[Kutztown Press Release] KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY BASEBALL HEADED TO ALABAMA FOR DIVISION II WORLD SERIES

Mon May 21 19:14:28 EDT 2007

May 21, 2007

KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY BASEBALL HEADED TO ALABAMA FOR DIVISION II WORLD SERIES

KUTZTOWN, PA - The Kutztown University Baseball team is headed to Montgomery, Ala., for the 2007 NCAA Division II World Series at Riverwalk Stadium, May 25-June 1.

            The Golden Bears (49-5) will face the University of Nebraska-Omaha (36-22) in Game 1 of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament on Friday, May 25, at 1:00 PM (this and all other times listed in this release are Central Time).  Kutztown qualified for the World Series by winning the North Atlantic Region.  The Mavericks advance to Montgomery as Central Region Champions.  

            Friday's Game 2 features West Region champion Cal State-Los Angeles (43-15-1) vs. South champ Tampa (49-10) at 6:30 PM.  Friday's losers play Game 5 on Sunday at 2:30 PM, with the loser of that game eliminated.  Friday's winners play Game 6 on Sunday at 6:30 PM.  

            On the other side of the bracket, South Central Champion Angelo State (50-18) faces Northeast champion Franklin Pierce (49-9) on Saturday at 1:00 PM.  North Central region winner Southern Indiana (41-21) takes on South Atlantic champion Columbus State (48-18) on Saturday at 6:30 PM.  Their second-round games will be next Monday.

            The tournament continues through Friday, June 1, with the national championship game at 7:00 PM.  Advanced ticket prices are $25 (reserved), $20 (general admission) for tournament passes.  Single-session tickets are $6 (reserved) $5 (general admission), $4 (student).  Advanced tickets may be purchased by calling 334-240-4200. 

            Kutztown University will offer live audio Webcasts of all Golden Bear games.  The webcasts can be accessed via kubears.com, where complete KU results will also be available.  Additional information on the tournament can be found at the host institution, Valdosta State, Website (www.valdosta.edu/athletics/montgomery).

Team Capsules

Kutztown University Golden Bears (49-5, North Atlantic Champions, Ranked #3 in NCAA)

Head Coach: Chris Blum (5th season, 194-68)

            Kutztown swept four games to claim the North Atlantic Region.  The Golden Bears have set a school and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) record for wins in a season this year.  KU is ranked #3 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II poll.  Earlier this season, Kutztown spent a week as the #1 ranked team in the nation, a first for a Golden Bear sports team and just the second time a team from the North Atlantic Region was ranked first (Mansfield, 1995).  The Golden Bears are under the direction of fifth-year head coach and 2007 PSAC East Coach of the Year Chris Blum.  The PSAC East regular season champions with a 19-1 record, KU made its fourth-straight PSAC Championship appearance.  KU was 1-2 in the tournament, falling short in its bid for a third-straight PSAC title.  The Golden Bears rebounded by sweeping through the North Atlantic Regional.  KU won the regional tournament for the fourth time (2001, 2002, 2004*, 2007).   *the 2004 title was later vacated due to an NCAA violation. 

            The Golden Bears' strength this season has been a remarkable amount of depth, both on the pitching staff and in the lineup.  KU heads to Montgomery with a team earned-run average of 3.18, as well as a team batting average of .319.  Pitchers Jason Mills (sr. Hatfield/North Penn), Mike McCardell (sr. West Chester/Henderson), Darin Gorski (fr. Mount Joy/Donegal), Matt Keller (sr. Fleetwood/Fleetwood) and Philip Rummel (jr. Exeter/West-Mont Christian) comprise KU's starting rotation.  Mills, a first-team All-PSAC East and All-North Atlantic Region selection, is 7-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 55.0 innings.  McCardell, an all-conference and all-region first-teamer, is 7-2 with five saves, a 1.67 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 59.1 innings.  Gorski is 4-0 with a 2.41 ERA and 35 Ks in 41.0 innings.  Keller is 6-1 with a 3.56 ERA and has fanned 58 batters in 55.2 innings.  Rummel is 8-1 with a 4.57 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 61.0 innings.  

            KU's offense features eight regulars hitting above .300 for the season.  North Atlantic Regional MVP Ryan Loper (sr. Boiling Springs/Cumberland Valley) is hitting .353 (61-for-173) with 34 runs, 13 doubles, five homers and 35 RBI.  The centerfielder, Loper was 8-for-17 with six RBI at regionals.  He is six hits shy of Kutztown's career record (231, Al Fitch, 2000-03).  DH Chad Lightcap (so. Boyertown/Boyertown) is hitting .393 (55-for-140) with 30 runs, 12 doubles, four homers and 41 RBI.  Rightfielder Jeff Craig (sr. Wilkes-Barre/Bishop Hoban) hits .356 (63-for-177) with 38 runs, 15 doubles, six homers and 55 RBI.  Infielder Sean Bond (sr. Malvern/Great Valley) is hitting .352 (61-for-165) with 45 runs, 12 doubles and 26 RBI.  McCardell, who plays first base when not pitching, is hitting .344 (42-for-122) with four homers and 26 RBI.  SS Nate Kranz (so. Silver Spring/Cumberland Valley) hits .334 (52-for-155 with 49 runs and 37 RBI.  He has been hit by pitches 22 times in 2007 and a career-record 44 times in two seasons.  2B Mike Kacelowicz (fr. Owrigsburg/Blue Mountain) checks in at .316 (37-for-117) with 38 runs and 18 RBI.  Left fielders Garrison Rausch (jr. Allentown/Parkland) (.312, 2 HR, 14 RBI) and Dan Gavlick (sr. Medford, NJ/Shawnee) (.301, 2 HR, 20 RBI) round out KU's top hitters.  

University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks (36-22, Central Region Champions, unranked)

Head Coach: Bob Herald (8th season, 254-168-2)

            Nebraska-Omaha makes its first appearance at the Division II World Series, after upsetting the top three teams at the Central Region Tournament as the #6 seed. UNO enters the tourney with a .316 team batting average and a 5.07 team ERA.  The Mavericks are led by regional tournament MVP, SS Evan Porter.  A .352 hitter (74-for-210), Porter has 12 homers and 60 RBI.  OF Chris Weimer (.375, 17 HR, 56 RBI) and INF Bryan Frew (.332, 4 HR, 35 RBI) round out the Mavs' top hitters.  Tyler Cloyd anchors the pitching staff. He is 8-2 with a 1.72 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 79.0 innings.  

Cal State University-Los Angeles Golden Eagles (43-15-1, West Region Champions, ranked #7 in NCAA)

Head Coach: Pat Shine (1st season, 43-15-1)

            Cal State-Los Angeles makes its first appearance at the NCAA Division II World Series since placing fourth in 1977.  The Golden Eagles, who won the West Region as the #3 seed, were a regional finalist in 2006.  Cal State-LA sports a team batting average of .338 and a team ERA of 4.07.  The Eagles are led by 3B Jeff Carroll, who is hitting .406 (91-for-224) with 71 runs, 16 home runs and 74 RBI.  OF Kurt Crowell (.339, 11 HR, 54 RBI) and OF Adam Klein (.353, 1 HR, 43 RBI) power the offense.  Pitchers Isaac Morales (9-2, 3.27 ERA, 92 K, 93.2 IP), Kyle Owsley (6-3, 4.08 ERA, 79 K, 88.1 IP) and Hector Molina (9-1, 5.00 ERA, 47 K, 68.1 IP) lead the staff.

University of Tampa Spartans (49-10, South Region Champions, ranked #1 in NCAA)

Head Coach: Joe Urso (7th season, 314-98)

            Tampa is the defending NCAA Division II Champion, and has won the title four times in program history.  The Spartans were 4-1 in the South Regional, bouncing back from a 7-0 loss against Florida Southern to win 8-5 in 10 innings in the final game Sunday.  Tampa enters the tournament with a team batting average of .355 and a team ERA of 3.61.  OF Craig Corrado leads the offense, hitting .428 (107-for-250) with 10 homers and 60 RBI.  OF Junior Mejia (.397, 2 HR, 43 RBI), 2B Ryan Kennedy (.380, 13 HR, 58 RBI) and SS Roberto Mena (.346, 13 HR, 59 RBI) round out the hitting leaders.  Kevin Ferguson leads the pitching staff with a 12-2 record.  He has a 2.81 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 86.1 innings.  Jonathan Holt (2-2, 1.81 ERA) has 19 saves and 70 strikeouts in 54.2 innings.  

Angelo State University Rams (50-18, South Central Region Champions, #21 in NCAA)
Head Coach: Kevin Brooks (3rd season, 121-51)

            In just its third season of existence, the Angelo State Rams make their first Division II World Series appearance.  Angelo State won the South Central region after entering the tournament as the #6 seed.  The Rams defeated #3 seed Montevallo on Monday for the regional crown.  Angelo State brings a .354 team batting average and a 4.74 team ERA to Montgomery.  Utility player Steve Allred leads the offense, hitting .410 (103-for-251) with seven homers and 54 RBI.  Other top bats belong to 1B Clay Calfee (.407, 8 HR, 68 RBI), C Matt Lenderman (.366, 12 HR, 77 RBI) and OF Drew Caraway (.348, 10 HR, 47 RBI).  

Columbus (GA) State University Cougars (48-18, South Atlantic Region Champions, Ranked #14 in Nation)

Head Coach: Greg Appleton (10th season, 369-212)

            Columbus State, which won the 2002 National Championship, makes its third appearance in the national finals in the last six years.  The Cougars were the #2 seed in the South Atlantic Regional, upending top seeded Mount Olive in the championship game.  Columbus State has a team batting average of .311 and a team ERA of 3.05.  The Cougars are led at the plate by 1B Billy Howard, who hits .357 (80-for-224) with four homers and 44 RBI.  3B Brad Linton (.352, 9 HR, 60 RBI), OF Drew Candlin (.342, 11 HR, 53 RBI) and OF Rodney Rutheford (.341, 12 HR, 58 RBI) round out the offense.  Anthony Arrington leads the hurlers. He is 7-1 with a 1.75 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 62.1 innings.

Franklin Pierce College Ravens (49-9, Northeast Region Champions, Ranked #11 in Nation)

Head Coach: Jayson King (9th season, 286-156-1)

            Franklin Pierce won its second-straight Northeast Regional title, and third in five years, to advance to Montgomery.  The Ravens were the top seed in the region, defeating fifth-seeded Bryant for the title.  FPC sports a .326 team batting average and a 2.49 team ERA.  The top bats for the Raven belong to OF Kevin Renaud, who hits .364 (82-for-225) with 10 homers and 65 RBI, along with DH Keith Renaud (.359, 6 HR, 39 RBI), 2B Jake Christman (.340, 3 HR, 23 RBI) and OF Vinny Pennell (.351, 1 HR, 39 RBI).  Mike Adams (6-0, 1.80 ERA, 56 K, 70.0 IP), Arric Mather (7-1, 1.53 ERA, 44 K, 64.2 IP) and Tyler Bishop (2-0, 10 saves, 0.00 ERA, 27 K, 23.2 IP) lead the pitchers.

University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles (41-21, North Central Region Champions, unranked)

Head Coach: Tracy Archuleta (1st season, 41-21)

            Southern Indiana won its first-ever regional title, upsetting top seeded Grand Valley State in the North Central championship game.  The Screaming Eagles have compiled a team batting average of .284 with a team ERA of 3.55.  USI is led at the plate by 2B Darin Mastroianna, regional tournament MVP, who hits .407 (90-for-221) with two homers and 42 RBI.  OF Hunter Slade hits .342 with 62 RBI.  Cory Julian headlines the pitching staff, with a 7-3 record, 2.30 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 94.0 innings.

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Josh Leiboff
Kutztown University Sports Information
Phone: (610) 683-4182
Fax: (610) 683-4676
Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu
Website: http://www.kubears.com
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