ARKANSAS STATE BASEBALL

Transkript

1 ARKANSAS STATE BASEBALL Van Provence Assistant Sports Information Director (cell) fax 2009 Arkansas State Baseball Schedule Date Opponent Time/Result Feb. 20 Texas State% W, 4-3 Feb. 20 UT-Arlington% L, 5-4 Feb. 21 Siena% L, 5-1 Feb. 22 Texas State% L, 3-2 Feb. 27 SIU-Edwardsville W, Feb. 28 SIU-Edwardsville Cancelled - Snow March 1 SIU-Edwardsville Cancelled - Snow March 3 at Ole Miss 6:30 p.m. March 4 at Murray State 2:00 p.m. March 6 Louisiana-Lafayette* 6:00 p.m. March 7 Louisiana-Lafayette* 2:00 p.m. March 8 Louisiana-Lafayette* 1:00 p.m. March 10 Alabama A&M 6:30 p.m. March 11 Alabama A&M 3:00 p.m. March 13 at Middle Tennessee State* 6:00 p.m. March 14 at Middle Tennessee State* 4:00 p.m. March 15 at Middle Tennessee State* 1:00 p.m. March 16 Williams Baptist 6:30 p.m. March 17 Ole Miss 6:00 p.m. March 20 at Louisiana-Monroe* 7:00 p.m. March 21 at Louisiana-Monroe* 4:00 p.m. March 22 at Louisiana-Monroe* 1:00 p.m. March 24 Southeast Missouri State 6:30 p.m. March 25 at Southern Illinois 3:00 p.m. March 27 South Alabama* 6:00 p.m. March 28 South Alabama* 2:00 p.m. March 29 South Alabama* 1:00 p.m. April 3 Troy* 6:00 p.m. April 4 Troy* 2:00 p.m. April 5 Troy* 1:00 p.m. April 7 at Memphis 6:30 p.m. April 8 Memphis 6:30 p.m. April 10 Chicago State 6:00 p.m. April 11 Chicago State 2:00 p.m. April 12 Chicago State 1:00 p.m. April 14 Missouri State 6:30 p.m. April 15 Missouri State 3:00 p.m. April 17 Western Kentucky* 6:00 p.m. April 18 Western Kentucky* 2:00 p.m. April 19 Western Kentucky* 1:00 p.m. April 21 at Tennessee-Martin 6:00 p.m. April 22 at Southeast Missouri State 6:30 p.m. April 24 at New Orleans* 6:30 p.m. April 25 at New Orleans* 4:00 p.m. April 26 at New Orleans* 1:00 p.m. April 28 Tennessee-Martin 3:00 p.m. May 1 at Florida International* 6:00 p.m. May 2 at Florida International* 3:00 p.m. May 3 at Florida International* 12:00 p.m. May 8 Florida Atlantic* 6:00 p.m. May 9 Florida Atlantic* 2:00 p.m. May 10 Florida Atlantic* 12:00 p.m. May 12 Murray State 6:00 p.m. May 14 at UALR* 6:00 p.m. May 15 at UALR* 6:00 p.m. May 16 at UALR* 1:00 p.m. May SBC Tournament at Troy TBA % - UT-Arlington/Hilton Invitational * Sun Belt Conference Game All Times Central Time GAMES 6 & 7 ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES LEADING OFF: After playing just one game last weekend due to heavy snowfall across the mid-south, the Arkansas State Red Wolves return to action Tuesday, March 3 when they travel to Oxford, Miss. to take on the 14th-ranked Rebels of Ole Miss. Game time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. The Red Wolves will hit the road again Wednesday, March 4, making the trip to Murray, Ky. to take on the Thoroughbreds of Murray State. The ASU-Ole Miss game may be heard live on Earl FM, KBTM 1230 AM and online at Wolves.com, with Brad Bobo handling the play-by-play. There will be no radio for the Murray State game. Live Stats for both games may also be accessed online at THE TEAMS: Arkansas State will start the week s play at 2-3 on the year. The Red Wolves defeated Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Friday night at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field in what would have been the series opener for last weekend s action, but heavy snowfall forced the cancellation of Saturday and Sunday s games. Ole Miss will take the field Tuesday night at 3-3 on the year and ranked 14th nationally by Baseball America and 20th nationally by College Baseball. The Rebels dropped a decision to #16 TCU Friday night in what would have been the series opener between the two teams, but snow forced the cancellation of the Saturday and Sunday games in Oxford as well. Inclement weather forced at No. 14 Ole Miss Rebels March 3, :30 p.m. Oxford-University Stadium (5,000) Oxford, Mississippi at Murray State Thoroughbreds March 4, :00 p.m. Reagan Field (800) Murray, Kentucky Radio: Earl FM, KBTM 1230 AM & LiveStats Available at the cancellation of Murray State s final two games last weekend as well. The Thoroughbreds split a pair of games Friday with Illinois State to improve to 4-2 before play was cancelled for the remainder of the weekend. THE OLE MISS SERIES: The Red Wolves trail in the series against the Rebels. When the two teams met last season, ASU surprised the then-second-ranked Rebels by picking up a 7-5 victory in Oxford in the first meeting, but Ole Miss evened the count on the season with a 9-4 victory in Jonesboro in the second meeting. THE MURRAY STATE SERIES: Murray State leads the all-time series , but the Red Wolves have won four straight and 19 of the last 22. In the first meeting between the two teams last, ASU edged the Thoroughbreds 3-2, and Arkansas State picked up a 5-2 win in Murray in the second matchup between the two teams. Probable Pitching Matchups Tuesday vs. Ole Miss ASU - LHP Jett Jones (0-0, 5.79 ERA) Ole Miss - LHP Drew Pomeranz (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Wednesday vs. Murray State ASU - RHP Derek Riley (0-1, 6.75 ERA) or RHP Drew Benes (0-1, 6.00 ERA) MSU - RHP Dan Huff (1-0, 2.00 ERA) 2009 A-State Baseball 1

2 2009 Sun Belt Standings As Of March 2 Sun Belt Overall W-L Pct. W-L Pct. MTSU FAU ULM WKU Troy UALR FIU USA UNO ASU ULL Preseason All-Sun Belt Chase Ware (Arkansas State, Sr., SP) Matt Ridings (Western Kentucky, Jr., SP) Justin Robichaux (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., RP) Josh Storm (Troy, Sr., RP) David Doss (South Alabama, Sr., C) Tyler Townsend (Florida International, Jr., 1B) Ryan Mollica (Florida International, Sr., 2B) Ben Soignier (Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., SS) Wade Gaynor (Western Kentucky, Jr., 3B) Chad Cregar (Western Kentucky, Sr., OF) Bryce Brentz (Middle Tennessee, S0., OF) Nathan Hines (Middle Tennessee, Sr., OF) Scott Hawkins (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., DH) Preseason Player of the Year Ben Soignier (Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., SS) Preseason Pitcher of the Year Matt Ridings (Western Kentucky, Jr., SP) Preseason Coaches Poll 1. Western Kentucky (9) Troy Louisiana-Monroe New Orleans (1) Louisiana-Lafayette (1) Florida Atlantic South Alabama Middle Tennessee Florida International Arkansas State Arkansas-Little Rock 17 ON THE MOUND FOR ASU: Senior Jett Jones will start for ASU on the mound Tuesday night against Ole Miss. Jones posted a record of 2-8 during the 2008 season with an ERA of He worked 4.2 innings Feb. 20 against UT-Arlington, giving up three runs on six hits. Jones ERA stands at 5.79 after one appearance. Jones struck out a pair and walked a pair against UTA. Junior Derek Riley or sophomore Drew Benes will get the start against Murray State. Riley his first ASU appearance on the mound Feb. 21 against Siena, working four innings against the Saints while giving up four runs on three hits to post an ERA of He struck out two batters and walked one. Sophomore Drew Benes is 0-1 on the year after making two appearances on the mound for ASU during opening weekend at the UT-Arlington/Hilton Invitational. Benes gave up two hits and two runs without recording an out Feb. 20 against UT-Arlington, then got the start in the tournament finale against Texas State. In three innings of work against TSU, Benes gave up no runs on two hits, with three walks and one strikeout. His ERA stands at OPENING WITH SUCCESS: The 61st season of Arkansas State baseball got underway Feb. 20, with ASU picking up a 4-3 victory over Texas State to earn its first season-opening victory since the 2006 season. First-year head coach Tommy Raffo became the fourth A-State baseball coach to pick up a victory in his coaching debut. MORE OPENING SUCCESS: With its victory over SIU-Edwardsville Feb. 27, Arkansas State won its home opener for the 19th consecutive season, scoring the most runs in a single game since defeating Western Kentucky 21-4 during the 2006 season. OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION: After scoring 11 runs combined in its first four games, Arkansas State exploded for 11 runs in the Red Wolves On the Radio A-State Baseball can be heard on Earl FM, KBTM 1230 AM and online at Matt Stolz will handle the play-by-play, returning for his fourth season as the Voice of ASU Baseball. HEAD TO HEAD ASU Ole Miss Record Batting Avg Hits RBI Runs Scored Doubles Triples Home Runs Stolen Bases On-Base % Walks ERA Runs Allowed Earned Runs Allowed Saves Average Against Walks Issued Strikeouts Fielding % Double Plays T urned Errors HEAD TO HEAD ASU MSU Record Batting Avg Hits RBI Runs Scored Doubles Triples Home Runs Stolen Bases On-Base % Walks ERA Runs Allowed Earned Runs Allowed Saves Average Against Walks Issued Strikeouts Fielding % Double Plays T urned Errors A-State Baseball 2

3 fifth inning of its victory over Southern-Illinois Edwardsville Feb. 27. Senior Brandon Eller and sophomores Todd Baumgartner and Murray Watts all hit home runs in the frame, with Eller and Baumgartner unleashing three-run shots. Arkansas State finished the game with 19 hits as 22 players made appearances at the plate. CHASING SUCCESS: Arkansas State senior pitcher Chase Ware has been named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason Baseball Team, the league announced Feb. 10. Ware was one of two starting pitchers named to the preseason all-conference team as voted on by all 11 head coaches from across the Sun Belt Conference. Louisiana-Monroe shortstop Ben Soignier was named the league s Preseason Player of Athletic Media Relations Arkansas State University PO Box 1000 State University, AR Telephone Fax Press Box Website - Baseball Contact - Van Provence, Asst. SID / vprovence@astate.edu Jerry Scott, Asst. A.D./ Sports Info. Dir jscott@astate.edu Anthony Reynolds, Asst. SID / areynolds@astate.edu Katey Buckley, Graduate Asst. kathryn.buckley@smail.astate.edu MEDIA INFORMATION Credentials Working press credentials can be requested by contacting Van Provence at , or by at vprovence@astate.edu. Full-season and single-game credentials will be mailed whenever possible. If not, they will be left at the Tomlinson Stadium & Kell Field Box Office. Post-Game Interviews The Arkansas State locker room is closed to all members of the media. Head coach Tommy Raffo and requested assistant coaches and players will be available for interviews following a brief cooling-off period. At ASU s home games, all post-game coach and player interviews will be conducted in the press box. Baseball Releases All Red Wolves baseball releases and game notes may be obtained as a PDF document on the Arkansas State University athletics website at. To be added to the broadcast for baseball releases, contact Van Provence in the Sports Information office. the Year, while Western Kentucky s Matt Ridings was named Preseason Pitcher of the Year and also earned all-conference honors as a starting pitcher along with Ware. Western Kentucky was the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt title, while Arkansas State was voted 10th. A two-time Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week during the 2008 season, Ware earned second-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors as a junior after posting an ERA of 3.57 the third lowest of any pitcher in the league. Despite finishing the season at 5-6, Ware was one of the most effective pitchers in the Sun Belt Conference during the 2008 season. In 85.2 innings pitched, which was the third most of any pitcher in the conference, Ware gave up just 34 earned runs on 84 hits. He struck out 67 opposing batters while walking 26. We are extremely happy that Chase has been named to the preseason all-conference team, said ASU Head Coach Tommy Raffo. It is an honor for Chase and our entire program. We expect Chase to be an integral part of our weekend rotation and this honor certainly reinforces the expectations we have for him during the upcoming season. The Sun Belt Conference preseason team was the second such honor the pound right-hander from Southaven, Miss. has earned heading into the 2009 season. Ware was also named to the Rivals.com preseason All-Sun Belt Team in late January. Last season, Ware was named the league s player of the week after throwing a complete-game shutout at Louisiana-Lafayette Mar. 8, and earned the honor again after giving up one earned run while striking out seven batters in ASU s 8-2 win at Florida Atlantic May 9. He struck out a season-high 10 batters May 15 against Arkansas-Little Rock in his final appearance of the year. Arkansas State opens the 2009 season Feb. 20 against Texas State in the UT-Arlington Hilton Invitational in Arlington, Texas. The Arkansas State Quick Facts Location: Jonesboro, Arkansas Enrollment: 11,490 Nickname: Red Wolves Colors: Scarlet and Black President: Dr. Les Wyatt Chancellor: Dr. Robert Potts Director of Athletics: Dr. Dean Lee Park: Tomlinson Stadium & Kell Field (1,200) Conference: Sun Belt Head Coach: Tommy Raffo Record at ASU: 0-0 (First Season) Overall Record: Same home opener is set for Feb. 27 against SIU- Edwardsville. SEASON OUTLOOK: A new era of Arkansas State baseball begins Feb. 20 when ASU takes the field in Arlington, Texas against Texas State at the UT- Arlington/Hilton Invitational. The game marks the debut of new head coach Tommy Raffo and will be the first baseball game played for Arkansas State as the Red Wolves. Raffo comes to Arkansas State after 15 outstanding years as an assistant at Mississippi State, becoming the fifth head coach in the history of the ASU baseball program. During his time at Mississippi State, he served as the hitting and outfield coach for a Bulldog program that made three trips to the College World Series and under his direction, the Bulldogs posted a team batting average of.300 or better in eight of the past 11 seasons. During his tenure at Mississippi State, Raffo also served as the recruiting coordinator for the Bulldog baseball program, landing 10 straight recruiting classes ranked in the top 33 nationally by Collegiate Baseball. He coached seven All-America players and four Academic All-Americans. He was named as the 2007 Southeastern Conference Fellowship of Christian Athletes Coach of the Year, and during his time at MSU, 49 Bulldogs were chosen in the Major League Baseball Draft. In addition to having a new head coach, the ASU athletic programs have a new mascot after 77 years of competition as the Indians. The Red Wolves were adopted as the new mascot in the spring of 2008 and the change has proved to be an overwhelming success. Fans have embraced the new mascot, logo and spirit character, Howl and the new moniker has quickly become a source of pride for the University and surrounding community. While the head coaching position and mascot have changed, 10 seniors and 18 lettermen, including eight who have seen starting action, return to bring a wealth of experience to the field. We ve got 10 seniors back and a lot of position players who have seen action, said Raffo. I think that can be a huge help to the squad this year because they have seen action in the Sun Belt Conference. Any time you have guys who have played a full season in any conference, it can be a help because they know the expectations and what it takes to win. The upper classmen have a want-to to do well and succeed here, added Raffo. They are very excited about the opportunity to compete for the Sun Belt Championship. We have a good mixture of young players who are very talented and provide energy, 2009 A-State Baseball 3

4 so with that combination, I think it can be a very exciting season for Red Wolves baseball. ASU BATTING LEADERS Must have played in 1/3 of ASU s Games Batting Todd Baumgartner Giovanni Garcia Derrick Coleman Josh DeMoney Murray Watts On Base Percentage Guy Brown Todd Baumgartner Giovanni Garcia Lawson Hipps Derrick Coleman Runs Scored Todd Baumgartner Giovanni Garcia Derrick Coleman Murray Watts Brandon Eller Cody Pace Guy Brown Hits Todd Baumgartner Derrick Coleman Giovanni Garcia Josh DeMoney Brandon Eller Murray Watts Runs Batted In Murray Watts Todd Baumgartner Brandon Eller Giovanni Garcia Josh DeMoney Kevin Burgi Cody Pace Guy Brown Doubles Todd Baumgartner Murray Watts Brandon Eller Derrick Coleman Giovanni Garcia Kevin Burgi Triples Guy Brown Home Runs Todd Baumgartner Derrick Coleman Murray Watts Brandon Eller Walks Guy Brown Jordan Kimball Lawson Hipps Murray Watts Josh DeMoney Derrick Coleman Brandon Eller Hit by Pitch Brandon Eller Cody Pace Guy Brown Danny Riemenschneider Sacrifice Bunts Guy Brown Giovanni Garcia Cody Pace Sacrifice Flies Drew Benes Arkansas State will lean heavily on the experience of its pitching corps, as twelve arms return for the Red Wolves after seeing action in Heading up the talent on the mound is senior Chase Ware, a right-hander who was named preseason All-Sun Belt Conference by the league s coaches. Chase is our Friday night starter and we are fortunate to have him for his senior year, said Raffo. We are looking for great things from him and he has the ability to go out each and every Friday night and get the series off on the right track. Also expected to figure into the weekend rotation are senior southpaw Jett Jones and junior right-hander Derek Riley. Jett is a left-handed pitcher who has come on in the last couple of years here at Arkansas State, said Raffo. We are expecting him to be a factor in the rotation and he has developed his repoire of pitches quite nicely. We look forward to seeing him every weekend and Derek is a highly-recruited right-hander who was drafted last year. We expect him to see action on the weekends and he continues to get better each and every day. The battle for midweek starting positions on the mound is wide open. With the constant evaluation to see how the matchups are, the determination of the weekday starters is still up for grabs, said Raffo. We have some great candidates. As far as the late-inning relievers, we are still looking for somebody to emerge and say that he s the guy. Right now we can see senior Nick Lambert, sophomore Andy Ferguson, junior Ryan Blackburn and senior Chris Bullington, so it s by committee right now. But it s a very strong committee, and that is one of the neat things about our pen in that it is an added dimension for us. Nick is a young man who has a quick arm and will be a factor for us middle to late in games, Raffo continued. We feel like he has the capability and stuff to be able to handle any situation. Andy is coming off of knee surgery and arm surgery and has really come on. He has shown a lot of confidence in his abilities on the mound, and he will be used this spring. Ryan is a down-under guy a different arm-slot pitcher. He relies on movement of his pitches to get hitters out. He can be very good matchup-wise, righton-right. Chris is a senior and co-captain of the team. We are looking for excellent leadership from him. His main roles will be out of the bullpen as a middle or late reliever. He has the ability to spin the ball very well and keeps hitters off-balance. Also available to provide depth on the mound are senior Jordan Torr, junior Corey Lambert and freshmen Cody Powell, Jeff Miller, Caleb McClanahan, Justin O Brien, Jacob Lee and Codie Rollins. A lot of times you see five games in seven days, and that sometimes presents a dilemma with the pitching and can wear down your position players during the course of the season, said Raffo. As a coach, you have to juggle that and find the right combination to keep your guys ready for the second half. Everyone in the country has to do it, so you see a lot of Tuesday and Wednesday upsets because many teams do not have the front-line pitching going into the weekday games. Behind the plate, senior Lawson Hipps, who started 51 games a year ago, and junior Kyle DeGrace will see the majority of the action, with senior Grey Avant and freshman Kevin Burgi available as well. Lawson is veteran catcher who caught for ASU last year, said Raffo. He is a lefthanded hitter who will provide some stability at the catching position and has adjusted very well from the JUCO ranks. Kyle is a JUCO transfer who can play many different positions and roles. He is very valuable and can play outfield, infield and catch. He provides excellent leadership behind the plate and is a great competitor. The Red Wolves have experience at all four infield positions, particularly at the corners, where senior Guy Brown started all 55 games a year ago at third base, and at first with senior Brandon Eller, who also started all 55 games in DeGrace and sophomore Drew Benes will also see time at third, with Benes and sophomore Murray Watts also having experience at first. Freshman Corey Felts is also available for duty at first base. Left-side defense is a high priority for us if we are to do well, said Raffo. Guy is a veteran player who has been around the Sun Belt and we expect to lean on him for Sun Belt Conference experience. He has played a good third base for us and he can also play second base. He handles the bat very well. Brandon is a veteran for us at first base. He has the ability to make a lot of contact and square balls up very well. He was one of our best hitters this fall and we expect him to be a factor on the middle of the lineup. Drew is a dual-position player for us who plays first, third and pitches, Raffo continued. We are asking a lot of Drew this year and asking him to play many roles. He can also be a reliever or starter on the mound. He has really come on in both areas and we are excited about his future here. Murray is very physical and strong and has the ability 2009 A-State Baseball 4

5 to change games with one swing of the bat. He has worked very hard at first base and we are looking forward to the contributions he will make in the lineup. Raffo added that the experience at catcher and the corner infield positions give the Red Wolves the flexibility to use several of the players at those positions in the lineup as the designated hitter. Raffo said that juniors Jordan Kimball, Derek Jones, Giovanni Garcia and sophomore Danny Riemenschneider will see most of the action at the middle infield positions. The guys in the middle must be consistent for us to be successful, said Raffo. Jordan will play middle infield for us and can pitch. He had a good fall for us playing short and is a switch-hitter at the plate. We look for him to make big contributions for us in the middle of the field. Garcia is a middle infielder who defends the infield very well. We will rely on him to play a solid middle infield. He can handle the bat at the plate and has some pop in his bat. Derek is a summer signee who came into the program as a middle infielder and switch-hitter. He has improved greatly from the fall and we are looking forward to continued progress from him. Danny is a role player that can be very valuable playing the middle infield. He also pitches. He knows how to play the game and does a tremendous job of getting on base and doing the little things right. Five players - senior Derrick Coleman, sophomore Todd Baumgartner, juniors Cody Pace and Josh DeMoney and freshman Jacob Lee are expected to see the majority of playing time in the outfield. Coleman started in 54 games a year ago and led the team with 64 hits, Baumgartner started in all 28 games he played in as a true freshman, earning SBC Player of the Week honors after helping ASU to a road win at No. 2 Ole Miss and a road sweep of SBC foe Louisiana-Lafayette before going down for a large portion of the season with a broken finger, and Pace started 25 games in We expect Derrick to be a factor in the lineup as a switch-hitter and he will play either corner outfield position, said Raffo. We will look to him for help with his Sun Belt Conference experience as well. Todd is a very athletic individual who got hurt during his freshman year and has not truly shown his athletic ability on the baseball field for a full year. We hope to be able to see that in center field this year. He moves very well, has a good arm, and we think very highly of him at the plate. We expect a good year from him, offensively. Josh is a hard-nosed blue collar type of player, added Raffo. The bottom line with him is that when the game is on the line, he gets it done. We are very excited about Josh playing one of the corner outfield positions for us. Cody is a local player who is one of the fastest players on the squad. He does a tremendous job defensively for us. He does a good job of handling the bat at the plate and putting himself in position to be on base. Including the season-opening tournament at Texas-Arlington, the Red Wolves will be tested early with a challenging schedule that includes 31 home games. Following the UTA Tournament, ASU hosts SIU-Edwardsville in the home opener at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field in a three-game series Feb. 27-March 1. The Ole Miss Rebels, ranked #6 nationally by Baseball America, come to ASU March 3, and the Red Wolves open Sun Belt Conference play at home the next weekend, hosting alwaystough Louisiana-Lafayette. The home schedule also includes SBC foes South Alabama, preseason No. 2 pick in the league Troy, and the preseason conference favorite, Western Kentucky. Sun Belt Conference play at home wraps up with Florida Atlantic, and ASU also hosts Memphis and Missouri State among other non-conference opponents. We are going to find out right away what we are made of in that opening weekend on the road, said Raffo. Two weeks later, we open conference play against a traditionally strong ULL team. It will be very important for us to keep getting better. We obviously want to be at a point where we can do very well early, but our goal as a team is to continue to work in our journey to get better on a daily basis. If we can do that, I think we can be a huge factor in the Sun Belt. It s a big challenge and it s going to be really neat to see how our guys face up to that. But nobody feels sorry for anyone else in this conference and you do what you can to win, added Raffo. It's good to have 31 home games and we do have a lot of homeand-home games that are close by, and that helps. The Red Wolves will change from the Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday afternoon scheduling that has been in place for home series over the past several years. For most weekend series ASU will play at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, giving the Red Wolves the flexibility to reschedule Friday or Saturday games in the event of inclement weather. The Saturday afternoon game is also expected to be more appealing to fans early in the season when the possibility of cold weather exists. NEW ERA AT ASU: The season is the first season in which Arkansas State University will compete as the Red Wolves. After 77 years of competition as the Indians, the Red Wolves mascot was adopted in January 2008 after many hours of work by the University s Mascot Selection Steering Committee. The job of the committee was to make a new mascot recommendation to Chancellor Dr. Robert L. Potts and the University administration. The committee recommended Wolves at a Jan. 31 meeting, and the Red Wolves mascot evolved from that point A-State Baseball 5

6 Head Coach Tommy Raffo What They re Saying About New Red Wolves Head Coach Tommy Raffo Arkansas State is making a major league decision in bringing Tommy Raffo in to head up their baseball program. He is certainly ready to lead a Division I program and ready to keep up the tradition that Keith Kessinger built in Jonesboro. I am very proud of Tommy and know that he will do an outstanding job at ASU. Ron Polk, Former Head Coach & 8-time CWS Head Coach (Mississippi State) Tommy Raffo is one of the outstanding young coaches in the country. He has a tremendous track record regarding recruiting, teaching and coaching at all levels, and he will run a first-class program with high principles and integrity. He is concerned not only with the players performance on the field, but in the classroom and community as well, and will represent Arkansas State with high principles in every way. Pat McMahon, Player Development/Scouting (New York Yankees) Without question, Tommy Raffo is the total package. What he brings off the field is just as impressive as what he brings to the field. If there was one word I would use to describe Tommy Raffo, that would be class. Jim Case, Head Baseball Coach (Jacksonville State) I am excited for both Arkansas State and for Tommy Raffo. I think ASU has gotten an outstanding young baseball coach with a great future. But more than an outstanding coach, I think Arkansas State has gotten a great human being to lead its baseball program. Larry Templeton, Former Director of Athletics (Mississippi State) and Chairman, NCAA Baseball Tournament Selection Committee Tommy Raffo was named Arkansas State's fifth head coach on July 1, Raffo comes to Jonesboro with 14 years as an assistant coach at Mississippi State University under his belt. He served as the hitting and outfield coach for a Bulldog program that made three trips to the College World Series. "We are extremely pleased to hire a coach with the background and experience of competing at the highest level that Tommy Raffo brings," said ASU Director of Athletics, Dr. Dean Lee. "We had an extremely strong pool of candidates for this position, and feel that Coach Raffo was unquestionably the best fit to take over the Arkansas State baseball program. Tommy is highly respected in the coaching field for his integrity and for his superior knowledge of the game." During his 14 seasons at Mississippi State, Raffo served as the recruiting coordinator for the Bulldog baseball program, landing 10 straight recruiting classes ranked in the top 33 nationally by Collegiate Baseball. He coached seven All-America players and four Academic All-Americans. He was named as the 2007 Southeastern Conference Fellowship of Christian Athletes Coach of the Year, and during his time at MSU, 49 Bulldogs were chosen in the Major League Baseball Draft. Raffo's outstanding recruiting at MSU paid dividends for the program as he helped the Bulldogs reach the SEC Tournament 12 times, with two championships to their credit. Mississippi State also made 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament during Raffo's time with the program, winning five regional titles. The Bulldogs made three appearances in the NCAA Super Regionals and advanced to the College World Series in 1997, 1998 and Raffo coached one Johnny Bench Award winner, given annually to the top college catcher in the country, and helped seven hitters finish the season in the SEC's top five batting averages. As a player, Raffo was co-captain of the 1990 Mississippi State team that advanced to the College World Series. He was a two-time Academic All-American and a three-time Academic All-SEC selection. He was named first-team All- SEC in 1989 and 1990, and in 1990 earned second-team All-America honors from both the American Baseball Coaches Association and Baseball America. "My family and I are extremely excited about this opportunity," said Raffo. "Since my first visit, I was impressed by the campus, by the city of Jonesboro, but most importantly, by the people. There is an energy at Arkansas State that I did not expect. What a special time for ASU baseball. Every person I meet is enthusiastic about the leadership on campus and the direction our baseball program is headed. I can't wait to lead and be a part of it." After earning his Bachelor's of Business Administration Degree from Mississippi State in 1990, Raffo was chosen by the Miami Miracle with the first pick of the eighth round in the 1990 MLB Draft. While playing in the Reds organization, he was the MVP of the 1991 South Atlantic League All- Star Game, and was Co-Captain of the 1992 Midwest League Champion Cedar Rapid Reds. A native of Orange Park, Fla., Raffo is married to the former Paula Hawkins of Calhoun City, Miss., and they are the parents of two daughters, Claudia Elizabeth, 12, and Anna Winifred, 10 and a son, Thomas Hanniford "Ford", born in July A-State Baseball

7 2009 A-State Baseball 7

8 2009 ASU Red Wolves Baseball Roster NAME YR POS HT WT B/T HOMETOWN, ST (PREVIOUS SCHOOL) 1 JORDAN KIMBALL JR INF/P S/R New Madrid, MO (Central HS) 2 DANNY RIEMENSCHNEIDER SO P/IF R/R Bryant, AR (Bryant HS) 3 GUY BROWN SR INF R/R Harrison, AR (Harrison HS) 4 JUSTIN COUNCE SO RHP R/R West Memphis, AR (UA-Fort Smith) 5 DERRICK COLEMAN SR OF S/R Jonesboro, AR (Connors State College, OK) 6 GREY AVANT SR C R/R Germantown, TN (Houston HS) 7 JETT JONES SR LHP L/L Stuttgart, AR (Stuttgart HS) 8 TODD BAUMGARTNER SO IF/OF R/R Edwardsville, IL (Edwardsville HS) 9 CODY POWELL FR RHP R/R Jonesboro, AR (Jonesboro HS) 10 NICK LAMBERT SR RHP R/R Norphlet, AR (Norphlet HS) 13 CALEB McCLANAHAN FR RHP R/R Wynne, AR (Wynne HS) 14 DEREK JESTER FR RHP R/R Benton, AR (Benton HS) 15 DREW BENES SO P/1B R/R St. Louis, MO (Westminster Christian HS) 16 LAWSON HIPPS SR C L/R Dardanelle, AR (Fort Scott CC) 17 DEREK JONES JR INF S/R Paw Paw, MI (Grand Rapids CC, MI) 18 CODY PACE JR OF R/R Jonesboro, AR (Jonesboro HS) 19 MURRAY WATTS SO 1B L/R Jonesboro, AR (U Arkansas) 21 KYLE DEGRACE JR UTL R/R Toronto, ONT (Connors State CC, OK) 23 JOSH DEMONEY JR OF L/L Madison, MS (Meridian CC, MS) 24 CORY LAMBERT JR LHP L/L Bryant, AR (Bossier Parish CC) 25 DEREK RILEY JR RHP R/R Conifer, CO (Chandler Gilbert CC, AZ) 26 CHRIS BULLINGTON SR RHP R/R Lavaca, AR (UA-Fort Smith) 27 BRANDON ELLER SR IF/P R/R Sherwood, AR (Sylvan Hills HS) 28 RYAN BLACKBURN JR RHP R/R Jonesboro, AR (Nettleton HS) 29 CHASE WARE SR RHP R/R Horn Lake, MS (NW Mississippi CC) 31 JEFF MILLER FR RHP R/R St. Charles, MO (St. Charles W. HS) 32 JORDAN TORR SR LHP L/L McKinney, TX (Paris JC) 33 COREY FELTS FR 1B/3B R/R Jonesboro, AR (Nettleton HS) 34 ANDY FERGUSON SO RHP R/R Benton, AR (Benton HS) 35 JUSTIN O BRIEN FR RHP R/R O Fallon, MO (Ft. Zumwalt W. HS) 36 KEVIN BURGI FR C R/R Jonesboro, AR (Valley View HS) 37 JACOB LEE FR RHP/IF R/R Jonesboro, AR (Jonesboro HS) 38 GIOVANNI GARCIA JR INF R/R San Luis, AZ (AZ Western CC) 39 CODIE ROLLINS FR RHP R/R Jonesboro, AR (Valley View HS) 22 Tommy Raffo Head Coach 12 Chris Cook Assistant Coach 20 Justin Meccage Assistant Coach 40 Anthony Everman Volunteer Assistant Coach Pronunciation Guide Kimball Kim-BALL Riemenschneider RIM-in-SCHNY-der Avant A-vant Burgi Bur-GEE Giovanni GEE-o-vahn-ee 2009 A-State Baseball 8

9 Games Summary for Arkansas State (as of Mar 02, 2009) Score by innings EX Total Arkansas State Opponents Record when... Overall 2-3 Conference 0-0 Non-Conference 2-3 Home games 1-0 Away games 0-1 Neutral site 1-2 Day games 1-2 Night games 1-1 vs Left starter 0-0 vs Right starter Run games Run games Run games 1-0 Extra innings 1-0 Shutouts 0-0 Scoring 0-2 runs runs runs runs 1-0 Opponent 0-2 runs runs runs runs 1-0 Scored in 1st inning 0-1 Opp. scored in 1st 1-0 Scores first 0-2 Opp. scores first 2-1 After 6 leading trailing tied 0-0 After 7 leading trailing tied 0-1 After 8 leading trailing tied 0-0 Hit 0 home runs home run home runs 1-0 Opponent 0 home runs home run HRs 1-0 Made 0 errors error errors 2-1 Opp. made 0 errors error errors 1-1 Out-hit opponent 1-0 Out-hit by opponent 1-3 Hits are tied 0-0 Record when team scores: Runs W-L Record when opponent scores: Runs W-L Record when leading after: Inn W-L Record when trailing after: Inn W-L Record when tied after: Inn W-L Current winning streak: 1 Longest winning streak: 1 Longest losing streak: 3 Home attendance : 247 ( 1 dates avg = 247 ) Away attendance : 844 ( 4 dates avg = 211 ) Total attendance: 1091 ( 5 dates avg = 218 ) 2009 A-State Baseball 9

10 Batting Leaders for Arkansas State (as of Mar 02, 2009) Hitting minimums - 1 AB 2.5 AB/Game 1 TPA Pitching minimums - 1 Games 1 BF Batting avg 1. 8 Baumgartner, Todd Garcia, Giovanni Coleman, Derrick DeMoney, Josh Watts, Murray.235 Runs scored 1. 8 Baumgartner, Todd Garcia, Giovanni tied at... 3 Slugging pct 1. 8 Baumgartner, Todd Watts, Murray Coleman, Derrick Eller, Brandon Garcia, Giovanni.412 Hits 1. 8 Baumgartner, Todd Coleman, Derrick 6 38 Garcia, Giovanni tied at... 4 On base pct 1. 8 Baumgartner, Todd Garcia, Giovanni Coleman, Derrick DeMoney, Josh Eller, Brandon.348 Runs batted in Watts, Murray Baumgartner, Todd Eller, Brandon tied at... 2 Doubles Watts, Murray 2 8 Baumgartner, Todd tied at... 1 Triples 1. 3 Brown, Guy 1 Home runs Watts, Murray 1 8 Baumgartner, Todd 1 27 Eller, Brandon 1 5 Coleman, Derrick 1 Total bases 1. 8 Baumgartner, Todd Coleman, Derrick Watts, Murray Eller, Brandon Garcia, Giovanni 7 Sac bunts 1. 3 Brown, Guy Garcia, Giovanni 1 18 Pace, Cody 1 Walks 1. 3 Brown, Guy Kimball, Jordan tied at... 2 Sac flies Benes, Drew 1 Hit by pitch Eller, Brandon Riemenschneider, 1 18 Pace, Cody 1 3 Brown, Guy 1 Stolen bases Pace, Cody Garcia, Giovanni 1 3 Brown, Guy 1 Caught stealing 1. 8 Baumgartner, Todd 1 3 Brown, Guy 1 Steal attempts Pace, Cody 2 3 Brown, Guy Garcia, Giovanni 1 8 Baumgartner, Todd 1 Stolen base pct Garcia, Giovanni Baumgartner, Todd.000 Strikeouts DeGrace, Kyle 5 19 Watts, Murray Eller, Brandon tied at... 2 Grounded into DP Eller, Brandon 1 Total plate appearances 1. 8 Baumgartner, Todd Eller, Brandon Coleman, Derrick tied at At bats 1. 8 Baumgartner, Todd Coleman, Derrick Eller, Brandon Watts, Murray Garcia, Giovanni 17 Games as sub Benes, Drew 2 18 Pace, Cody tied at... 1 Games played 1. 6 tied at... 5 Game starts 1. 6 tied at A-State Baseball 10

11 Pitching Leaders for Arkansas State (as of Mar 02, 2009) Hitting minimums - 1 AB 2.5 AB/Game 1 TPA Pitching minimums - 1 Games 1 BF Earned run avg Lambert, Nick Blackburn, Ryan Bullington, Chris Ferguson, Andy Ware, Chase 3.60 Wins Ware, Chase 1 34 Ferguson, Andy 1 Opposing bat avg Riley, Derek Blackburn, Ryan Lambert, Cory Lee, Jacob Ware, Chase.267 Losses Riley, Derek 1 34 Ferguson, Andy 1 15 Benes, Drew 1 Won-loss pct Ware, Chase Ferguson, Andy Benes, Drew Riley, Derek Blackburn, Ryan.000 Saves Innings pitched Ware, Chase Bullington, Chris Blackburn, Ryan Jones, Jett Riley, Derek 4.0 Games started Ware, Chase Jones, Jett 1 15 Benes, Drew 1 25 Riley, Derek 1 Wild pitches Riley, Derek 2 26 Bullington, Chris Lambert, Cory 1 15 Benes, Drew 1 Batters struck out Bullington, Chris Ware, Chase Blackburn, Ryan Jones, Jett 2 25 Riley, Derek 2 Games finished Blackburn, Ryan 2 10 Lambert, Nick Ferguson, Andy 1 Balks Appearances Blackburn, Ryan 3 26 Bullington, Chris tied at... 2 Games in relief Blackburn, Ryan 3 26 Bullington, Chris Lambert, Nick 2 34 Ferguson, Andy tied at... 1 Hit batters Blackburn, Ryan Ware, Chase 1 15 Benes, Drew 1 25 Riley, Derek 1 Intentional BB allowed Blackburn, Ryan 1 Sac bunts allowed Lambert, Nick 1 34 Ferguson, Andy 1 Runs allowed Lambert, Nick Lee, Jacob 1 34 Ferguson, Andy 1 24 Lambert, Cory Benes, Drew 2 Doubles allowed Lambert, Nick 0 25 Riley, Derek 0 26 Bullington, Chris 0 24 Lambert, Cory 0 34 Ferguson, Andy 0 Runners picked off Bullington, Chris 2 Sac flies allowed Blackburn, Ryan 1 Earned runs allowed Lambert, Nick Ferguson, Andy 1 37 Lee, Jacob 1 24 Lambert, Cory 1 28 Blackburn, Ryan 1 Triples allowed Lambert, Nick 0 25 Riley, Derek 0 26 Bullington, Chris 0 24 Lambert, Cory 0 34 Ferguson, Andy 0 Batters SO out looking Bullington, Chris Ware, Chase 2 25 Riley, Derek Lee, Jacob 1 15 Benes, Drew 1 Hits allowed Lee, Jacob 2 24 Lambert, Cory 2 10 Lambert, Nick Riley, Derek 3 34 Ferguson, Andy 3 Walks allowed Lambert, Nick 1 29 Ware, Chase 1 28 Blackburn, Ryan 1 24 Lambert, Cory Ferguson, Andy 2 Home runs allowed Lambert, Nick 0 25 Riley, Derek 0 28 Blackburn, Ryan 0 24 Lambert, Cory 0 34 Ferguson, Andy A-State Baseball 11

12 Fielding Leaders for Arkansas State (as of Mar 02, 2009) Pitching minimums - 1 Games 1 BF Fielding pct Eller, Brandon Garcia, Giovanni Hipps, Lawson Bullington, Chris DeMoney, Josh Assists 1. 1 Kimball, Jordan Garcia, Giovanni Brown, Guy Eller, Brandon 3 26 Bullington, Chris 3 Stolen bases against Chances Eller, Brandon Garcia, Giovanni Kimball, Jordan Coleman, Derrick tied at Errors 1. 3 Brown, Guy 2 1 Kimball, Jordan tied at... 1 Caught stealing by Hipps, Lawson 1 15 Benes, Drew 1 Putouts Eller, Brandon Garcia, Giovanni Coleman, Derrick Baumgartner, Todd Hipps, Lawson 13 Fielding double plays Eller, Brandon 4 38 Garcia, Giovanni Kimball, Jordan Brown, Guy 1 Steal attempts against Hipps, Lawson 1 15 Benes, Drew 1 Passed balls DeGrace, Kyle 1 Catchers interference 2009 A-State Baseball 12

13 Miscellaneous Stats for Arkansas State (as of Mar 02, 2009) Multiple Hit Games Total 8 Baumgartner, Todd Coleman, Derrick Garcia, Giovanni Hipps, Lawson Watts, Murray DeMoney, Josh TEAM Multiple RBI Games Total 19 Watts, Murray Garcia, Giovanni Eller, Brandon Baumgartner, Todd Pace, Cody Burgi, Kevin TEAM Hitting Streaks Longest Current 8 Baumgartner, Todd Garcia, Giovanni Coleman, Derrick Eller, Brandon DeMoney, Josh Kimball, Jordan Watts, Murray Burgi, Kevin DeGrace, Kyle 1-3 Brown, Guy 1-37 Lee, Jacob Hipps, Lawson Pace, Cody 1 1 Miscellaneous Stats for Arkansas State (as of Mar 02, 2009) STARTERS SUMMARY Position Batting Order Player GS p c 1b 2b 3b ss lf cf rf of dh 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1 Kimball, Jordan Coleman, Derri Garcia, Giovan Eller, Brandon Baumgartner, T Brown, Guy Watts, Murray DeMoney, Josh Hipps, Lawson Ware, Chase DeGrace, Kyle Riley, Derek Benes, Drew Pace, Cody Jones, Jett A-State Baseball 13

14 Miscellaneous Stats for Arkansas State (as of Mar 02, 2009) Starting Lineup By Position (Team W-L record when starter) PITCHER: 29 Ware, Chase 2 (2-0) 25 Riley, Derek 1 (0-1) 15 Benes, Drew 1 (0-1) 7 Jones, Jett 1 (0-1) CATCHER: 16 Hipps, Lawson 3 (1-2) 21 DeGrace, Kyle 2 (1-1) FIRST BASE: 27 Eller, Brandon 5 (2-3) SECOND BASE: 38 Garcia, Giovanni 5 (2-3) THIRD BASE: 3 Brown, Guy 5 (2-3) SHORTSTOP: 1 Kimball, Jordan 5 (2-3) LEFT FIELD: 23 DeMoney, Josh 4 (1-3) 18 Pace, Cody 1 (1-0) CENTER FIELD: 8 Baumgartner, Tod 5 (2-3) RIGHT FIELD: 5 Coleman, Derrick 5 (2-3) DESIGNATED HITTER: 19 Watts, Murray 4 (2-2) 15 Benes, Drew 1 (0-1) Starting Lineup By Lineup Spot (Team W-L record when starter) LEADOFF: 8 Baumgartner, Tod 4 (1-3) 18 Pace, Cody 1 (1-0) 2ND SPOT: 5 Coleman, Derrick 2 (1-1) 16 Hipps, Lawson 1 (0-1) 23 DeMoney, Josh 1 (0-1) 3 Brown, Guy 1 (1-0) 3RD SPOT: 27 Eller, Brandon 4 (1-3) 8 Baumgartner, Tod 1 (1-0) CLEANUP: 19 Watts, Murray 4 (2-2) 5 Coleman, Derrick 1 (0-1) 5TH SPOT: 23 DeMoney, Josh 3 (1-2) 27 Eller, Brandon 1 (1-0) 38 Garcia, Giovanni 1 (0-1) 6TH SPOT: 38 Garcia, Giovanni 3 (1-2) 5 Coleman, Derrick 2 (1-1) 7TH SPOT: 16 Hipps, Lawson 2 (1-1) 3 Brown, Guy 2 (1-1) 21 DeGrace, Kyle 1 (0-1) 8TH SPOT: 3 Brown, Guy 2 (0-2) 15 Benes, Drew 1 (0-1) 38 Garcia, Giovanni 1 (1-0) 21 DeGrace, Kyle 1 (1-0) 9TH SPOT: 1 Kimball, Jordan 5 (2-3) 2009 A-State Baseball 14

15 Statistics Summary for Arkansas State (as of Mar 02, 2009) Record: 2-3 Home: 1-0 Away: 0-1 Neutral: 1-2 Sun Belt: 0-0 Date Opponent Score 2/20 vs Texas State W 4-3 ^2/20 at UT Arlington L 4-5 2/21 vs Siena L 1-5 2/22 vs Texas State L 2-3 2/27 SIU-EDWARDSVILLE W Player avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi bb hbp so sb-att 8 Baumgartner, To Garcia, Giovanni Coleman, Derrick DeMoney, Josh Watts, Murray Eller, Brandon Kimball, Jordan Lee, Jacob Burgi, Kevin Hipps, Lawson Pace, Cody Brown, Guy DeGrace, Kyle Benes, Drew Avant, Grey Riemenschneider Jones, Derek Totals Opponents LOB - Team (39), Opp (46). DPs turned - Team (5), Opp (1). IBB - Team (1), Watts, M. 1, Opp (1). Picked off - Baumgartner 1. Player era w-l app gs cg sh sv ip h r er bb so 10 Lambert, Nick Blackburn, Ryan Bullington, Chris Ferguson, Andy Ware, Chase Lambert, Cory Lee, Jacob Jones, Jett Benes, Drew Riley, Derek Totals Opponents PB - Team (1), DeGrace, K. 1, Opp (2). Pickoffs - Team (2), Bullington 2, Opp (1). SBA/ATT - Benes, D. (0-1), Hipps, L. (0-1). Score by innings EX Total Arkansas State Opponents Win-loss breakouts: Day 1-2; Night 1-1; vs Left 0-0; vs Right 2-3; 1-run games 1-2; 2-run games 0-0; 5+run games 1-0; Extra inns 1-0; Shutouts 0-0. Current streak: Won 1; Longest winning streak: 1; Longest losing streak: 3. Attendance: Home 247 (avg 247); Away 844 (avg 211); Total 1091 (avg 218) A-State Baseball 15