ANN ARBOR, MICH. -- The Bowling Green State University baseball team scored three runs on four hits with two outs in the first inning and never looked back in posting an 8-3 win over Michigan at Fisher Stadium Tuesday afternoon. With the win, BG’s second this season over a Big Ten opponent, Bowling Green head coach Danny Schmitz became only the fifth baseabll coach in Mid-American Conference history to reach 500 wins. Schmitz is 500-453-4 in 19 seasons at BGSU.
The Falcons improve to 11-12 on the season with the victory while Michigan, the three-time defending Big Ten champions, is now 16-8.
With the victory, Schmitz joins Western Michigan’s Fred Decker (1976-04, 791 wins), Ohio’s Joe Carbone (1989-present, 596), Toledo Stan Sanders (1970-81/1983-92, 534) and Central Michigan’s Dean Kreiner (1986-98, 516) as the only baseball coaches in the 62-year history of the Mid-American Conference to reach the 500-win milestone.
“The 500th win is shared by all the current and former players and assistant coaches,” Schmitz said after the game. “This milestone was made possible by all of their hard work in building the Falcon baseball tradition.”
BG is now idle until this weekend when they head back out on the road for a three-game weekend series against Central Michigan beginning with a 3:05 p.m. contest on Friday afternoon in Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
(Courtesy Bowling Green)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Stanford's Marquess Moves Up Wins List
STANFORD, Calif. – With Stanford’s 13-3 victory Friday night over Washington, head coach Mark Marquess posted his 1,332nd career win – the ninth-most ever by an NCAA Division I head baseball coach.
Marquess, who took over the reins of his alma mater prior to the 1977 season, has compiled a 1,332-679-7 (.662) record during his 33 campaigns as Stanford’s head coach. With tonight’s win, Marquess snapped a tie for ninth with Larry Cochell, who logged a 1,331-813-3 (.621) ledger over 39 years with Emporia State (1967-69), Creighton (1970-71), Cal State Los Angeles (1972-76), Oral Roberts (1977-86), Northwestern (1987), Cal State Fullerton (1988-90) and Oklahoma (1991-2005). Next on the list is Rod Dedeaux, who ranks eighth in NCAA Division I history with 1,342 victories over 44 seasons at USC (1942-47 and 1949-86).
A member of the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, Marquess has guided his Stanford clubs to 25 NCAA Tournament appearances, a pair of College World Series championships, six NCAA Super Regional titles, 15 NCAA Regional crowns and 12 Pac-10 regular season championships. 31 of Marquess’ first 32 Stanford teams have finished at .500 or better, while 19 of his clubs have won at least 40 games and six have crested the 50-win plateau.
Marquess, who is a three-time NCAA Coach of the Year recipient and nine-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year honoree, has gone 120-55 (.686) over his 25 postseason appearances. The former Stanford baseball and football star has led the Cardinal to 14 College World Series trips since 1982, including a Pac-10 best six since 1999.
(Courtesy Stanford University)
Marquess, who took over the reins of his alma mater prior to the 1977 season, has compiled a 1,332-679-7 (.662) record during his 33 campaigns as Stanford’s head coach. With tonight’s win, Marquess snapped a tie for ninth with Larry Cochell, who logged a 1,331-813-3 (.621) ledger over 39 years with Emporia State (1967-69), Creighton (1970-71), Cal State Los Angeles (1972-76), Oral Roberts (1977-86), Northwestern (1987), Cal State Fullerton (1988-90) and Oklahoma (1991-2005). Next on the list is Rod Dedeaux, who ranks eighth in NCAA Division I history with 1,342 victories over 44 seasons at USC (1942-47 and 1949-86).
A member of the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, Marquess has guided his Stanford clubs to 25 NCAA Tournament appearances, a pair of College World Series championships, six NCAA Super Regional titles, 15 NCAA Regional crowns and 12 Pac-10 regular season championships. 31 of Marquess’ first 32 Stanford teams have finished at .500 or better, while 19 of his clubs have won at least 40 games and six have crested the 50-win plateau.
Marquess, who is a three-time NCAA Coach of the Year recipient and nine-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year honoree, has gone 120-55 (.686) over his 25 postseason appearances. The former Stanford baseball and football star has led the Cardinal to 14 College World Series trips since 1982, including a Pac-10 best six since 1999.
(Courtesy Stanford University)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Charlotte Knocks-Off #5 North Carolina
(Chapel Hill, N.C.) - Following a four-hit shutout at Winthrop Tuesday night, the Charlotte 49ers pitching staff held No. 5 North Carolina to just three hits and sophomore first baseman Ryan Rivers belted two towering home runs for all of the offense needed for the 2-1 win at Boshamer Stadium Wednesday night in Chapel Hill.
Charlotte is 14-6, winning the last three road games, dropping North Carolina to 18-5.
The game started nearly 90 minutes earlier than originally scheduled due to rains coming into the area. The game was played in a constant drizzle.
It was the first win for Charlotte in Chapel Hill since April 20, 1988, but the second road victory in two seasons for Charlotte at a top-five opponent after winning 11-2 on March 5 at No. 3 South Carolina last season.
Junior transfer Patrick Lawson held the Tar Heels to three hits in 5.1 innings pitched, giving up just a solo home run to pinch hitter Tarron Robinson to lead off the sixth inning. Lawson struck out seven and gave up one walk in 90 pitches for his second win of the season (2-1).
Rivers' two homers came in his first two at bats, in the second and fourth innings. It was the first time a Niner hit two home runs in a game since Chris Taylor blasted two out at Massachusetts last April 18.
Rivers leads Charlotte with seven home runs, 21 RBI and a .721 slugging percentage.
Reliever Jason Cunningham relieved Lawson in the sixth, giving up a walk and hitting a batter to load the bases, but induced a groundout to first by cleanup hitter Kyle Seager to end the inning.
Closer Sam Pierce came in to pitch the final three innings for his third save of the season. He held the Tar Heels hitless in those three innings, striking out two and walking one.
Charlotte had six hits in the contest, with Rivers the only player in the game to collect two hits.
(Courtesy University of Charlotte)
Charlotte is 14-6, winning the last three road games, dropping North Carolina to 18-5.
The game started nearly 90 minutes earlier than originally scheduled due to rains coming into the area. The game was played in a constant drizzle.
It was the first win for Charlotte in Chapel Hill since April 20, 1988, but the second road victory in two seasons for Charlotte at a top-five opponent after winning 11-2 on March 5 at No. 3 South Carolina last season.
Junior transfer Patrick Lawson held the Tar Heels to three hits in 5.1 innings pitched, giving up just a solo home run to pinch hitter Tarron Robinson to lead off the sixth inning. Lawson struck out seven and gave up one walk in 90 pitches for his second win of the season (2-1).
Rivers' two homers came in his first two at bats, in the second and fourth innings. It was the first time a Niner hit two home runs in a game since Chris Taylor blasted two out at Massachusetts last April 18.
Rivers leads Charlotte with seven home runs, 21 RBI and a .721 slugging percentage.
Reliever Jason Cunningham relieved Lawson in the sixth, giving up a walk and hitting a batter to load the bases, but induced a groundout to first by cleanup hitter Kyle Seager to end the inning.
Closer Sam Pierce came in to pitch the final three innings for his third save of the season. He held the Tar Heels hitless in those three innings, striking out two and walking one.
Charlotte had six hits in the contest, with Rivers the only player in the game to collect two hits.
(Courtesy University of Charlotte)
Fourth College Baseball Hall Of Fame Class Announced
(Lubbock, TX) The College Baseball Foundation has announced the names of the 10 players and coaches comprising the 2009 National College Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Class.
“This is an exciting day for the Hall of Fame every year,” said Mike Gustafson, co-chair of the Hall of Fame and member of the CBF Board of Trustees. “It’s another remarkable class.”
Among the 2009 Hall of Fame class is one Vintage-Era inductee and the first “small school” inductee.
Branch Rickey, player and coach from Ohio Wesleyan and Michigan is the Vintage-Era inductee. The Vintage-Era designation is for those who played or coached prior to 1947.
The University of St. Francis head coach Gordie Gillespie is the small-school inductee. His career at Lewis University and St. Francis has seen him become the winningest coach in college baseball history. The “small school” designation is for two and four-year schools other than NCAA Division I.
“We are delighted to finally recognize the ‘small school’ category of college baseball,” Gustafson said. “Coach Gillespie was the overwhelming choice of our voting committee.”
Gillespie, who has coached for more than five decades, said he is thrilled to be a part of the 2009 College Baseball Hall of Fame Class.
“I can’t tell you how excited and overwhelmed I am to receive this tremendous honor,” he said. “To be going in with such a select group of colege players ... as well as my dear friend Ron Polk, who is one of the most brilliant minds in college baseball, is unbelievable.”
The remaining members of the 2009 Hall of Fame class are Joe Carter, outfielder, Wichita State; Darren Dreifort, pitcher/DH, Wichita State; Kirk Dressendorfer, pitcher, Texas; Barry Larkin, shortstop, Michigan; Keith Moreland, catcher/utility, Texas; Rafael Palmeiro, outfielder, Mississippi State; Ron Polk, coach, Georgia Southern, Mississippi State, Georgia; and Todd Walker, second baseman, Louisiana State.
Joe Carter, who played at Wichita State from 1979 to 1981, was named National Player of the Year by Sporting News in 1981. A two-time first-team All-American, he was twice named MVP of the Missouri Valley Conference and three times named to the All-MVC team. In 2007, he was the top vote-getter when the MVC chose its All-Centennial baseball team.
Darren Dreifort led Wichita State to consecutive College World Series appearances from 1991 to 1993, including appearances in both the 1991 and 1993 final games. The winner of Golden Spikes and Smith Awards in 1993, he was a two-time first-team All-American and All-MVC performer. He was the 1993 MVC Pitcher of the Year and in 2007 he was named to the MVC All-Centennial team as both a designated hitter and relief pitcher.
Kirk Dressendorfer, who pitched at Texas from 1988 to 1990, was a three-time first team All-American, making him one of only 11 in history to be so honored. His 45 wins made him one of the most decorated players in Southwest Conference history as he won three SWC MVP awards and three All-SWC team honors. He also was named to three All-SWC Postseason Tournament Teams.
“Going into the College Baseball Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor,” Dressendorfer said. “I truly feel blessed for having been given the ability and support to join such an elite group of baseball players.”
Gordie Gillespie represents the new “small school” category. He is the first non-Division I inductee and also the first active head coach inductee. He remains active at the University of St. Francis (IL) at age 82 and his 1,783 wins entering the 2009 campaign make him college baseball’s all-time winningest coach.
“In my 57 years of baseball coaching, I haven’t changed my enthusiasm one bit,” Gillespie said. “To see the kids doing what they do, they plays that they make, is a real thrill. Every day is a World Series to me. There’s nothing else like it.”
Michigan’s Barry Larkin was a two-time first-team All-American shortstop. He was the first two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and in 1983 he was the Big Ten Postseason Tournament MVP. He twice led the Wolverines to the College World Series and finished his career with a .361 batting average.
Keith Moreland was a three-time first-team All-Southwest Conference performer as a third baseman at the University of Texas, and twice named first-team All-American (1973, 1975). He helped lead the Longhorns to three consecutive Southwest Conference crowns, three straight NCAA Regional/District titles, a trio of College World Series appearances and the 1975 National Championship. His teams went a combined 160-21 in his three seasons.
Mississippi State’s Rafael Palmeiro, along with Dressendorfer, was one of only 11 players in history to be named first-team All-American three times. He was twice named All-Southeastern Conference and was an SEC All-Tournament Team selection in 1983. In 1984, he was the SEC’s first triple crown winner with a .415 batting average, 29 home runs and 94 RBIs.
Ron Polk is one of only three coaches to lead three different schools to the College World Series — Georgia Southern, Mississippi State and the University of Georgia. He concluded his 35-year career as a head coach last spring with a career record of 1,373-700-2 (.662). His teams made eight College World Series appearances, won five SEC championships and made 23 Regional appearances.
Perhaps best known for signing Jackie Robinson to a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey was named the most influential figure of the 20th century in sports by ESPN. He played his first two seasons at Ohio Wesleyan before signing a professional contract, whereupon he assumed the head coaching duties. While playing for the St. Louis Browns, he coached baseball and football at Allegheny College. Upon completion of his playing career, he began studies at the University of Michigan Law School. He served double-duty in Ann Arbor as the Wolverines baseball coach, where his most famous pupil was Hall of Famer George Sisler. A Hall of Famer himself, he later embarked on a career as a major league manager and executive and is credited with creating the concept of farm systems as well as the batting helmet.
Todd Walker played second base at LSU from 1992 to 1994 and was a two-time first-team All-American. Arguably the greatest position player in the annals of LSU baseball, he was named All-SEC three times and in 1993 was named Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series for the National Champion Tigers. He also was named to the Omaha World-Herald All-Time College World Series Team.
Hall of Fame inductees are chosen based on the votes of more than 110 representatives from coast to coast. Voters include retired and active coaches, media members and previous inductees.
To be eligible for the College Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, players must have completed one year of competition at a two-year institution in the CCCAA or NJCAA or a four-year NCAA (Division I, II or III) or NAIA institution. Ballot-eligible coaches must have retired or be active and no less than 75 years old.
“This class is not short on household names in college baseball,” said Jeff Chase, co-chair of the Hall of Fame and a member of the CBF Board. “Last year’s group was dominated by pitchers, but this year the position players have taken over. We can’t wait for the induction festivities in early July.”
The 2009 inductees will be honored on July 3 as part of the College Baseball Foundation’s annual celebration of both the past and present of college baseball from July 2 through July 4 in Lubbock.
“This is an exciting day for the Hall of Fame every year,” said Mike Gustafson, co-chair of the Hall of Fame and member of the CBF Board of Trustees. “It’s another remarkable class.”
Among the 2009 Hall of Fame class is one Vintage-Era inductee and the first “small school” inductee.
Branch Rickey, player and coach from Ohio Wesleyan and Michigan is the Vintage-Era inductee. The Vintage-Era designation is for those who played or coached prior to 1947.
The University of St. Francis head coach Gordie Gillespie is the small-school inductee. His career at Lewis University and St. Francis has seen him become the winningest coach in college baseball history. The “small school” designation is for two and four-year schools other than NCAA Division I.
“We are delighted to finally recognize the ‘small school’ category of college baseball,” Gustafson said. “Coach Gillespie was the overwhelming choice of our voting committee.”
Gillespie, who has coached for more than five decades, said he is thrilled to be a part of the 2009 College Baseball Hall of Fame Class.
“I can’t tell you how excited and overwhelmed I am to receive this tremendous honor,” he said. “To be going in with such a select group of colege players ... as well as my dear friend Ron Polk, who is one of the most brilliant minds in college baseball, is unbelievable.”
The remaining members of the 2009 Hall of Fame class are Joe Carter, outfielder, Wichita State; Darren Dreifort, pitcher/DH, Wichita State; Kirk Dressendorfer, pitcher, Texas; Barry Larkin, shortstop, Michigan; Keith Moreland, catcher/utility, Texas; Rafael Palmeiro, outfielder, Mississippi State; Ron Polk, coach, Georgia Southern, Mississippi State, Georgia; and Todd Walker, second baseman, Louisiana State.
Joe Carter, who played at Wichita State from 1979 to 1981, was named National Player of the Year by Sporting News in 1981. A two-time first-team All-American, he was twice named MVP of the Missouri Valley Conference and three times named to the All-MVC team. In 2007, he was the top vote-getter when the MVC chose its All-Centennial baseball team.
Darren Dreifort led Wichita State to consecutive College World Series appearances from 1991 to 1993, including appearances in both the 1991 and 1993 final games. The winner of Golden Spikes and Smith Awards in 1993, he was a two-time first-team All-American and All-MVC performer. He was the 1993 MVC Pitcher of the Year and in 2007 he was named to the MVC All-Centennial team as both a designated hitter and relief pitcher.
Kirk Dressendorfer, who pitched at Texas from 1988 to 1990, was a three-time first team All-American, making him one of only 11 in history to be so honored. His 45 wins made him one of the most decorated players in Southwest Conference history as he won three SWC MVP awards and three All-SWC team honors. He also was named to three All-SWC Postseason Tournament Teams.
“Going into the College Baseball Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor,” Dressendorfer said. “I truly feel blessed for having been given the ability and support to join such an elite group of baseball players.”
Gordie Gillespie represents the new “small school” category. He is the first non-Division I inductee and also the first active head coach inductee. He remains active at the University of St. Francis (IL) at age 82 and his 1,783 wins entering the 2009 campaign make him college baseball’s all-time winningest coach.
“In my 57 years of baseball coaching, I haven’t changed my enthusiasm one bit,” Gillespie said. “To see the kids doing what they do, they plays that they make, is a real thrill. Every day is a World Series to me. There’s nothing else like it.”
Michigan’s Barry Larkin was a two-time first-team All-American shortstop. He was the first two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and in 1983 he was the Big Ten Postseason Tournament MVP. He twice led the Wolverines to the College World Series and finished his career with a .361 batting average.
Keith Moreland was a three-time first-team All-Southwest Conference performer as a third baseman at the University of Texas, and twice named first-team All-American (1973, 1975). He helped lead the Longhorns to three consecutive Southwest Conference crowns, three straight NCAA Regional/District titles, a trio of College World Series appearances and the 1975 National Championship. His teams went a combined 160-21 in his three seasons.
Mississippi State’s Rafael Palmeiro, along with Dressendorfer, was one of only 11 players in history to be named first-team All-American three times. He was twice named All-Southeastern Conference and was an SEC All-Tournament Team selection in 1983. In 1984, he was the SEC’s first triple crown winner with a .415 batting average, 29 home runs and 94 RBIs.
Ron Polk is one of only three coaches to lead three different schools to the College World Series — Georgia Southern, Mississippi State and the University of Georgia. He concluded his 35-year career as a head coach last spring with a career record of 1,373-700-2 (.662). His teams made eight College World Series appearances, won five SEC championships and made 23 Regional appearances.
Perhaps best known for signing Jackie Robinson to a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey was named the most influential figure of the 20th century in sports by ESPN. He played his first two seasons at Ohio Wesleyan before signing a professional contract, whereupon he assumed the head coaching duties. While playing for the St. Louis Browns, he coached baseball and football at Allegheny College. Upon completion of his playing career, he began studies at the University of Michigan Law School. He served double-duty in Ann Arbor as the Wolverines baseball coach, where his most famous pupil was Hall of Famer George Sisler. A Hall of Famer himself, he later embarked on a career as a major league manager and executive and is credited with creating the concept of farm systems as well as the batting helmet.
Todd Walker played second base at LSU from 1992 to 1994 and was a two-time first-team All-American. Arguably the greatest position player in the annals of LSU baseball, he was named All-SEC three times and in 1993 was named Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series for the National Champion Tigers. He also was named to the Omaha World-Herald All-Time College World Series Team.
Hall of Fame inductees are chosen based on the votes of more than 110 representatives from coast to coast. Voters include retired and active coaches, media members and previous inductees.
To be eligible for the College Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, players must have completed one year of competition at a two-year institution in the CCCAA or NJCAA or a four-year NCAA (Division I, II or III) or NAIA institution. Ballot-eligible coaches must have retired or be active and no less than 75 years old.
“This class is not short on household names in college baseball,” said Jeff Chase, co-chair of the Hall of Fame and a member of the CBF Board. “Last year’s group was dominated by pitchers, but this year the position players have taken over. We can’t wait for the induction festivities in early July.”
The 2009 inductees will be honored on July 3 as part of the College Baseball Foundation’s annual celebration of both the past and present of college baseball from July 2 through July 4 in Lubbock.
OSU Trio One-Hits, Upsets #2 Miami
(CORAL GABLES, FL) – A trio of Ohio State pitchers, led by starter and winner Alex Wimmers (now 5-0), one-hit the No. 2 Miami Hurricanes and the Buckeye bats did more than enough to secure a 7-1 victory Tuesday before 1,755 fans at Alex Rodriguez Park. Ohio State, ranked 16th in the Collegiate Baseball poll, improves to 18-3 with the win while Miami falls to 18-5.
Wimmers, pitching on three days rest for the first time as a collegian, tossed 5.0 innings and did not allow a base hit. He exited with the Buckeyes up, 6-1, with a first inning Miami run unearned and set up by two errors and a walk. Wimmers walked five and struck out two for the game.
He was replaced in the sixth by Drew Rucinski, who worked 3.0 innings with his only base runners the result of a first-batter-faced single and a walk allowed in the seventh.
Hale then came in and slammed the door shut on a win for the 11th time this season. He struck out two of the three batters he faced. In all, Hale and Rucinski faced 14 batters and allowed just one hit and one walk.
“We pitched Alex on three days rest and we didn’t expect that he was going to give us a complete game, but he competed and when he left in the fifth inning he hadn’t given up a hit,” Ohio State coach Bob Todd said. “We were also being very conscious of the fact that we have conference play this weekend at Penn State.
“So Drew Rucinski came in and gave us three quality innings and, most importantly, he was able to throw strikes with three pitches. And it’s great to see that Jake Hale has bitten into the idea that he wants to be our closer and he did a great job, too.
Ohio State scored four times in the top of the third inning – off five hits and one error – to chase Miami starter Daniel Miranda (1-2) and claim a 4-1 lead. Ryan Dew and Matt Streng opened with doubles down the opposite lines to tie the score at 1-1. Zach Hurley singled and Cory Kovanda walked, and after both moved up on a nicely executed sac bunt by Michael Stephens, both scored on a soft, two-out single to right center field by Dan Burkhart, with Kovanda hustling and diving head first to beat the throw to the plate.
Four Buckeye errors through the first five innings hurt the team’s pride more than the score. Two first-inning errors allowed Miami to score without getting a hit. In the fourth inning, another error put the leadoff runner on board, but a 6-4-3 double play erased the error, and Wimmers was able to get another ground out to escape the inning with a 4-1 lead.
For the game, Ohio State had seven runs, eight hits and four errors. The Hurricanes had one run off one hit and committed two errors.
Ohio State defeated No. 4 North Carolina, 2-1, in Greenville, N.C., for its last win over a top five team on March 5, 2005.
(Courtesy Ohio State University)
Wimmers, pitching on three days rest for the first time as a collegian, tossed 5.0 innings and did not allow a base hit. He exited with the Buckeyes up, 6-1, with a first inning Miami run unearned and set up by two errors and a walk. Wimmers walked five and struck out two for the game.
He was replaced in the sixth by Drew Rucinski, who worked 3.0 innings with his only base runners the result of a first-batter-faced single and a walk allowed in the seventh.
Hale then came in and slammed the door shut on a win for the 11th time this season. He struck out two of the three batters he faced. In all, Hale and Rucinski faced 14 batters and allowed just one hit and one walk.
“We pitched Alex on three days rest and we didn’t expect that he was going to give us a complete game, but he competed and when he left in the fifth inning he hadn’t given up a hit,” Ohio State coach Bob Todd said. “We were also being very conscious of the fact that we have conference play this weekend at Penn State.
“So Drew Rucinski came in and gave us three quality innings and, most importantly, he was able to throw strikes with three pitches. And it’s great to see that Jake Hale has bitten into the idea that he wants to be our closer and he did a great job, too.
Ohio State scored four times in the top of the third inning – off five hits and one error – to chase Miami starter Daniel Miranda (1-2) and claim a 4-1 lead. Ryan Dew and Matt Streng opened with doubles down the opposite lines to tie the score at 1-1. Zach Hurley singled and Cory Kovanda walked, and after both moved up on a nicely executed sac bunt by Michael Stephens, both scored on a soft, two-out single to right center field by Dan Burkhart, with Kovanda hustling and diving head first to beat the throw to the plate.
Four Buckeye errors through the first five innings hurt the team’s pride more than the score. Two first-inning errors allowed Miami to score without getting a hit. In the fourth inning, another error put the leadoff runner on board, but a 6-4-3 double play erased the error, and Wimmers was able to get another ground out to escape the inning with a 4-1 lead.
For the game, Ohio State had seven runs, eight hits and four errors. The Hurricanes had one run off one hit and committed two errors.
Ohio State defeated No. 4 North Carolina, 2-1, in Greenville, N.C., for its last win over a top five team on March 5, 2005.
(Courtesy Ohio State University)
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
16 College Baseball Alums Complete Play in World Baseball Classic for Team USA
Hello CollegeBaseball360 fans – this is Pete LaFleur, back joining my good friend and hard-working CB360 co-founder Sean Stires in bringing you some unique and interesting content to this site. I just wrapped up a busy couple weeks with my sister site, CollegeFencing360.com – which, believe it or not, has become a very popular site and valuable resource for the college fencing community. I've learned some good ideas from that site (related to content, technology, layout, publicity, etc.) that may be able to transfer in certain ways to CB360. ... Anyway, thanks so much to Sean for holding the fort – and here's looking to more (and expanded) coverage on CB360, all the way through the CWS and into the offseason.
One thing we will seek to do on this site is promote the ties between college baseball and the Major Leagues, helping remind the site visitors about who the college baseball alums are in the big leagues (and, of course, linking them to their college programs).
The 2009 World Baseball Classic featured 16 college baseball alums on the 28-player United States roster:
Heath Bell (RHP) – Rancho Santiago JC
Mark DeRosa (3B) – Penn
Adam Dunn (OF) – Texas
Curtis Granderson (OF) – Illinois-Chicago
Jeremy Guthrie (RHP) – Stanford
J.P. Howell (LHP) – Texas
Chris Ianetta (C) – North Carolina
Ted Lilly (LHP) – Fresno City JC
Matt Lindstrom (RHP) – Ricks JC (Idaho)
Roy Oswalt (RHP) – Holmes JC (Mo.)
J.J. Putz (RHP) – Michigan
Brian Roberts (2B) – North Carolina
Scott Shields (RHP) – Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.)
Brad Thornton (LHP) – Grand Valley State
Kevin Youkilis (1B/3B) – Cincinnati
Brad Ziegler (RHP) – (SW) Missouri State
The first World Baseball Classic (in 2006) also featured 16 college baseball alums, among that 28-player roster. Those 16 players included: catcher Jason Varitek (Georgia Tech), 1B Mark Teixeira (Georgia Tech), 2B Chase Utley (UCLA), SS Michael Young (UC Santa Barbara), OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara) and starting pitcher Roger Clemens (Texas), plus all 10 of the relief pitchers: Chad Cordero (CS Fullerton), Brian Fuentes (Merced JC), Todd Jones (Jacksonville St.), Brad Lidge (Notre Dame), Joe Nathan (Stony Brook), Shields (Lincoln Memorial), Huston Street (Texas) Mike Timlin (SW Texas), Billy Wagner (Ferrum) and Dan Wheeler (Central Arizona JC).
It's noteworthy that the 31 total college baseball alums listed above include several who played for colleges located in the Midwest or Northeast: DeRosa, Granderson, Lidge, Nathan, Putz and Youkilis.
One thing we will seek to do on this site is promote the ties between college baseball and the Major Leagues, helping remind the site visitors about who the college baseball alums are in the big leagues (and, of course, linking them to their college programs).
The 2009 World Baseball Classic featured 16 college baseball alums on the 28-player United States roster:
Heath Bell (RHP) – Rancho Santiago JC
Mark DeRosa (3B) – Penn
Adam Dunn (OF) – Texas
Curtis Granderson (OF) – Illinois-Chicago
Jeremy Guthrie (RHP) – Stanford
J.P. Howell (LHP) – Texas
Chris Ianetta (C) – North Carolina
Ted Lilly (LHP) – Fresno City JC
Matt Lindstrom (RHP) – Ricks JC (Idaho)
Roy Oswalt (RHP) – Holmes JC (Mo.)
J.J. Putz (RHP) – Michigan
Brian Roberts (2B) – North Carolina
Scott Shields (RHP) – Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.)
Brad Thornton (LHP) – Grand Valley State
Kevin Youkilis (1B/3B) – Cincinnati
Brad Ziegler (RHP) – (SW) Missouri State
The first World Baseball Classic (in 2006) also featured 16 college baseball alums, among that 28-player roster. Those 16 players included: catcher Jason Varitek (Georgia Tech), 1B Mark Teixeira (Georgia Tech), 2B Chase Utley (UCLA), SS Michael Young (UC Santa Barbara), OF Randy Winn (Santa Clara) and starting pitcher Roger Clemens (Texas), plus all 10 of the relief pitchers: Chad Cordero (CS Fullerton), Brian Fuentes (Merced JC), Todd Jones (Jacksonville St.), Brad Lidge (Notre Dame), Joe Nathan (Stony Brook), Shields (Lincoln Memorial), Huston Street (Texas) Mike Timlin (SW Texas), Billy Wagner (Ferrum) and Dan Wheeler (Central Arizona JC).
It's noteworthy that the 31 total college baseball alums listed above include several who played for colleges located in the Midwest or Northeast: DeRosa, Granderson, Lidge, Nathan, Putz and Youkilis.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
San Diego's Hill Gets #700
University of San Diego head coach Rich Hill got the 700th win of his career Saturday with a 11-5 win over Brown. Hill's Toreros rapped-out 13 hits, including three home runs, to cap a doubleheader sweep of the Ivy League school.
Hill is in his 11th season at San Diego (14-9) and his 22nd year overall. His career mark now stands at 700-465-3.
Hill is in his 11th season at San Diego (14-9) and his 22nd year overall. His career mark now stands at 700-465-3.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Virginia Suffers First Loss Of 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 7 Virginia baseball team saw its school-record 19-game winning streak come to a halt as No. 4 Miami rallied from a three-run deficit to defeat the Cavaliers, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at Davenport Field. The Hurricanes scored all four of their runs in a seventh-inning flurry, then held off a ninth-inning UVa comeback to seal the win.
Virginia (19-1, 5-1 ACC) was the lone remaining undefeated team in the country and had the longest active winning streak in the nation.
UVa starter Andrew Carraway (Sr., Marietta, Ga.) gave the Cavaliers 6.2 strong innings. He rolled from the first through the sixth innings, retiring 15 straight batters at one point before loading the bases with two out in the seventh. He allowed three earned runs, four hits and two walks while striking out nine. Matt Packer (Jr., Germantown, Tenn.) was credited with the loss and fell to 1-1 after giving up an earned run, two hits and a walk in 2.1 innings. He struck out five.
Miami starter David Gutierrez was impressive as well, allowing three runs (one earned), three hits and three walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out seven. Reliever Taylor Wulf (1-0) earned the win, while Kyle Bellamy tossed the final two innings to notch his fifth save. Miami’s pitching staff held UVa to its lowest totals in runs and hits (five) this season.
Trailing 3-0, Miami (17-4, 6-2) scored all four of its runs with two out in the seventh inning. Carraway loaded the bases with two out, and Packer came on to face pinch hitter Ted Blackman, who hit a two-run single which was just out of the reach of second baseman Keith Werman (Fr., Vienna, Va.). Two batters later, Ryan Jackson cracked a two-run single to give the Hurricanes the lead.
UVa attempted to stage a rally in the ninth inning and loaded the bases with two out against Bellamy. He struck out Dan Grovatt (So., Tabernacle, N.J.) for the potential third out, but the ball bounced off catcher Jason Hagerty’s glove and toward the Miami dugout. Jarrett Parker (So., Stafford, Va.) came home on the play, but Hagerty’s throw to Bellamy just beat Parker at the plate for the force out to end the game.
(Courtesy Virginia Sports Information)
Virginia (19-1, 5-1 ACC) was the lone remaining undefeated team in the country and had the longest active winning streak in the nation.
UVa starter Andrew Carraway (Sr., Marietta, Ga.) gave the Cavaliers 6.2 strong innings. He rolled from the first through the sixth innings, retiring 15 straight batters at one point before loading the bases with two out in the seventh. He allowed three earned runs, four hits and two walks while striking out nine. Matt Packer (Jr., Germantown, Tenn.) was credited with the loss and fell to 1-1 after giving up an earned run, two hits and a walk in 2.1 innings. He struck out five.
Miami starter David Gutierrez was impressive as well, allowing three runs (one earned), three hits and three walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out seven. Reliever Taylor Wulf (1-0) earned the win, while Kyle Bellamy tossed the final two innings to notch his fifth save. Miami’s pitching staff held UVa to its lowest totals in runs and hits (five) this season.
Trailing 3-0, Miami (17-4, 6-2) scored all four of its runs with two out in the seventh inning. Carraway loaded the bases with two out, and Packer came on to face pinch hitter Ted Blackman, who hit a two-run single which was just out of the reach of second baseman Keith Werman (Fr., Vienna, Va.). Two batters later, Ryan Jackson cracked a two-run single to give the Hurricanes the lead.
UVa attempted to stage a rally in the ninth inning and loaded the bases with two out against Bellamy. He struck out Dan Grovatt (So., Tabernacle, N.J.) for the potential third out, but the ball bounced off catcher Jason Hagerty’s glove and toward the Miami dugout. Jarrett Parker (So., Stafford, Va.) came home on the play, but Hagerty’s throw to Bellamy just beat Parker at the plate for the force out to end the game.
(Courtesy Virginia Sports Information)
Two Coaches Hit Milestones Friday
Rice's Wayne Graham and TCU's Jim Schlossnagle each picked-up milestone wins Friday, and each win came in dramatic fashion.
Graham got his 800th win at Rice when the Owls scored the eventual winning run in the top of the ninth inning on a wild pitch as Rice beat Southern Mississippi 4-3 in Hattiesburg, MS. Graham is 800-304 in his 18th season at Rice.
TCU gave Schlossnagle his 300th win in an 8-7 comeback win over Utah. The Horned Frogs scored four runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win. Schlossnagle is 300-154 in his eight seasons as a head coach. 223 of his wins have come at TCU.
Be sure to check out the NOTEBOOK page at www.collegebaseball360.com every Monday and Tuesday as we bring you the weekly top college baseball performances from around the country!
Graham got his 800th win at Rice when the Owls scored the eventual winning run in the top of the ninth inning on a wild pitch as Rice beat Southern Mississippi 4-3 in Hattiesburg, MS. Graham is 800-304 in his 18th season at Rice.
TCU gave Schlossnagle his 300th win in an 8-7 comeback win over Utah. The Horned Frogs scored four runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win. Schlossnagle is 300-154 in his eight seasons as a head coach. 223 of his wins have come at TCU.
Be sure to check out the NOTEBOOK page at www.collegebaseball360.com every Monday and Tuesday as we bring you the weekly top college baseball performances from around the country!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Of Polls And Schedules
We are now a month into the college baseball season, and teams' personalities and tournament resumes are starting to take shape. A few random thoughts while looking through the national polls and the schedules various teams are playing...
1. Doesn't any team from the midwest or northeast want to go to Southern California in February and March? UCLA (#1 preseason SOS) and USC (#10 preseason SOS) are a combined 12-20 after the first month of the season. The Bruins won their first two games of the season, but then lost 10 straight to UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside, Rice, Baylor, UC Irvine, Pepperdine and Oklahoma (3). The Rice, Baylor and Irvine games were in Houston. USC welcomed Western Carolina and Winthrop to LA, and lost two of three games on a trip to Tulane.
Each team still has mid-week games this season with the likes of Pepperdine, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, and Long Beach State. The tough strength of schedules will help, but both now face tough uphill battles to be in the NCAA tournament picture at the end of the season as they begin their 27 game Pac 10 Conference slate against each other this weekend.
2. Speaking of tough schedules, Washington State (5-12, #7 SOS) completely over-scheduled this season. The Cougars lost three at Arkansas to start 2009, split four games with Oklahoma in Pullman, WA, lost three games to Rice, Oral Roberts and Notre Dame in Houston, took two of three at Long Beach State, and lost two at Pepperdine. All that before Pac 10 play began for a team that finished in last place in the conference standings last year. If they had played a considerably softer non-conference slate (see #3 below) and then had a .500 record in Pac 10 play the Cougars could have at least been in tournament consideration at season's end.
3. The opposite of Washington State: Virginia. The Cavaliers were unbeaten coming into the week, and some might chuckle at their wins over the likes of Bucknell, Fordham and William and Mary. But Virginia also beat Wake Forest by a combined 47-13 in their ACC opening series, and also beat Florida State 15-2 in the only game of that series (the other two were rained-out). But why should Virginia kill itself in non-conference play when it has to play North Carolina, Miami, Florida State (all CWS teams in 2008), Georgia Tech, NC State, etc. in the ACC?
4. While Virginia was not ranked in the preseason polls, Texas A & M was a top ten team according to most publications, and it's still in the top ten in all the polls. The Aggies are a good team, but why do their losses to Centenary and Utah (and now two to New Mexico) count less than Virginia's no losses going into this weekend? The highest ranking the Cavs have is #15 in the Coaches poll.
5. Why is Illinois (11-2) not ranked in every poll? The Illini could lose every game the rest of this season, but for right now they deserve to be in the top 25 in every poll there is. They took two of three AT LSU, and their only other loss was to Notre Dame in Florida. Illinois' quality wins in Baton Rouge will help the RPI of every Big 10 team they play this year.
1. Doesn't any team from the midwest or northeast want to go to Southern California in February and March? UCLA (#1 preseason SOS) and USC (#10 preseason SOS) are a combined 12-20 after the first month of the season. The Bruins won their first two games of the season, but then lost 10 straight to UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside, Rice, Baylor, UC Irvine, Pepperdine and Oklahoma (3). The Rice, Baylor and Irvine games were in Houston. USC welcomed Western Carolina and Winthrop to LA, and lost two of three games on a trip to Tulane.
Each team still has mid-week games this season with the likes of Pepperdine, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, and Long Beach State. The tough strength of schedules will help, but both now face tough uphill battles to be in the NCAA tournament picture at the end of the season as they begin their 27 game Pac 10 Conference slate against each other this weekend.
2. Speaking of tough schedules, Washington State (5-12, #7 SOS) completely over-scheduled this season. The Cougars lost three at Arkansas to start 2009, split four games with Oklahoma in Pullman, WA, lost three games to Rice, Oral Roberts and Notre Dame in Houston, took two of three at Long Beach State, and lost two at Pepperdine. All that before Pac 10 play began for a team that finished in last place in the conference standings last year. If they had played a considerably softer non-conference slate (see #3 below) and then had a .500 record in Pac 10 play the Cougars could have at least been in tournament consideration at season's end.
3. The opposite of Washington State: Virginia. The Cavaliers were unbeaten coming into the week, and some might chuckle at their wins over the likes of Bucknell, Fordham and William and Mary. But Virginia also beat Wake Forest by a combined 47-13 in their ACC opening series, and also beat Florida State 15-2 in the only game of that series (the other two were rained-out). But why should Virginia kill itself in non-conference play when it has to play North Carolina, Miami, Florida State (all CWS teams in 2008), Georgia Tech, NC State, etc. in the ACC?
4. While Virginia was not ranked in the preseason polls, Texas A & M was a top ten team according to most publications, and it's still in the top ten in all the polls. The Aggies are a good team, but why do their losses to Centenary and Utah (and now two to New Mexico) count less than Virginia's no losses going into this weekend? The highest ranking the Cavs have is #15 in the Coaches poll.
5. Why is Illinois (11-2) not ranked in every poll? The Illini could lose every game the rest of this season, but for right now they deserve to be in the top 25 in every poll there is. They took two of three AT LSU, and their only other loss was to Notre Dame in Florida. Illinois' quality wins in Baton Rouge will help the RPI of every Big 10 team they play this year.
San Jose State's Piraro Reaches Milestone
(San Jose, CA) The San Jose State University baseball team defeated visiting Dartmouth College, 6-1, for its sixth straight win to give head coach Sam Piraro career win No. 700 in his 22nd season in charge at his alma mater, at Municipal Stadium on Thursday, March 19.
San Jose State moves its overall record to 15-3, while Dartmouth drops to 0-4. Piraro’s career mark is now 700-523-6.
“Well, it’s a number,” added Piraro about his 700th victory. “Basically, what it means is that I’ve been around a long time. It’s a longevity statistic more than anything else. I try not to get wrapped up into those things. It means I’ve been around a long time. I’m fortunate with that, but believe me, I don’t sit there and pat myself on the back for that. It’s a number because you’ve been around a long time, so we have to go on to bigger and better things, and see if we can get our team playing the way we want over the next couple of weeks, so when we go into conference, we hit conference at full speed.”
San Jose State moves its overall record to 15-3, while Dartmouth drops to 0-4. Piraro’s career mark is now 700-523-6.
“Well, it’s a number,” added Piraro about his 700th victory. “Basically, what it means is that I’ve been around a long time. It’s a longevity statistic more than anything else. I try not to get wrapped up into those things. It means I’ve been around a long time. I’m fortunate with that, but believe me, I don’t sit there and pat myself on the back for that. It’s a number because you’ve been around a long time, so we have to go on to bigger and better things, and see if we can get our team playing the way we want over the next couple of weeks, so when we go into conference, we hit conference at full speed.”
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
UNM Knocks-Off Texas A & M And Other Tuesday Results
(COLLEGE STATION, TX) New Mexico team pulled out its biggest win against a ranked
opponent, downing No. 3 Texas A&M, 10-6, Tuesday night. The win marks the highest-ranked team the Lobos have beaten since 1997 when they defeated No. 3 Rice on March 21.
The Lobos out-hit the Aggies 17-6 to improve to 17-3 and hand Texas A&M (14-5) its fifth loss of the season.
(FAYETTEVILLE, AR) Redshirt freshman Collin Kuhn had two hits for the 15th-ranked Arkansas baseball team including the game winner in the Razorbacks 7-3 win over Nebraska Tuesday night.
The Razorbacks (13-3) wore green caps with their signature ‘A’ in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and won their fourth straight game, while Nebraska (11-6-1) continues a tough road trip where it has lost three of four games starting last Friday.
Ben Tschepikow belted a two-run home run to left field, his sixth of the season. The home run extends Tschepikow's current hitting streak to 11 games where he is batting a robust .442 with 19 hits, 13 runs scored, four home runs and 16 RBIs.
(BATON ROUGE, LA) Northwestern State gave fifth-ranked LSU just about all it could handle on Tuesday before the Tigers scored the game-winning run with a one-out bases loaded run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Tigers scored the game-winning run when pinch hitter Micah Gibbs singled in Derek Helenihi in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The loss is just the third in the last 11 games for the Demons who fell to 10-6 on the season. LSU improves to 14-4 on the season.
(MALIBU, CA) Sophomore Matt Bywater struck out a career high 12 batters in Pepperdine’s 3-1 victory over Washington State Tuesday afternoon.
Bywater was the epitome of accuracy as he walked just one batter over eight innings and didn’t throw a pitch outside the strike zone until there were two outs in the third inning. “I’ve never done that before,” Bywater said of his 25 consecutive strikes to begin the game. “I felt very good out there. I was throwing a lot of first-pitch strikes — mostly fastballs and changeups — and was able to get ahead in the count most of the time.”
Overall, Bywater (2-0) tossed a total of 102 pitches and only 29 of them missed the zone.
(GRAND PRAIRIE, TX) Senior left-handed pitcher Ryan Robinson pitched eight innings and at one point retired 17 straight batters while leading UT Arlington to a 6-2 victory over No. 25 Minnesota Tuesday night.
After allowing the first two batters of the game to reach base and score on a single and walk respectively, Robinson settled in facing only three batters over the minimum the rest of his eight innings. He finished with a career-high 10 strikeouts and allowed two walks while scattering seven hits.
(TALLAHASSEE, FL) University of South Florida (9-7) left handed pitcher Teddy Kaufman rung up 11 Rattlers in the Bulls' 6-1 win over Florida A&M (6-8) Tuesday afternoon.
Kaufman (1-0) picked up his first win of the year in a complete 9.0 inning outing. He allowed only three hits and no earned runs. Throwing 103 pitches, he didn't walk any of the 30 Rattlers he faced.
opponent, downing No. 3 Texas A&M, 10-6, Tuesday night. The win marks the highest-ranked team the Lobos have beaten since 1997 when they defeated No. 3 Rice on March 21.
The Lobos out-hit the Aggies 17-6 to improve to 17-3 and hand Texas A&M (14-5) its fifth loss of the season.
(FAYETTEVILLE, AR) Redshirt freshman Collin Kuhn had two hits for the 15th-ranked Arkansas baseball team including the game winner in the Razorbacks 7-3 win over Nebraska Tuesday night.
The Razorbacks (13-3) wore green caps with their signature ‘A’ in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and won their fourth straight game, while Nebraska (11-6-1) continues a tough road trip where it has lost three of four games starting last Friday.
Ben Tschepikow belted a two-run home run to left field, his sixth of the season. The home run extends Tschepikow's current hitting streak to 11 games where he is batting a robust .442 with 19 hits, 13 runs scored, four home runs and 16 RBIs.
(BATON ROUGE, LA) Northwestern State gave fifth-ranked LSU just about all it could handle on Tuesday before the Tigers scored the game-winning run with a one-out bases loaded run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Tigers scored the game-winning run when pinch hitter Micah Gibbs singled in Derek Helenihi in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The loss is just the third in the last 11 games for the Demons who fell to 10-6 on the season. LSU improves to 14-4 on the season.
(MALIBU, CA) Sophomore Matt Bywater struck out a career high 12 batters in Pepperdine’s 3-1 victory over Washington State Tuesday afternoon.
Bywater was the epitome of accuracy as he walked just one batter over eight innings and didn’t throw a pitch outside the strike zone until there were two outs in the third inning. “I’ve never done that before,” Bywater said of his 25 consecutive strikes to begin the game. “I felt very good out there. I was throwing a lot of first-pitch strikes — mostly fastballs and changeups — and was able to get ahead in the count most of the time.”
Overall, Bywater (2-0) tossed a total of 102 pitches and only 29 of them missed the zone.
(GRAND PRAIRIE, TX) Senior left-handed pitcher Ryan Robinson pitched eight innings and at one point retired 17 straight batters while leading UT Arlington to a 6-2 victory over No. 25 Minnesota Tuesday night.
After allowing the first two batters of the game to reach base and score on a single and walk respectively, Robinson settled in facing only three batters over the minimum the rest of his eight innings. He finished with a career-high 10 strikeouts and allowed two walks while scattering seven hits.
(TALLAHASSEE, FL) University of South Florida (9-7) left handed pitcher Teddy Kaufman rung up 11 Rattlers in the Bulls' 6-1 win over Florida A&M (6-8) Tuesday afternoon.
Kaufman (1-0) picked up his first win of the year in a complete 9.0 inning outing. He allowed only three hits and no earned runs. Throwing 103 pitches, he didn't walk any of the 30 Rattlers he faced.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
LSU-UNC Fall In Friday Night Upsets
The two teams that have occupied the number one spot in most 2009 national polls each fell prey to series-opening upsets Friday night.
#1 LSU lost 3-1 to Illinois in Baton Rouge. Aaron Johnson homered for the Illini (6-1)to hand the Tigers (9-1) their first defeat of the season. The two teams play two more times this weekend.
#18 Clemson pulled-out a 5-4 win in 10 innings over #3 North Carolina (8-2),(0-1) in the ACC opener for both teams. The Tigers (6-2), (1-0) got a home run from Jeff Schaus, while Matt Sanders plated the winning run with a sacrifice fly to right field in the top of the 10th inning.
#1 LSU lost 3-1 to Illinois in Baton Rouge. Aaron Johnson homered for the Illini (6-1)to hand the Tigers (9-1) their first defeat of the season. The two teams play two more times this weekend.
#18 Clemson pulled-out a 5-4 win in 10 innings over #3 North Carolina (8-2),(0-1) in the ACC opener for both teams. The Tigers (6-2), (1-0) got a home run from Jeff Schaus, while Matt Sanders plated the winning run with a sacrifice fly to right field in the top of the 10th inning.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Notre Dame-Northwestern To Play At US Cellular
The Notre Dame and Northwestern baseball teams will play a game at U.S. Cellular Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox, on Wednesday, April 15 at 7 p.m. (Central) The White Sox and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) are hosting the game at the ballpark.
Last year, the White Sox and ISFA hosted a game between Northern Illinois and Notre Dame. All all proceeds from that game benefited the NIU February 14 Scholarship Fund. This year's game will benefit Chicago White Sox Charities. Chicago White Sox Charities provides annual financial, in-kind and emotional support to hundreds of Chicago-based organizations, including those leading the fight against cancer or dedicated to improving the lives of Chicago's youth through education and athletics.
Tickets for the game are $10 and will be available through whitesox.com and at the U.S. Cellular Field box office beginning the week of March 16. Parking for the game is complimentary and will be in Lot B of U.S. Cellular Field. Gates will open one hour prior to first pitch.
Last year, the White Sox and ISFA hosted a game between Northern Illinois and Notre Dame. All all proceeds from that game benefited the NIU February 14 Scholarship Fund. This year's game will benefit Chicago White Sox Charities. Chicago White Sox Charities provides annual financial, in-kind and emotional support to hundreds of Chicago-based organizations, including those leading the fight against cancer or dedicated to improving the lives of Chicago's youth through education and athletics.
Tickets for the game are $10 and will be available through whitesox.com and at the U.S. Cellular Field box office beginning the week of March 16. Parking for the game is complimentary and will be in Lot B of U.S. Cellular Field. Gates will open one hour prior to first pitch.
Wednesday's Prime Time Diamond Performers
Here's a look at some of Wednesday's notable college baseball performances:
LSU's Sean Ochinko had a second straight big game. A day after homering with 7 RBIs Ochinko hit a grand slam and totaled 5 RBIs in the #1 Tiger's 10-4 win over Mississippi Valley State.
Coastal Carolina pitcher Bobby Gagg gave-up just a run on three hits with five strikeouts and no walks in 7 innings in a 3-1 win over The Citadel.
Arkansas DH Andy Wilkins was 3 for 4 with 4 RBIs in a 9-6 win over Valparaiso. Teammate Ben Tschepikow was 3 for 4 with 2 runs, 2 RBIs and a triple.
Louisville third baseman Chris Dominguez was 4 for 5 with two runs and 4 RBIs in Louisville's 12-1 win over Western Michigan.
Tyler Scott went 4 for 6 with two runs and an RBI to help UNC-Wilmington improve to 8-0 in a 12-7 win over Wake Forest.
Andrew Ciencin was 3 for 4 with a home run, 3 runs and 4 RBIs as North Carolina State downed Villanova 15-0.
Virginia's Phil Gosselin went 3 for 4 with 4 RBIs to help the Cavs (9-0) route George Washington 17-4.
Gauntlett Eldemire's walk-off home run lifted Ohio to a 9-8 win over Pittsburgh in the Bobcat's home opener.
LSU's Sean Ochinko had a second straight big game. A day after homering with 7 RBIs Ochinko hit a grand slam and totaled 5 RBIs in the #1 Tiger's 10-4 win over Mississippi Valley State.
Coastal Carolina pitcher Bobby Gagg gave-up just a run on three hits with five strikeouts and no walks in 7 innings in a 3-1 win over The Citadel.
Arkansas DH Andy Wilkins was 3 for 4 with 4 RBIs in a 9-6 win over Valparaiso. Teammate Ben Tschepikow was 3 for 4 with 2 runs, 2 RBIs and a triple.
Louisville third baseman Chris Dominguez was 4 for 5 with two runs and 4 RBIs in Louisville's 12-1 win over Western Michigan.
Tyler Scott went 4 for 6 with two runs and an RBI to help UNC-Wilmington improve to 8-0 in a 12-7 win over Wake Forest.
Andrew Ciencin was 3 for 4 with a home run, 3 runs and 4 RBIs as North Carolina State downed Villanova 15-0.
Virginia's Phil Gosselin went 3 for 4 with 4 RBIs to help the Cavs (9-0) route George Washington 17-4.
Gauntlett Eldemire's walk-off home run lifted Ohio to a 9-8 win over Pittsburgh in the Bobcat's home opener.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Georgia Bulldogs Off And Running
ATHENS-Colby May went 2-for-3 with a home run and scored five runs to help lead Georgia to a 13-6 win over Wofford Wednesday at Foley Field.
With the win the Bulldogs improved to 9-0, tying the best start in school history. The 1911 team also won its first nine games.
“I just wanted to get through this game and get to 9-0,” said head coach David Perno. “We’re really off to a good start. We know things aren’t going to stay easy for us, but we just have to keep doing the things that we’re doing well.”
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball, scored in six out of eight innings and have now scored in 48 of 75 innings this season.
“Offensively you just can’t say enough about our guys,” Perno said. “We’re playing a lot of guys and they are all coming up big for us. The depth we have really allows us to stay fresh and sharp.”
Jason Leaver (2-0) tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and struck out six batters to earn the win.
Georgia plays host to Quinnipiac in the final non-conference weekend series of the regular season beginning Friday.
With the win the Bulldogs improved to 9-0, tying the best start in school history. The 1911 team also won its first nine games.
“I just wanted to get through this game and get to 9-0,” said head coach David Perno. “We’re really off to a good start. We know things aren’t going to stay easy for us, but we just have to keep doing the things that we’re doing well.”
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball, scored in six out of eight innings and have now scored in 48 of 75 innings this season.
“Offensively you just can’t say enough about our guys,” Perno said. “We’re playing a lot of guys and they are all coming up big for us. The depth we have really allows us to stay fresh and sharp.”
Jason Leaver (2-0) tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and struck out six batters to earn the win.
Georgia plays host to Quinnipiac in the final non-conference weekend series of the regular season beginning Friday.
College Baseball's Wednesday Upsets
Not a lot of upsets on the college diamonds Wednesday night, but there were some.
#6 Florida State fell to North Florida 6-4. The Seminoles (6-3) have lost three straight. Ty Pryor (2-1) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win for North Florida (4-6)
Florida Atlantic (8-1) beat # 17 Florida 7-6. The Gators (6-4) have lost four of their last five games. Nick DelGuidice and Nick Criaris each had 2 RBIs for the Owls.
#6 Florida State fell to North Florida 6-4. The Seminoles (6-3) have lost three straight. Ty Pryor (2-1) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win for North Florida (4-6)
Florida Atlantic (8-1) beat # 17 Florida 7-6. The Gators (6-4) have lost four of their last five games. Nick DelGuidice and Nick Criaris each had 2 RBIs for the Owls.
UNC's Fox Reaches Major Milestone
North Carolina head coach Mike Fox got his 1,000th career win when his second-ranked Tar Heels beat Gardner-Webb 10-3 Wednesday night in Chapel Hill, NC. Fox is the 51st head coach in NCAA baseball history to reach 1,000 wins. He ranks tenth among active head coaches. Fox's 26-year record stands at 1,000-332-5.
Wake Forest head coach Rick Rembielak was denied his 500th career win when his Demon Deacons lost 12-7 to UNC-Wilmington.
Wake Forest head coach Rick Rembielak was denied his 500th career win when his Demon Deacons lost 12-7 to UNC-Wilmington.
Two ACC Head Coaches Look For Milestones
Two ACC head baseball coaches could pick-up milestone wins tonight. North Carolina coach Mike Fox needs one win to reach 1,000 in his career, while Wake Forest's Rick Rembielak is one win shy of number 500.
Fox and his Tar Heels host Gardner-Webb tonight. Wake Forest is at UNC-Wilmington.
Fox's next win will make him the third active ACC head coach to achieve four-digit wins. Florida State's Mike Martin has 1,544, while Miami's Jim Morris has 1,205. Both suffered upset losses Tuesday.
Fox and his Tar Heels host Gardner-Webb tonight. Wake Forest is at UNC-Wilmington.
Fox's next win will make him the third active ACC head coach to achieve four-digit wins. Florida State's Mike Martin has 1,544, while Miami's Jim Morris has 1,205. Both suffered upset losses Tuesday.
Tuesday's Top Performers
Week three of the college baseball season is in full swing, and some players are already on their way to making the week-ending National Notebook. Here are some of the top performances from around the country in Tuesday's action:
LSU first baseman Sean Ochinko went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2B, and 7 RBIs to help the top-ranked Tigers route New Orleans 19-3.
Clayton Ehlert struckout 9 in 7 IP as #7 Texas A&M beat Texas State 2-1. Ehlert scattered five hits.
Colin Rooney's first home run for #19 Pepperdine gave the Waves a 5-4 win over UCLA. Rooney's homer came with one out in the top of the 9th as Pepperdine won in Westwood for the first time in a decade.
TCU's Bryan Holaday was 2 for 3 with 3 RBIs in the 21st-ranked Horned Frog's 11-3 win at UT-Arlington. Michael Choice was 4 for 5 in the loss.
Freshman Derek Jones hit his second and third career home runs to help Washington State beat Gonzaga 8-4.
Northwestern State's Chase Lyles set a new school record with six hits, including two home runs, in a 10-6, 10-inning win over Tulane. Lyles was 6 for 6 with 3 RBIs.
Tyler Link extended his hitting streak to 10 games and scored four runs to lead Lamar to a 6-1 win over Houston Baptist.
Tyler Knight was 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs in Sam Houston State's 8-6 upset of #8 Rice.
Angelo Songco went 4 for 5 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs in Loyola Marymount's 11-3 win over #13 UC-Irvine.
Victor Sanchez hit a first inning grand slam to help #16 San Diego to a 14-7 win over Western Carolina. Steven Chatwood was 4 for 5 with two home runs for the Toreros as well.
Casey Johnson homered in each game as #22 Oklahoma beat Arkansas-Little Rock by finals of 11-7 and 16-6. Johnson finished a combined 5 for 9 with two homers and 7 RBIs.
Jeremy Travis homered and drove-in four runs as #25 Ole Miss beat Arkansas State 11-5.
Rhode Island's Eric Smith tossed eight shutout innings to help the Rams knock-off #9 Miami 3-0 in Coral Gables. The sophomore righthander scattered five hits with two hits and five strikeouts.
**Note** We do our best to find as many top performances as possible, but with 302 division one teams we're bound to miss a few. If you know of someone we missed email us at editor@collegebaseball360.com.
LSU first baseman Sean Ochinko went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2B, and 7 RBIs to help the top-ranked Tigers route New Orleans 19-3.
Clayton Ehlert struckout 9 in 7 IP as #7 Texas A&M beat Texas State 2-1. Ehlert scattered five hits.
Colin Rooney's first home run for #19 Pepperdine gave the Waves a 5-4 win over UCLA. Rooney's homer came with one out in the top of the 9th as Pepperdine won in Westwood for the first time in a decade.
TCU's Bryan Holaday was 2 for 3 with 3 RBIs in the 21st-ranked Horned Frog's 11-3 win at UT-Arlington. Michael Choice was 4 for 5 in the loss.
Freshman Derek Jones hit his second and third career home runs to help Washington State beat Gonzaga 8-4.
Northwestern State's Chase Lyles set a new school record with six hits, including two home runs, in a 10-6, 10-inning win over Tulane. Lyles was 6 for 6 with 3 RBIs.
Tyler Link extended his hitting streak to 10 games and scored four runs to lead Lamar to a 6-1 win over Houston Baptist.
Tyler Knight was 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs in Sam Houston State's 8-6 upset of #8 Rice.
Angelo Songco went 4 for 5 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs in Loyola Marymount's 11-3 win over #13 UC-Irvine.
Victor Sanchez hit a first inning grand slam to help #16 San Diego to a 14-7 win over Western Carolina. Steven Chatwood was 4 for 5 with two home runs for the Toreros as well.
Casey Johnson homered in each game as #22 Oklahoma beat Arkansas-Little Rock by finals of 11-7 and 16-6. Johnson finished a combined 5 for 9 with two homers and 7 RBIs.
Jeremy Travis homered and drove-in four runs as #25 Ole Miss beat Arkansas State 11-5.
Rhode Island's Eric Smith tossed eight shutout innings to help the Rams knock-off #9 Miami 3-0 in Coral Gables. The sophomore righthander scattered five hits with two hits and five strikeouts.
**Note** We do our best to find as many top performances as possible, but with 302 division one teams we're bound to miss a few. If you know of someone we missed email us at editor@collegebaseball360.com.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Handful Of Tuesday Upsets
Tuesday saw a few upsets around college baseball. Here's a look:
Jacksonville (4-4) used a three run second and a five run sixth inning to hand #6 Florida State a 9-4 defeat on a cold night in Jacksonville, FL. The Seminoles (6-2) managed just four hits, including a pinch hit homer from James Ramsey, off five Dolphin pitchers.
Sam Houston State scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, and then held on to beat #8 Rice 8-6. The Bearkats (7-3) rapped-out 14 hits, including a 3-run double by Tyler Knight in the seventh inning. Four Bearkat pitchers combined to strikeout 11 Owl batters. Rice (5-3) managed eleven hits, but left ten runners on base.
Rhode Island's Eric Smith tossed eight shutout innings to help the Rams knock-off #9 Miami 3-0 in Coral Gables. The sophomore righthander scattered five hits with two hits and five strikeouts. Miami (6-2) saw a 4-game winning streak end, while Rhode Island (5-2) has won four straight.
Eight pitchers combined to get Furman(4-2)past#18 Clemson 4-2 in 14 innings in Clemson, SC. Jay Friedman had the longest stint of the Paladin pitchers at three innings. Since opening the season with four wins Clemson (4-2) has lost two straight.
Five straight seventh inning singles produced three runs to give Eastern Kentucky (3-2) a 7-5 win over #29 Louisville. The loss at Turkey Hughes Field in Richmond, KY ends the Cardinal's 4-game winning streak.
Loyola Marymount knocked-off #13 UC-Irvine 11-3.
Jacksonville (4-4) used a three run second and a five run sixth inning to hand #6 Florida State a 9-4 defeat on a cold night in Jacksonville, FL. The Seminoles (6-2) managed just four hits, including a pinch hit homer from James Ramsey, off five Dolphin pitchers.
Sam Houston State scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, and then held on to beat #8 Rice 8-6. The Bearkats (7-3) rapped-out 14 hits, including a 3-run double by Tyler Knight in the seventh inning. Four Bearkat pitchers combined to strikeout 11 Owl batters. Rice (5-3) managed eleven hits, but left ten runners on base.
Rhode Island's Eric Smith tossed eight shutout innings to help the Rams knock-off #9 Miami 3-0 in Coral Gables. The sophomore righthander scattered five hits with two hits and five strikeouts. Miami (6-2) saw a 4-game winning streak end, while Rhode Island (5-2) has won four straight.
Eight pitchers combined to get Furman(4-2)past#18 Clemson 4-2 in 14 innings in Clemson, SC. Jay Friedman had the longest stint of the Paladin pitchers at three innings. Since opening the season with four wins Clemson (4-2) has lost two straight.
Five straight seventh inning singles produced three runs to give Eastern Kentucky (3-2) a 7-5 win over #29 Louisville. The loss at Turkey Hughes Field in Richmond, KY ends the Cardinal's 4-game winning streak.
Loyola Marymount knocked-off #13 UC-Irvine 11-3.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Alabama's Matthes Rolls To Monster Week
Alabama's Kent Matthes had a week he won't soon forget. The rightfielder hit for the cycle in one game, had two game-winning RBIs, including a walk-off 10th inning blast, and tied the school record with a home run in five straight games. He was 11-for-20 (.550) with six home runs and 15 RBI and a whopping 1.650 slugging mark. Matthes has also added 11 runs, two doubles and one triple in the last seven days.
To read about other big performances around the nation check out the Week Two Notebook on Collegebaseball360.com
To read about other big performances around the nation check out the Week Two Notebook on Collegebaseball360.com
Weekly Notebook On Collegebaseball360.com
Last week we posted our weekly notebook here on the blog, but we've moved it to its own page on the web site. For the rest of the season you can find our weekly notebook on the "Notebook" page on collegebaseball360.com.
You will be able to see all the noteworthy accomplishments for not only the current week, but from previous weeks of the season as well. We'll post new material on Mondays and Tuesdays each week.
You will be able to see all the noteworthy accomplishments for not only the current week, but from previous weeks of the season as well. We'll post new material on Mondays and Tuesdays each week.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sunday Head-To-Head Ranked Team Match-Ups
There were just a handful of Sunday games that featured two ranked teams. Two games between TCU and Mississippi were canceled due to weather, as were several other games that were scheduled to be played in the southeastern part of the country.
Here's a quick look at the Sunday games that had two ranked teams:
#16 Cal State Fullerton beat #11 Stanford 9-3. The Titans sweep the 3-game series.
#10 Miami routed #13 Florida 16-2. The Hurricanes sweep the 3-game set in Gainesville. Jim Morris gets his 701st career win.
Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park
#9 Rice downed #20 Baylor 9-3. Winning pitcher and starter Taylor Wall (2-1)has three decisions in just over a week in 2009.
#14 UC-Irvine beat #26 UCLA 7-4. Casey Haerther extends his hitting streak to 19 games in the loss.
Here's a quick look at the Sunday games that had two ranked teams:
#16 Cal State Fullerton beat #11 Stanford 9-3. The Titans sweep the 3-game series.
#10 Miami routed #13 Florida 16-2. The Hurricanes sweep the 3-game set in Gainesville. Jim Morris gets his 701st career win.
Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park
#9 Rice downed #20 Baylor 9-3. Winning pitcher and starter Taylor Wall (2-1)has three decisions in just over a week in 2009.
#14 UC-Irvine beat #26 UCLA 7-4. Casey Haerther extends his hitting streak to 19 games in the loss.
Ranked Round-Up
There have been a lot more games featuring two ranked teams this weekend than last weekend. Most of those match-ups have been played at the Houston College Classic at Minutemaid Park. Here's a look at some of Saturday's results:
At the Houston Classic... #6 Baylor beat #26 UCLA 5-1. The Bruins turned a triple play in the loss.
#9 Rice downed #3 Texas A & M 2-0 behind a 2-hit shutout by Ryan Berry, who struckout 12 with no walks in 9 innings.
In Gainesville...#10 Miami edged #13 Florida 2-1. It's the 700th win for Jim Morris as Miami head coach. He's been there since 1994.
In Fullerton...#7 Cal State Fullerton beat #14 Stanford 3-2. The Cardinal has lost three straight, and had a scoreless streak of 14 innings before finally plating both of its runs in the 8th.
At the Houston Classic... #6 Baylor beat #26 UCLA 5-1. The Bruins turned a triple play in the loss.
#9 Rice downed #3 Texas A & M 2-0 behind a 2-hit shutout by Ryan Berry, who struckout 12 with no walks in 9 innings.
In Gainesville...#10 Miami edged #13 Florida 2-1. It's the 700th win for Jim Morris as Miami head coach. He's been there since 1994.
In Fullerton...#7 Cal State Fullerton beat #14 Stanford 3-2. The Cardinal has lost three straight, and had a scoreless streak of 14 innings before finally plating both of its runs in the 8th.
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