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Monday, April 27, 2009

Baseball News

Baseball News

WVU Swept by USF
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
April 26, 2009

BOX SCORE

TAMPA – The West Virginia University baseball team fell to USF, 9-6, in the third and final game of the series on Sunday afternoon at Red McEwen Field in Tampa, Fla.

The loss gives the Mountaineers (28-12, 11-7) their first conference series sweep by defeat this season, as they have lost five straight BIG EAST games.

Grant Buckner led WVU with two hits and three RBIs, including a solo home run in the eighth inning.

USF starter Shawn Sanford (4-2) pitched six innings and gave up five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts to get the victory.

USF got on the scoreboard in the second inning on a sacrifice fly to right field by Daniel Rockhold. Chris Rey started the inning with a single to right field, Junior Carlin followed with a hit-by-pitch and Sam Mende hit a bloop single through the left side to load the bases. Rockhold swung at a first-pitch fastball to drive in the game’s first run.

Justin Parks came back with an RBI single to center field to tie the game at 1-1. Joe Agreste led off with an infield single to the right side, but was thrown out at second base on a fielder’s choice by Colin Durborow. Parks followed with his 32nd RBI, scoring Durborow from second base.

The Bulls (27-15, 15-3) added two runs in the third inning. With one out, Todd Brazeal walked to put runners on first and second base, and Rey hit a bloop single into right field. Carlin followed with a customary opposite-field hit to left field to make it 3-1.

WVU was aided in the fourth inning on a fielding error by right fielder Stephen Hunt, who dropped a slicing hit by Buckner that brought in a hustling Tobias Streich from first base to make it 3-2.

Mende provided a key hit in USF’s three-run fifth inning, hitting a two-out, two-run single through the right side to give the Bulls a commanding 6-2 advantage. Brazeal started the frame with a run-scoring single through the right side.

WVU began to agitate Sanford in the sixth, responding with three runs to trim its deficit to 6-5. Buckner hit a chopping double over the third baseman’s head to score both Vince Belnome and Dan DiBartolomeo, and two batters later Durborow had a run-scoring double that also took a hop out of the infield to give him his seventh RBI of the season.

The Bulls broke open the game with three runs in the seventh. Carlin led off with a triple to center field, and Mende followed with an RBI single off WVU pitcher Andy Altemus. A wild pitch ensued to score Mende from third base, and Jonathan Koscso hit a run-scoring double to extend USF’s lead to 9-5.

Mountaineer left-hander Chase Pickering (2-1) made his first career BIG EAST start, going 2.2 innings and giving up three runs on four hits with one strikeout in a losing effort. The 2008 West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year held the Bulls scoreless in the top inning for the first time this series, but was hurt by throwing a high number of pitches in less than three frames.

Chris Enourato, Altemus and Jonathan Jones made relief appearances for the Mountaineers.

WVU returns with two nonconference home games against Morehead State on Tuesday, April 28, at 7:05 p.m., followed by a matchup against Atlantic Coast Conference rival Maryland on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Player Profiles
25
Chase Pickering
Class: Fr.
Hometown: Cross Lanes, W.Va.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
Team: Baseball
Position: LHP
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Biography
Will battle for playing time right away ... had an outstanding high school career ... talented left-handed pitcher who can also hit ... has good arm strength and a sharp curve ball ... can be used in the outfield or at first base ... fleet-footed in the outfield.

Prep: West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year at Nitro High ... two-time MSAC Player of the Year ... two-time first team all-state player ... had a career record of 22-6 with a 2.36 ERA and 400 strikeouts ... had 222 innings pitched in high school ... batted .448 with 10 home runs, 12 doubles, 48 RBIs and 34 stolen bases during senior season ... drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 43rd round in 2008.

Personal: Son of Jeffrey Pickering ... birthday is September 9 ... enrolled in general studies ... father played at WVU as a power-hitting first baseman from 1976-79 ... member of the Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll.

Baseball News

DiBartolomeo Named WVU Athlete of the Week
April 27, 2009

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia University baseball player Dan DiBartolomeo was named WVU Athlete of the Week after he led the Mountaineers with a .400 batting average (4-for-10) during the weekend series at USF.

The sophomore went 2-for-4 with a double in Saturday’s 11-2 loss to the Bulls. The Margate, N.J., native has four multi-hit performances in his last six games. He continues to lead the Mountaineers with a .431 batting average while starting all 40 games at third base.

In 2008, DiBartolomeo batted .275, making him one of the country’s most improved players this season.

This Week in Baseball
The West Virginia University baseball team has a nine-game homestand, beginning with five games this week … WVU begins the week with a nonconference game against Morehead State on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. … the Mountaineers follow with a 5 p.m. matchup on Wednesday against Maryland … the weekend conference series features Rutgers beginning on Friday at 7:05 p.m.

Last Week in Baseball
The Mountaineers (28-12, 11-7) were swept for the first time this season in conference play, falling to BIG EAST leader USF … WVU lost on Friday evening, 8-3, at Red McEwen Field … USF defeated WVU on Saturday evening, 11-2 … the Mountaineers closed out the series with a 9-6 loss on Sunday.

Notes & Quotes
Dan DiBartolomeo led the Mountaineers at the plate, going 4-for-10 with one double and two runs scored … the Mountaineers currently sit at fourth place in the BIG EAST with an 11-7 conference mark …USF (15-3), Louisville (12-6) and St. John’s (12-6) are the top three teams in the standings … WVU continues to lead the BIG EAST in overall win percentage (.700) … the Mountaineers were 23-of-98 at the plate this weekend, dropping their overall batting average to .354, which still leads the conference … WVU previously defeated Morehead State on March 17, 13-9, in Morehead, Ky. … WVU has three remaining BIG EAST series, with two at home against Rutgers and Cincinnati and a season-ending road series at Pitt.

This Week in Rowing
The WVU rowing team does not compete this week.

Last Week in Rowing
The Mountaineers finished eighth with 38 points at the 2009 BIG EAST Rowing Championships, on April 25, at Cooper River Park, in Pennsauken, N.J. … WVU finished fifth overall in the Novice 8 Grand Final with a time of 7:21.641, behind fourth-place Rutgers (7:18.837) and ahead of sixth-place Villanova (7:23.201) … Syracuse won the race with a time of 7:01.713 … WVU finished sixth in the Varsity 4 Grand Final, clocking in at 8:31.04 … Notre Dame finished ahead of the pack, winning the race with a time of 7:36.622 … the Mountaineers finished on top in a head-to-head Varsity 8 Petite Final with Villanova, edging the Wildcats, 6:59.591 to 7:03.464.

Notes and Quotes
The team’s finish matches WVU’s from the 2008 season, though the Mountaineers earned 10 more points at this year’s championships racing in the same three events as they did one year ago … the Fighting Irish won their sixth-straight conference title with 112 points … the Orange finished second with 97 points, while Louisville took third with 92 points.
"The championship went very well for us. All three of our boats made great improvements from last year. Each of the finishes surpassed our seeds, which shows that the team is progressing. This is still a young team, but our returnees from last season set high standards for this year’s crew, and as a whole, they have been making good on those expectations throughout the season." - Coach Jimmy King

This Week in Track and Field
The team will compete in the BIG EAST Championships on May 1-3 in Villanova, Pa.

Last Week in Track and Field
The 4x100 relay team of Kyllie Bebout, April Rotilio, Chelsea Carrier and Brittany Hohn finished in 33rd place (47.39) ... the 4x400 relay team made up of Jordann Mitchell, Carrier, Hohn and Rotilio finished in 35th place (3:53.74) ... the high-jumpers Katelyn Williams and Natasha Redman finished tied for fourth place (1.68-meters) and a tie for 12th place (1.64-meters), respectively ... Carrier competed in the 100-meter hurdles and finished in 12th place (13.70) as the last Mountaineer to race ... O’Connell’s time was an ECAC Championship qualifying time, while Carrier’s was an NCAA Regional qualifying time.

Notes & Quotes
"Penn Relays is always a nice tune-up for the BIG EAST Championships. We are leaving this meet having done what we needed to do to be prepared for next week.” - Coach Sean Cleary.





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Baseball Team Roster

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
24 Joe Agreste 1B 6-4 195 Sr. Chesapeake, Va.
15 Andy Altemus RHP 6-4 175 Jr. Morgantown, W.Va.
8 Tyler Barnette C 6-3 170 Fr. Core, W.Va.
4 Vince Belnome 2B 6-0 210 Jr. Coatesville, Pa.
29 Marcus Broadwater RHP 6-4 205 So. Clarksburg, W.Va.
28 Grant Buckner RF 6-2 220 r-So. Elkview, W.Va.
14 Jesse Darby LHP 6-5 189 r-So. Normantown, W.Va.
18 Dan DiBartolomeo 3B 6-2 205 So. Margate, N.J.
2 Colin Durborow INF 6-0 195 r-So. Gibsonia, Pa.
22 Mark Dvoroznak CF 6-2 210 r-So. Westlake, Ohio
21 Justin Ellis INF-RHP 6-3 200 r-Fr. Pickerington, Ohio
32 Chris Enourato RHP 6-0 205 Jr. Bridgeport, W.Va.
13 Dustin Galbraith RHP 6-6 185 Fr. Sandston, Va.
9 Billy Gross RHP 6-2 195 r-Jr. Frederick, Md.
10 Jeremy Gum C 6-1 200 So. Bridgeport, W.Va.
5 Jedd Gyorko SS 5-10 195 So. Morgantown, W.Va.
36 Cory Hess LF 6-2 205 r-So. Morgantown, W.Va.
26 Jonathan Jones LHP 6-3 205 LHP Fredericksburg, Va.
19 Michael Knight C 5-8 160 Jr. Montoursville, Pa.
31 Austin Markel OF 6-1 195 Sr. Elizabethville, Pa.
48 Steve Morrison LHP 6-4 205 Jr. Coatesville, Pa.
12 Matt Morrone LHP 5-11 190 So. Paris, Texas
23 Brandon Padula OF 5-11 190 r-Fr. Oakton, Va.
20 Justin Parks OF-3B-C 6-0 195 Sr. Columbus, Ohio
25 Chase Pickering LHP 6-3 185 Fr. Cross Lanes, W.Va.
17 Andy Podolinski RHP 6-3 195 Fr. Sayre, Pa.
40 Chris Rasky CF 6-5 205 Fr. Irwin, Pa.
35 Andrew Saab LHP 6-2 210 r-Fr. Morgantown, W.Va.
27 Clark Sambuco CF 6-2 175 Fr. Wheeling, W.Va.
7 Andrew Scherer C 6-1 185 r-So. Hanover, Pa.
39 Tobias Streich C 6-0 210 So. Johnsonburg, Pa.
11 Jarryd Summers RHP 6-5 220 So. Sharpsville, Pa.
45 Bobby Thompson LHP 6-2 205 Sr. Lititz, Pa.

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Baseball Statistics
  • 2009 Season Statistics (Games played through April 26) (pdf)
  • 2008 Final Season Statistics (pdf)
  • 2007 Final Season Statistics (pdf)
  • 2006 Final Season Statistics (pdf)
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