October 23, 2007
Bullpen Duo Leaves Mark on B-W Baseball Record Book
Baldwin-Wallace College bullpen specialists J.D. Fullerton and Bob Storesina finished their careers this spring with a pair of marks in the B-W baseball record book.
Fullerton appeared in 13 games, extending the career record for relief appearances he set last year to 41. The prolific middle reliever and set-up man finished his career with 14 more appearances than any other relief pitcher in school history.
Storesina saved four games this season as the Yellow Jackets’ closer and tied the career record of seven saves set by Andy Robinson from 1991 to 1993. Three of Storesina’s four saves came in one weekend, earning him an Ohio Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week award. In nine appearances, he allowed just a single earned run.
The All-OAC utility player was also the Jackets’ starting catcher for the past two years, and he was as dominating behind the plate as he was on the mound, throwing out 58% of the base runners who tried to steal a base from him.
All-OAC sophomores Cody Kidd and Riley Kreisher had stellar seasons in the field, leading the Jackets to a .958 fielding average, the second-highest team fielding average in history. Kidd committed only two errors in 113 chances in center field, and Kreisher had just one error at first base. It was the first and only error of his career in over 350 chances. Both players now hold the career fielding average records at their positions.
At the plate, Kidd broke the season record for getting hit by a pitch with a baker’s dozen. In just two seasons, the Jackets’ lead-off hitter is sixth all-time with 19 career HBPs.
April 30, 2007
Cody Kidd Goes On a Record-Setting Bruise Binge
Baldwin-Wallace College sophomore center fielder Cody Kidd went on a bruise binge last week, getting hit by a pitch four times and setting a school record that only a lead-off hitter could love — a dozen beanings in a single season.
Kidd’s binge started a week ago last Thursday when he was hit twice in the Yellow Jackets’ 21–2 blowout of Myers University. Two days later, in the first game of a doubleheader against Wilmington College, he was hit again, tying the record of 11 HBPs set by last year’s lead-off hitter, Kevin Brown.
He broke the record on Saturday when he was plunked by Ohio Northern University southpaw Scott Bruckman to lead off the first game of a doubleheader sweep in Ada. After taking his record-setting base, he promptly stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error, and then scored on a sacrifice fly ball. He scored the Jackets’ only other run after singling to lead off the third inning, and they went on to win 2–0. In the nightcap, he scored one of B-W’s three runs himself and knocked in the other two with a game-winning, two-out triple in the fifth inning.
Kidd has been getting on and around the bases for the Jackets all season. He’s hitting .368 and leads the team with a .473 on-base percentage, 42 runs scored, four triples and 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts. He’s also tied with sophomore first baseman Riley Kreisher for the team home run crown with three apiece.
His 42 runs are five shy of Paul Farrah’s school record of 47 set in 1988, and his four triples are just one off the mark set by Pat George in 1976 and matched by Pete Rowe in 2002.
[ B-W Baseball Batting & Baserunning Records ]
March 15, 2007
Yellow Jackets Stalk Endangered Records
As the Baldwin-Wallace College baseball team gets ready to open its northern campaign, several school records are in danger of falling. Based on their performances at last week’s Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla., where the Yellow Jackets went 5–4 and outscored their opponents 82 to 45, these are the B-W players in the hunt for a record-setting season:
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Senior pitcher Clayton Kynkor has his sight on the best record in school history after winning both of the games he started at the Classic. His 12–4 career record is now third all-time and tops in this decade.
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Senior bullpen ace J.D. Fullerton added to the career record for relief appearances he set last season with four more in Ft. Myers. With 32 career appearances, he needs 13 more to break the record for total pitching appearances set by Bernie Bonhotel from 1985 to 1988.
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After getting hit with a pitch five times in Florida, sophomore center fielder Cody Kidd is already about half-way to the season record set by Kevin Brown last year.
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Kidd, who led the Jackets with 16 runs scored, and junior second baseman Nate Luken, who scored 12, have set themselves up for a run at the season scoring record of 47 set by Paul Farrah in 1988.
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Sophomore catcher and designated hitter Matt Bolte drove in 15 runs, putting him on pace to break Pat Shannon’s record of 50 RBIs set in 2002.
The Yellow Jackets’ hunt for endangered records continues this weekend when they travel to southwest Ohio for a doubleheader at Urbana University.
[ B-W Baseball Weekly Sports Notes ]
May 26, 2006
2006 B-W Baseball Team Sets or Ties Nine School Records
Led by senior co-captains Dan Melito and Kevin Brown, the Baldwin-Wallace College baseball team set or tied nine school records this season.
Melito capped one of the best offensive careers in B-W history by smashing the career record for doubles with 47 over the last four seasons — nearly a dozen more than the previous mark. He hit 17 this year alone, falling just one short of the season record set by Pat Shannon in 2003. He finished his career with more runs scored and a higher on-base percentage than any other player this decade, and he’s among the all-time top ten in nine categories, including hits, runs batted in, home runs, walks, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
He’s also fifth all-time among B-W outfielders with a .970 fielding average. In fact, all three of the Yellow Jackets’ senior outfielders finished their careers with top-ten fielding averages. Center fielder Matt Green’s .974 average is second all-time — just five one-thousandths behind Brian Keller’s school record of .979 — and left fielder Mike Farrell is seventh with a .964 average. Farrell also finished in the top ten for career doubles, home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage.
Brown, the Yellow Jackets’ leadoff hitter, earned his place in the school record book the hard way. He was hit by a pitch 11 times this year, breaking the season record and giving him the career record with 19. His tough luck led the Jackets to a new team record of 38 beanings. His 71 career walks are the most by any player this decade, and rank sixth all-time. He also finished in the top ten for runs scored and fielding assists.
On April 13, he hustled his way to three doubles against Case Western Reserve University, matching a school and Ohio Athletic Conference single-game record shared by Phil Stringer ’90, Brian Johnson ’01, Pat Shannon ’03 and Mike Turchan ’05.
On the mound, junior pitchers J.D. Fullerton and Clayton Kynkor made a record number of pitching appearances this season. Fullerton’s relief appearance in the Jackets’ final game of the season broke the career record for most appearances by a reliever with 28. He missed the season record by only two appearances. Kynkor’s 11 starts tied the season record set by Scott Medvin in 1982 and matched by Walt Kendzierski in 1985, Bernie Bonhotel in 1988 and Matt Palumbo in 1991.
Kynkor’s 10–4 career record going into his senior year is tied with Heath Baker’s 15–6 mark from 2000 to 2003 for the best record this decade. Kynkor and Baker are tied for the third-best record all-time with Bret Butler, who also went 10–4 from 1991 to 1992.
April 18, 2006
Kevin Brown Takes One for the Record Book
Senior second baseman Kevin Brown took one for the team in Saturday’s doubleheader at Marietta College and earned another spot in the Baldwin-Wallace College baseball record book.
Brown was hit by a pitch from Marietta freshman Alex Sedam during a six-run rally in the second inning of game two at Pioneer Park. It was the 11th time this season that the Yellow Jackets’ lead-off hitter has been caught by a pitcher, and it set a new school record. Brown has now been plunked 19 times in his career at B-W — another school record.
The career record had been held by two-time All–Mideast Region first baseman Pat Shannon, who was drilled 18 times from 2000 to 2003. Academic All–District IV third baseman Todd Bratz ’02 set the previous season record in 2002, when he was hit by a pitch 10 times.
Brown, who’s hitting .319 with a .496 on-base percentage, leads the Ohio Athletic Conference in the hit by pitch category. He’s also tops in the league with 35 runs scored and third with 23 walks.
[ B-W Baseball Batting & Baserunning Records ]
April 14, 2006
Kevin Brown Ties B-W Record with Three Doubles Against Case
Senior second baseman Kevin Brown tied a Baldwin-Wallace College school record yesterday with three doubles in a 16–6 rout of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Brown led off the game with a double to right–center field and scored on a two-run home run by senior left fielder Mike Farrell. He followed that with another two-base hit to right-center in the second inning. Two innings later, he hustled his way into the Yellow Jackets record book by stretching an RBI single to center field into his third double of the game. He finished the day with three doubles in three at-bats, a walk and three runs batted in.
Brown shares his record for two-baggers in a single game with Phil Stringer ’90, Brian Johnson ’01, Pat Shannon ’03 and B-W student assistant coach Mike Turchan ’05.
Brown is now hitting .326 and leads the team with 33 runs scored. He has 19 RBIs from the lead-off spot in the line-up and is a brushback away from breaking B-W’s season and career records for being hit by a pitch.
[ B-W Baseball Batting & Baserunning Records ]
March 27, 2006
Dan Melito Breaks B-W Career Doubles Record
Senior right fielder Dan Melito broke the Baldwin-Wallace College school record for doubles in a career during yesterday’s 16–6 victory over Walsh University in North Canton.
Melito led off the fifth inning with a double to right–center field, bringing his career total to 37 and breaking the previous record of 36 held by Phil Stringer ’90, Joel Nichols ’96 and Pat Shannon ’03. His record-breaking double followed a three-run home run in the third inning that put the Yellow Jackets ahead 11–1. He finished the game with two of the Jackets’ 17 hits, four RBIs and a pair of runs scored.
Melito leads the Jackets with seven doubles so far this season. He led the team with ten doubles last year and 13 in 2004.
