Rock's Bell Earns Honor

Rock's Bell receives PSAC-West Player of the Week honor

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University junior catcher/designated hitter Alex Bell was named Monday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division baseball “Player of the Week” for the week ending March 16, 2014.

Bell batted .625 and had a .688 slugging percentage with 10 hits, including a double, in 16 at bats in four games played last week.

A Pittsburgh native and Upper St. Clair High School graduate, Bell also walked five times to record a .727 on base average, collected nine RBIs and scored seven runs.

Bell currently leads The Rock’s everyday players in hitting with a .442 average as well as in runs batted in with 20.

A first-year member of The Rock program after playing two seasons at Division I St. Bonaventure University, Bell is one of two SRU players who have hit a home run this spring and ranks fourth on the team in doubles with three.

Bell was the second Rock player to earn a PSAC-West Player of the Week honor this spring. Junior outfielder Adam Urbania earned the honor March 3.

The Rock take a 10-4 win-loss record into a pair of games scheduled for Tuesday at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Fla.

Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Fax: 724.738.4761
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Rock's Kengor Honored Again

Rock's Kengor earns 1st-team NCBWA Division II Preseason All-America honor

AUSTIN, Texas – Slippery Rock University senior shortstop Will Kengor was named Thursday as a first-team member of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II Preseason All-America team.

The preseason honor came on the heels of Kengor’s selection last spring as a third-team NCBWA postseason All-American.

Kengor (ken-JUR) also earned second-team Daktronics All-America and third-team Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association All-America honors in his junior season.

A native of Pittsburgh and graduate of Central Catholic High School, Kengor led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and ranked second among all NCAA Division II hitters with a .449 batting average last spring. Kengor's average was 33 points higher than his closest PSAC rival in 2013 and was the fourth-best single-season mark in Rock history.

A left-hand-hitting leadoff hitter for The Rock, Kengor led the PSAC and tied for second nationally with eight sacrifice flies and ranked second in the PSAC in total hits (79) and on base percentage (.502), third in triples (5), fourth in slugging percentage (.597) and sixth in doubles (16). His hits total was the seventh-best in Rock history. In addition, Kengor led SRU in runs batted in (28) and stolen bases (12 of 15) in 2013.

Prior to being named to the three All-America teams last spring, Kengor was named to first-team All-Atlantic Region honors by the ABCA, Daktronics and the NCBWA and was a first-team All-PSAC-Western Division selection.

Kengor became eligible for NCBWA Preseason All-America status this spring by earning a spot on the organization’s Preseason All-Atlantic Region Team.

Seven other members of the 2014 Rock squad earned a spot on the “Other Players to Watch” list in the NCBWA’s preseason all-region balloting. That group included pitchers Jon Anderson, John Kovalik, Ryan Oglesby and Kyle Schneider; outfielders Adam Urbania and Jake Weibley and utility player Kevin Jovanovich.

As a team, The Rock was ranked seventh in this year’s NCBWA Division II Preseason Atlantic Region poll.

SRU compiled a 31-21 final record, earned a fourth-place finish in the PSAC-Western Division final standings and made a conference-best, eighth-consecutive appearance in the PSAC's postseason tournament in 2013.

Coach Messer

Veteran head coach Jeff Messer welcomes back six everyday starters and five top pitchers from last spring’s team.

The 2014 Rock schedule is scheduled to open Feb. 22 with a noon doubleheader vs. Walsh University at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.

Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Fax: 724.738.4761
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

SRU Baseball Named 3 in Poll

Rock baseball team picked third in PSAC West preseason poll

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University earned the No. 3 spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division preseason baseball rankings released Tuesday by the conference office.

The Rock finished behind conference newcomer Seton Hill and Mercyhurst in voting by the division's head coaches.

Seton Hill received three of the eight first-place votes cast, while The Rock and Mercyhurst each received two No. 1 nods. The other first-place vote was cast for California, which finished fourth in the preseason voting.

Trailing the top four teams in the PSAC West preseason poll were, in order, defending division champion Gannon, Indians (Pa.), Pitt-Johnstown and Clarion.

The Rock, California, Gannon and Mercyhurst earned the four PSAC West berths in last year's state tournament

Coach Jeff Messer

Veteran SRU head coach Jeff Messer welcomes back six everyday starters and five of his top pitchers from last year's team, which compiled a 31-21 win-loss record and earned a conference-best eighth consecutive berth in the conference tournament.

Defending regional champion Shippensburg earned the No. 1 spot in the PSAC Eastern Division preseason poll, followed by Millersville, defending conference champion East Stroudsburg and West Chester.

Shippensburg and Millersville each received three first-place votes in the PSAC East poll, while East Stroudsburg and Mansfield each picked up one No. 1 nod.

Mansfield finished seventh in the PSAC East voting, trailing the top four teams as well as Kutztown and Bloomsburg. Lock Haven, which moved from the PSAC West to the PSAC East when the conference added Seton Hill and Pitt-Johnstown at the start of the 2013-14 academic year, was picked to finish last in this year's PSAC East competition.

The complete PSAC preseason baseball polls were as follows:

Western Division
1. Seton Hill (3)
2. Mercyhurst (2)
3. SLIPPERY ROCK (2)
4. California, Pa. (1)
5. Gannon
6. Indiana, Pa.
7. Pitt-Johnstown
8. Clarion

Eastern Division
1. Shippensburg (3)
2. Millersville (3)
3. East Stroudsburg (1)
4. West Chester
5. Kutztown
6. Bloomsburg
7. Mansfield (1)
8. Lock Haven

Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Fax: 724.738.4761
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

SRU's Kengor Wins Honor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SRU's Kengor earns CRCBL Player of the Week honor

Slippery Rock University senior shortstop Will Kengor was named Tuesday as the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League's Player of the Week in recognition of compiling a .405 batting average in the week ending July 29

7/31/2013

ABERDEEN, Md. – Slippery Rock University senior shortstop Will Kengor was named Tuesday as the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League Player of the Week for the week ending July 29.

Kengor, a member of the CRCBL's Rockville Express, batted .405 in 10 games during the week, highlighted by six multi-hit games. Among the highlights were a 2-for-5 effort July 22 that included a double and a walk-off, two-run triple in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Bethesda Big Train and a 3-for-4 performance the following day vs. the Herndon Braves that included his first home run of the season.

An All-America performer last spring for SRU, Kengor currently ranks second in the CRCBL with a .354 batting average.

The Pittsburgh native and Central Catholic High School graduate leads the league in runs scored (36), is tied for the league lead in bases on balls (32) and ranks fifth in doubles (11).

Kengor is 7-for-10 in stolen bases this summer.

Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Trivino Gets First Pro Start

Ex-Rock standout pitcher Lou Trivino set for first professional start

Former Rock pitching standout Lou Trivino, the 11th-round pick of the Oakland Athletics in this year's amateur baseball draft, is scheduled to make his first professional start tonight (Monday) at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio

7/15/2013

NILES, Ohio – Former Slippery Rock University pitching standout Lou Trivino said Sunday he's "eager and excited, but not anxious" to make his first professional start.

First pitch for tonight's New York-Penn League, short-season Class A game between the Trivino-led Vermont Lake Monsters and hosting Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Eastwood Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Vermont is the short-season Class A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, while the Scrappers are members of the Cleveland Indians' organization.

Trivino said he will be limited to 65 pitches or five innings, whichever comes first, in his initial pro start.

Trivino prepared for tonight's start by pitching four and one-third innings in his last outing, a July 10 relief performance at Batavia (N.Y.). He allowed two earned runs on two hits, struck out three and walked one in that outing.

A 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander who pitched three seasons at SRU, Trivino has compiled an 0-1 record and 3.86 earned run in four relief appearances to date. He has recorded eight strikeouts and walked six in 11.2 innings thus far.

The 11th-round (341st overall) pick of the A's in this year's amateur baseball draft, Trivino made his professional debut June 23 in a home against the Boston Red Sox's single-A affiliate, the Lowell(Mass.) Spinners. He struck out one and gave up one hit in two innings.

"I was working on pure adrenalin that night," Trivino said. "I was throwing hard, but I really didn't know where the pitch was going. I was too excited. The next game, I settled down and I've been fine ever since."

Coming out of the bullpen has "definitely been a different experience" for Trivino, who said "I think I've pitched in relief maybe three times before this summer."

The biggest difference, according to Trivino, is the amount of time he gets to warm up. "You have to make sure you're always stretched and ready to go. Thus far, I've been able to do that."

The bottom line, Trivino said, is "no matter whether you are the starter, reliever, closer or middle-inning guy, you're living the dream. You're playing professional baseball."

Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

A's Take Trivino in 11th Round

Athletics select SRU's Lou Trivino in 11th round

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Oakland Athletics on Saturday made Slippery Rock University junior pitcher Lou Trivino their 11th-round pick in the 2013 amateur baseball draft.

Trivino, the 341st player selected in this year’s draft, was the first Rock baseball player drafted since catcher-first baseman Matt Adams was selected in the 23rd round (699th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2009 draft.

Adams is currently a member of the Cardinals’ Major League Baseball team.

Trivino was the second Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference player selected in this year’s draft, behind only Mansfield University pitcher Nick Keener, the 10th-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A native of Green Lane, Pa.,  and graduate of Upper Bucks Christian High School, Trivino has one collegiate season of eligibility remaining, but is expected to sign a professional contract in the next few days.

Trivino will probably start his pro career as a member of the Athletics’ rookie-league team in Arizona. But the 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander may instead be assigned to the Burlington-based Vermont Lake Monsters, Oakland’s short-season Class A, New York-Penn League team, or the Beloit Snappers, Oakland’s long-season Class A, Midwest League team based in Wisconsin.

As a member of The Rock last spring, Trivino compiled a 7-5 win-loss record with a 1.83 earned run average and set SRU single-season (92) and career (227) strikeout records.

Trivino pitched eight complete games, one no-hit shutout and five total shutouts in 12 starts as a junior and led the PSAC in opposing hitters’ batting average (.193) while ranking second in ERA and third in strikeouts

Those numbers earned Trivino first-team Daktronics, Inc., All-Atlantic Region, second-team American Baseball Coaches Association all-region, honorable mention National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association all-region and second-team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division honors in 2013.

Trivino was a first-team NCBWA and Daktronics all-region, first-team All-PSAC-West and honorable mention NCBWA All-America selection as a sophomore in 2012 after he completed an 8-3 record with a 1.78 ERA. He earned second-team All-PSAC-West and honorable mention NCBWA all-region honors as a freshman in 2011.

The highest-drafted Rock player since Gary Gill was an eighth-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982, Trivino was the fifth highest overall pick in SRU baseball history.

Right-handed pitcher Garry Grafton, a sixth-round selection by the Detroit Tigers in the 1976 draft, stands as SRU’s highest-picked player. Gill and Grafton’s teammate and fellow right-handed pitcher Kevin Keenan (1976, Texas Rangers) were both eighth-round picks and  in 1976. Right-hander Geoff Meadows was the 10th-round pick of the Houston Astros in 1981.

Trivino was the 19th Rock baseball player selected in the amateur baseball draft and the first since both Craig Petulla and Tom Sullivan were picked in the 2000 draft.

Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

SRU's Kengor Earns More Honors

Kengor earns two more All-America honors

Rock junior shortstop Will Kengor was named Wednesday as a third-team All-American by both the American Baseball Coaches Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association

5/29/2013

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University junior shortstop Will Kengor collected his second and third All-America honors Wednesday when he was named to third-team status by both the Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Wednesday's honors came on the heels of Kengor's selection last Friday as a second-team Daktronics, Inc. All-America performer in voting by the nation's NCAA Division II sports information directors.

Missouri Western State University's Michael Schulze was named as the top shortstop in the nation by all three organizations. Mount Olive College's Mike Mercurio was the ABCA second-team All-America shortstop, while Benedict College's Lydell Moseby earned second-team NCBWA honors.

Kengor led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and ranked second among all NCAA Division II hitters with a .449 batting average last spring. Kengor's average was 33 points higher than his closest PSAC rival in 2013 and was the fourth-best single-season mark in Rock history.

A left-hand-hitting leadoff hitter for The Rock, Kengor led the PSAC and tied for second nationally with eight sacrifice flies and ranked second in the PSAC in total hits (79) and on base percentage (.502), third in triples (5), fourth in slugging percentage (.597) and sixth in doubles (16). His hits total was the seventh-best in Rock history. In addition, Kengor led SRU in runs batted in (28) and stolen bases (12 of 15) in 2013.

Prior to being named to the three All-America teams, Kengor was named to first-team All-Atlantic Region honors by the ABCA, NCBWA and SIDs and was a first-team All-PSAC-Western Division selection.

Kengor led SRU to a 31-21 final record, a fourth-place finish in the PSAC-Western Division final standings and a conference-best, eighth-consecutive appearance in the PSAC's postseason tournament during the 2013 season.

The Rock, under the leadership of 28-year head coach Jeff Messer graduate only three members of their 2013 squad.

Kengor was one of only four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference student-athletes who earned ABCA All-America honors, one of five PSAC players who earned NCBWA All-America honors and one of six conference players who earned Daktronics All-America honors.

A native of Pittsburgh and graduate of Central Catholic High School, Kengor was joined on the ABCA third-team All-America list by Shippensburg University infielder Pat Kregeloh, California (Pa.) catcher Kyle Petty and Millersville University pitcher Chris Murphy.

Murphy and Petty both received first-team NCBWA All-America honors, as did Shepherd University outfielder Ryan Messina, while Pitt-Johnstown second baseman Jake Warner and Millersville first baseman Zach Stone were second-team selections. Joining Kengor on the NCBWA third-team list were Winston-Salem State's Tyler Hickernell (designated hitter) and Travis Moore (outfielder), along with Shippensburg pitcher-first baseman Pat Kregeloh.

--
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Kyle Schneider Pitches Shut Out to Sweep IUP

Rock hardballers sweep IUP

Kyle Schneider pitched a three-hit shutout to lead SRU (27-15 overall, 9-7 PSAC-West) to a 3-0 win in Sunday's first game before The Rock overcame an IUP comeback to win Game 2 by a 4-3 score

4/21/2013


SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University's baseball team swept a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division doubleheader Sunday vs. Indiana U. of Pa., 3-0 and 4-3, at Jack Critchfield Park to move into sole possession of fourth place in the division standings.

The wins gave The Rock (27-15 overall, 9-7 PSAC-West) a 3-1 record in the weekend/season series vs. IUP and a 4-2 record for the week.

IUP fell to 21-16 overall, 7-9 in PSAC-West action, the latter mark putting them in sixth place in the seven-team division standings.

The Rock and Crimson Hawks each have four division games left to play this spring as they seek to earn one of the four PSAC tournament berths that will be awarded to Western Division teams.

SRU faces a stiff challenge in its bid for a postseason berth. The Green and White have four games each vs. division co-leaders California (Pa.) and Gannon left on their schedule, starting with Friday's 1 p.m. home doubleheader vs. California. The Rock and Vulcans (27-12, 11-5) are scheduled to close out their series with a 1 p.m. twinbill next Saturday at Consol Energy Park in Washington, Pa.

The Rock travel to Gannon (19-13, 11-5) for a May 3 doubleheader (1 p.m. first pitch) before closing out their regular-season schedule with a 4 p.m. doubleheader May 4 at Critchfield Park.

Kyle Schneider

Sophomore right-hander Kyle Schneider pitched a three-hit shutout to lead The Rock to their Game 1 win Sunday. Schneider, who improved his season win-loss record to 5-3, struck out four and walked one in the process of recording his fifth complete-game performance of the season.

Three players were each 2-for-3 to lead a 10-hit Rock offensive attack. Junior right fielder Graeme Zaparzynski had a single and an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning and scored two runs, senior first baseman John Shaffer  had two singles, including an RBI single in the sixth, and junior shortstop Will Kengor had a pair of singles and one run scored.

Zaparzynski and Shaffer had back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the fourth, when The Rock took advantage of two IUP errors to score their first run of the game.

Kengor singled and scored all the way from first base on Zaparzynski's RBI double to left field. Zaparzynski promptly came around on Shaffer's RBI single to give SRU a 3-0 lead and ultimately close out the scoring.

IUP did not get a runner to second base until two outs had been recorded in the top of the seventh and final inning of Game 1. Schneider then induced a game-ending popout to shut the door.

SRU scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning in Game 2 to take an early lead, only to see IUP score three times in the top of the fifth.

Sophomore third baseman Jordan Faretta's RBI double highlighted SRU's second-inning rally. The second Rock run scored on a two-out wild pitch.

IUP manufactured its three fifth-inning tallies from four hits and a base on balls issued by Rock starting and winning pitcher Jon Anderson.

Undaunted, The Rock scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead and ultimately win the game. Key hits in the rally were a leadoff double by Kengor and an RBI single by junior center fielder Jake Weibley.

Kengor scored the first run of the inning on an IUP throwing error.

Sophomore southpaw Anton Constantino relieved Anderson with two outs in the top of the fifth, after IUP had scored two runs, and was greeted by an RBI single but quickly settled down and was credited with his second save of the season and second in his last two relief appearances.

Constantino induced an inning-ending ground out to extinguish the IUP rally in the fifth, sidestepped a leadoff single to retire IUP quietly in the sixth and got a double-play ground out to erase the potential tying run in the top of the seventh.

Anderson, who improved his season record to 4-0, allowed three earned runs on three hits, struck out two, walked three and hit one batter in the first four and two-thirds innings.

Constantino allowed two hits and walked one in the final two and one-third innings.

Kengor and Weibley had two hits each to lead a seven-hit Rock offensive attack.

Notes: With their wins Sunday, The Rock surpassed their final win total of one year ago, when they settled for a 25-25-1 final record … The next Rock win will give the Green and White their first 30-win season since the 2009 team finished with a 36-15 record … Kengor ended the day with a .438 batting average, which ranks as the top mark among PSAC players this spring. He also leads the conference in total hits with 60 and in sacrifice flies with eight. Kengor ranks third in triples (5) and on base percentage (.497), sixth in slugging percentage (.584) and ninth in runs scored (32) … Schneider ranks second among PSAC pitchers with a 1.33 ERA and is seventh in opposing hitters' batting average with a .209 mark … Rock junior right-hander Lou Trivino is third in the PSAC in opposing hitters' average (.194), fourth in strikeouts (66) and ninth in ERA (1.93) … Junior right-hander John Kovalik is tied for the conference lead in saves with six … As a team, The Rock rank second in ERA (2.94) and sixth in batting average (.303).


--
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Rock Hardballers Top West Chester

Jovanovich, Schneider lead Rock hardballers past West Chester

Kevin Jovanovich collected three RBIs and Kyle Schneider struck out nine batters in Sunday's 4-1 win over the defending NCAA Division II national champions

3/17/2013


AUBURNDALE, Pa. – Junior utilityman Kevin Jovanovich collected three RBIs and sophomore right-hander Kyle Schneider struck out nine batters Sunday afternoon to lead Slippery Rock University to a 4-1 win over West Chester University in a battle of NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional baseball teams at Lake Myrtle Park.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak for The Rock, who improved their season record to 10-4.

West Chester, the reigning NCAA Division II national champion, saw its season record fall to 5-7-1.

Jovanovich gave SRU a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning, then added a two-run single as part of a three-run seventh-inning eruption by The Rock.

Senior second baseman Matt Curtis and junior shortstop Will Kengor were each 3-for-4 as part of a nine-hit Rock offensive attack. Junior catcher Ryan LaRose earned a bases-loaded walk to push across the final Rock run in the seventh inning.

Schneider allowed one earned run on six hits and walked three batters in the first seven and one-third innings to pick up his fourth win in as many decisions this spring.

Junior right-hander John Kovalik struck out two batters in the final one and one-third innings and picked up his fourth save of the season.

The Rock continue their spring-break schedule when they take on Hillsdale College of Michigan in a 10 a.m. single game Monday at Chain O'Lakes Park in Winter Haven.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Rock Hardballers Earn National Rankings

Rock hardballers earn national rankings

SRU (7-0), which is off to its best start since 2005, was ranked 18th by the
NCBWA, 25th by d2baseballnews.com and tied for 26th in the ABCA polls released
March 4-5

3/6/2013

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Slippery Rock University's baseball team, winners of their first seven games this spring, earlier this week made their first appearance of the season in Division II national polls.

The Rock, who are off to their best start since the 2005 team won its first eight and 15 of its first 16 games, were ranked 18th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll released last Tuesday, 25th in the d2baseballnews.com poll released that same day and tied for 26th in the American Baseball Coaches Association poll released last Monday.

The Rock are the No. 2 team in both the NCBWA and d2baseballnews.com Atlantic Region rankings, which have no bearing on the all-important NCAA regional rankings that will determine the teams that earn berths in regional competition in mid May.

SRU, under the direction of 27-year head coach Jeff Messer,  is scheduled to put its regional and national rankings on the line this weekend when it travels to Shippensburg for a three-game weekend series starting with a noon doubleheader Saturday and concluding with a noon single game Sunday at Art Fairchild Field.

Shippensburg, coached by former Rock pitching standout Matt Jones, is ranked 13th in the NCBWA poll, 15th in the d2baseballnews.com poll and 20th in the ABCA poll.

The Rock are scheduled to open their home schedule with a March 24 doubleheader vs. Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division rival Lock Haven.  First pitch at Jack Critchfield Park is set for 1 p.m.

--
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.eduwww.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

SRU's Messer Elected ABCA VP

SRU’s  Messer elected to ABCA vice president position

Rock Head Baseball Coach  Jeff Messer will become the American Baseball Coaches Association's fourth  vice president at the conclusion of the association's annual convention in  early January

11/1/2012

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock  University Head Baseball Coach Jeff Messer has been elected as the fourth vice  president of the American Baseball Coaches Association, the ABCA announced  Wednesday.

Messer, who will begin his 28th season as The Rock's head  coach, will assume his new role in early January, at the conclusion of the  ABCA's national convention in Chicago.

At that time, Messer will  relinquish his duties as the ABCA's Division II chair and as a member of the  association's board of directors, roles he has filled for the last four  seasons.

As fourth vice president, Messer will remain a member of the  ABCA's executive committee. He will return to the board of directors in  January 2016 when he assumes the role of first vice president.

Messer  will become the ABCA's president in January 2017.

Messer has a long  history of service to the ABCA. He is currently serving for the 17th  consecutive season as the regional chairperson and national poll voter for the  ABCA's Division II rankings panel. He also served eight seasons on the NCAA  Division II postseason selection committee.

A native of Lee, Mass.,  Messer has compiled an 839-499-2 (.627) career record as The Rock's head  coach. He is the active leader and ranks second all-time among Pennsylvania  collegiate baseball coaches in career victories.

Messer-coached Rock  teams have claimed 15 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division  titles, two PSAC tournament championships, two PSAC runner-up finishes, four  regional championships and two regional runner-up honors.

A graduate of  Springfield College and owner of a master's degree from Oklahoma City College,  Messer has been honored 10 times by his PSAC-Western Division peers as the  division's “Coach of the Year” and has received four regional coaching  honors.

Under Messer's leadership, the Green and White have made four  appearances in the NCAA Division II College World Series and recorded an  average of 31 victories per season.
--
Bob McComas
Sports Information  Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old  Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell:  724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK  SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh