By Gary R. Rasberry
grasberry@dailystandard.com The University of Toledo has been rapidly improving this season after a tough campaign last year. On Wednesday, the Rockets came back to beat Xavier 7-6 in Cincinnati to improve to 13-10 on the season.
Rocket sophomore Scott Boley came up with the big hit for the Rockets as the Celina graduate had a two-run single in the top of the eighth to put the Rockets up for good.
Scott has shined starting at third base for the Rockets raising his average to .301 on the season with four home runs and 17 runs batted in for Toledo. Boley has a solid .482 slugging percentage and a .398 on-base percentage.
Twin brother Sean has seen limited time at catcher. Making nine starts in the 10 games he has played, Sean is batting .179 with a double.
In the bullpen, Steve Wenning has been a late-inning stopper for the Rockets. The Coldwater grad pitched a perfect eighth for the Rockets on Wednesday, lowering his earned run average to 0.77 in 13 appearances. In 11 2/3 innings, Wenning has struck out 14 and walked only three. With just seven base hits given up in that stretch, Wenning's walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) is an astounding 0.60. The Rockets are in Buffalo for a Mid-American Conference series with the Bison of Buffalo and return home on Tuesday to host Wayne State in a non-conference matchup.
Luebke still strong for Buckeyes
Ohio State has continued its reputation as a top midwest team in the nation, ranking 24th in the most recent coaches' poll. The Buckeyes are 16-6 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play.
Sophomore southpaw Cory Luebke continues to be a standout in coach Bob Todd's rotation. The Marion Local grad is 3-2 with a 3.56 ERA. In 30 1/3 innings, Luebke had struck out 26, sharing the team lead, while walking just 13 batters.
Junior Kris Moorman (St. Henry) has struggled this season in finding a consistent spot in the lineup. Playing just four games, Moorman is batting .143.
Schumm keeping bat warm
Dayton is back over .500 after improving to 13-12 with a 28-7 drubbing of Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne on Tuesday in Fort Wayne.
Flyer junior Galen Schumm had the day off on Tuesday, but should be in the lineup for the weekend Atlantic 10 series at Richmond thanks to a hot bat. The Parkway grad is batting .303 with eight doubles, a homer and 10 RBI for the Flyers this season.
The Flyers play a single game against the Spiders today before playing games on Saturday and Sunday.
Heyne still stopper for Cardinals
Ball State is above .500 at 15-12, thanks to a solid pitching staff maintained by former Grand Lake Mariners manager Mike Stafford.
Redshirt sophomore Kyle Heyne, who will pitch for the Mariners this summer, maintains his role as the closer for the Cardinals. The Coldwater grad is 2-4 with four saves this season with an ERA of 1.42. In 19 innings, Heyne has struck out 19 and has yet to walk a batte out of the bullpen.
The Cardinals hosts Ohio in MAC play this weekend, starting today at 3 p.m.
Becker working hard for Falcons
Bowling Green stands at 15-11 on the season going into a weekend conference series at Central Michigan. The Falcons have won six straight in raising their record to 5-2 in the MAC.
Junior Greg Becker (Celina) has been a part of the rotation for the Falcons and in six starts, Becker is 3-2 with a 5.83 ERA. Becker has been a solid pitcher on the mound, striking out 16 and walking eight in 29 1/3 innings while producing a WHIP of 1.26.
Bruns scuffling for struggling Bears
Ohio Northern has struggled out of the gate this season, starting the year 4-11 overall and 0-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference.
St. Henry alum Phil Bruns has also had some struggles at the plate as the junior infielder is batting .250 on the season with one double and one RBI in 15 games.
The Polar Bears are at Baldwin-Wallace in OAC doubleheader action on Saturday before going to Defiance on Sunday for a doubleheader.
Koesters hitting ball hard for Jackets
While Defiance has struggled out to a 7-12 start, Lenny Koesters has had a hot bat.
The St. Henry grad has been a big presence in the outfield for the Yellow Jackets, leading the team with a .413 batting average with two doubles and five RBI. Koesters has an outstanding .462 on-base percentage.
On the mound, Parkway grad Dusty Zizelman has been solid, going 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in four appearances. Zizelman has struck out 10 and walked six in 10 1/3 innings this season.
SOFTBALL
Carder coming off big weekend
Ohio State's softball team is on a solid run, having won four of the last five to reach the 20-win mark on the season and are still in the chase in the Big Ten with a 2-2 record.
Buckeye senior Billie Carder is coming off a great weekend after the Celina grad hit her second career grand slam and brought home five runs in a 6-3 win at Indiana.
Carder is batting .255 in 34 starts for the Buckeyes, hitting two home runs and leading the team with 19 runs batted in on four doubles, two triples and a pair of home runs.
The Buckeyes continue a 12-date homestand at Buckeye FIeld today as Illinois comes to Columbus for two games. Northwestern comes in Sunday for a doubleheader followed by a pair on Tuesday with Toledo.
Williams hitting the ball for Eagles
Ashland has been playing solid ball of late to raise its record to 18-12 on the season.
Sophomore third baseman Kelli Williams has been a big part of the team as the Celina alum is second on the team in hitting with a .233 average and has a second-best .522 slugging percenrage. In 24 starts, Williams has three home runs, four doubles and 13 RBI.
Cougar pair helping out
The University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne is inching closer to .500 after winning four of its last six games to improve to 12-15 on the season.
Sophomore Cassie Steinbrunner has been solid in the circle as the Parkway graduate is 4-4 with a 2.61 ERA for the Cougars, striking out 27 batters.
Fort Recovery star Sarah Schmitz has made the change from pitcher to fielder for USF. Schmitz is batting .275 and hit her first-ever grand slam on any level to help raise her RBI total to five.
The Cougars will be getting more local help next season as current Parkway pitching ace Tiffany Steinbrunner -- Cassie's sister -- will join the NAIA Cougars' program.
Adams continues to produce
Dayton freshman Shay Adams (Celina) continues to help the Flyers improve this season from their 8-17 start.
Adams is batting .284 with two home runs and is tied for second on the team in doubles with six and is second with 13 RBI.
Beckstedt making best of time with Oilers
The University of Findlay is struggling through an 8-22 campaign, but Lana Beckstedt is having a solid season.
A former Celina Bulldog, Beckstedt is batting .322 with three homers and 11 RBI for the Oilers.
Coldwater grad and Oiler freshman Betsy Homan has appeared in five games this season with one start, going 0-for-2 on the year.
Goubeaux playing solid role
After being one of the more recent prolific hitters in the Grand Lake Area softball scene, Danielle Goubeaux is working more as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement at the collegiate level.
The Coldwater grad has played in 14 games for Ohio Northern (6-12) and is 0-of-7 at the plate. Goubeaux, though, has scored three runs and has two stolen bases this season for the Polar Bears.
Seifker perfect at U of the C
Celina grad Jamie Siefker, a two-sport athlete for the University of the Cumberlands, has made the most of her five games for the school.
Siefker has been to the plate once this season, getting a hit then stealing a base on the year, earning her a 1.000 batting average. |
