CONTENTS GENERAL INFORMATION Dugout Club . ..... .. .. .. ... .. ... 36 Facili ti es . ... ... .. ... ... .. .. .. 35 Qu ick Facts/Staff Di rectory . ... .. ... ...... 4 University of Wisconsin . .. .... .. .. .. ... .. IFC-IBC UW ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT AND COACHING STAFF Academic Staff ... ... .. ... .. ... .... 7 Assista nt Coaches/ Support Staff . ... .. .. .... .. 9 Athletic Di rector A.L. 'Ade' Sponberg . .. .. • . .. ..... 5 Athletic Staff Profil es . ... .. ..... .. ... ... .. 5-6 Head Coach Steve Land .. .. ... .. ...... .. 8 1989 WISCONSIN BASEBALL Conference Opponents . 29 Numerical/Alphabetical Rosters . .. ... ... .. .. 18 Player Profiles . .. .. .. .. ... .. 10-17 Pronunciation Guide .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. 18 Schedule . .. .... .. .. .. 19 Season Preview . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 2-3 1989 Wisconsin Badgers . BC 1988 REVIEW Big Ten Conference Review . .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 UW Big Ten Statistics/Overall Statistics . .. .... .. .. 21 UW Game-By-Game Results ... .. .. ... .. .. 20 BADGER BASEBALL HISTORY Badgers In The Pros .. ... .. ...... .. .. .. .. 27 Batting Leade rs Year-by-Year . .. ... .. ... .. 24-25 Career Records . .. ... .... ..... .. ... ... 24 History Of Wisconsin Baseball . .. ... ... 30 Honors To Badgers . .. ... .. .. .. .... ... .. .. ... 34 Pitching Leaders Year-by-Year . .. ... ..... .. 26 Season Records . 23 Single Game Records ... .. ..... .. .. .. 23 Team Totals Year-by-Year . ..... .. .... .. .. .. 26 The Last Time . 26 "W" Award-winne rs (1937-1988) . .. .. .. .. ..... .. 32-33 Wisconsin All-Time Record Vs. Opponents . ... .. 28 Wisconsin Coaches . ... .... ..... ... .. .. .. 27 114 Years of Wisconsin Baseball . .. .. .. ... 31 The 1989 Badger Baseball Media Guide is a publication of the University of Wisconsin Sports News Service. Written and ed ited by Dennis Semrau, sports information assistant. Special assis­ tance by Karin Semrau. Photography by Jay Salvo and Greg Anderson, UWEX Photo­ graphic Media Center and Karin Semrau. Front cover designed by John Cronin, WISCOMP. Photography by Jay Salvo. Layout and Composition by WISCOMP. Four-color film preparation by MAS Graphics, Menomonee Falls, WI. Printed by American Printing, Madison, WI. Stmlor Lance Painter delivers For additional information on the 1989 Wisconsin Baseball against St. Xavier. Team, or about coverage at home games, contact Dennis Semrau or Jim Mott, University of Wisconsin Sports News Ser­ vice, Camp Randall Stadium, 1440 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711 (608) 262-1811 . Baseball Guide Rated Best in the Nation The 1988 University of Wisconsin base­ \ClltlUDit jfor (f.xrrllrnrr ball brochure was voted the best in the nation among all NCAA Division I schools. Judging for the pub lications award was co­ ordinated by the College of Sports Informa­ tion Directors of America and the Col­ ~ ~ - -,... ~.... .. • ... ·~ ..... ..._.... l ~ ... ~ ·~ ·~ - • '%~0..-. ~-- ...... ·~ ' · - legiate Baseball Write rs of America. The - -.- award for the 1988 edition was presented in July at the annual CoSIDA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. 1 1989 WISCONSIN BASEIBAII PREVIEW BADGERS REACH FOR PLAY-OFFS The " promised land." For a collegiate baseball player, the ultimate thrill is playing in the College World Series. To get a chance at grabbing the brass ring, the Badgers first must qualify for the Big Ten play-offs. After missing a play-off berth by one game last season, Wisconsin returns a veteran team that wants one last chance to prove that it belongs. Head coach Steve Land will be counting on 20 returning letterwinners, including six starters, to lead the Badgers to the promised land of college baseball. Despite the loss of three of the team's top four starting pitchers, the team's most versatile athletes, " The return of Cepicky for his final Wisconsin will contend for play-off status Campion could also see starts at season provides us with a solid number th is season. shortstop and third base. three hitter and a fine defensive player," Junior BRIAN WOLFF enters his Land said." He will be our cornerstone in 1988 Record: 28-27 Overall; second season as the starting shortstop. right field." 15-13 Big Ten (5th) He suffered a sophomore slump in the Cepicky led the team and was 10th in field but hit fo ur home runs as the the Big Ten in hitting. He earned the " One of our strengths will be the number nine hitter in the lineup. team's " Most Valuable Player" and experience we have in our every day " Wolff has the potential to excel at "Most Valuable Hitter" awards after lead­ lineup," Land said. shortstop," Land said. " He can make the ing the Badgers in six offensive catego­ The Badgers return a solid offense routine plays consistently." ri es. He also hit .500 w ith runners in that averaged six runs a game, set a ERIC LIEBENSTEIN is the starter at scoring position and led UW outfielders school record for home runs and has third base. He returns after missing the with four assists. improved its team speed. It includes four fina l 36 games a year ago with a broken Also return ing in the starting lineup fifth-year seniors in the starting lineup wrist. Liebenstein started 19 games at will be senior JOHN BYCE. He missed and experience throughout the batting first base last season but has experience the first 17 games last season while he order. at the hot corner. was with the Badgers' WCHA champion­ "We need to have Eric healthy for a ship hockey team. He is scheduled to LETIERWINNERS LOST: 7 full season," Land said. " He provides the start in left field when he joins the team Pitchers: Bob Eckl (0·0), experience we need to be successful.'' following the 1989 hockey season. Byce Tom Fischer (6-6) , Scott Fuller (5-3) Liebenstein is th e back-up at first earned all-Big Ten honors in 1987 and hit Butch McKeon (2·3) base. Freshma n TOM O'NEILL will see .350 in his first 12 games a year ago. Pi tcher/Infielder: Tim Roman action bac kin~l up Wolff and Campion, Sophomore RODNEY MYERS and jun­ while red-shirt freshman DUSTY FREITAG (3-21 .297-7-31) ior RICK DOBROWSKI will platoon in left could see action at thi rd base. field until Byce returns. Myers adds Infielder: Mike Noelke (.289-10-42) power to the lineup and is also a starting Outfielder: Mike Barker (.311-3-19) LETIERWIUNERS RETURNING: 4 pitcher. Dobrowski is a contact hitter with Dennis Cannplon (.241-0-7) good speed. INFIELD: Eric lleben,stein (.264-4-11 ) " Myers showed us he can hit with Jim Wilson (.308-7-31) power," Land said. " He will also get VETERAN SQUAD Brian Wolff (.271-4-26) some at bats as a designated hitter." Freshman TOM VILET will start in cen­ LEADS THE PACK ter field . A contact hitter with good speed. Wisconsin returns a strong nucleus in Land likes his abilities o n defense and at the infield, including three seniors and a OUTFIELD: the plate. junior in the starting l ineup. POWE~~ & SPEED "Vile! can really go after the ball."' Leading the way is senior first Land said. "He's a contact hitter with baseman JIM WILSON. He started last A KEY COMBO good speed and could be our lead-off season in the outfield but moved to first " Our outfield should be one of our hitter. " base during the Big Ten opening series strong points this season with two all-Big Junior ERIC BECKERMAN, red-shirt against Indiana. A candidate for post­ Ten players leading the way," Land said. freshman DUSTY FREITAG and freshman season honors, including Academic All­ " We have the potential to excel there this ROSS KOPFER will challenge for playing America, Wilson hit seven home runs in season." time. 50 games. A 1988 first team all-Big Ten selection, Second base is in the hands of senior SCOTT CEPICKY returns as the starter in LETIERWINNERS RETURNING: 4 DENNIS CAMPION. A left-handed hitter, right field. A candidate for All-America Eric Beckerman (.429-0·2) he has starting experie nce at second and all-Big Ten honors, he is Wisconsin's John Byce (.266-3-18) base, shortstop and third base. One of career RBI and single-season and career Scott Cepicky (.387-13-55) home run leader. Rick Dobrowski (.255-1-11) 2 RODNEY MYERS is listed as the Flanagan, ERIC LIEBENSTEIN , DUSTY CATCHING: team's third starter. He will also see ac­ FREITAG and Myers could also see ac­ SOLID DEPTH tion in the outfield and as a designated tion in short relief. hitter. A power pitcher, Myers is ready to The Badgers are solid behind the make his mark this season. LETTERWINNERS RETURNING: 9 plate with senior CRAIG BROWN and jun­ " He has great arm strength and just Darin Blang (7.62, 0-1) ior CAREY SADOWSKI. Brown earned needs an opportunity to pitch on a regu­ Todd Borchardt (5.81, 0-2) third team all-Big Ten honors last season lar basis," Land said. and will captain the squad for the second Brian Doudna (4.80, 1-2) Red-shirt sophomore MARK HAMIL­ Mark Hamilton (7. 71, 0-0) consecutive season. TON, senior SCOTT PE LOWSKI and Greg Lynch (6.17, 1-0) " Brown is a proven Big Ten player freshman MAFlK FLANAGAN will battle and a leader," Land said. " He has the for the fourth starting role. Rodney Myers (9.36, 1-0) experience to help our young pitching Hamilton appeared in only one game Lance Painter (1 0.21, 1-5) staff matu re for the Big Ten season. after suffering an injury during the team 's ScoH Pelowski (6.62, 1-0) A candidate for 1989 Academic All­ spring trip. However, he had a 2-0 record Paul Quantrill (4.65, 7-3) America and all-Big Ten honors, Brown and a 0.93 earned run average in three has a strong and accurate th rowing arm relief appearances in 1987 before he was and can hit for average and power. sidelined by illness. His forte is keeping Sadowski saw limited action last sea­ hitters off balance and throwing strikes. BADGERS READY son but will see more time behind the Pelowski has battled back from inju­ FOR THE plate this season.