BASEBALL MEDIA GUIDE2014 BASEBALL- 1 AUGUSTANA COLLEGE * Rock Island, Illinois
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2016 BASEBALL MEDIA GUIDE2014 BASEBALL- 1 AUGUSTANA COLLEGE * Rock Island, Illinois Location - Rock Island, Illinois Founded - 1860 Enrollment - 2,500 President - Steven Bahls Chairman of Athletic Board - Dr. John Delaney, Prof. of Accounting Director of Athletics - Mike Zapolski Head Coach - Greg Wallace Wallace Office Phone - (309) 794-7252 Wallace Home Phone - (309) 756-0165 Wallace e-mail - [email protected] Sports Information Director - Dave Wrath S.I.D. Office Phone - (309) 794-7265 S.I.D. Cell Phone - (309) 737-5306 Head Trainer - Denise Yoder Assistant Trainer - Anna Smith Training Room Phone - (309) 794-7518 Conference - College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin CCIW Teams Augustana; Carthage; Elmhurst; Illinois Wesleyan; Millikin; North Central; North Park; Wheaton National Affiliation - NCAA Division III Team Name - Vikings Colors - Blue & Gold Home Field - Brunner Field at Swanson Stadium (Seventh street and John Deere Road in Moline, Illinois) Athletic Department Phone - (309) 794-7521 Admissions Department - (309) 794-7341 Toll Free Number - 1-800-798-8100 Augustana College, rooted in the liberal arts and sciences and a Lutheran FAX Number - (309) 794-7525 in S.I.D.’s office expression of the Christian faith, is committed to offering a challenging Web Site Address - www.athletics.augustana.edu education that develops qualities of mind, spirit and body necessary for a rewarding life of leadership and service in a diverse and changing world. These goals and ideals also are reflected in the mission statement of the ABOUT AUGUSTANA COLLEGE: Known for its balance of liberal arts athletic department: with focus in a major field, collaborative research opportunities, com- petitive athletic teams and award-winning student activities programs, The Department of Athletics offers all Augustana College students an Augustana College is a selective independent college of the liberal arts opportunity toward the development of the total person. Working in a and sciences related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The cooperative and active learning environment and dedicated to imparting a college enrolls approximately 2,500 men and women of diverse ethnic, re- lifelong awareness of health and wellness our department assists students ligious and social backgrounds, from across the United States and around in the acquisition of dynamic skills knowledge and fitness. the world. We value dignity, respect, diversity, accountability, communication and Augustana’s athletic teams have won more championships than any other teamwork: and challenge each participant to achieve a sense of self con- school in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin. The Vikings own fidence, pride, team unity, success, and cohesiveness through competitive a total of 186 total team championships (144 men and 42 women) since sport. Our programs support the mission of Augustana College by culti- the league began in 1946-47. Augustana is currently seventh in the nation vating the individual in all facets of life within and without the competitive in number of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) arena. Academic All-Americans produced in all sports with 161 as of March 2016. During the 1990’s the Vikings finished third, trailing only Nebraska and WHERE TO FIND AUGUSTANA SPORTS NEWS M.I.T. Information on the Augustana College athletic department is easy to find. Augustana Sports Information Director Dave Wrath maintains the sched- Home to a Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society chapter since 1949, ules and press releases on the college’s athletic department web page. Augustana grants baccalaureate degrees in more than 60 areas of study. It can be accessed at www.augustana.edu. Also, you may e-mail Dave Along with a competitive athletic environment, student-athletes can join Wrath at [email protected]. The office phone number for sports one or several of the school’s 150 student organizations or take advan- information is (309) 794-7265. tage of Augustana’s wide variety of opportunities for international study. Augustana has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1, and nearly 90 percent of The 2016 Augustana baseball media guide is presented as a service to all the faculty hold the Ph.D. or the terminal degree in their field. news media and friends of Augustana. The media guides are written and edited by Augustana Sports Information Director Dave Wrath. Photos in The following mission statement guides Augustana’s liberal arts curriculum the media guide were taken by either Steve Woltmann or Brandon Gittel- and student programs. man Additional stories and pictures will be furnished upon request. 2 - AUGUSTANA VIKINGS 2016 PROSPECTUS Once again Vikings planning for successful season; 19 letter winners and eight starters return from 26-14 campaign in 2015 Pitching and defense figure to be key components for the Augus- all-conference and all-Midwest Region as a sophomore in 2014. tana baseball team in 2016. The Vikings return 19 letter winners Twice he has been voted as the Vikings co-Most Outstanding and eight starters (six position players and two pitchers) from a Pitcher. Sauer had some injury problems last year when he was team that went 26-14 in 2015. 2-0 with a 6.46 ERA but as a sophomore he went 6-2 with a 3.82 ERA and struck out 47 in 63 2/3 innings. Townsend has been “Like every season, we will rely on pitching and defense to be team captain for three years and last year in 10 appearances he successful,” said head coach Greg Wallace, who is entering his held opponents to a .152 batting average. Morgenstern missed 19th season at the helm of the Augustana baseball program. “This his entire junior year after surgery but as a sophomore he was group has grown together through the off-season and we are all-conference and all-Midwest Region after going 5-1 with a 2.01 looking forward to the upcoming spring.” ERA in 14 appearances with four saves. Wallace has compiled a record of 523-243 in 18 years at his alma Junior Kyle McGinley (J.K. Mullen HS, Denver, Colo.) was 5-3 with mater and he is 601-292 overall as a collegiate head coach. That a 4.00 ERA with 63 innings in 2015 and junior Nick Refka (Fremd includes a 78-49 mark in four years at Frostburg State. The 26-14 HS, Palatine, Ill.) was 2-1 with a 1.37 ERA in 19 2/3 innings last mark in 2015 is the 16th time in the last 17 seasons that Augusta- year. Sophomore Brad Dubow (Naperville Central HS, Naperville, na has won at least 25 games. The Vikings have also eclipsed the Ill.) had a 1.93 ERA in limited action last spring. 30-victory mark eight times since 1999. “We have some experience in the pitching department,” said If Wallace is going to count on pitching as one of the keys to this Wallace. “But I also think we will have three or four freshmen who season, his club is well stocked for success. Four seniors: Walter will step in and contribute.” White (East Peoria HS, East Peoria, Ill.), Chris Sauer (Rock Canyon HS, Littleton, Colo.), Darwin Townsend (Libertyville HS, Liber- Three-fourths of the infield returns intact for 2016. The dou- tyville, Ill.) and Zach Morgenstern (Peoria Notre Dame HS, East ble play combination of seniors Trace Gingerich (Sherrard HS, Peoria, Ill.) will spearhead the pitching staff. Sherrard, Ill.) at second base and Alex Fluehr (Harlem HS, Loves Park, Ill.) at shortstop will lend leadership. Each started 40 games White was a first team all-conference selection a year ago and last year with Gingerich hitting .354 (57 hits in 161 at-bats while was second team all-Midwest Region. He was 6-2 with a 2.81 scoring 24 runs and collecting 33 runs-batted-in) and Fluehr earned run average in 67 1/3 innings. He was also first team batting .338 (47 hits in 139 at-bats with 34 runs scored and 24 RBI). Sophomore Tommy Kiriakopoulos (Huntley HS, Lake-in-the- Hills, Ill.) will get the call at first base after batting .304 (34 hits in 112 at-bats) in 2015. He started 31 games. Junior Mitchel Ruh (Hinckley-Big Rock HS, Big Rock, Ill.) could also be called on at first base. He batted .316 with 18 hits in 57 at-bats last year while drawing 12 starts. The third base position is still up for grabs during the pre-season. In the outfield seniors Nathan Gray (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and Jeff Prior (Rock Canyon HS, Lone Tree, Colo.) and sopho- more Matt Loeffl (Grayslake Central HS, Grayslake, Ill.) started 68 games between them last year. Gray hit .331 with 55 hits in 166 at-bats while scoring 43 runs and driving in 35. He had a team- high 15 doubles. Prior had his junior season cut short by illness but he was hitting .333 with 24 hits in 72 at-bats in 26 games. Loeffl hit .359 with 14 hits in 39 at-bats while getting nine starts. Senior John Swiderski (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.) was the starting catcher in 36 games last spring and he will get the call once again after hitting .341 (46 hits in 135 at-bats) and driving in a team- high 42 runs. Ruh could also see some time at catcher. The designated hitter will be either Swiderski, Ruh or junior Cay- ton Wallace (Davenport Assumption HS, Rock Island, Ill.). “The senior group has been instrumental in preparing the team over the fall and winter workouts,” said Wallace. “Their efforts have been tremendous in preparing everyone for another success- Senior pitcher Walter White looks to continue the dominance he displayed ful season. We like the cohesiveness between all of our classes in last year.