Team Notes
Austin Peay (22-30, 7-12 OVC): Austin Peay started off the final week of the regular season with a 9-6 non-conference victory at Lipscomb. The Governors then traveled to Murray State for the final OVC series of the season and needed to win two or three games to have a shot to make the OVC Tournament field. Austin Peay dropped game one 4-2 but won game two 7-5. But with a loss in game three (3-2), APSU was eliminated from OVC Tournament contention. It marked the first time since the 1998 season that the Govs did not play in the OVC Tournament; the team had previously played every event played held in Paducah. It marked the first time the team had lost 30 games in a season since 1998. Trey Lucas finished the season as the leading hitter for Austin Peay, batting .382 with 35 RBI. Greg Bachman was second on the squad in hitting (.342) and led the club in home runs (10) and RBI 44). Adam Browett and Jon Clinard each had 22 stolen bases and the team had 108 total stolen bases in 52 total games. Junior Daniel Tenholder finished the season with nine saves and became the first APSU pitcher to have back-to-back nine save season in school history.
Eastern Illinois (36-14, 14-4 OVC): After locking up the OVC Championship with more than a week to play, Eastern Illinois played four games the final week of the regular season, losing to Butler in non-conference action before winning two of three games at home against Eastern Illinois. The Panthers finished the season 14-4 in Conference play and were the No. 1 seed for the OVC Tournament. Unfortunately the Panthers dropped both of its games at the event, losing 11-5 to No. 6 seed Jacksonville State and 5-4 to No. 2 seed Murray State. The two early losses eliminated the team and prevented the squad from getting an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Although the season ended on a disappointing note, the team did enjoy a fantastic season which included a two-week national ranking in the Collegiate Baseball News poll, the first time the Panthers had been ranked at the Division I level. Outfielder Brett Nommensen was having an All-American season before breaking a bone in his hand in April. At the time of his injury he was leading the nation in on-base and slugging percentage and was ranked second nationally in batting average. Nommensen finally returned to play in the OVC Baseball Tournament. In his place Jordan Kreke stepped up and was named OVC Player of the Year after hitting .507 with nine home runs and 40 RBI in 18 Conference games. As a team the Panthers hit .362 which was second nationally. Richie Derbak led the team in hitting (.417) while Jordan Tokarz tied Kreke for the team lead in home runs (13). On the mound Mike Recchia had an 8-2 record and 3.02 E.R.A. in 13 appearances. Tyler Kehrer, selected in the Comp A round of the MLB Draft, struck out 90 in 73.1 innings of work.
Eastern Kentucky (27-24, 10-13 OVC): After winning two of three games against Southeast Missouri in the next to last weekend of the season, the Colonels needed to win games to make the six-team OVC Tournament field. The final weekend of the season EKU dropped game one at EIU (14-4) put won game two 4-3 behind a strong pitching performance from Paul Duncan. That left the team in a win and your in situation on the final day of the season but the team came up just short, falling to the Panthers 11-5. That left the Colonels 10-13 in OVC play and tied with Jacksonville State; but the Colonels lost two of three games to the Gamecocks during the regular season and dropped the head-to-head tiebreaker. Jayson Langfels finished the year ranked first in the OVC in batting (.441); he had 13 doubles, 12 home runs and 72 RBI to go along with 16 stolen bases. His batting average was third overall nationally while his 1.67 RBI/game was the best among all Division I players. Matt Davis scored 71 runs on the season, tops in the OVC, and fourth nationally.
Jacksonville State (31-26, 10-13 OVC): Jacksonville State made its sixth straight OVC Tournament appearance, one of each year the team has been a member of the Conference. But it was not easy for the league’s preseason favorite to get in the field and lock in the No. 6 (and final) seed. After the Gamecocks were swept at Tennessee Tech, they suffered the same feat at home to UT Martin the final weekend of the regular season. Despite losing their final six Conference games (and eight games overall) the team finished as the No. 6 seed and made the tournament field. Jax State topped No. 3 seed Morehead State 9-0 in the opening round and upset No. 1 seed Eastern Illinois 11-5 to advance to the championship game of the winner’s portion of the bracket. There the Gamecocks lost to Tennessee Tech 13-12 in 10 innings but they would rebound and top Murray State to advance back in the Championship Round against TTU. That game also went to 0 innings but Tech came out on top by a 4-3 margin. Freshman Kyle Bluestein finished the year as the team’s leading hitter, batting .393 with nine home runs on his way to OVC Rookie of the Year honors. On the mound Austin Lucas was 7-3 with a team-best 3.93 E.R.A. while Bill Henke tied for the league-lead with nine saves in 20 outings. Ben Tootle, the OVC Preseason Pitcher of the Year, struggled with an illness in the spring and was just 3-4 with a 4.56 E.R.A. for the season. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the third round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Morehead State (20-32, 12-10 OVC): Morehead State closed out the regular season strong, sweeping Southeast Missouri on the road to move from sixth to third in the OVC standings. That clinched the team’s first appearance in the OVC Tournament since 2005 and first under second-year head coach Jay Sorg. The Eagles lost to Jacksonville State in the opener before beating Southeast Missouri 7-5 in 11 innings the next day. The Eagles were eventually eliminated by Murray State. Junior shortstop Drew Lee put together one of the best all-around seasons in schools history and was one of 15 semifinalists for the Brooks Wallace Award for National Shortstop of the Year. In 52 games Lee hit .413 with 86 hits (school record), 62 runs, 18 doubles, 17 home runs and 67 RBI. J.D. Ashbrook added 14 home runs and a .371 batting average. Michael Bottoms was an All-OVC selection as a utility player after hitting .350 with 61 RBI and compiling a 3-5 record, 4.15 E.R.A. and five saves in 20 appearances.
Murray State (34-21-1, 13-8-1 OVC): Murray State finished the regular season at 13-8-1 in the OVC to secure the No. 2 seed in the OVC Tournament. The Thoroughbreds made their first tournament appearance since 2007 and 18th appearance overall. In guiding his team to one of the best seasons in school history, head coach Rob McDonald was named OVC Coach of the Year. In the OVC Championship, the T-Breds lost their opener to eventual champion Tennessee Tech but rebounded with wins over Morehead State and Eastern Illinois in elimination games to advance to the semifinals. But the season came to an end with a 9-3 loss to Jacksonville State. Junior pitcher Daniel Calhoun was named OVC Pitcher of the Year after an 11-3 record, 2.32 E.R.A. and 85 strikeouts and only six walks in 97 innings of work. Calhoun earned All-American honors from three outlets and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in June’s First-Year Player Draft. He led Division I in Walks Allowed Per 9 Innings (0.56), was 10th in victories and 11th in E.R.A. In 14 starts, he tossed a complete game 11 times. He also managed a save on the season. Teammate Chris Craycraft was a second-team All-OVC selection after going 10-3 with a 4.05 E.R.A. in 100 innings of work. He had three complete games and a shutout on the season. Offensively Wes Cunningham led the team with a .411 batting average in 51 games. He had 12 doubles, five triples, 11 home runs and 52 RBI on the season.
Southeast Missouri (26-25, 12-11 OVC): Despite dropping its final three OVC games (and 5 of its final 6 Conference contests) Southeast Missouri finished the regular season 12-11 in OVC games and secured its record 15th straight OVC Tournament appearance. The last time the program did not make the championship was in 1994, the year before Mark Hogan took over as head coach. The Redhawks lost both of its games at the tournament, losing to eventual champion Tennessee Tech and then to Morehead State in extra innings. Junior catcher Jim Klocke, an All-OVC selection and All-American pick, led the team with a .394 average. He had 74 hits, 56 runs, 20 doubles, a triple, nine home runs and 46 RBI in 51 games. Klocke also took off his catching gear and headed to the mound 17 times, winning two games and picking up seven games in 23.2 innings of work. Fellow All-OVC pick Tyrell Cummings hit .386 with 14 doubles, nine home runs and a team-best 53 RBI. Tony Spencer led the team with 18 stolen bases. Starter James Leigh was 7-3 with a 4.89 E.R.A. and 87 strikeouts in 84.2 innings of work.
SIU Edwardsville (15-39): SIU Edwardsville completed its first season of Division I play with a 15-39 overall record. The team was on the road a lot, as the Cougars played only six home games among its 54 total contests. SIUE will not begin a full-time OVC schedule until 2012 and will not be eligible for the postseason until 2012-13. So this season Josh Street earned All-Independent honors after hitting .387 with 15 home runs and 59 RBI in 52 games.
Tennessee Tech (31-24-1, 10-11-1 OVC): The last weekend of the regular season Tennessee Tech had a Conference bye and had to watch while other teams decided its fate and whether or not it would be in the six-team OVC Tournament field. The Golden Eagles got the help they needed and were the No. 5 seed in the tournament. The team went on to win all four of its games to claim its third OVC Tournament title and first since 2001. The wins came over No. 4 Southeast Missouri, No. 2 Murray State and twice over No. 6 Jacksonville State (both in extra innings). Tournament MVP A.J. Kirby-Jones drove in the winning run in the championship game with a single to right field. AJKJ finished the tournament hitting .500 (8-for-16) with seven runs, a double, three home runs, five RBI and a save on the mound. He also made several key defensive plays in the championship game to help seal the victory. Tech earned the No. 4 seed in the Clemson Regional of the NCAA Tournament and nearly topped the host and top seed Tigers in the opening game. TTU would eliminate Alabama the next day before losing to Clemson on following day. Kirby-Jones finished the season with 20 home runs and 68 RBI in 56 games. Chad Oberaker led the team in hitting with a .354 average. Lee Henry, who became a starter late in the season, was 9-3 with a 3.43 E.R.A. in 21 appearances (6 starts) for the year.
UT Martin (20-31, 9-15 OVC): UT Martin finished the season with 20 victories, twice as many as the team produced in 2008. It marked the first 20-win season for the team since 2006. The team closed the season strong, nearly playing spoiler, as they went to Jacksonville State and swept the defending regular season champion. UTM won the three games by a combined score of 32-11 and pushed the Gamecocks to the No. 6 seed in the OVC Tournament. In that three games series Wes Patterson hit .636 (7-for-11) with two RBI. Catcher Ty Nelson hit .455 (5-for-11) and drove in three while Jordan Owen and Cody Terry each drove in five runs. Coty Green tossed a seven-inning complete game in the 17-2 Skyhawk victory in game two of the opening doubleheader. Green scattered seven hits and struck out five while walking only one. It was his fourth complete game of the season and fifth overall victory. Green finished the season with 70 strikeouts, No. 3 in Skyhawk single-season history. Travis Webb picked up his first victory of the year the following day, allowing one run over six innings while striking out one and not allowing a walk. For the season Scott Gladstone led the team in hitting, batting .420 over 51 games. Miles Hartsfield was second (.397) while twin brother Mark was third (.373). The Hartsfields combined for 21 home runs and 94 RBI on the season. Miles drove in 52 runs this year, the most by a Skyhawk since the 1985 season. Patterson added 11 home runs while UTM hit 57 long balls as a team. In just two seasons with the team he has 21 home runs, third most in UTM history.
Notes From Around the League
Tennessee Tech Wins OVC Tournament: Entering the tournament as the No. 5 seed, the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles won all four of its games to capture the 2009 OVC Baseball Championship, the team’s first title since 2001 and third overall. It marked the first time the No. 5 seed had won the tournament under the current format. Tech topped Jacksonville State 4-3 in 10 innings in the finale as sophomore A.J. Kirby-Jones, the Tournament MVP, singled home the game-winning run in the final inning. Tennessee Tech would garner the No. 4 seed in the Clemson Regional of the NCAA Tournament. TTU lost 5-4 to host Clemson (ranked 14th nationally) in the opener as the Tigers scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The team rebounded to eliminate Alabama (also ranked No. 14 nationally) in the next game and then lost to Clemson in the next round.
Eastern Illinois Claims 2009 OVC Regular Season Championship: Eastern Illinois claimed its fourth OVC regular season championship on May 10. The Panthers also won OVC Championships in 1998, 1999 and 2001. The Panthers finished the season 14-4 in the league. It marked the fourth straight year the OVC has had a different regular season champion (Samford, Austin Peay, Jacksonville State, Eastern Illinois). The Panthers were picked second in the preseason coaches poll. Winning the regular season title does not guarantee success in the OVC Tournament; over the last six years only Austin Peay in 2007 has claimed both championships in the same calendar year.
Eastern Illinois’ Kreke, Murray State’s Calhoun Take Home Top OVC Honors: Eastern Illinois senior shortstop Jordan Kreke was named the 2009 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year while Murray State junior hurler Daniel Calhoun was tabbed OVC Pitcher of the Year at the annual OVC Awards Banquet. Jacksonville State outfielder Kyle Bluestein was tabbed Rookie of the Year while Murray State’s Rob McDonald took home OVC Coach of the Year honors. The awards are voted on by league head coaches and sports information directors and were awarded along with first and second-team All-OVC honors. Regular season champion Eastern Illinois and runner-up Murray State each had four players selected to the first-team. Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri (two apiece) were the only other programs with multiple first-team selection. UT Martin led the way with three second-team selections while Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State each placed three individuals on the All-Freshman Team. EKU’s seven total selections across the three teams were the most of any school. The All-OVC teams included two sets of twins (one duo who were each second-team selections and another set who were All-Freshman picks) and a set of brothers who were selected to the second-team and the All-Freshman squad.
Four OVC Student-Athletes Named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans: Four Ohio Valley Conference baseball student-athletes have been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Baseball Team as selected by CoSIDA. The players included first-team selection Brian Morrell (4.00 in biological sciences) from Eastern Illinois and second-team selections Drew Lee (3.64 in engineering technology) and Michael Bottoms (3.64 in business management) from Morehead State and Jim Klocke (3.92 in business administration) from Southeast Missouri. The quartet brings the total number of OVC baseball players selected to the honor since 1970 to 25 (nine of which were first-team selections). Eastern Illinois has now had 12 Academic All-Americans (since joining the OVC), Morehead State's total is now 26 and Southeast Missouri is at 19 (since joining the OVC). Overall the OVC has had 176 student-athletes (54 first-teamers) earn Academic All-America honors since 1970. To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and been a first-team Academic All-District selection in the earlier balloting process.
Nine Players Selected in 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft: In total nine Ohio Valley Conference players were selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, that covered three days and 50-rounds. The nine players are the most since 10 players were selected in 2007’s draft. Just six OVC players were selected in 2008. The players were: Tyler Kehrer, Eastern Illinois - Comp. Round A (#48 overall) by Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; Ben Tootle, Jacksonville State - 3rd Round (#101) by Minnesota Twins; Brett Nommensen, Eastern Illinois - 8th Round (#259) by Tampa Bay Rays; Jordan Kreke, Eastern Illinois - 13th Round (#388) by Atlanta Braves;
Daniel Tenholder, Austin Peay - 19th Round (#573) by Oakland Athletics;
Ryan Dennick, Tennessee Tech - 22nd Round (#662) by Kansas City Royals;
Daniel Calhoun, Murray State - 29th Round (#879) by St. Louis Cardinals;
Jason Zylstra, Jacksonville State - 36th Round (#1092) by Minnesota Twins;
and Jim Klocke, Southeast Missouri - 46th Round (#1389) by St. Louis Cardinals.
All-Americans: The OVC had several players earn All-American honors following the season. OVC Pitcher of the Year Daniel Calhoun (Murray State) was tabbed a third-team honoree by the NCBWA as well as the Louisville Slugger/TPX team. Other selections on the Louisville Slugger Team (chosen by Collegiate Baseball News) included Eastern Illinois’ Jordan Kreke, Morehead State’s Drew Lee, Southeast Missouri’s Jim Klocke and Eastern Kentucky’s Matt Davis. Calhoun was a second-team pick by Ping!, joining EIU’s Brett Nommensen on the second-team. Honorable mention Ping! selections included Klocke, EKU’s Jayson Langfels, EIU’s Richie Derbak and Tennessee Tech’s A.J. Kirby-Jones.
Five OVC Players Named Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-Americans: Five OVC players have been named 2009 Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-Americans by Collegiate Baseball News. The five players are Eastern Kentucky shortstop Richie Rodriguez, Jacksonville State outfielder Kyle Bluestein, Jacksonville State third baseman Sam Eberle, Morehead State third baseman Andrew Deeds and Eastern Illinois outfielder Zach Borenstein. Rodriguez was the only freshman in the league to earn All-OVC honors (second-team). The shortstop batted .302 this season was second on the team in runs scored (52) and doubles (15). He also stole 14 bases and was an OVC All-Freshman Team selection as well. Bluestein became the third JSU player to earn the OVC Freshman of the Year award. He led the team with a .393 batting average with 21 doubles, nine home runs and 46 RBI. He was named to the OVC All-Newcomer team and also to the 2009 OVC All-Tournament squad. Eberle led the Gamecocks with 11 home runs and finished with season with 45 RBI. He was named to the OVC All-Newcomer team and also to the 2009 OVC All-Tournament team. Deeds, an OVC All-Freshman team pick, finished the year ranked tied for second on the team with a .366 batting average. He totaled 60 hits, scored 38 times, slapped seven doubles, legged out three triples, and circled the bases six times via home runs. He also led the Eagles by going 14-of-17 in stolen bases. Deeds added 37 RBI and posted a .555 slugging percentage. Borenstein led the Panthers with 29 walks in 2009, a big reason why his .506 OBP was tops among qualifying players in the OVC. He was one of four EIU regulars that walked more than he struck out.
OVC Players in the Final NCAA Statistical Leaders: Murray State pitcher Daniel Calhoun led all of Division I in walks allowed per nine innings, giving up just 0.56 per game. Calhoun also ranked 10th nationally in victories (11) and 11th in E.R.A. (2.32). EKU’s Jayson Langfels led the nation in RBI per game (1.67) while also ranking third in batting average (.441) and sixth in slugging (.800). Teammate Matt Davis was fourth nationally in runs/game (1.45) while Jacksonville State’s Kyle Bluestein was eighth in doubles (0.48) and Murray State’s Daniel Hill was eighth in RBI (1.44/game).
OVC Teams in the Final NCAA Statistical Leaders: As a team Morehead State led all of Division I in double plays per game (1.35). Eastern Illinois was second in batting average (.362), third in slugging (.590), eighth in home runs (1.84/game) and ninth in scoring (9.2 runs/game). Eastern Kentucky ranked fourth in triples (0.57/game), fifth in stolen bases (2.41/game) and 10th in scoring (9.2 runs/game). Murray State was fourth in walks allowed per nine innings (2.44) while UT Martin was seventh in sacrifice flies (38).
Pringles Park, City of Jackson (Tenn.) to Host 2010-12 OVC Baseball Championships: The Ohio Valley Conference Board of Athletic Directors and Board of Presidents have approved a plan to move the OVC Baseball Championship to Jackson, Tenn. for the next three years, beginning with the 2010 season. The six-team, double-elimination tournament will be held May 26-30 at Pringles Park, home of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, the AA affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The 2009 season marked the 30th year the OVC Baseball Championship had been held. The first elimination style tournament was held in 1980, most usually being played at the site of the regular season champion. Beginning in 2001 the tournament switched to a neutral site for the first time, as the last nine championships have been held at Brooks Stadium in Paducah, Ky. Pringles Park opened in 1998 and has a seating capacity of 6,000. The venue hosted the 1999 Southern League All-Star Game and will also host that event in 2011. Pringles Park also has luxury suites, a video board and merchandise shop that will be used for the championship. Jackson, Tenn. is located 130 miles from Nashville and 77.2 miles from Memphis on Interstate 40.
Murray State Earns OVC Team Sportsmanship Award: Murray State University was the recipient of the 2008-09 Team Sportsmanship Award for baseball. Voted on by the student-athletes and coaches of the respective sports, the team awards are bestowed upon the Conference squads deemed to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical behavior as outlined by the OVC and NCAA. Included in the areas for evaluation are the conduct of student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators and fans. The 2008-09 school year marks the fourth year the team sportsmanship honors have been awarded. Murray State won the inaugural award in 2005-06. Implemented in August 2005, the team honors are the most recent addition to an awards program that recognizes and celebrates sportsmanship within the Conference.
Southeast Missouri Makes Record Straight 15th OVC Tournament Appearance: Southeast Missouri State is appearing in its 15th straight OVC Tournament in 2009, which is an OVC record for consecutive appearances. The Redhawks set the record a year ago (passing EKU’s 13 straight appearances from 1981-93) and extended it as the No. 4 seed this season.
Lee and Kreke Among 15 Semifinalists for Brooks Wallace Award for Nation Best Shortstop: Two Ohio Valley Conference shortstops are among the 15 semifinalists for the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award, given to the country’s finest shortstop, and announced by the College Baseball Foundation and Mizuno. The two players are Eastern Illinois’ Jordan Kreke and Morehead State’s Drew Lee, who were among the initial group shortstops named to the list last month. The OVC is one of just five Conferences (the others being the ACC, Big 12, Big West and WAC) with multiple players on the semifinalist list. For the first time since its creation in 2004, the Wallace Award will honor the country’s finest shortstop. Previously, the Wallace Award was given to the national player of the year. The change was made following the creation of the College Baseball Awards Show, in collaboration with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the Dick Howser Trophy Committee. The Howser Trophy has recognized the best overall player in the country for 23 years and will continue to do so. Both the Wallace Award and the Howser Award will be presented as part of the College Baseball Awards Show on July 2 in Lubbock. The College Baseball Awards Show will recognize the top players in college baseball as part of the CBF’s annual celebration, which also includes the National College Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. In addition to the Brooks Wallace Award, other awards presented during the show will include the Dick Howser Trophy for the national player of the year, and the National Pitcher of the Year Award.
Murray State’s Calhoun Among 15 Semifinalist for CBF’s National Pitcher of the Year Watch List: Murray State’s Daniel Calhoun has been named one of 15 semifinalists for the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) inaugural presentation of the Pitcher of the Year Award. Sponsored by Mizuno, the Pitcher of the Year is a new award that will be presented at the July 2 College Baseball Awards Show. The CBF’s annual celebration also includes the National College Baseball Hall of Fame Ceremony, and the announcement of the winners of the Brooks Wallace Award (national shortstop of the year) and the Dick Howser Trophy (national player of the year). Eastern Illinois’ Mike Recchia was on the initial watch list released in April but did not make the semifinalist list.
EIU’s Nommensen Misses Five Weeks With Wrist Injury; Returns to Pinch Running Role: Eastern Illinois baseball senior center fielder Brett Nommensen underwent a medical procedure on April 21 after suffering a fracture to the "hook" of the hamate bone in his right wrist on April 10. When he suffered the injury, Nommensen was hitting .521 with 13 doubles and 11 home runs. At the time he was leading the nation in on-base (.649) and slugging percentages (1.021) while ranking second in batting average (he has since slipped from those rankings due to not having enough at-bats). Nommensen returned to the field on May 12 at Butler, when he pinch ran in the ninth inning.
Six OVC Players Named to ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First-Team: Six Ohio Valley Conference baseball student-athletes have been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first-team as selected by CoSIDA. The selections included four players from District IV (Morehead State’s Drew Lee and Michael Bottoms, Murray State Wes Cunningham and Jacksonville State’s Todd Cunningham), one player from District V (Eastern Illinois’ Brian Morrell) and one player from District VII (Southeast Missouri’s Jim Klocke). For making the first-team each player will have his name appear on the national ballot for consideration for Academic All-American later this month. To be eligible for nomination, a student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic standing and have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average.
EKU’s Duncan Tosses No-Hitter; Named National Pitcher of the Week: Eastern Kentucky sophomore lefty Paul Duncan tossed the first no-hitter in the OVC this year (and sixth in EKU history) on May 2 against Chicago State. The performance earned him National Pitcher of the Week honors from Collegiate Baseball News. Duncan walked the first batter of the game and then walked only one other the rest of the way while striking out eight batters over the seven-inning game. The performance was his third complete game of the season. It marked the first no-hitter for EKU since Christian Friedrich’s did so in 2006.
JSU Knocks Off No. 1 Georgia: On April 22 Jacksonville State topped No. 1 ranked Georgia (USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll) 9-7 in Jacksonville. It marked the first time the Gamecocks had knocked off the No. 1 team in the nation and is believed to be the first time an OVC school has topped the a topped-ranked team. Austin Peay had the last great chance to beat the nation’s No. 1, losing in extra innings to No. 1 Vanderbilt in the NCAA Regional in 2007. Overall this season OVC teams were 7-11 against nationally-ranked non-conference foes. Below is a list of OVC teams who have beaten ranked squads this season.
Southeast Missouri 8, #16 Alabama 3 (Feb. 21)
Southeast Missouri 8, #16 Alabama 4 (Feb. 22)
Eastern Kentucky 7, #25 Louisville 5 (March 3)
Eastern Illinois 8, #15 Oklahoma 6 (March 15)
Jacksonville State 9, #1 Georgia 7 (April 22)
Jacksonville State 16, #6 Georgia 8 (April 29)
Tennessee Tech 6, #14 Alabama 2 (May 30)
Eastern Illinois Spends Two Weeks in Collegiate Baseball News National Polls: Eastern Illinois became the first OVC school in a long time (believed to be since the 1996 season) to break into the national polls when they entered the Collegiate Baseball News poll at No. 27 on April 6. It marked the first time the Panthers have been ranked at the Division I level. The Panthers were No. 29 a week later but dropped out of the national polls on April 20 after losing two of three games to Jacksonville State. Eastern Illinois is still among the teams receiving votes in several of the polls. EIU has a win over then No. 15 ranked Oklahoma (the Sooners are No. 10 in this week’s NCBWA poll) and key road win over in-state rival Illinois. The Panthers still rank among the Top 40 (No. 39) in the latest RPI rankings.
Lee Hits Five Home Runs in Doubleheader; Three From Left Side of Plate and Two From Right Side of Plate: In a doubleheader split against UT Martin on April 18, Morehead State junior shortstop Drew Lee hit three home runs in the first game and two home runs in the second game of the twin-bill. The interesting fact is that all three home runs in the first game came from the left-side of the plate while the two home runs in the nightcap were from the right-side of the plate.
Nommensen Named a Mid-Season All-American by Baseball America: Eastern Illinois’ Brett Nommensen has been one of 10 position players in the nation named to Baseball America's Midseason All-America Team. At the time of the honor, Nommensen entered the week leading the country in on-base and slugging percentages, while also ranking second in batting average. Baseball America's lead college writer Aaron Fitt selected a nine-player lineup based on positions along with a utility player (pitcher and hitter). The pitching staff featured six hurlers. Fresno State's Tom Mendonca (third base), San Diego State's Stephen Strasburg (starting pitcher) and Nommensen were the only three players among the 15 recognized that play for universities not affiliated with the big six BCS conferences.
OVC Players in the Pros: Entering the 2009 season, there were five players from OVC schools on Major League Baseball Opening Day rosters. Austin Peay has the distinction of having three former players on teams including 2008 All-Star reliever George Sherrill (Baltimore), reliever Jamie Walker (Baltimore) and rookie pitcher Shawn Kelley (Seattle). Former Morehead State pitcher Jon Rauch is a setup man in Arizona while former Eastern Kentucky outfielder Josh Anderson is a backup in Detroit. A sixth player - Austin Peay catcher A.J. Ellis (L.A. Dodgers) - was called up during the summer. Another former OVC player is on 40-man rosters but did not begin the season with the major league club - pitcher Ehren Wassermann (who played for Samford when they were in the OVC). One OVC school - Eastern Illinois - has two alumni who are coaching at the highest level of professional baseball. Former Panther Kevin Seitzer is the Kansas City Royals hitting coach with Tim Bogar is the Boston Red Sox first base coach.
Austin Peay’s Tenholder on NCBWA’s Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List: Austin Peay relief pitcher Daniel Tenholder has been named to the updated midseason National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. Tenholder, who was also on the preseason list released in February, has five saves in 20 total appearances in 2009. He has 29 strikeouts in 31.1 innings of work. Last season Tenholder posted a 4-1 record and an OVC-best 11 saves. He ranked 18th nationally in saves and compiled a 2.72 ERA in 36.1 innings over 30 appearances, striking out 41 batters. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists and released Wednesday, May 27, prior to start of NCAA regional tournament competition. The NCBWA’s All-America Committee will then select the winner, with this year’s recipient to be announced in early June.
College Baseball Foundation National All-Star Lineup: Each week during the season the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) will release its "National All-Star Lineup" giving accolades to the week’s top performers. The awards are presented by the CBF and Diamond Sports and are nominated by college coaches, staff and baseball media relations contacts. Below is a list of OVC players who have been honored this season.
Week 2 - Daniel Calhoun, Murray State
Week 3 - Daniel Hill, Murray State
Week 4 - Brett Nommensen, Eastern Illinois
Week 5 - Austin Lucas, Jacksonville State
Week 6 - Jordan Kreke, Eastern Illinois
Week 7 - Brett Nommensen, Eastern Illinois
Week 9 - Sam Eberle, Jacksonville State & Drew Lee, Morehead State
Week 10 - Tyler Kehrer, Eastern Illinois
Week 11 - Paul Duncan, Eastern Kentucky
Nommensen Named National Hitter of the Week by the NCBWA: Eastern Illinois outfielder Brett Nommensen was named the Pro-Line Athletic National Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association on April 6. Nommensen hit .769 (10-of-13) with seven runs scored, two doubles, three home runs and nine RBIs in the four EIU wins last week. He reached base safely in 14 of his 17 plate appearances, including in each of his first 13 trips to the plate. Nommensen homered twice in a 12-8 road win over Saint Louis, including leading off the game with a home run for the fourth time this season. He hit a two-run home run in game one against Murray State and knocked in the first run in the second game of that doubleheader (a 2-1 EIU victory). The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from every NCAA Division I conference each week and names winners on Tuesdays throughout the season. Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport.
Murray State’s Hill Named Louisville Slugger & Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week: Murray State junior outfielder Daniel Hill was named a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball and the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) on March 9. Hill (Germantown, Tenn.) helped the ?Breds to a 5-1 week by going 15-for-26 (.577) with two doubles, five home runs, 18 RBIs and nine runs scored. He had a slugging percentage of 1.231 and an on-base percentage of .633. He started the week by going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs in a mid-week victory over Freed-Hardeman and followed it up the next day by going 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs against Arkansas State. Hill stepped up his game in the four-game series against North Dakota State as he led school-record 28-hit attack in the series opener by going 5-for-7 with a double, three home runs and eight RBIs in the 20-9 victory. He tied the MSU single-game record for hits and home runs in a game. In the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, Hill did not get much to hit at the plate as he walked twice and was hit by a pitch in four plate appearances. The Bison did not fare so well in the second game as Hill was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. The series finale turned into a classic slugfest as the ?Breds rallied twice and survived a ninth-inning rally. Hill hit his fifth home run of the week and drove in three runs in the 13-11 victory.
EIU’s Morrell One of 30 Student-Athletes Up for Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award: For his all-around excellence as a student-athlete, Brian Morrell of Eastern Illinois baseball has been named one of 30 candidates nationally for the prestigious Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. Morrell is a senior pitcher for the Panthers and has served as the bullpen’s long-relief ace each of his upperclassman seasons. The Quincy native carries a 4.0 GPA while majoring in biological sciences. He was an ESPN the Magazine Second Team All-America honoree as a junior. The list of 30 candidates in baseball will be trimmed to a group of 10 finalists in April. Those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning April 15 and concluding May 31. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award. The award, given annually to senior student-athletes across nine NCAA Division I sports, has become one of the most prestigious honors in college athletics. The candidates were selected based on their dedication and achievement in four areas: Classroom, Character, Community, and Competition. The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award is distinctive from many other honors in that on-the-field performance is only one factor in determining candidacy ? a major emphasis is placed on off-the-field commitments and personal character. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was launched during the 2001-02 season in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving college early to turn professional.
JSU’s Tootle Named to Golden Spikes Watch List: Jacksonville State’s Ben Tootle has been named to the 2009 Preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List by USA Baseball, marking the organization’s first step toward identifying the top player in college baseball. The watch list features 50 of the nation’s top collegiate talents and will be presented in 2009 for the 32nd time. The award is sponsored by Major League Baseball. Last season Tootle was named first-team All-OVC after leading the conference with an impressive 10-2 record with two shutouts in 2008. He finished the season with 79 strikeouts, which was the second most in the OVC, and had a 3.87 earned run average. He was named OVC Pitcher of the Week three times during the season after going a perfect 8-0 against conference members. Baseball America named Tootle as the fourth-best prospect from this summer’s Cape Cod League, while ESPN’s Keith Law has named the Gamecock pitching ace as the 13th best prospect in the country for the 2009 season.
JSU’s Tootle Named to Numerous Preseason All-American Teams: Jacksonville State junior pitcher Ben Tootle was named to four preseason All-American lists this year. Tootle was a first-team NCBWA selection, second-team Louisville Slugger pick and a third-team choice by Ping! and Baseball America. Eastern Illinois’ Brett Nommensen was a third-team pick by Ping! while Southeast Missouri catcher Jim Klocke was a honorable mention pick by Ping!.
Five OVC Coaches Coaching at Their Alma Mater: This season five of the nine OVC head baseball coaches are currently coaching at their alma maters, including first-year head coach Jason Stein at Eastern Kentucky. Stein played at EKU from 1992-95 and graduated in 1997. He played against Morehead State head coach Jay Sorg who was at MSU from 1992-94. Ironically in the 1994 season, Sorg was named OVC Player of the Week on April 11 while Steen earned the same honor on May 2. The other coaches currently at their alma mater are Austin Peay’s Gary McClure (1987), Murray State Rob McDonald (1984) and Southeast Missouri’s Mark Hogan (1977).
Jacksonville State Picked as Preseason Favorite For Second Straight Season: For the second year in a row, Jacksonville State has been picked as the preseason favorite for the nine-team league in a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head baseball coaches. The Gamecocks claimed the 2008 regular season championship with a 23-4 record last season but came up just short in the OVC Tournament. The overall voting in the preseason poll was close as Jacksonville State, who received five first-place votes, edged Eastern Illinois, who had the other four first-place votes, by just one total point. Eastern Illinois swept through four games at the OVC Tournament last season on its way to team’s first title since 1999 and a berth in the NCAA Regionals. Those two teams were followed by Austin Peay (48 points), Southeast Missouri State (42), Tennessee Tech (38), Murray State (23), Morehead State (22), Eastern Kentucky (20) and UT Martin (10).
Nommensen and Tootle Named Preseason OVC Player/Pitcher of the Year: Jacksonville State junior right-hander Ben Tootle was tabbed the OVC Preseason Pitcher of the Year while Eastern Illinois senior outfielder Brett Nommensen was picked the OVC Preseason Player of the Year in a preseason vote of league head coaches. Nommensen produced gaudy numbers last year in earning All-OVC first-team honors as well as being selected to the NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team. He hit .402 with 82 hits, 56 runs, 18 doubles, five home runs and 36 RBI. His slugging percentage was .603 while his on-base percentage was a league-best .518. Nommensen also stole 18 bases. Tootle, who was named a preseason All-American by numerous outlets has been great in his first two seasons at JSU. In two years with Jax State, Tootle has compiled a 16-5 overall record, including an unblemished 8-0 mark against Conference opponents a season ago. Last season he struck out 79 batters and walked only 29 in 86 innings of work.
SIU Edwardsville Joins the OVC: On July 1 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville became the 11th member of the Ohio Valley Conference. SIU Edwardsville, who is in the reclassification process to Division I, will begin regular season competition in the OVC during the 2011-12 academic year and will be eligible for postseason competition in 2012-13. The exception is the SIUE softball program, which will be eligible for both regular season and tournament competition in 2010-11; the softball program was the department’s women’s sport designee to be fast-tracked to Division I, making it eligible to compete at Division I prior to other SIUE sports. SIUE is located in Edwardsville, Ill., which is just northeast of St. Louis (the 18th largest media market in the United States).