Feb. 25, 2009

Contact: Greg Murphy

Complete Release in PDF Format

GAMES 5-7

Cleveland State (1-3) at Austin Peay (0-4)
Date: Fri., Feb. 27 • 2:30 p.m. CST
Site: Raymond C. Hand Park - Clarksville, Tenn.

Cleveland State vs. Ball State (2-2)
Date: Sat., Feb. 28 • 11:00 a.m. CST
Site: Raymond C. Hand Park - Clarksville, Tenn.

Cleveland State vs. Indiana (2-1)
Date: Sun., March 1 • 11:00 a.m. CST
Site: Raymond C. Hand Park - Clarksville, Tenn.

THE HEAD COACH: Kevin Kocks is in his third season at the helm of the CSU baseball program. Named the ninth head coach in school history in June of 2006, Kocks is a 15-year coaching veteran, leading his teams to seven postseason appearances and 11 winning seasons. He led Spalding to the NAIA World Series in 2002, 2003 and 2005, including a fifth place finish in 2005 and has been named league coach of the year on six occasions.

AROUND THE HORN: Cleveland State continues its early season swing through the south when the Vikings travel to Clarksville, Tenn., to play three games against three different teams at Austin Peay. The Vikings open the trip with a 2:30 p.m. CST contest vs.the host Governors on Friday, Feb. 27. CSU will also play 11:00 a.m. CST contests against Ball State on Saturday, Feb. 28, and versus Indiana on Sunday, March 1. The Vikings are 1-3 on the young season after winning one game in their season opening series at Georgia State last weekend. It will be the first meeting in school history against both Austin Peay and Ball State, while the Hoosiers swept a three-game series from CSU in 2004, the only times the two schools have met.

PREVIEWING THE VIKINGS: Now in his third season as head coach at Cleveland State, Kevin Kocks has his players and system in place as the Vikings continue their climb up the Horizon League standings. The most experienced part of the ballclub is the pitching staff where a trio of seniors, Josh Hungerman (0-0, 6.35 ERA, 5 SO), Brian Long (0-0, 8.44, 1) and Dylan Henry (0-1, 10.12), combine to form an experienced weekend rotation. Freshman Ryan Adams (0-0, 6.23), sophomores Nate Blankemeyer (0-0, 12.00) and Anthony Sambula (0-1) and senior Sam Suitca (0-0, 0.00) can also start, while senior Drew Fronczek (1-0, 0.00) and juniors Jimmy Cowhy (0-0) and Kyle McGuire (0-1, 3.00) will fill the set-up roles out of the bullpen. Adams and sophomore Solomon Haberkost (0-0, 16.20) will fill the closer role. Senior Brad Buell (.286, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB) anchors the outfield corps in centerfield after earning first team All-Horizon League honors last season with freshman Alex Johnson (.333, 4 R, 4 RBI) playing leftfield and junior Ryan Franks (.286, 1 2B) and sophomore Travis Miller (.133, 2 RBI) platooning in rightfield. Sophomore Tom Carter (.385, 3 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI) returns to start at shortstop with freshman Jason Haditsch (.100) and junior Josh Federico (.167, 1 R) splitting duties at second base. Senior Jon Foco (.273, 3 R) moves across the diamond to play third base, while senior John Brown (.000, 1 R) and freshman Tyler Wynn (.667, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI) at first base. Junior Kyle Shaffer (.167, 2 R, 1 2B) takes over the duties behind the plate with freshman Bob Suitca (.000, 1 R) serving as the primary backup.

REVIEWING LAST WEEK: Cleveland State opened the 2009 season by going 1-3 at Georgia State last weekend. Following are recaps of each game.

Game 1 - Georgia State 6, CSU 5 (Feb. 20): Nick Logan hit a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the eighth to give the Panthers a 6-5 win in the season opener for both teams. Brad Buell and Alex Johnson drove in two runs each for CSU. CSU 100 301 000 5 8 2 GSU 103 001 01X 6 5 1

Game 2 - CSU 6, Georgia State 5 (10 ) (Feb. 21): Alex Johnson's one-out RBI single in the top of the 10th proved to be the game-winner as the Vikings won the first game of a doubleheader, 6-5. CSU trailed 5-2 after six, but forced extra innings with three runs in the seventh. Drew Fronczek picked up the win (1-0) with 2 1/3 innings of no-hit, scoreless relief. Josh Hungerman drove in three runs and Johnson had two RBI. CSU 000 101 300 1 6 7 1 GSU 011 030 000 0 5 11 1

Game 3 - Georgia State 10, CSU 0 (Feb. 21): CSU was held to just two hits, doubles by Alex Johnson and Ryan Franks, as the Panthers won the second game of a twinbill, 10-0. CSU 000 000 000 0 2 2 GSU 022 200 04X 10 14 2

Game 4 - Georgia State 14, CSU 12 (Feb. 22): Georgia State scored six runs in the first inning and held off CSU's rally to top the Vikings, 14-12, in the series finale. Josh Hungerman went 3-for-6 with two runs, two homers, including a grand slam, and six runs batted in. CSU 013 010 052 12 17 2 GSU 600 411 20X 14 12 1

A 20-20 VISION: CSU's 22 wins last season marked the first time the Vikings won at least 20 games since 2001 (23 wins). CSU has not had back-to-back 20-win seasons since 2000 and 2001 when the Vikings won 23 games during each campaign.

HUNGERMAN NAMED BATTER OF THE WEEK: Senior Josh Hungerman, who hit .368 with three home runs, including a grand slam, and nine RBI in four games last weekend, was named the Horizon League Batter of the Week. Hungerman went 7-for-19 (.368) in a four-game series at Georgia State last weekend with a double, four runs, a .898 slugging percentage and a .400 on-base percentage.

JOHNSON STARTS STRONG: Freshman Alex Johnson had a strong start to his collegiate career. In four games at Georgia State, including three starts, Johnson hit .333 (4-12) with three runs, one double and four RBI. In his first career start during the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, Johnson delivered a one-out RBI single in the top of the 10th inning that turned out to be the game-winning RBI.

WYNN SHINES IN DEBUT: Freshman Tyler Wynn, who redshirted last season, fared well in his first collegiate game. Afer sitting out the first three games, Wynn drew a start at first base in Sunday's finale, going 2-for-3 with a run, two walks and an RBI. In his first career at-bat, Wynn hit a solo homer.

CARTER STRONG AT THE PLATE: Sophomore Tom Carter opened the 2009 season in style, hitting a team-best .385 (5-13) with three runs, one home run and two RBI over the weekend at Georgia State. He had his best game in the series finale, going 3-for-5 with two runs and a solo home run. All this came with Carter hitting in the ninth spot in the batting order. Last year, Carter started 49 games, hitting .271 with nine doubles, two home runs and 22 runs batted in.

ON THE RUN: Despite being in just his second season at CSU, senior Brad Buell is already making his way up the career stole base charts. After swiping a league-leading 23 bases last season, Buell is just three stolen bases shy of moving into fifth place on the all-time list at CSU. Tim Miller (1980-81) holds the school-record with 45 stolen bases, while Buell has 25 career stolen bases.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: Following the 2008 season, CSU southpaw Josh Hungerman was selected in the Major League Baseball draft with the 1,499th pick (50th round). Hungerman was the second Viking lefty to be drafted in as many years, following Stephen Procner's selection by the Baltimore Orioles in the 28th round (849th pick) in June of 2007. Hungerman went 5-3 with a 5.11 earned run average last season, leading the team in wins and strikeouts (64), while finishing second on the team with 79.1 innings pitched.

TURNING TWO: The double play ball proved to be CSU's best friend last season as the Vikings led the league with a school-record 64 twin killings. That total shattered the old mark of 51 as CSU finished fourth in the nation in double plays per game (1.21).

OFFENSE GETS ON TRACK: It took three games, but the CSU offense found its groove in the series finale at Georgia State on Sunday (Feb. 22) as the Vikings pounded out 17 hits, including four home runs. CSU totaled just 17 hits in the first three games of the series.

MR. SET-UP: Senior Drew Fronczek returns as one of the top set-up guys in the Horizon League this season. A year ago, Fronczek made a team-most 26 appearances, all of which came in relief, recording a 3-2 record with a team-low 2.41 ERA and one save. He gave up just 13 runs (10 earned) in 37.1 innings with 22 strikeouts. Fronczek picked up right where he left off, throwing 2 1/3 innings of relief in CSU's 6-5 win in Saturday's first game to pick up the win. Fronczek did not allow a hit or walk a batter.

BROTHERLY LOVE: Senior Sam Suitca is joined on this year's team by his younger brother, freshman Bob. The duo appeared on the field for the first time together in the sixth inning of Saturday's (Feb. 21) first game against Georgia State. Bob was inserted to start the inning as the catcher, while Sam came into pitch two batters later. Sam went on to throw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

VIKINGS TO HOST LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP: Cleveland State will serve as the host school for the 2009 Horizon League Baseball Championship at The Pipe Yard in Lorain. All seven league teams will take part in the double elimination tournament which will take place from May 19-24. The Vikings most recently hosted the baseball championship in 2002 at Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field) with Milwaukee defeating UIC, 6-3, in the title game.

ON DECK: The Vikings head to Dayton for a three-game series from March 6-8. Friday's contest will start at 2:00 p.m., Saturday's game will be at 1:00 p.m. with Sunday's first pitch slated for 12:00 p.m.