) in three games, including a 3-for-4 effort with two doubles, a home run and three RBI against Northern Illinois. He posted a .833 slugging percentage for the trip.

Justin Banks, Youngstown State
Sr. * 3B * Steubenville, Ohio
Banks hit .357 (5-for-14) in a three-game series at East Tennessee State. He had a solo home run and a double in the series finale and scored three runs in the three games.

Jon Dages, Butler
Soph. * RHP * Indianapolis, Ind.
Dages pitched six innings to get the win against IPFW in a 9-2 victory. He allowed just four hits and two runs while striking out six in his second start of the season.

Jason Foster, UIC
Sr. * RHP * Wyoming, Minn.
Foster retired all nine Long Beach State hitters he faced in three appearances over the weekend, pitching three perfect innings of relief with one strikeout.

Kelby Mack, UW-Milwaukee
Jr. * RHP * Lodi, Wis.
Mack pitched in two games over the weekend, gaining the win in the Panthers' 9-8 victory over Northern Illinois in the weekend finale. He allowed one earned run in 3.1 innings on the trip.

Horizon League Players / Pitchers of the Week
Date-- Player of the Week / Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 21-- Bart Babineaux, UIC / Robert Michalkiewicz, UW-Milwaukee
Feb. 28-- Brian Shoup, Wright State / Joe Smith, Wright State

Around the Horizon League

Bulldogs claim victories over instate rivals
Butler swept two non-conference games last week, moving to 3-1 with victories over Marian (5-3 on Wednesday) and IPFW (9-2 on Friday).

Junior outfielder Tony Barnes' grand slam broke open Friday's victory. It was his first hit of 2006 and the third home run of his career. Freshman Joe Matheny paced the 13-hit attack with three hits, while senior shortstop Joe Pauley was two-for-four with two RBI.

That offensive assault supported sophomore hurler Jon Dages, who fanned six and allowed two runs on four hits ove six innings in his second start of the season. Sophomore Bryan Bokowy finished with three shutout innings for his first collegiate save.

Junior DH Matt Ferguson led the Bulldogs with two hits and two RBI versus Marian. Senior third baseman Clayton Deeb scored two runs and drove in a third.

Butler hosts Anderson on Tuesday before a three-game weekend set at Western Kentucky.

Raiders take opener over #21 TCU
Wright State saw the highs and lows of early-season baseball last week, losing to IPFW 7-5 in the home debut before routing Urbana 10-2. WSU then knocked off #21-ranked TCU 6-4 in the first half of a doubleheader Friday before losing 8-4 in the nightcap and 4-2 on Saturday to fall to 2-3.

Friday's victory was Wright State's first over a ranked opponent since the Raiders defeated Notre Dame in the 1995 Midwestern Collegiate Conference championship game.

Sophomore third baseman Brian Shoup batted .421 for the week, hitting safely in all five games. He had the game-winning RBI versus TCU and had an inside-the-park home run versus Urbana.

Senior catcher Aaron Garcia went seven-for-15 (.467 with four RBI, while sophomore outfielder John Kopilchack was seven-for-22 (.318) with three runs scored and three driven in.

On the mound, junior right-hander Nate Stevens was the winner versus Urbana, allowing one run on three hits in five innings. Junior right-hander Joe Smith held TCU batters to a .133 batting average in tossing 5.2 scoreless innings in Fort Worth.

Wright State heads to Winston-Salem, N.C., for a three-game set at Wake Forest this weekend.

Flames bats go dormant at Long Beach
UIC dropped to 2-5 on the season after suffering a three-game sweep at the hands of #18/17 Long Beach State over the weekend. The Flames' rally fell short in the opener as LBSU won 5-3 on Friday before postinig back-to-back shutouts (6-0, 10-0) on Saturday and Sunday.

UIC hit just .144 (13-for-90) in the three games, although senior catcher Justin Johnson and junior infielder Nick Rainwater each collected three hits. Johnson saw his first action of the season after missing all of 2005 due to "Tommy John" surgery, and also threw out two potential base-stealers.

On the mound, senior right-handers Jason Foster and Ryan Martin each threw three shutout innings in California. Foster did not allow a hit while striking out one hitter. Junior right-hander Zach Peterson suffered the loss in the opener, his first defeat since March 21, 2005.

UIC travels to Mississippi for a three-game series beginning Friday evening.

Panthers play three close ones
UW-Milwaukee suffered a pair of one-run losses before rallying to defeat Northern Illinois 9-8 to close the Dunn Hospitality Diamond Classic in Evansville. UWM fell 6-5 in ten innings to the host school on Friday and came up short in a 3-2 loss to Eastern Illinois on Saturday.

Junior outfielder Rob Brockel drove in five runs in the three games for the Panthers. He hit .417 with a .833 slugging percentage, highlighted by two doubles and a home run in four at-bats versus Northern Illinois.

Sophomore shortstop Grant Berkowitz went four-for-11 at the plate, with three runs scored, while senior outfielder Mike Goetz added four hits in 11 at-bats. Goetz is now hitting .400 for the season.

Junior southpaw Robert Michalkiewicz took a no-decision for his seven innings Saturday. In two starts, he is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA, allowing two runs in 14 innings with nine strikeouts.

Penguins have tough outing to open season
Youngstown State began the 2006 campaign with a three-game sweep at the hands of East Tennessee State. The Penguins dropped a doubleheader (10-5, 4-2) on Friday ahead of Saturday's 13-11 loss.

Senior shortstop Charles Schultz tied a school single-game record with three doubles in the series finale, including one during YSU's five-run seventh inning. He added a single in the ninth for his third career four-hit game.

Senior left-hander Chris Dennis made his first start in nearly 21 months Saturday, allowing six runs (four unearned) with seven strikeouts in three innings. He missed nearly all of last season due to injury and received a medical redshirt season.

YSU was rusty in the field, committing ten errors which led to 11 unearned runs in the three games. Seven miscues came in the opener as ETSU took advantage with five unearned runs, and plated six more off five errors in Sunday's 13-11 decision.

Senior third baseman Justin Banks collected five hits in 14 at-bats, including a double and a home run, while senior outfielder Dustin THomas scored three runs and drove in two with his four-for-10 showing which included two doubles.

Cleveland State did not play last week. CSU is idle until a March 3 game at UNC Charlotte.