Up Next in Crusader Baseball: The 2011 baseball regular season comes to a conclusion on Thursday and Friday as Valparaiso heads to Wi for a three-game series at Milwaukee. The Crusaders enter the weekend in 3rd place, one-half game out of second, as the Horizon League race is bunched from low to 4th place.
On the Air: Neither Thursday nor Friday`s games against Milwaukee will be carried over the air or online.
Live stats will likewise be available through www.valpoathletics.com for each game this season.
Head Coach Tracy Woodson: Tracy Woodson, the 16th head manager in Valparaiso University history, is in his fifth season at the helm of the Crusaders and has a 116-153 (.431) record both for his career as good as at Valpo. Woodson ranks 4th in school history for career wins by a direct coach. A member of the Los Angeles Dodgers 1988 World Champion team, he has also managed in the minor leagues through the AAA level.
Probable Starters: Damon McCormick (RHP, 5-5, 3.68) will have the hill for the Crusaders in the undoer of the series on Thursday against Milwaukee`s Chad Pierce (RHP, 6-3, 3.08). Game one of Friday`s doubleheader will feature Valpo`s Tyler Deetjen (LHP, 4-7, 3.53) taking the hill against the Panthers` Eric Semmelhack (RHP, 2-4, 4.09). The series finale on Friday will have Valpo sending Jon Gulbransen (LHP, 5-7, 4.23) to the hill. Milwaukee has not announced its game three starter at this time.
Series Notes: Milwaukee leads the all-time series against Valpo 25-11 dating back to 1990 after the Panthers won both of the previous meetings against the Crusaders this season on May 14.
Wrapping Up Last Weekend: Milwaukee scored four times in the 3rd inning and capitalized on four unearned runs in the plot on the way to defeating the Crusaders 7-3 on Saturday in game one of a twinbill at Emory G. Bauer Field. Steven Scoby and Robbie Robinson each had two hits for Valpo while Chad Pierce tossed the seven-inning complete game for the Panthers. In game two, Milwaukee scored 3 times in both the 7th and eighth innings to ride and down Valpo by the same 7-3 score.
Scouting Milwaukee: The Panthers split a doubleheader against Northern Illinois on Tuesday after losing and tying games at Butler last Sunday. Doug Dekoning leads the offense batting .380 with seven home runs and 46 runs batted in. Cole Kraft is hitting .343 on a team with a .287 team batting average. Milwaukee`s pitching staff has posted a 4.27 earned run average while limiting opponents to only a .258 batting clip.
Battling for Seeds: Heading into the last weekend of the regular season, the top four seeds in the Horizon League are up for grabs, including the important top two spots, which assure teams first round byes in next week`s tournament. Valpo enters the weekend in 3rd place, one-half game behind UIC, and only forward of Milwaukee. For Valpo to remain ahead of Milwaukee the Crusaders need to win two of three against the Panthers. Valpo can pass UIC with one more victory than the Flames record against Youngstown State. The Crusaders can even pass Wright State as well, winning two more games this weekend than the Raiders do against Butler. All of these scenarios assume all of the games that are scheduled are played.
Bats Alive in Horizon League Play: Valparaiso`s offense has come live in Horizon League action this season. While the Crusaders have batted just .235 in non-conference play, the Brown and Gold has batted .301 against conference foes. Six players are hitting over .300 in conference play, led by Will Hagel`s .395 batting average.
Solid Pitching in the Horizon League as Well: Valpo`s pitching staff has likewise been substantial since conference play began. Crusader hurlers have posted a 2.72 ERA in conference action while limiting opponents to a .252 batting average. Valpo`s ERA in non-conference play was 4.85.
Scoby Solid Versus Milwaukee Last Weekend: Steven Scoby batted .429 (3-for-7) in the doubleheader against Milwaukee last weekend. The junior outfielder also scored once, drove home two runs, and drew a walk against Panther pitching.
Pencil Them in the Lineup: Chris Manning has started all 49 games for the Crusaders in centerfield while Kyle Gaedele has been in the starting lineup for every game as good for the Brown and Gold in rightfield. Steven Scoby has started 48 of the 49 games in left, giving Valpo a consistent outfield throughout the year.
More Than One: Will Hagel leads the Crusaders with 19 multi-hit games on the year. He too has a team-leading 10 multi-RBI games, including three three-RBI contests on the season.
Throwing Strikes: Tyler Deetjen ranks 29th in the country allowing only 1.21 walks per 9 innings while as a team Valpo is 42nd allowing just 2.92 free passes per contest.
Martin`s Hit Streak Reaches 11: Bobby Martin has hit safely in apiece of his last 11 games entering the last weekend, dating back to the last game of the series at Hawai`i on April 23. During the streak, the junior college transfer is batting .400 (16-for-40) with eight runs scored. He has raised his average 44 points during the bar to .259.
Finishing What They Start: Valpo`s pitching staff has tossed nine complete games already this season, led by Tyler Deetjen`s four and Damon McCormick`s three. Jon Gulbransen and Justin Frane each have a perfect game as well.
Win Streak was Second Longest Ever: Valparaiso`s 10-game winning run from April 6 through April 21 matched the 2nd longest ever in broadcast history. Only a 12-game streak in 1958 has been longer in school history.
Horizon League Honors: Senior hurler Justin Frane was named the Horizon League`s Pitcher of the Week on April 18 after limiting Youngstown State to only one earned run and five hits over eight innings for his second victory of the season. On April 25, Damon McCormick was the league`s Pitcher of the Week after striking tout 10 and allowing only two runs and four hits against Hawai`i. Kyle Gaedele was likewise the Horizon League`s Player of the Week on April 25 after he batted .429 for the week (6-for-14). He scored six times, recorded a triple, a family run, and was walked six times, including twice intentionally.
Don`t Blink or You`ll Miss It: Valparaiso`s baseball game times continue to go along. The Crusaders are averaging just over 2:19 for the 43 nine-inning games in which they have played this season. Valpo has gone over 3 hours just 4 times this year, two of which were 11-inning contests.
Gulbransen Moving Career List: Jon Gulbransen has moved into 2nd point on Valpo`s career innings pitched list with 314.1 at Valpo, passing Tim Holmes (1984-1987). He needs just 0.1 more innings to match Harvey Yergin (2004-2007) as the career record-holder at Valpo. His 17 career victories are also seventh all-time in a Crusader uniform. Gulbransen`s next win will strike him into a tie for fourth on the career charts.
Career Lists Part Two: Jon Gulbransen also continues to raise the career strikeouts list at Valpo. The southpaw has fanned 259 hitters during his career, passing Shawn Barker (1987-1990) for third on the career charts. The southpaw is only 35 strikeouts behind Jon Robisch (1961-1964) for 2nd site on the all-time list.
Gaedele On Extra Base Charts: Kyle Gaedele has moved into fifth site on Valpo`s career doubles list with 44 two-baggers. He is seven doubles behind J.J. Swiatkowski (1997-2000) for fourth on the career list. Gaedele is also tied for third on the triples list with 12, one three-bagger Robert Skaltsas (1974-1997) for second all-time.
Also a Thief: Kyle Gaedele also is even for third on the school`s career stolen base list with 46 over his first 3 days with the Brown and Gold. He has been caught just five times in his career, and his 21 thefts this temper are even for fourth most on Valpo`s single season charts, alongside teammate Chris Manning.
This and That: Will Hagel has reached base safely in 22 straight games dating back to April 6 and his hit a team-leading .325 . Hagel is batting .473 (35-for-74) during the twain and has drawn 11 walks (.541 on base percentage) . Kyle Gaedele ranks among the top-10 in the Horizon League in nine different statistical categories.
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