A look at the teams competing in this weekend’s West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball tournament at Point Stadium and Pitt-Johnstown’s George Walter Field. The champion earns a spot in the NCAA Division II baseball playoffs.
Pitt-Johnstown
Nickname: Mountain Cats.
Location: Johnstown.
Colors: Navy & Vegas Gold.
Record: 35-15-1, 12-4 WVIAC North, 1st in division.
Head coach: Todd Williams.
Team BA/OBP/SLG: .327/.409/.507.
Team ERA: 4.77.
Team Fielding Percentage: .965.
Record vs. Field: 10-6-1 (2-2 vs. CU, 3-1 vs. WVSU, 2-2 vs. SU, 2-0-1 vs. A-B, 1-1 vs. WVWC).
Key Players: OF Adam Plummer (.400-3-34), DH Dan Delsignore (.367-5-32), 1B Matt Hanley (.360-12-54), INF Matt Petrowsky (.359-11-34), 3B Josh Campanella (.394-2-30), P Eric Faint (2-1, 2.55 ERA, 8 SV), P David Huey (6-2, 4.61 ERA), P Chuck Boring (3-3, 4.82 ERA), P Jon Moore (6-0, 3.00 ERA).
Noting the Mountain Cats: UPJ has qualified for the WVIAC Tournament in its first year of eligibility ... The Mountain Cats’ 35 victories establish a new school record for wins for the eighth time in the past 11 seasons ... UPJ enters the tournament with a 10-game win streak.
West Virginia State
Nickname: Yellow Jackets.
Location: Insitute, W.Va.
Colors: Black & Gold.
Record: 32-11 overall, 13-2 WVIAC South, 1st in division.
Head coach: Calvin Bailey.
Team BA/OBP/SLG: .361/.435/.593.
Team ERA: 4.37.
Team Fielding Percentage: .957.
Record vs. Field: 5-5 (3-1 vs. CU, 1-3 vs. UPJ, 1-1 vs. WVWC).
Key Players: OF Bo Darby (.427-14-61), OF Eric Workman (.414-8-39), UT J.D. Broderick (.402-8-36), 2B Chad Chambers (.378-5-28), P Travis McGrath (7-2, 1.79 ERA), P Todd McQuiston (7-1, 4.53 ERA), UT Ryne Holstine (.398-7-37), OF Michael Deleeuw (.341-8-31), C Chase Day (.329-1-21).
Noting the Jackets: West Virginia State has won 12 games in a row and 16 of the past 17 contests ... The Jackets have outscored opponents 233-58 during the 17-game stretch ... Veteran WVSU head coach Calvin Bailey is the winningest coach in WVIAC history with an 868-396-4 record in his 31st season.
West Virginia Wesleyan
Nickname: Bobcats.
Location: Buckhannon, W.Va.
Colors: Orange & Black.
Record: 31-15 overall, 12-4 WVIAC Central, 1st in division.
Head coach: Randy Tenney.
Team BA/OBP/SLG: .335/.420/.483.
Team ERA: 4.60.
Team Fielding Percentage: .958.
Record vs. Field: 5-8 (0-1 vs. SU, 2-2 vs. A-B, 1-1 vs. WVSU, 1-3 vs. CU, 1-1 vs. UPJ).
Key Players: 2B Derek Bowen (.477-2-37), OF Dustin Kolb (.374-7-41), P Craig Hriblan (2-1, 2.33 ERA, 11 SV), P Cy Mozingo (5-0, 1.25 ERA), P Tyler Phares (5-3, 3.64 ERA), SS Jason Russell (.372-4-28), OF Cory Flickinger (.345-4-30).
Noting the Bobcats: Wesleyan claimed the Central Division crown by a razor-thin margin over Alderson-Broaddus as the Bobcats won the final game of a four-game series last Sunday 13-0 ... All six of WVWC’s league titles came in back-to-back runs (55-56, 91-92, 95-96) ... Hriblan owns the school single-season and career records for saves.
Concord
Nickname: Mountain Lions.
Location: Athens, W.Va.
Colors: Maroon & White.
Record: 35-11 overall, 11-5 WVIAC South, 2nd in division.
Head coach: Kevin Garrett.
Team BA/OBP/SLG: .355/.433/.528.
Team ERA: 5.61.
Team Fielding Percentage: .966.
Record vs. Field: 9-7 (2-2 vs. UPJ, 1-3 vs. WVSU, 2-1 vs. SU, 3-1 vs. WVWC, 1-0 vs. A-B).
Key Players: 1B Matt Kuntz (.481-4-42, 16-16 SB), 3B Greyson Schram (.472-15-60, 13 SB), SS/P Donovan Huffer (.450-3-38, 7-2, 4.80 ERA), OF Tim Merolillo (.390-12-53), P Allen Schurdell (7-3, 4.70 ERA), P Trey Smith (7-2, 5.98 ERA), P Drew Bailey (5-1, 2.70 ERA, 5 SV).
Noting the Mountain Lions: Concord has established a new school record for victories...The Mountain Lions recorded the league’s best home mark at 22-4 ... CU is currently the top-ranked squad in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association North Atlantic Region top 10.
Alderson-Broaddus
Nickname: Battlers.
Location: Philippi, W.Va.
Colors: Navy & Gold.
Record: 26-16-1, 11-4 WVIAC Central, 2nd in division.
Head coach: Milan Rasic.
Team BA/OBP/SLG: .334/.430/.487.
Team ERA: 6.27.
Team Fielding Percentage: .959.
Record vs. Field: 2-5-1 (2-2 vs. WVWC, 0-1 vs. CU, 0-2-1 vs. UPJ).
Key Players: 1B Alan Baumann (.413-5-36), OF Eric Texeira (.397-6-36), SS/P Paul Day (.357-9-54, 4-3, 2.98 ERA), OF Zach Marshall (.384-2-30), 3B Ronnie Whitt (.355-4-36), 2B Owen Otsuka (.338-1-21), P Alan Nevells (5-1, 4.79 ERA).
Noting the Battlers: The Battlers are making their second trip in a row to the league tournament after an 11-year dry spell ... A-B is the only charter league member to not own a WVIAC baseball crown in the post-World War II era.
Shepherd
Nickname: Rams.
Location: Shepherdstown, W.Va.
Colors: Blue & Gold.
Record: 28-19, 10-6 WVIAC North, 2nd in division.
Head coach: Wayne Riser.
Team BA/OBP/SLG: .311/.403/.463.
Team ERA: 4.81.
Team Fielding Percentage: .947.
Record vs. Field: 4-4 (2-2 vs. UPJ, 1-2 vs. CU, 1-0 vs. WVWC).
Key Players: 1B Dirk Webb (.430-14-51), P/INF Matt McCarty (.358-2-25, 7-2, 1.41 ERA), OF Justin Dailey (.340-2-24, 17-18 SB), 2B Drew McCormick (.336-7-34), P Kenny Reisinger (5-1, 3.71 ERA), P Charlie Gordon (4-3, 4.84 ERA), OF Chris Wilkins (.303-3-37).
Noting the Rams: Shepherd has reached the WVIAC Tournament in each of the past seven seasons ... Ram head coach Wayne Riser is the chairman of the NCAA Division II Baseball Committee ... SU has won its past six contests.
College
Welcoming a stellar six to town for WVIAC tourney
- College
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Mountain Cats look to get Pecora closer to No. 500
In some ways, it’s the perfect time for Pitt-Johnstown wrestling coach Pat Pecora to be reflective.
After all, his eighth-ranked Mountain Cats will be holding their final home match this evening when Anderson visits at 7 p.m. Pecora will be saying goodbye to six seniors, which is always an emotional time for him.
But he’s not ready to look back on his legendary career, even as he closes in on his 500th career win. -
Judge sets May trial date in Sandusky abuse case
A judge said Friday he would decide soon whether to grant former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky greater freedom – and visits from his young grandchildren – while he awaits trial on child sex-abuse charges, but prosecutors countered that Sandusky’s home is not a safe place for children.
Judge John Cleland set a tentative trial date of May 14 for Sandusky and promised to rule quickly on a number of other issues, including dueling requests for changes to his bail restrictions. -
College basketball in brief
A closer look at Thursday night's men's and women's college basketball games:
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Penn State men absorb fifth straight loss
Penn State refused to be routed the first time No. 11 Michigan State had a chance to pull away for an easy victory.
The Nittany Lions, though, couldn’t stay consistent enough to keep their comeback hopes alive. -
South Florida rebounds with win over Pitt
South Florida’s Hugh Robertson combined a perfect night offensively with a stellar defensive performance that helped the Bulls rebound from their worst-ever Big East loss.
Robertson had a season-high 18 points and helped USF
(14-10, 7-4) hold Pittsburgh star Ashton Gibbs to a season-low four points in a 63-51 victory over the Panthers on Wednesday night. Augustus Gilchrist added 10 points for the Bulls, who lost by 30 points at Georgetown last weekend. - Local sports in brief 2-9-2012
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Michigan board gives go-ahead on Winter Classic
The University of Michigan Board of Regents on Wednesday authorized athletic director Dave Brandon to seek a contract with the NHL that would allow the league to hold next year’s Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium.
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Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers dominate Seton Hill
Pat Pecora picked up his NCAA Division II record 498th career victory on Tuesday night, but just like almost every other one, he saw some things that his Pitt-Johnstown wrestling team could improve upon.
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Happy Valley readies itself for a new brand of football under Bill O’Brien
White placards with a set of rules were affixed to the glass doors of the players’ entrance at the Penn State football building about the time Bill O’Brien agreed to become the school’s next football coach.
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Panthers win fourth consecutive game
Pittsburgh senior Ashton Gibbs is a happy man now that his backcourt mate, junior Tray Woodall, is back and healthy in the starting lineup. He’s almost as happy as Woodall, who recovered from a groin/abdominal strain to turn in one of his best performances of the season.
- More College Headlines
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Mountain Cats look to get Pecora closer to No. 500








