February 2, 2010
2009 BOBCAT BASEBALL SEASON OUTLOOK
The 2010 campaign will mark Jason Cronin’s fifth as the Bobcats skipper. The ‘Cats are scheduled to open the season with a three game series at University of Science and Arts in Chickasha, Oklahoma on February 5th and 6th. The 2009 season was the most successful, in terms of wins and losses, under head coach Jason Cronin. The team finished beyond expectation (preseason 5th) with an overall record of 30-22 with a 14-10 record in conference play. That mark was good enough for 3rd in MCAC play. Reaching the 30 win plateau signified a dramatic improvement from the 14 games won in 2008 and the 2009 team reached its pre-season goal of qualifying for the conference tournament. The 2010 Bobcats who return 20 players have been selected by the head coaches in the MCAC to finish second.
Pitching Staff
This spring the Bobcats return 23 of their 30 wins on the mound including senior staff ace Yimy Rodriguez (RHP Rochester, NY.) The hard throwing right hander had a very good 2009 campaign by starting a team best 14 games (tied for 1st all-time), winning 7 (tied for 3rd all-time) with a 3.93 ERA in 84.2 innings pitched (3rd all-time) while up 73 strikeouts in the process (5th all-time.) Competing atop the rotation with Yimy this spring will be Jr. College transfer Andre Kinder (LHP Albion, NY.) Kinder is a hard throwing lefthander with an above average breaking ball and change-up. According to Cronin, “these two young men give us a chance to compete against anyone in the country. I feel that with good health and hard-work both are potential All-Conference pitchers. They have attracted significant attention from area scouts are there is a decent chance that one of these guys will be the first Bobcat selected in the MLB Amateur draft this June.”
Also competing for time in the weekend rotation is a pair of returners and two year starters – Matt Martin (Jr. RHP Omaha, NE) and Jon Sanley (Jr. RHP Rising City, NE.) Matt has been one the ‘Cats top starters for the past two seasons including starting 13 games (2nd all-time) in 2009. He won 5 games and tossed 76 innings which is good enough for 7th all-time. Jon, on the other hand, has really begun to mature as a pitcher. In 2009, Jon posted a 2-0 record and tossed 44 innings while striking out 35. “Both of these guys give us a chance to win each time they take the mound. Each has worked extremely hard since their freshmen year and have been willing to critically look at themselves, and more importantly, be willing to make the adjustments necessary to put them in the position to be weekend starters for our program,” stated Cronin.
Three other members of the Bobcats pitching staff that will be pushing hard for innings as either starters or long relievers are senior Shawn Staszczyk (RHP Cheektowaga, NY), redshirt freshman Ryan Grabowski (LHP Omaha, NE) and freshman Jesse Glasgow (RHP Omaha, NE.) “Shawn pitched very well at times in 2009 including a dominant win over nationally ranked William Penn University. His fastball has been clocked at 92 MPH and when his command is on he is nearly unhittable. Ryan spent 2009 working on a change of delivery and working very hard. He has shown weekend starter type stuff at times this fall and early in the spring. If he continues to develop as we hope he will have some great success during his four years here at PSC. Jesse had a very good fall and surprised the coaches by earning a spot on the travel roster as a true freshman. He offers a deceptive delivery with a solid secondary pitches and he should get the opportunity to throw some quality innings for us this spring,” stated Cronin.
A trio of position players will see time this spring out of the bull-pen and possibly even do some spot staring; in this group are returning right hander Jordan Hall (So. RHP Sterling, CO) and a pair of lefthanders Ryan Baroudi (Sr. Amherst, NY) and Tyler Croushorn (Fr. Omaha, NE.) According to Cronin, “Baroudi has a low-to-mid- 80’s fastball and he can definitely get outs at this level. He was the conference gold-glove centerfielder last spring so it made it difficult to get him innings, however, this year with the addition of Croushorn who can also go track the ball in center we should be able to get more innings out of Baroudi. Tyler put up some very good numbers on the mound last season as he helped his high school team make a run to the state playoffs. Finally, Jordan is a competitor and has really begun to develop a quality secondary pitch to go with a sneaky fast-fastball.”
Last, but not least, for any team that hopes to win a conference championship there must be a legitimate closer to finish games. The coaching staff believes that returning sophomore Timothy Crawford (RHP Omaha, NE) will be one of the top closers in the region this spring and for the next couple years to come. According to Cronin, “as freshmen Tim saved 4 games but he was put into some very difficult spots, by design, and as our season progressed he became more comfortable in those situations. He made 21 appearances out of the bullpen which is first all-time. What is most impressive is that Tim has really taken to this role and he wants the ball with the game on the line. Anytime you have a pitcher that presents a very deceptive motion throwing from a very low ¾’s arm slot and has shown the ability to pitch at 84-87 mph you have a good one.”
Catchers
Competing for time behind the plate this spring will be four returning players. The catching position will by far the most competitive position on the field this spring. Leading the way are two seniors, Bobby Last (Lincoln, NE) and Ryan Lanpher (Blue Springs, MO), however, pushing them day in and day out will be returning sophomore Kyle Fredrickson (Omaha, NE.) Bob, swings it from the right side and has shown offensive improvement each year in the program by hitting .268 as a freshman, .280 as a sophomore and .333 last year. The other two guys swing it from the left side and offer a bit more pop. Last spring, “Ryan began to establish himself toward the end of the season both offensively and defensively as the guy behind the dish, but that was aided by a late season injury to Fredrickson. The light was becoming to come on with Kyle who has a tremendous upside prior to an unfortunate season ending injury with about 3 weeks left in the season,” stated Cronin. Ryan hit .302 last season and was very difficult to run on late in the season. All three catchers have shown pop times consistently between 1.9 and 2.0. Finally, redshirt freshman Jeremiah (Eagle, NE) will also be pushing for time this spring.
Infielders
Last season the Bobcats set the team fielding percentage record that had stood for almost 20 years and this group looks to up that mark once again. A big reason for that was the move of Brandon Schrupp (Sr. Parker, CO) to shortstop about a quarter of the way into the season. “Brandon really solidified the middle infield and gave game-in and game-out consistency with the routine plays, stated Cronin. Offensively, Brandon led the “Cats in base-on-balls with 40 (2nd all-time), sported a .461 on-base percentage and led the team in stolen bases with 16. The other half of the “twin killing this spring will be returning senior Clayton Brigham (West Seneca, NY.) Cronin, commented “Clayton is a very solid 2nd baseman with great range and instincts. He brings leadership and has strong vision at that position. He basically negates the 4-hole.” Brigham hit .340 last spring after a very slow start. He hit over .420 in conference play and is poised to make a run at all-conference honors this year. Backing up at both positions will be a pair hard working freshmen, Franklin Bush (Norva Spring, IA) and Tyler Hoffman (Omaha, NE.) Cronin went on to add, “we think Franklin and Tyler will be very solid college baseball players and will aid in our immediate and future successes here at the college. Both of these young men have leadership abilities and few players out work them day in and day out.”
One the few holes that the team needed to fill this fall was at third base with the departure of all-conference 3rd basemen Mark Houck. Filling that position nicely will be Jr. College transfer Alejandro Gonzalez (Jr. Valencia, Venezuela). “Alex is a tremendous defensive player and if he stays healthy should earn Gold-Glove honors at that position. He was an all-region shortstop in Jr. College and has made the move third base with little issue. He also brings a middle of the order type bat with him and he put up very good numbers in Jr. College. We expect the same to continue here,” stated Cronin.
Anchoring first base this year is returning sophomore Brenden Gentry (Sallisaw, OK.) “Brenden can play every position on the baseball and play them well. We finally decided to put him at first base due to his ability to consistently dig the balls in the dirt. Again, this is a player who has the potential to win gold-glove honors. He made only 3 errors last season and did so playing multiple positions. Also seeing time at first base will be returning junior Matt Martin who was a first team Omaha World Herald and Lincoln Star Journal selection during his high school days. Matt will begin the season as our DH and will hit in the clean-up spot. He has worked extremely hard to earn this position, commented Cronin.
Outfielders
This spring the Bobcats outfield should be fun to watch and it may be the deepest position on the team. Leading the way is returning senior Ryan Baroudi. Baroudi won the MCAC Gold Glove in centerfield in 2009 and received all-MCAC honors, moreover, he hit .329 with 2 homeruns, a team high 4 triples to go along with 8 stolen bases. Backing up and spelling Baroudi in center is freshman Tyler Croushorn. According to Cronin, “with Tyler and Ryan we feel we have two of the best centerfielders in the conference this season. Both track the ball very well and have solid arms for that position.”
Anchoring right field this year will be Jr. College transfer Andre Kinder. When Kinder is pitching or filling the DH role Senior Brandon Jalass (Omaha, NE) will fill that position. “Andre will be one of the top players in the conference this season on the mound and at the plate. He has above average foot speed and has good pop in his bat. He hit over .400 in junior college ball and stole 40 bases. He should be a mainstay in the middle of our line-up this spring. Brandon who will also DH and see some time in left has worked himself in a very solid ball player over the past 3 seasons. In fact, as the regular right fielder last spring he did not commit an error,” stated Cronin.
Holding down the fort in left field this year is Jr. College transfer Patrick Knabe (Lincoln, NE.) Also competing with Knabe in left is redshirt freshman Darrick Ramaekers (Columbus, NE) and freshman Jeremy Walther (Omaha, NE.) “Pat is a proven middle of the line-up type hitter. He set several offensive records in his two years at the Jr. College level and there is no reason that success won’t continue this year, especially with the transition from wood back to the metal bat. Darrick has worked extremely hard this past year to make himself a legitimate option to earn playing time in both left and right. Jeremy could see sometime this spring and will also help to fill the speed-up runner role as well,” stated Cronin. Finally, transfer Luke Berning (So. Shenandoah, IA) is capable of playing all three positions and he offers the Bobcats speed and quickness both in the field and at the plate.
Wrap-up
Finally, Cronin adds, “I would like to recognize the great job that our coaching staff has done over the past year. We have addressed our team needs through the recruitment and educational process and we have gone about trying to build this thing the right way. These guys have done an excellent job getting our players to buy-in and implement our team philosophies on a daily basis. The coaches and players feel that we have a legitimate chance at the conference title this spring, however, we must continue to work harder than everyone else and hope to stay healthy. From a baseball standpoint, our conference has gotten much stronger from top to bottom over the past couple years that each and every team, in my opinion, is capable of making the post-season. We have several goals as a team, however, our ultimate goal is to get better every day by making consistent and positive adjustment in everything we do both on and off the field. If we stay true to the pursuit of that goal it will put us in a position to be a valid conference contender and, as a result, add a significant number of notches in the win column.”
October 23, 2009
Grey defeats Blue 2 games to 1 to win the 2009 Blue-Grey World Series
Game 1: Blue 8 Grey 2: W: Martin L: Glasgow, J.
2B: Baroudi (B) Gonzalez (G) HR: Kinder (B)
SB: Roberts 2 (B), Schrupp (B) Welty (G)
On a cold and blustery day game 1 of the series featured a pitcher’s duel for 5 innings between Matt Martin (Blue) and Ryan Grabowski (Grey). Grabowski went 5 innings allowing 2 earned runs allowing 2 hits, walking 5 and striking out 6. Martin who earned the win went 6 innings allowing 2 earned runs while giving up 4 hits, walking none and striking out 8. With the score knotted at 2 in the top of the 6th junior outfielder Andre Kinder (Albion, NY) untied the score by hitting a solo home run to deep right field off freshmen reliever Jesse Glasgow (Omaha, NE) to give Team Blue the lead for good. Junior third baseman Alejandro Gonzalez (Valencia, Venezuela) went 3-4 with a double and rbi in a losing effort. Team Blue would go on to add 4 more run in the top of the 9th to secure the game one victory by the score of 8-2.
Game 2: Grey 5 Blue 3 W: Hall, L: Baroudi, S: Lanpher,
2B: Baroudi SB: Baroudi, Croushorn, Hall, Kinder and Roberts
Similar to game 1 game 2 turned out to be a fantastic pitchers duel through 6 innings though neither pitcher would factor in the decision. Team Blue starter Andre Kinder threw 6 innings of scoreless baseball allowing 3 hits, 2 base-on-balls while striking out 10. Team Grey starter countered with senior Yimy Rodriguez (Rochester, NY) who also tossed 6 innings of scoreless baseball allowing 3 hits, 2 base-on-balls while striking out 5. Team Grey was finally able to crack the goose egg in the top of the 7th on a 2 out run scoring single by freshman infielder Franklin Bush (Norva Springs, IA). Team Grey went on to add 2 more runs in the top of the 8th with 3 straight 2 out hits capped by a 2-run double by freshman outfielder Darrick Ramaekers (Columbus, NE). Team Blue would not back down, however, as they rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th lead by a 2-rbi double by Senior Centerfielder Ryan Baroudi (Amherst, NY). Team Grey answered the call by bouncing back to score two runs in the top of the 9th capped by a run scoring single by Junior leftfielder Patrick Knabe (Lincoln, NE). Senior Ryan Lanpher (Blue Springs, MO) would go on to close the door in the bottom of the 9th to give Team Grey the victory.
Game 3: Grey 12 Blue 1 W: Glasgow, J L: Baroudi
2B: Jalass, Knabe SB: Baroudi
The 3rd and decisive game turned out to a fairly non-competitive affair. Team Grey turned in a very solid offensive performance and by doing so laid claim to bragging for this year. Jesse Glasgow bounced back from the game 1 loss with a solid 5 inning performance to earn the win. Glasgow allowed 3 hits, 1 earned run, walked 3 and struck out 4. Sophomore Jordan Hall (Sterling, CO) came on to throw 2 innings of hitless and scoreless relief to wrap up the game and series. The game was shortened to 7 innings due to the 10 run rule. Team Blue only managed to bang out 3 hits one of which was a RBI double by Ryan Baroudi. Offensively, 6 players had multi-hit day for Team Grey led by Senior outfielder Brandon Jalass who was 2-4 with a double and 3 rbi on the day. Pat Knabe went 2-3 with a double, 3 runs scored and an rbi double. Brenden Gentry (2-4, rbi), James Welty (2-4, rbi), Bobby Last (2-3) and Alenjandro Gonzalez (2-4, 2 rbi) also chipped in for the winning team.
MVP: Team Grey: Alejandro Gonzalez
5-12, 2B 5 RBI
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Team Blue: Ryan Baroudi
3-10, 2 2B, 6 RBI 2 SB
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August 11, 2009
Yes, it’s hard to believe but in less than two weeks the fall semester gets under way here at Peru State. The start of the semester is an exciting time for the coaches as we anxiously wait for the returning players and new recruits to arrive. We look forward to the seeing the first hand the athletic and personal growth of our student-athletes from a summer of hard work.
This summer several bobcat baseball players had the opportunity to compete in quality summer leagues around the country. Such opportunities provide our young men with a chance to travel to new areas, make new friends and work on areas of their game that need improvement. Below is an update on how a few members of our baseball family did this summer.
Pitching coach, Andy Davis, served in the same role this summer with the Joplin Outlaws of the highly respected Midwest MINK League. Coach Davis took along two bobcat hurlers to Joplin, Missouri this summer, Yimy Rodriguez (Sr. RHP Rochester, NY) and Vincent Eberhard (Jr. RHP Los Angeles, CA). As a starter Yimy went 3-2 with a 3.73 ERA while finishing 2nd on the staff in WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) at 1.18. Vince, on the other hand, worked out of the bullpen and led the team with a 0.97 WHIP. He finished with a 1-2 record with a 2.28 ERA while averaging 9.51 strikeouts per 9 innings of work.
Head Coach Chris Reddout had the following to say about these two Bobcats, “Yimy was one of our two most consistent starters all summer long. He battled for us every outing and always gave us a chance to win. He was second on the team in innings pitched and we're pretty sure he led the league in broken bats. Vince became one of our top bullpen guys as the summer went on. He came into the game in some tough situations and really helped us out. He struck out 25 batters in 23 innings and led the team in WHIP. Vince also notched a win in his only start of the summer.”
Also competing in the Mink League was senior catcher Bobby Last (Lincoln, NE). Bobby split time behind the plate with the Mac-N-Seitz team and represented himself very well by sporting a .324 batting average. Hopefully, through this experience Bobby understands that he can compete with the “big boys” from an offensive standpoint and the experience of catching at that level should help his overall development behind the plate.
Two Bobcats had the chance to compete in the Carolina-Virginia Collegiate League. Brandon Schrupp (Sr. SS/2B Parker, CO) and Shawn Staszczyk (Sr. RHP Cheektowaga, NY) played for the Catawba Valley Stars located in Hickory, North Carolina. Head Coach Marvin Speaks had this to say about Brandon and Shawn “both young men were hard workers, coachable and very good teammates. It was a pleasure having them our roster this year and we attribute a lot of their on the field work ethic to what you do at Peru State.”
The Stars finished the season with a 20-15 record and won the first two games of the league tournament, including an upset of the #1 seed Kernersville Bulldogs in the second round of the league tourney. Brandon picked up where he left of this past spring by finishing tied for 2nd on the team in base on balls and runs scored while leading the team in triples. Shawn picked up 2 wins on the mound for the Stars while striking out 24 in 20 innings of work.
7-16-09
The posting below is written by former Bobcat pitcher and current assistant coach Trevor Varley. Coach Varley served as the staff ace in 2007 and 2008 and this year he completed his first year as a student-assistant coach. He graduated this past spring with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree from Peru State College.
As we continue to grow I feel it is important for some of those associated with the program to share their views and experiences. I could not think of anyone more qualified than a former team MVP, All-Academic and All-MCAC performer and current coach to share some of his thoughts on the………..
Peru State Experience
After returning to the game of baseball after a four year hiatus, I decided to attend McCook Community College to resume my baseball and academic careers. After the completion of my sophomore season I received several offers to continue playing and further my academic pursuits, but in the end I truly felt that Peru State was the best choice for me to do so. As I look back I now know that I couldn’t have been more right.
During the two years that I played at Peru I was given the opportunity to be a key part of the development of an up and coming program. Although the past couple seasons the program had not had great on-field success I believe in what the coaching staff was selling. Ultimately, that was the biggest factor in the decision making process for me.
Coach Cronin told me that I would be part of something special from day one regardless of wins and losses. One thing that I valued most as an athlete was Coach Cronin always let me know where I stood from an athletic stand point. My teammates and I knew that we were laying the ground work for the Bobcat baseball program to encounter long term success.
Although I was finished playing this past season, I was able to see all the hard work that WE put in was beginning to pay off. We finished with 30 wins; including our first victory over rival Bellevue University and an opening round win in the MCAC conference tournament against #2 seed Park University. It became clear to all of us that people outside of the program started to take note that we are a program to be reckoned with now and in the future.
Individually, as I reflect on my time I now know that baseball program allowed me to grow and develop as a human being and a coach. I learned more about the game of baseball at Peru than any of my other colleges. Not only did I grow as a student of the game, I grew as a leader. For example, I learned how to communicate with others, manage my time, and get things done the right way. All of these skills have carried over into my academic success as well as my personal life. These are tools that I will carry with me for life.
As a student-athlete, there is a lot of pressure to succeed both on and off the field. One thing I can relay to anyone considering Peru State is that the coaching staff does indeed take the fact that we are students first very seriously. Too many coaches seem to take this for granted, but I assure you not our staff. By turning in progress reports, attending study tables and tutoring sessions we were forced to get our job done in the classroom or we would not see the field. As a result, my senior season I was selected to the All-MCAC Academic team, as well as, graduating from PSC Cum Laude. I owe much of that success to the coaching staff at Peru State.
My number one goal after my playing days concluded was to begin my coaching career. Coach Cronin gave me the opportunity to start that at Peru State. With Coach Cronin, Coach Davis, and Coach Martin’s assistance, the transition from player to coach was an easy adjustment. I learned more about the game of baseball in one season than I ever thought I could. They taught me that coaching is not “just something to do” but it is indeed a profession and should be taken very serious. I am looking forward to continuing my career at Peru State this year as I return as an assistant coach this fall.
Overall, my experience as a Bobcat was a very positive one. With the wonderful faculty and coaching staff, my life as a student-athlete could not have been better. I couldn’t have asked for a better school to finish my career.
Yours in baseball,
Trevor Varley #33
6-12-09
Alumni: We want to hear from you!
As the summer rapidly approaches college baseball coaches can be found at baseball diamonds around the country watching what they hope is the next group of positively contributing student-athletes to their respective baseball programs. That was the case last evening as I attended a very well played American Legion game that pitted spring time foes Omaha Benson and Omaha Bryan. Prior to the game I had the pleasure of signing one such player, Tyler Croushorn starting centerfielder and left-handed pitcher for the District 4-A champion Bears.
Prior to first pitch I had a chance to visit with former Bobcat hurler and current Benson head coach Chris Burke. Coach Burke who is a regular attendee of our annual alumni game each fall is now in his 7th season at Benson. Coach Burke reminded of how most former Bobcat’s that I have had a the pleasure to visit with during my tenure here have conveyed a genuine love and respect for the game of baseball.
During our pre-game chat I relayed some of my hopes that center around getting many former Bobcat players from any era back involved with our Bobcat baseball family. There have been so many positive things happening on-campus at Peru State I feel it is now time for us to reach out to our alumni in hopes of refueling the pride we all want to feel as a representative of our alma mater. With the recent hiring of a new athletic director who brings a wealth of experience and essentially, a new administration at the college there exists a sense of “re-birth” within the athletic department. This re-birth began last summer with the re-opening of the new Al Wheeler Activity Center (AWAC). It is definitely a must see for those who remember the old one.
My charge to former Bobcat’s big and small is to simply let us know who you are and what you are doing. It’s as easy as clicking this link or by sending an email directly to me at jcronin@peru.edu. We hope to see many of you back on campus this fall with the annual alumni game set to take place on Saturday, September 26th at 12:00 Noon. For those who may not be able to attend perhaps we will see you at the homecoming football game on Halloween against William Penn University at 1:00 PM.
As for the alumni game the typical structure has been that our alumni have taken on the current Bobcat players in a single 9-inning game, however, this year it is my hope that there will be enough interest from former players so that our alumni can battle our alumni. Then, if any alumni are left standing those brave souls can face the 2009-2010 team in a single 9 inning game. Following the game(s) there will be plenty of food available for all to enjoy.
Last but not least as we head into 2009-2010 we are launching our second alumni drive to help defray our expenses associated with travelling to complete in the Russ Matt Invitational in Phoenix, AZ in March. In 2005, our first alumni drive helped to purchase new home uniforms for the team. We hope with your support this one will be just as successful. To show your support you can sponsor the team at various levels for our 5th annual Jog-A-Thon to be held Saturday, October 10th at 10:00 AM at the “Steamboat Trail.” To sponsor simply click on the link. Thank you to those of you who have supported us in the past and we hope to hear from you in the near future!
5-22-09
2009 Bobcat Baseball Season Recap
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The 2009 season was the most successful, in terms of wins and losses, under 4-year head coach Jason Cronin. The team finished beyond expectation (preseason 5th)with an overall record of 30-22 with a 14-10 record in conference play. That mark was good enough for 3rd in MCAC play. Reaching the 30 win plateau signified a dramatic improvement from the 14 games won in 2008 and the 2009 team reached its pre-season goal of qualifying for the conference tournament. According to Coach Cronin, “this was a very important and successful season for our program on many levels. Not only did we significantly improve our win total and qualify for the MCAC conference tournament, but the program re-established itself as one to be taken seriously game in and game out. There now exists within our program a culture of success. Each student-athlete in our program understands what we are trying to accomplish. Moreover, they clearly understand and accept the daily expectations placed upon them in order to continue our growth and reach our ultimate goal of winning a conference championship.”
The Bobcats picked up several keys wins in 2009 including wins over nationally rated Park University (including the opening game of the MCAC tournament) and NAIA tournament teams Bellevue and William Penn Universities. Cronin went on to say, “the exciting thing for our program is the fact that we return 23 players from this year’s team including our entire pitching staff. This, coupled with the fact that we have had an excellent and deep recruiting class, puts us in good shape for years to come. The baseball program at Peru State is healthy and will remain competitive in the forseeable future. My goal 4 years ago when hired was to build a program that would be at the top of the conference year in and year out. I feel that we have reached that point heading into the fall of 2009. Our goals have shifted from just trying to be a conference tournament team to a team that can win the conference tournament. We still have a great deal of work to do if we are going to become a champion, but one thing for sure is that our players and coaches welcome that challenge.”
As is the case with solid team seasons there are usually individual and team accomplishments that warrant recognition. There were several standout individual performances that aided in the team’s success this past spring, however, the most notable accomplishment from 2009 should be that this year’s team broke a 29 year old record for team fielding percentage. The bobcats fielded .954 in 2009 which shattered the old mark of .948 mark set in 1990. The team has already set their sights to field over .960 in 2010.
From an individual standpoint several Bobcats had note-worthy seasons (these accomplishments were done with a minimum of 10 less games as in 2006 the NAIA reduced the total number of regular season games from 65 to 55). Leading the way was senior third baseman, Mark Houck. Mark led the team in hitting at .410 (6th in the conference), doubles (12) and led the team and conference in total RBI with 55. Houck’s RBI total tied him for 5th all-time for single season RBI for a bobcat. Mark’s two-year career at PSC saw him hit .387 which is good for 3rd on the all-time list. Finally, Houck’s on-base percentage, .495 is the highest in Coach Cronin’s 4 years (no records of OBP were kept prior to 2005).
Also, having another solid year was senior leftfielder Gary Hall. Gary hit .380 in 2009 and during his career at PSC he hit an impressive .374 which is good for 5th on the all-time list. He also recorded a .492 OBP which is good enough for 2nd behind Houck’s .495. Shortstop Brandon Schrupp’s 40 base-on-balls ranks 2nd in a single season (42 in 1994 by B.J. Coburn) and his .461 OBP was good enough for 6th all-time. Finally, junior centerfield Ryan Baroudi not only won the conference Gold Glove but he tied for 3rd with 4 triples in a single season. The last to accomplish that were Matt Davis in 2007 and Mike Gentry in 2006.
The bobcats where much improved on the bump in 2009 and leading the way was Junior right hander Yimy Rodriguez. Yimy’s 7 total wins ties him for 3rd in a single season with a host of former bobcats including sophomore Vince Eberhard. Rodriguez’s 84.2 innings pitched was good for 3rd all-time in a single season and his 73 total strikeouts were good for 5th all-time in a season. Sophomore RHP Matt Martin won the gold glove this past spring on the mound, started 13 games on the hill (tied for 2nd all-time) and also tossed 76 innings which is good for 7th all-time. Rodriguez’s 3.93 ERA was a team best and was 6th best in the conference. He held opponents to a .237 batting average which also led the team and that effort ranked 4th in the conference. He also stared a single season record 14 games which ties him with two former Bobcats Scott Campau (2002) and Jim Lovely (2002). Finally, freshman righthander Tim Crawford set the Peru State record with 4 saves and 21 total appearances in a season. The previous record was 19 held by Jim Lovely (2002).
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