page 12 - The Behrend College Collegian. Thursday, April 30. 1998 Behrend baseball team sets record for wins in a season Lions take second in AMCC behind Frostburg State by Dylan Stewart spurts editor II the 1998 spring season for the Behrend baseball learn is any indi cation, winning ways for the loons seem to be on their way for the next many years to come, as head coach Paul Benim and the rest of the Lions squad have built an extremely strong foundation, capable of being a main stay regional powerhouse at least through the remaining twentieth cen tury, if not longer into the twenty first. Behrend recently capped off their twenty-first victory, breaking the old record for wins in a season of twenty, while not to mention reaching the twenty win plateau for only the sec ond time in forty-two years. The Lion squad has a talented nucleus of young players excited to return next season to compete for an AMCC title, while also challenging to break the record for wins in a sea son in each year to come. The 1998 Lion squad featured ap proximately twenty freshmen and sophomores, with only one junior and one senior. With nearly every player ready to return for the 1999 campaign, with the major exception of senior captain Marc Burchanowski, the Behrend squad will undoubtedly look to blossom into a more talented and experienced photo by Jason Blake Male Athlete of the Year Marc Burchanowski is shown taking a few hacks during BP. Intramural Point System Champions FRATERNITY Zeta Beta Tau MEN’S INDEPENDENT Rush Violators RESIDENCE HALL Perry 2 IM ATHLETE OFTHEYEAR WOMEN WOMEN Lemon Heads Jana Bumagin MEN COED Jason Deets SCmbS club in future years ahead. 'I his team has a lot of potential to be a wrecking ball in the next few years." said senior captain Marc Burchanowski. "With so much tal ent returning, and a fresh group of recruits coming in. this group will be a very tough squad to deal with for opposing teams," added Burchanowski. Senior captain Burchanowski is currently finishing up his stellar four year career at Behrend as a mainstay at the catcher position, while also being one of the Lions’ most potent offensive threats throughout his stay. Burchanowski recently capped off his baseball career by being awarded the Behrend James Frye Male Ath lete of the Year Award. Burchanowski will return next year to serve as an assistant coach on the Behrend team. The Lions' last week of baseball proved to be a successful one, as the Lions won six of eight games, with both losses coming to AMCC cham pions Frostburg State. "Our team is performing very well." said head coach Paul Benim. "We have won ten of our last twelve games and are playing good base ball,” added Benim. The Lions started their week off by traveling away to sweep a pair from Grove City by scores of 8-2 and 9-7. Game one featured an explosive twelve hit attack from the Lions, with sophomore Rob Green shutting down the opposing team's offense. Green went the full seven, allow ing only two runs on five hits, while striking out four and walking six, to improve his record to 6-1. Junior Ryan Smith led the offen sive attack going 3-4 with a double and three RBl’s. Marc Burchanowski, Matt Slavonic, and David Williams provided the rest of the offense, as they each came away with two hits apiece. Behrend used a four run first and five errors by Grove City to hang on for the game two victory by a score of 9-7. Freshman Joe Thompson went the first four innings before David Oldach, Morgan Saeler, and Ryan Smith came on to close out the final three innings, with Smith coming away with his team leading third save. Jeremy Brubaker and Kit Bower each had tremendous days on of fense, with each banging out two hits, not to mention Brubaker stealing four bases, while Bower swiped three. The Lions next suffered their only letdown of the week as they were swept at home by Frostburg State by scores of 9-0 and 11 -6. Sophomore pitcher Ryan Sports school Frederick, who had shut down Frostburg in their first meeting, didn’t have the same pinpoint control as be fore, and was handed seven earned runs on eleven hits in five innings pitched. “I didn’t have my best stuff today,” said Frederick. “With a team like Frostburg, any little mistake you make with a pitch will cost you,” added Frederick. Justin Kline came on to shut down Frostburg in the final two innings, al lowing only two hits in putting out the fire. Marc Burchanowski was the sole Lion to pack a bat, as he went 2-3 with two singles. Game two was rocky from the start as the Lions let up eight runs in the first two innings, before making a comeback at the end to fall short 11 - 6. Although sophomore pitcher/out fielder Corey Walters is having a fine offensive year, the hurler is still bat tling through rotator cuff problems. Walters showed a brave and valiant effort in battling through the pain, only to get the living snot kicked out of him for the second consecutive start in a row. Walters gave up four earned runs on three hits in one in ning pitched. Walters will undergo serious arm rehabilitation treatment during the summer to get himself back and healthy for next year’s sea Offensively, Joe Thompson was 2- 3 with one RBI and one run scored, while Ryan Smith was 1-2 with two RBl’s, and one run scored. A two game thrashing of Theil Col lege followed up for Behrend, with both Rob Green and Ryan Frederick combining to not allow a single run in the 8-0, 7-0 victories. Rob Green set the single season strikeout record for Behrend in game one with seventy, while also tying the record for wins in a season at seven. Green struck out twelve, while al- lowing no runs on only two hits in seven full innings. David (Big Willie Style) Williams got jiggie wit it on the offensive end, as he was 3-3 with four RBl’s and one run scored. Freshman Matt Slavonic contrib uted going 2-4, with two RBl’s and a home run. Ryan Frederick followed up his previous rough outing in dynamic fashion, as he struck out ten, while giving up zero runs, on two hits and ’< t V " Vr * ' *> S* y photo by Jason Blake Sophomore first baseman Shawn Headley fields a ground ball no walks issued in game number two. Matt Slavonic finished up his fine day with a 3-4 performance, with five RBl's and his second home run of the day. Jeremy Brubaker was 2-2 with two doubles and two runs scored in add ing to the offensive cause in the game two victory. The Lions finished up their impres sive week by taking two from Oberlin College of Ohio, by scores of 9-1 and 11-2. "In our last four games our pitch ing staff has only given up two earned runs in twenty-eight innings," said Benim. “They were dominant against both Theil and Oberlin,” added Benim. Ryan Frederick had another solid start for the Lions in game one, as he went the distance, allowing one earned run on six hits, while striking out six and walking two. Matt Slavonic, Corey Walters, and Michael Thompson each punched out two hits apiece for the victorious Li- The Lions slugged their way to the victory in game two, as they poured on eleven hits in the 11 -2 victory. Freshman James Calpin had an Oscar worthy performance by allow ing only one earned run on six hits to pick up the game two victory. Vt*i‘, "My arm felt just tremendous to day," said Calpin. “My curve ball was breaking tremendously, almost as hard as a boulder falling straight off a cliff. I think that all of the oppos ing batters were tremendously con fused , and quite honestly looked hopeless," finished Calpin, Justin Kline came on to close out the final inning, by striking out two and allowing no runs on one hit. Kit Bower and Joe Thompson each had three hits and two runs scored, while Michael Thompson was 2-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Matt Slavonic knocked in three RBl’s, while going 2-3 with a double. Behrend will finish up with two fi nal doubleheaders to wrap up their regular season, before maybe having a chance to compete in the EC AC playoffs which will be announced in about one week. If everything goes as planned for the Lions, they could win their last four regular season games and fin ish up with a record of 25-10. “You want your team to get a little bit better every day and improve, and understand the game, program and philosophies. This team has done a great job. Perhaps we can continue winning and have a shot at a postseason opportunity (ECAC),” finished Benim.
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