2008 Woodie Awards
SPRING STAMPEDE
Baseball continues hot start
By Mike Mallory
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 4/1/05 Section: Sports
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However, that's exactly what has happened thus far in 2005. Led by three batters who have garnered batting averages over a .400 clip, as well as dominant starting pitching, the Rock's performance over the past two weeks have put them in the driver's seat in the PSAC West.
"It's been above and beyond what I expected at the outset of the season," Messer said. "We got off to a real quick start. We're realistic, but we're beating the teams that we need to beat at this point."
Two of those victories came Wednesday afternoon at Jack Critchfield Park as the Rock swept Shepherd University in a doubleheader.
Starting his first game in over a year and a half, Rock pitcher Jeremy Becker gave up only one run on four hits in five innings of work as SRU won the game, 2-1. The loss was charged to Shepherd's Travis Mumaw, who gave up two runs on six hits in six innings.
Becker faced several crucial situations, but was able to recover each time. In the top of the fourth inning, Shepherd's Ryan Brady reached on an error by second baseman Phil Butch. Brady stole second base on a strikeout pitch to third baseman Dirk Webb, but Becker struck out catcher David Toth and right fielder Ryan Harju to retire the side.
In the top of the fifth, Shepherd picked up its only run. Leftfielder Jerry Jubb singled to center field to start the inning, and after two outs from Becker, Shepherd's Nick Brown singled to left field to bring home the team's only run.
Messer said he was more than impressed with his young pitcher's performance.
"(Becker) had a huge outing for us today," Messer said. "When he had to get people out, he did just that."
Josh Rape pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the Rock in relief of Becker, and Dan Herisko retired the side in order in the seventh to pick up his fourth save of the season.
Scoring for the Rock began in the bottom of the third inning as catcher Brad Wilson, who is sporting the second highest batting average on the team at .449, with 10 RBIs, singled to center field. Wilson then moved to second on a passed ball. That left the door open for designated hitter Matt Messer, who smacked a ground ball passed the second baseman to pick up his third RBI of the season. The run was Wilson's eighth.
The Rock's second run also came in the bottom of the third. Messer moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt from third baseman Todd Schickling, and then moved to third on a bunt base hit from Butch. Center fielder Matt Kozusko, who is batting .403 thus far in 2005, hit a sacrifice fly deep to center field to drive in Messer and notch his 13th RBI of the campaign.
In game one of the doubleheader, Rock pitcher Derek Blyzwick tossed a five hit complete game shutout, as SRU defeated Shepherd by a score of 3-0. Blyzwick picked up three strikeouts and issued two walks in the game.
"Derek pitched the best game of his life to this point," Messer said. "He kept the hitters off balance the entire game."
The loss for Shepherd snapped an eight game win streak.
Butch said that the team has been unified and as long as the core stays together, the team will be all right.
"These were two big wins for us today," Butch said. "The team has been real solid, especially our pitching staff."
Butch went 1 for 3 in the game and scored a run. Second baseman Chase Rowe collected two hits in three at bats, and picked up two RBIs in the process. The Rock collected seven total hits in the shutout victory. The loss was charged to Shepherd's Steve Kozack, who gave up all three runs in four and one-third innings pitched.
On Tuesday, the Rock split a doubleheader against Pitt-Johnstown, losing game one 3-0, but winning game two by a score of 4-3. Nick Armstrong was charged with the loss in game one, giving up three runs on five hits in four innings, striking out five batters and walking two. The pitching combination of Justin Ronan and Brian Chruscial pitched seven shutout innings, giving up seven hits to the Rock.
UPJ's leftfielder Scott Parnell went 2 for 3 with one RBI in the victory.
In game two, first baseman Chris Tolliver picked up two RBIs in the Rock's victory. Rowe and designated hitter Dave Gonos each collected two hits in the win.
Messer said the loss in game one was more of a reality check than anything for his team.
"We're realistic to know that we're going to lose some games," Messer said. "It's a game of inches. It could have gone either way."
Other victories during the impressive streak for the Rock include doubleheader sweeps of West Liberty State on March 19 and 20 (15-1, 6-5), Gannon on March 23 (7-0, 9-0) and Mansfield at home on March 26 (5-2, 5-2).
Messer said that he feels the team has had great chemistry and the young members of the team are fitting in extremely well.
However, he is adamant that the team has not played its best baseball yet and that it will need to prepare for the important PSAC conference play.
"If you don't go anywhere, you don't win your conference, it's as simple as that," Messer said.
The Rock will take on IUP in a pair of doubleheaders tonight and Saturday, with each game set to begin at 1 p.m. The Rock will then take on Point Park College on Monday in a doubleheader at home. IUP officially knocked out the Rock from any chance of competing in the PSAC playoffs last season, so the team is looking for redemption against one of its biggest rivals.
Messer said he is just pleased that the team has gotten the chance to play in good weather the last several games.
"(The cancellations of several games due to inclement weather) backed us up, and you really go deep into your pitching staff, but we're going to take our lumps," Messer said. "Our guys just need to play and they'll be fine."
