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News Release

BASEBALL NEWS AND NOTES

3/14/2005

Kyle Wildasin is batting .367 and has a hit in six of seven games this season.

Baltimore, Md. – The UMBC baseball season is officially underway with seven games under the Retrievers belt and three on the horizon this week.  UMBC, who split two games last year between each of their three opponents this week, look to build momentum and extend their two-game win streak when they face Buffalo on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Baseball Factory Field at UMBC.

LOOKING AHEAD                                     

UMBC TO PLAY THREE GAMES THIS WEEK

The UMBC baseball team will play host to Buffalo on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and travels to Delaware on Wednesday at 3 p.m. and Georgetown on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.  Early schedules had the Retrievers playing host to Duquesne this weekend but that series was cancelled prior to the start of the 2005 season.  UMBC is very familiar with all their opponents this week, having played six games against them last year.  UMBC split at home against Buffalo last season.  Versus Delaware each team won on the opponent’s home field with UMBC taking a 7-6 win at Delaware last year.  UMBC also split with Georgetown last season, being shutout at the Hoyas but winning a 10-7 victory at home. 

WEEKLY WRAP

FOUR GAMES IN THREE DAYS PUT UMBC ON WINNING TRACK

The Retrievers earned their first win of the season and are on a two-game win streak after capturing the final two games of a three-game weekend series at home against Canisius.  UMBC’s weekend started out by playing at Towson on Friday afternoon.  The game was originally slated to take place on Wednesday, but weather forced changes that resulted in a Friday game.  Towson topped UMBC 11-7, using five homeruns to capture the win.  On Saturday the Retrievers split with Canisius in two seven-inning games.  Canisius took game  one with a seventh-inning rally for a 5-4 win while the Retrievers avenged that loss in game two, as sophomore Alex Laddbush hit a three-run walk-off homerun in the bottom of the seventh to give the Retrievers their first win of the year.  Behind a three-run shot in the opening inning on Sunday by Joe Fowler, the Retrievers laced together two consecutive wins with a final of 10-7, taking the series 2-1 over Canisius. 

DAWG BITES

Jancuska’s  600 Career Win Watch At 12 Games

UMBC skipper John Jancuska is on the verge of 600 career wins, all coming during his 28 year stay at UMBC.  Jancuska entered the 2005 campaign with 586 career wins, 14 shy from accomplishing the 600-win plateau.  Jancuska with two wins last week, both over Canisius, moved his magic number to 12 wins.

Weather Puts UMBC On 12 Day Break

Inclement weather over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Regions of the country forced a number of cancellations and postponements as the Retrievers went on a 12-day break without playing a game.  Prior to playing Towson on March, 11, the Retrievers last game was the final game of the Old Dominion series on Feb. 27.  During that span UMBC cancelled a weekend series against Rhode Island, a mid-week game against Mount St. Mary’s, moved Towson twice and rescheduled George Mason for April 4^th at 3 p.m.

16-Inning Contest Longest In School History

UMBC’s 16-inning game against Old Dominion stands as the longest baseball game in UMBC baseball history.  The Retrievers tied the game in the ninth inning at 4-4 which stood idle until a run in the bottom of the 16^th inning by host Old Dominion gave the Monarchs a three-game sweep.  The 16-inning affair also proved to be the longest in Old Dominion’s history as well.

Wildasin Off To Strong Start At The Plate

Senior Kyle Wildasin is currently on a five game hit streak and has recorded a hit in six of the Retrievers first seven games this season.  Most recently, as the Retrievers played four games in a span of three days, Wildasin recorded at least two hits in all of those games and holds a four-game multi-hit streak.  In 30 at bats, Wildasin has 11 hits, two doubles, scored four runs and drove in three.  Against Canisius over the weekend, Wildasin went a combined 6-for-12 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI. 

Phipps Yet To Give Up Earned Run

Senior pitcher Blake Phipps has been sensational on the mound for the Retrievers to start the season, throwing in two games against Canisius and against Old Dominion earlier this year.  After 10.1 innings of work, Phipps has yet to give up an earned run and allowed a mere four hits with two runs scored.  Phipps recorded his first win of the year in his latest outing, entering the game in the sixth inning with UMBC ahead 6-5 against Canisius.  Phipps held the Golden Griffs in check through the final four innings of the game until the ninth where Canisius scored two unearned runs.  Phipps earlier this season entered the game on the mound in the seventh inning against Old Dominion in the third game of the three-game series.  Phipps, over the next six full innings in his first work out of the year, allowed a mere two hits, both singles, and no runs as UMBC came from one down to tie the game and go into extra innings.  In his three appearances, Phipps has held opponents to a .114 batting average and given up no extra base hits, facing a total of 35 batters. 

Newcomers Going Deep

Of UMBC’s four homeruns this year, all have come off the bat of a newcomer.  Ian Carman hit the Retrievers first homerun of the year at Old Dominion earlier this year.  Mark Lemon went deep in the ninth inning against Towson while Alex Laddbush and Joe Fowler each recorded three-run shots against Canisius.  Laddbush’s homerun came in the bottom of the seventh with two outs and UMBC down two runs.  Laddbush connected on a pitch over the left centerfield wall for the walk-off homerun to win the game for UMBC in their final at bat.  The next day Fowler lifted one over the left field fence in the first inning sparking UMBC to six runs in their opening at bat.  UMBC went on to win the game, 10-7. 

Butkiewicz Chasing All-Time Marks

Senior Eric Butkiewicz is in reach of three all-time career marks in the UMBC Pitching record books.  Butkiewicz entered the season second in starts, fourth in innings pitched and fifth in career strikeouts.  To date this season Butkiewicz has one start, pitched 7.0 innings and recorded three strikeouts.

UMBC Pitching Games Started Chart

    Name                                 Starts

1. Tom Bloom                      50

2. Eric Butkiewicz               39

3. Bill Gerhardt                     36

    -bold denotes active player

UMBC Pitching Innings Pitched Chart

    Name                                 IP

1. Tom Bloom                      282.1

2. Kevin Loewe                     281.2

3. Ben O’Connor                  278.2

4. Eric Butkiewicz               263.0

    -bold denotes active player

UMBC Pitching Strikeouts Chart

    Name                                 Strikeouts

1. Ben O’Connor                  201

2. Kevin Loewe                     200

3. Tom Bloom                       198

4. Bill Gerhardt                     194

5. Eric Butkiewicz               178

    -bold denotes active player

Wildasin On Track To Become All-Time Leader In Appearances

UMBC senior Kyle Wildasin is on track to become the all-time UMBC leader in appearances, trailing Eric Weltmer who made 70 pitching appearances at UMBC.  Wildasin has made two appearances on the mound in the first seven games of the season, surpassing Tom Bloom for second place all-time.  Wildasin holds first and second place on UMBC’s single-season chart for games played.  Eric Butkiewicz is tied for seventh all-time.

UMBC Pitching Appearances Chart

    Name                                 Appearances

1. Eric Weltmer                    70

2. Kyle Wildasin                   64

3. Tom Bloom                       63

4. Kevin Loewe                    57

5. Ray Hall                             56

6. Rich Thompson               53

7. Eric Butkiewicz               52

    John Smith                       52

    Bryan Raino                      52

    -bold denotes active player