WSU Baseball - 2009 Season

[theleewmowen]

I know it's still basketball season, but baseball season starts this Friday at Texas A&M.

Season Preview: Baseball Enter Toughest Season Yet in 2009
Feb. 16, 2009

DAYTON, Ohio - The 2009 baseball season starts in just four days and the Wright State Baseball team will look to start the season off with a bang as they travel to face the #1 team in the land, Texas A&M to open their schedule. The 2009 edition will start the season with most of its starting lineup intact, but have to fill the void of four key players lost from last season’s team.

After losing three players to the Major League Draft and five players to graduation, WSU will need to find a pair of infielders and two outfielders, but the prospects are looking up as the team heads into the 2009 season. The 2009 schedule will feature 13 teams that were ranked to end the 2008 season or are ranked in the 2009 preseason rankings, to go along with a much improved Horizon League slate. Wright State will play 23 versus opponents from the state of Ohio, face off against nationally ranked Texas A&M, Tulane, Kent State and Georgia, all while shooting for their second NCA Tournament berth in the past three seasons.

Below is quick rundown of each position as it stands heading into the 2009 season.



Behind the Plate
The Green and Gold will return 2008 First Team All-League selection Gerald Ogrinc behind the plate and add a pair of freshman in 2009.

Ogrinc led the Horizon League in baserunners caught stealing and was tops in the nation in pickoffs, among catchers. He owned a .310 batting average, drove in 28 RBI’s and scored 27 runs. The junior threw out 22 of 57 base runners in 2008 with 11 pickoffs and was a First Team All-Horizon League pick.

Also vying for time behind the plate will be freshman Garrett Gray and K.C. Weber. Gray joins the Raiders after playing at Tri-County North High School, while Weber helped Watkins Memorial to an OHSAA State Final Four and Regional Championship while with the Warriors.


Around the Horn

The Raiders infield will have the tall order of replacing First Team All-League picks Jeremy Hamilton and Justin Parker this season, but a solid core will return, along with some talented newcomers to fill the void left by the all-league departures.

Aaron Fields, R.J. Gundolff and Jeff Mercer each started over 40 games in the infield last season, while Kyle Mossbarger, Sam Mote and Kory Twede all saw time in the infield for Wright State.

Fields has two years of experience coming into 2009, posting his best season in the field and at the plate. The Detroit native boasted a .306 batting average and set career-highs in almost every offensive category during his sophomore campaign. Gundolff was named to the All-League Second Team and was a catalyst at the front of the Raiders batting order with a .374 on-base percentage. He tallied 41 runs and 16 RBI’s, while playing third base, shortstop and second base throughout the season.

Mercer was a First Team All-Horizon League pick last year, batting .345 with 53 RBI and 37 runs scored. He was the primary designated hitter for WSU, but saw action at first and third base. Mote started 21 games, while Mossbarger and Twede each appeared in at least 20 games in 2008.

Fresh faces in the infield this season include a pair of Ohio products in Jake Hibberd and Tristan Moore and Junior College Transfer Quentin Cate. Hibberd joins WSU after a three year career at Miamisburg High School, where he garnered All-Region honors his last two seasons. Moore was an All-Ohio selection as a senior and earned All-Ohio Capital Conference honors during each of his three varsity seasons.

Cate joins the Raiders as one of the most decorated recruits in recent history. The right-handed infielder/catcher can play third base, first base and handle the pitching staff behind the plate. He was the California Junior College Player of the Year in 2008 and won the California “Big Stick” Award, given to the top offensive producer in the state. He boasted a .422 batting average with 64 RBI’s and 14 home runs at Cuesta College.



Roaming the Outfield Grass

The loss of four-year starter John Kopilchack and veteran outfielder Ross Vagedes will mean that WSU will enter the season with only one player with true experience in the outfield.

Casey McGrew has played two seasons in the outfield and will look to help tutor his platoon mates. Ryan Ashe will look to make an impact after redshirting last season and having a solid summer in Illinois. Tony Scott will also return this season, with other players to be looked upon to help roam the outfield.

McGrew posted the third highest batting average on the team last season - hitting .346 - and drove in 27 RBI’s in 43 starts. He batted mainly in the #2 spot in the order and collected 62 hits during his sophomore campaign.

Ashe was named to the Central Illinois Collegiate League All-Star team and was an integral part of the Springfield (Ill.) Sliders CICL World Series Championship squad. Scott has seen limited action during his past two seasons and will join the outfield unit for the second season, after spending one season as a catcher.



On the Mound

Wright State will return the bulk of their pitching staff this season, losing only Scott Ruthven to graduation. All-League First Team selection Jon Durket returns, along with Alex Kaminsky - the Horizon League leader in victories last season - and Rylan Ostrosky. The closing duo of Michael Meintel and Greg Robinson will return this season after collecting eight saves in 2008.

Also returning with experience this season will be Bryce DeWeese, Griffin Knapp, Lee Valencheck, Jordan Wolfe and Michael Woytek.

Kaminsky led the Horizon League with eight victories last season, along with holding opposing hitters to a league best .255 batting average against.

Durket was the league-leader in earned run average and ranked second in victories and opponents batting average. He tossed a career-high 75 innings, over 70 more innings than he logged in 2007, with 56 strikeouts and only 22 walks.

Ostrosky and Woytek each started ten games last season, with Ostrosky holding a 3-3 mark with a .4.17 ERA. Meintel held a 1-3 mark with five saves in 21 appearances and Robinson converted three saves and boasted a 4-3 overall record.



On the Schedule

The 2009 schedule will be one of the toughest in school history, with the Raiders playing their first seven games against opponents ranked in the top-25 in at least one major poll.

Texas A&M, Tulane and Kentucky will open the slate, while the Raiders will also travel to play national contenders Kent State, Georgia, Vanderbilt and UNC-Wilmington away from home.

The home schedule includes 25 games, including games against in-state foes Miami, Xavier and Cincinnati. Also on the 2009 slate are five new teams and a tough Horizon League lineup that starts on March 20 at home.

wsuraiders.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/021609aab.html

[Doliboabros]

WSU baseball team begins tough schedule
By Marc Katz
the Dayton Daily News
Wednesday, February 18, 2009

FAIRBORN — A couple weeks ago, Wright State baseball players were taking grounders in the Nutter Center parking lot.

"It was 13 degrees out," second baseman Aaron Fields said, and the wind chill was like minus one."

Pitcher Greg Robinson confirmed the temperature.

"I was hitting the fungos," Robinson said, shaking his hands. "It was cold."

It should be a lot warmer in College Station, Texas, this weekend, where the Raiders have lined up three games with Texas A&M, ranked from No. 1 (Baseball America), No. 5, No. 5 to No. 9 in the sport's four major polls.

It's not just the warmer climate or top competition.

"If I run one more lap on top of the gymnasium, I'm going to quit," first baseman Jeff Mercer said, but didn't believe.

"I can't go to a basketball game and look at all those steps (in the Nutter Center) without getting nauseous," pitcher Travis LaMar said.

"There's nothing better to look forward to than top competition," said Robinson, a junior. "They (the Aggies) go to the Regionals and Super Regionals every year."

That's the way WSU coach Rob Cooper likes to schedule. He wants his team ready to play in the Horizon League, so he schedules the toughest teams he can find before the league begins.

That sounds like a good idea and is — in the last three of his previous four WSU seasons, Cooper has led teams to 30 or more victories — but the overall record has suffered while the Raiders play teams such as Mississippi, TCU and the University of Miami (Fla.).

Even then, the Raiders win some of those games despite being hindered by challenging early-season forecasts.

"Our coach stresses cold weather is not an excuse," Fields said. "A lot of guys on this team have played in cold weather."

Obviously. Robinson is from Wilmington, Fields from Detroit; first baseman Jeff Mercer from Bargersville, Ind., and LaMar from Evansville, Ind.

"In junior college," said LaMar, who played at Olney (Ill.) Central Community College, "we tried to play a doubleheader in a blizzard. The snow was blowing sideways. The second game was cancelled."

Mercer said there was a game at the Athletes In Action field in Xenia, which has turf.

"We played in sleet and snow," Mercer said. "The turf was so slippery, when I slid into second, I snapped off the bag and kept sliding."

At College Station, no snow is expected, and the Raiders expect to compete. Don't be surprised if they win a game or two.

www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wsu/2009/02/18/ddn021809spinside.html

[Kovy]

If anyone wants to watch the CSTV all-access games against Texas A&M PM me and I'll hook you up.

[raiderbaseball]

I think we are going to be in for a good year even though we had some good kids get drafted off last year team. We have more experience for our pitchers and one of our best recruiting classes since Cooper has been here.


This is exciting, not very chances to ebat #1 team in nation. Hopefully we can take a game or two and gain a little respect for Ohio baseball and put Wright State as oneof the top teams in the state.


GO RAIDERS!

[theleewmowen]

FINAL
Wright State 2
Texas A&M 18

Doubleheader tomorrow, starting at 2:30 PM Dayton time.

Win: Brooks Raley (1-0, 6 IP, 5H, 1 ER, 6 SO, 1 BB)
Loss: Jon Durket (0-1, 5.1 IP, 10H, 10 ER, 4 SO, 1 BB)

[Bomber]

Big Crowd Watches Aggie Baseball Team Win Season Opener
Feb 20, 2009

COLLEGE STATION, Texas—A grand slam by Nick Fleece and a three-run home run by Adam Smith blew open a close game and lifted the No. 1-ranked Texas A&M baseball team to a season-opening 18-2 win over Wright State Friday night before an overflow crowd of 7,343 fans at Olsen Field.

Fleece (Fort Worth, Texas), making his first career start, stepped to the plate in the last of the fifth with the bases loaded and two outs in a 1-1 tie. The sophomore hit the first pitch he saw from Raider lefty Jon Durket over the wall in left-center field to give the Aggies a 5-1 lead.

Then, after back-to-back singles by Kevin Gonzalez (Houston) and Caleb Shofner (Hewitt, Texas) to start the A&M sixth, Smith—a true freshman from Spring—crushed the first offering from Durket over the center field wall to make the score 8-1.

Later in the inning, Smith would add an RBI triple to cap a 10-run frame. Also highlighting the offense in the sixth was a three-run triple by Shofner, a run-scoring single by Dylan Petrich (Wichita, Kan.) and bases-loaded walks to Gonzalez and Nick Anders (College Station).

Texas A&M would add to its lead in the seventh on a two-run triple by freshman pinch-hitter Scott Arthur (Spring) that made the score 17-2. Senior Luke Anders (College Station) drove in the final run of the night with a bullet up the middle in the last of the eighth.

Fleece’s career-high five RBIs led the way for the Aggies. Smith finished his debut 2-for-5 with 4 RBIs, while Shofner—also making his first career start—was a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Senior Kyle Colligan (Houston) and Petrich also posted two hits on the night.

“This was a great way to start the season,” A&M coach Rob Childress said. “Offensively, we had three ‘new’ guys have big nights for us, but not necessarily guys that are new to the program. Caleb Shofner had a great night for us all around. Nick Fleece and Adam Smith were outstanding as well.”

The fifth-inning grand slam would be more than enough for Aggie starter Brooks Raley (Uvalde, Texas). The sophomore tossed six strong innings, giving up five hits, one run and one walk while striking out six, to pick up his first win of the year.­

The A&M trio of Hank Robertson (Nocona, Texas), Denny Clement (Tulsa, Okla.) and Steven Martin (Brenham, Texas) combined to allow three hits and one run in three innings of relief.

“Brooks Raley was outstanding tonight,” Childress said. “He gave us a quality start. It was nice as well to get those three guys behind him in the game. Getting Hank (Robertson) back on the mound was big, and then the two new guys after him—Denny Clement and Steven Martin—were very good.”

Wright State was led offensively by third baseman Quentin Cate’s 3-for-4 effort. The junior also drove in the game-tying run for the Raiders in the third. Shortstop R.J. Gundolff was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Durket (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing 10 hits and 10 runs in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four.

The crowd—the second-largest in A&M opening-day history—included nearly 3,200 students.

The series continues on Saturday with a 1:05 p.m. doubleheader at Olsen Field. Sophomore Barret Loux will face off with WSU senior Rylan Ostrosky in the first game, while junior transfer Alex Wilson will make his first-ever start at A&M in game two against Raider junior Travis LaMar. The twinbill will air locally on Sports Radio 1150 The Zone.

www.kbtx.com/sports/headlines/40012757.html

[theleewmowen]

The Box Score:

wsuraiders.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/wrst/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/09-BB-01

[theleewmowen]

Top of the 9th: Wright State 6, Texas A&M 6 (Game One of a Doubleheader)

[thatbaldraiderfan]

gametracker doesn't seem to be working... still showing that 18-2 score

[theleewmowen]

Game One Final:

Wright State 6
Texas A&M 7

Winning Pitcher: Minks: 1.2 IP, 1 BB, 1 SO
Losing Pitcher: Schum: 3.1 IP, 5H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO

Box Score: www.aggieathletics.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2008-2009/ta02-wsu.html

Raider Offense:
Gundolff: 3 for 5, 2 R, 1 RBI
Mercer: 2 for 5, 2 RBI

Baseball Drops Heartbreaker at #1 Texas A&M in Game One, 7-6

wsuraiders.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/022109aab.html

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – A three run lead in the seventh inning was not safe for the Wright State baseball team against #1 Texas A&M, as the Aggies scored four runs in their final three at-bats to defeat WSU 7-6 in the opening game of a double-header.

The Green and Gold struck in the second inning when A&M starter Barrett Loux loaded the bases and a passed ball allowed the opening run of the inning to score. Garrett Gray reached base in a wild pitch after striking out and Loux walked a batter and a runner reached on an error. Catcher Joe Patterson then let a pitch by and Gray scampered home to give WSU a 1-0 lead.

The Aggies got on the board in the third inning on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly off of WSU starter Rylan Ostrosky. The senior right-hander walked and batter and allowed a pair of singles in the frame, as A&M took a 2-1 lead.

The Raiders knotted the score at 2-2 with a run in the fifth inning, coming on an RBI single from Jeff Mercer. R.J. Gundolff started the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second on a Quentin Cate groundout. Mercer singled – scoring Gundolff – and Casey McGrew doubled on the next pitch, but Mercer was gunned down trying to score from first.

Texas A&M answered in their half of the inning when Caleb Shofner hit his first home run of the season to right field.

Wright State ended the day for A&M starter Loux in the sixth inning when Aaron Field singled and Gerald Ogrinc walked with one out. Kyle Mossbarger doubled to drive in the first run of the inning, with Gundolff, Mercer and McGrew all collecting RBI’s to cap the inning and give WSU a 6-4 lead.

The Aggies threatened in their half of the sixth when Ostrosky walked the leadoff batter and after a strikeout, was replaced by Michael Schum. A&M loaded the bases against the right-handed Schum, but a ground ball to Gundolff ended the inning with a 6-4-3 double play.

Ostrosky tossed 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits in a no decision. The right-hander fanned four and walked three in his first outing of the season.

A pair of runs in the seventh inning pulled Texas A&M within one run at 6-5 and Adam Smith hit his second home run of the season in the eighth to tie the game.

It came down to the final batter of the contest with two out and runners on second and third base against Schum. Catcher Kevin Gonzalez hit a ball up the middle that Schum just missed getting a glove on and the winning run crossed the plate.

Schum was saddled with the loss after throwing 3.1 innings and allowing four runs – only two earned – with one strikeout in the collegiate debut.

At the plate, Gundolff collected three hits for his second multi-hit contest of the season, scored two runs and drove in an RBI. Mercer and McGrew each tallied two hits in the game, with Mercer adding a pair of RBI’s.

[theleewmowen]

Game Two Final:

Wright State 0
Texas A&M 9

www.aggieathletics.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2008-2009/ta03-wsu.html

Winning Pitcher: Alex Wilson (6.2 IP, 3 H, 14 SO, 1 BB)
Losing Pitcher: Travis LaMar (5.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 SO, 6 BB)

www.aggieathletics.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/022109aab.html

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Alex Wilson made his first start in nearly two years a memorable one, as the junior struck out 14 in 6 2/3 shutout innings to lead No. 1 Texas A&M to a 9-0 win and a doubleheader sweep over Wright State Saturday afternoon before 4,904 fans at Olsen Field.

The Aggies (3-0) also won the front end of the twinbill, rallying to down the Raiders, 7-6.

Wilson (Hurricane, W.Va.), a transfer from Winthrop University, sat out the 2008 season after surgery and was making his first start since May 23, 2007. He retired the first 13 batters of the game in order before a one-out single in the top of the fifth, and scattered just three hits on the afternoon while walking only one.

"It was just a dominating performance by Alex," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "For the first time out in two years, after sitting around all day as well, it was awesome. The command and the attack he showed today, we had seen signs of it but nothing like we saw tonight. He's a competitor."

A&M took the early lead in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Colligan.

The contest remained a 1-0 affair until the sixth, when the Aggies blew open the game by sending 10 men to the plate and scoring six runs. Nick Anders, Adam Smith, Brooks Raley and Dylan Petrich all had run-scoring hits in the frame.

Texas A&M would add two more in the eighth on another RBI single by Raley and a sac fly by Petrich, making the score 9-0.

True freshman Ross Hales tossed the final 2 1/3 for A&M, allowing two hits and fanning three while not walking a batter.

Starter Travis Lamar (0-1) suffered the loss for WSU (0-3), giving up five hits, five runs and six walks over 5 1/3 innings of work.

Raley finished the evening 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Petrich and Smith drove in two runs each.

The series concludes on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m. Aggie junior Clayton Ehlert will take the mound and will face off against Wright State sophomore Michael Woytek. The game will air locally on WTAW-AM 1620 and free live video will be available on aggieathletics.com. In addition, children 12 and under will be admitted free with a paid adult (limit four kids per adult) as part of the "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" ticket promotion.

[theleewmowen]

The final game of the series:

Wright State 5
Texas A&M 8

The Aggies sweep the Raiders in 4 games.

[theleewmowen]

www.aggieathletics.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/022209aaa.html

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Sophomores Caleb Shofner and Brooks Raley had four hits each on Sunday afternoon as No. 1 Texas A&M rallied for an 8-5 win over Wright State and a series sweep before 3,207 fans at Olsen Field.

"It's tough to beat anyone four games in a row in three days," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "For us to respond after giving up that four-spot in the sixth was impressive. We had an opportunity to fail twice this weekend and we responded both times."

Shofner finished the weekend hitting .900 (9-for-10) and scoring 11 of the Aggies' 42 runs. He reached base safely his final seven times of the weekend.

A&M (4-0) took an early 1-0 lead in the third. After singles by Shofner and Raley earlier in the frame, a pair of two out walks--the latter to Dylan Petrich--forced Shofner home to make the score 1-0.

The Raiders would tie the game in the fourth inning. R.J. Gundolff led off the inning with a single to left and was caught trying to steal second, but the throw down to second was dropped and the error allowed the Raider shortstop to move into scoring position. Following a strikeout, Quentin Cate lined a base hit to left to make the score 1-1.

WSU batted around in a four-run sixth that gave the Raiders their largest lead of the weekend at 5-1.

With a run home already in the frame and a runner at first, a double and intentional walk would load the bases and chase Aggie starter Clayton Ehlert. The next batter, Casey McGrew, lined the first offering from reliever Nick Fleece through the right side to drive home Gundolff and make the score 3-1. Fleece then fanned the next batter and went to a full-count against Aaron Fields. With all three runners breaking on the pitch, Fields chopped the ball to Adam Smith, who tried to beat Jeff Mercer to second for a force out but was unable to do so. Two runs scored on the play to extend the WSU lead to four.

As they had most of the weekend, the Aggies (4-0) would make a statement in their half of the sixth inning. A&M sent 13 men to the plate and scored five times to take back the lead at 6-5.

A leadoff single by Petrich followed by a Nick Anders double chased WSU starter Michael Woytek. An RBI groundout by Smith was followed two batters later by a run-scoring single by Shofner to pull A&M within two. Kyle Colligan followed with a hard single through the left side to load the bases, then relief pitcher Michael Schum uncorked a wild pitch to plate Kevin Gonzalez and move the tying run to third. Brooks Raley and Luke Anders followed with consecutive RBI singles, putting the Aggies back on top.

Texas A&M would extend the lead to 8-5 in the eighth, as Raley doubled in Shofner, stole third and scored moments later on a balk.

Travis Starling would work a three-up, three-down ninth inning for his first save of the season and 12th of his career.

Besides Shofner's 4-for-4 day, A&M also picked up a four-hit outing from Raley, who drove in two. Petrich was a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored as well.

Nick Fleece (1-0) picked up his first career win in relief, allowing one hit and fanning one in 2/3 of an inning. Tyler Dyer and Shane Minks both picked up their first holds of the year, combining for two innings of one-hit shutout work out of the pen.

Ehlert went 5 1/3 in his first start of the year, allowing four hits, five runs (four earned) and one walk while striking out five.

"Clayton Ehlert gave us a solid start," Childress said. "He was efficient, about as efficient as you could be, and he deserved better. Our bullpen was outstanding...Tyler Dyer, Shane Minks and Travis Starling were as good as you can be."

Schum (0-2) was saddled with his second loss of the weekend, giving up four hits and three earned runs in just 1/3 of an inning of work. Woytek also did not earn a decision, giving up seven hits, three runs and two walks in five-plus innings of work. He fanned four batters on the afternoon.

Texas A&M will return to action on Tuesday when the Aggies open a mid-week series with Centenary (0-0). First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. and the game will air locally on Sports Radio 1150 The Zone. True freshman Ross Hales (0-0, 0.00) is slated to make the first start of his A&M career. The series will conclude on Wednesday at 3:05 p.m.

"These games are huge," Childress said. "Centenary's got a good club. They played us well twice last year, and they didn't open up this weekend. So we'll be facing their best pitching. They are locked and loaded and it's their opener on Tuesday night."

Wright State's next series is at Tulane. The series is set to start Friday the 27th at 7:00.

[theleewmowen]

The stats before the Tulane series begins this Friday:

wsuraiders.cstv.com/photos/schools/wrst/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/cumulative-stats.pdf

[theleewmowen]

Final

Wright State 12
Tulane 6

Win- Kamisky (1-0), pitched 6.2 Innings of 5 Hit, 3 Earned Run baseball
Loss- Conrad Flynn, who lasted 4.2 innings and gave up 9 earned runs.

Next game tomorrow at 1:00 PM.