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.
