BW Baseball Online Almanac

Baldwin-Wallace College head coach Bob Fisher opened his 40th season at the helm of the B-W baseball team today with an 18–8 win over Emerson College at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla.

Coach Fisher graduated from B-W in 1963 and became the head baseball coach at his alma mater when Lars Wagner, who had rebuilt the program after it was suspended during World War II, retired in 1967.

In his first few years on the job, he put his stamp on the program by expanding the schedule, making the preseason southern trip an annual event, establishing a junior varsity team and upgrading the baseball field. He also introduced an aggressive style of play that attacked opponents on defense as well as on offense.

After an 8–10 rookie season in 1968, Fisher’s Yellow Jackets won the Ohio Athletic Conference Northern Division championship in 1969, and then won back-to-back division titles in 1972 and 1973.

When the OAC realigned to a single division in 1985, B-W won the regular season race and hosted the conference’s inaugural postseason championship tournament. The Jackets won the tournament with a tripleheader sweep on the final day that was capped by a dramatic, come-from-behind win over Marietta College in the championship game. They went on to host three of the first four championship tournaments.

The Jackets also made their first appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs in 1985, finishing third in the Midwest Regional after being eliminated by the eventual national champion University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. They earned three more trips to the NCAA playoffs in the next five years.

Entering his fourth decade in the B-W dugout, Coach Fisher is the dean of OAC coaches with a 362–231–8 (.610) conference record, 17 postseason appearances and four coach of the year awards.

Overall, he has guided the Yellow Jackets through 1,243 games and posted a 651–580–12 (.529) career record. He has more wins at B-W than any other coach in school history and ranks 18th on the NCAA’s list of the all-time winningest coaches in Division III baseball.

[ B-W Baseball Coaches Roster ]

Baldwin-Wallace College hall of fame pitcher Curt Karpinski will be inducted into the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Friday at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Columbus.

Curt was an outstanding pitcher for the Yellow Jackets from 1969 to 1972, compiling an 8–5 record and a 2.21 earned run average in 29 appearances and striking out 149 batters in 122 innings. He was the Ohio Athletic Conference strikeout champion in 1971 and topped the conference in 1972 with a 6–0 record and a 0.63 ERA — the lowest ever recorded by a B-W pitcher. He holds the school record for the lowest career ERA along with fellow hall of famer Bob Love ’68, and he allowed fewer hits per game than any other pitcher in B-W history.

After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace, Curt signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians and spent two years in their minor league system before injuries ended his career. In his rookie season, he struck out 70 batters in 66 innings and posted a 1.77 ERA, earning him a spot on the Gulf Coast League’s all-star team.

In 1988, after a successful stint as the head baseball coach at Oberlin College, he was hired for the top job at Elyria High School. Over the next 17 seasons, he guided the Pioneers to a 236–148 (.615) record and won six conference championships, five sectional titles, three district crowns and a trip to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Final Four in 1992.

Several of the ballplayers he mentored at Elyria went on to successful careers at his alma mater, including recent All-OAC outfielders Brian Johnson ’01 and Matt Green ’06, and All–Mideast Region catcher Joey Dallas ’93, who followed him into the B-W Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

Friday’s ceremony will mark Curt’s third induction into an athletic hall of fame. He was inducted into B-W’s hall of fame in 1992, and he was a member of the inaugural hall of fame class at his high school alma mater, Keystone High School, in 1997.

[ B-W Baseball Athletic Hall of Famers ]

This year’s B-W Baseball Holiday Skills Camp will be held from Thursday, December 27, to Saturday, December 29, at the Lou Higgins Recreation Center.

The B-W Baseball Holiday Skills Camp is a three-day commuter camp where boys and girls ages 9–16 can learn the fundamentals of baseball in a fun, well-supervised environment. Our campers are coached in small groups and one-on-one by B-W coaches and players. They participate in a variety of action-packed drills and practice routines, and they get to pitch off of our indoor mounds and take live BP in our batting cages.

The Holiday Skills Camp is the main fundraising event for the baseball team’s annual spring trip to the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla.

If you know a young ballplayer who’s looking for something fun to do over Christmas break, we’d love to see them at this year’s camp! They can learn all about the camp, meet our coaching staff and download registration forms at the B-W Baseball Holiday Skills Camp website.

[ B-W Baseball Holiday Skills Camp ]

The 2007 Baldwin-Wallace College baseball award winners were recognized between innings of the Yellow Jackets’ annual alumni baseball game at Heritage Field on Homecoming morning, October 13.

• Outstanding Freshman: Right-handed pitcher Jim Palko was the Yellow Jackets’ most consistent starter, finishing his first season with a 2–1 record and a 2.64 earned run average in eight appearances. He was named OAC Pitcher of the Week for throwing nine innings in two games without giving up a run.
• Gold Glove Award: Slugging first baseman Riley Kreisher hit .370 with ten doubles and three home runs, but he was even more impressive with his glove, committing just one error in 285 chances. It was the first error of his career, and he now holds the career record for infielders with .997 fielding average.
• Big Stick Award: Center fielder Cody Kidd proved that last year’s Outstanding Freshman award was no fluke. The speedy lead-off hitter got on and around the bases all season, batting .382, scoring 42 runs and stealing 16 bases in 17 attempts. He also set a season record by getting hit with a pitch 13 times.
• Outstanding Pitcher: Catcher and closer Bob Storesina was the most dominating pitcher on the Jackets’ staff. He tied the career saves record by saving four games this season. Three of them came in a single weekend, earning him an OAC Pitcher of the Week award. His team-leading 0.75 ERA was backed up by 12 strikeouts in 12 innings of work, and he gave up just one walk and one earned run.
• Yellow Jacket Award: Cody Kidd and Riley Kreisher were recognized as outstanding teammates by the coaching staff for their unselfish leadership, positive attitude and constant encouragement of their teammates, and for “a practice ethic and style of play that, if emulated by any of our guys, would make for a better player and teammate.”
• Guy Fisher Award for Academic Excellence: Sophomore pitcher Brandon Fredericks posted back-to-back semesters with straight As and has a 3.91 cumulative grade point average going into his junior year.

Several recent B-W baseball award winners were at the alumni game to see this year’s honorees receive their awards, including last year’s Gold Glove second baseman Kevin Brown and Big Stick right fielder Dan Melito. Their classmates Nick Quarando, the 2004 Outstanding Freshman, and Mike Farrell, the 2004 Yellow Jacket Award winner, were also at the game.

Joining them in the alumni dugout were John Mayles ’85, Rich Barberic ’87, Mark Massey ’92, Steve Conter ’02, Jim Leffler ’03, Ryan Petrusky ’03 and Pat Shannon ’03.

Southpaw Max Newill ’98 started for the alumni and struck out five batters in two innings of work. He was followed to the mound by his classmate Brian Rudloff, while Heath Baker ’03 and Kevin Seda ’83 rounded out the alums’ rotation.

Before the final inning of the game, the alumni presented head coach Bob Fisher with a check for $3,752 that was raised during this spring’s Home Runs for Heritage campaign. The money was donated by B-W baseball alums, parents and fans, and will help pay for the design and construction of a new press box at Heritage Field.

For most of the morning, it looked like the game would end in a tie, just like last year’s 3–3 game, but the varsity Yellow Jackets broke a 1–1 deadlock with a late-inning rally and beat their predecessors 7–1.

[ B-W Baseball Honor Roll ]

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.

[ B-W Baseball Record Book ]

The Baldwin-Wallace College baseball alumni are proud to announce that this year’s Home Runs for Heritage campaign raised more than $3,000 to help pay for the design and construction of a new press box at Heritage Field.

Dozens of generous B-W baseball alumni, parents and fans pledged a total of $216 for each of the 11 home runs the Yellow Jackets hit this season, giving us $2,376 in promised donations. We also received $760 in unpledged, direct donations, bringing our total proceeds to $3,136.

All of the pledges and donations that we collect from our supporters are immediately deposited in the college’s Heritage Field fund, but we plan to present a ceremonial check to Coach Fisher at this year’s alumni baseball game on Homecoming morning, October 13.

Thank you to everyone who made our inaugural Home Runs for Heritage campaign a success. If you missed your chance to join this season’s campaign, you can make an “off-season” donation to the Heritage Field fund at any time of year by sending a designated gift to B-W’s Development Office.

And you can look forward to another Home Runs for Heritage campaign next year!

[ Home Runs for Heritage ]

A trio of Baldwin-Wallace College baseball players has been named to the 2007 Academic All–Ohio Athletic Conference baseball team.

The Academic All-OAC team recognizes the league’s top scholar-athletes. Its roster is made up of outstanding starters and key reserves who have at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average. Roster spots are awarded by a committee of faculty representatives from each of the ten conference schools.

This year, the faculty reps honored junior second baseman Nate Luken and sophomore center fielder Cody Kidd with first team selections. Luken, a business administration and finance major, boasts a 3.91 GPA, while Kidd, who was named to the Academic All-District team earlier this week, is carrying a 3.72 GPA in biology and pre-med.

Sophomore right fielder Mike Brisky, a business administration and management major with a 3.56 GPA, was selected for honorable mention.

[ B-W Baseball Academic All-OAC Selections ]

Baldwin-Wallace College senior co-captain Bob Storesina and sophomores Cody Kidd and Riley Kreisher have been elected to the 2007 All–Ohio Athletic Conference baseball team by the league’s head coaches.

Storesina was voted the OAC‘s second-team utility player after starting 29 games as the Yellow Jackets’ catcher and making nine appearances as the team’s closer. At the plate, he hit .313 with 23 runs scored and 23 batted in while slugging out eight doubles, three triples and a pair of home runs. He threw out 47% of the runners who tried to steal a base against him. On the mound, he posted four saves and a 0.75 earned run average, striking out 12 batters in 12 innings while walking just one. He was named the OAC Pitcher of the Week on April 30 for saving three games in a single weekend.

Kidd, the Jackets’ speedy center fielder, and Kreisher, their slugging first baseman, were also picked for the second team.

Kidd led the Jackets with a .382 batting average, 42 runs, four triples and 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts. He also had team highs in on-base percentage (.484) and slugging percentage (.553), and he tied with Kreisher for the team lead with 47 hits and three home runs. He hit safely in 19 straight games and set a school record by getting hit with a pitch 13 times.

Kreisher played nearly every inning at first base this season and committed only one error in 285 fielding chances. He hit .370, scored 32 runs and knocked in 33. In addition to matching Kidd with the most hits and homers, he tied sophomore designated hitter Matt Bolte for the team lead with 18 walks and topped the team with 10 two-base hits.

[ B-W Baseball All-OAC Selections ]

Baldwin-Wallace College sophomore center fielder Cody Kidd has been named to ESPN The Magazine‘s 2007 Academic All–District IV baseball team.

The Academic All–District IV team is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America and honors outstanding ballplayers from Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama who have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2.

Kidd, who is a biology and pre-med major, has a 3.72 GPA. He was selected to the second team of the district’s College Division, which includes players from NCAA Division II and Division III schools and the NAIA.

Kidd led the Yellow Jackets this season with a .382 batting average, 42 runs scored, four triples and 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts. He tied for the team lead with 47 hits and three home runs and set a school record by getting hit with a pitch 13 times. In 35 games as the Jackets’ starting center fielder, he made only two errors.

B-W has now had at least one baseball player selected to the Academic All-District team in every season since 2001.

[ B-W Baseball Academic All–District IV Selections ]

Baldwin-Wallace College senior closer Bob Storesina was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week Monday after picking up three saves in a pair of doubleheaders over the weekend. Storesina is the second straight B-W pitcher to earn the honor. Freshman starter Jim Palko won the award last week.

On Saturday, Storesina locked down both ends of a doubleheader sweep at Ohio Northern University. He came back the next day and pitched two innings of scoreless relief to close out the second game of a doubleheader with Heidelberg College as B-W fought back for a split against the second-place Student Princes. In two days, he threw four innings of save-situation baseball without giving up a run or a walk.

In nine relief appearances this season, Storesina has a stingy 0.75 earned run average. He’s struck out 12 batters in 12 innings while walking just one, and he’s held his opponents to a .214 batting average. His four saves are second in the OAC and two behind the school record of six set by Andy Robinson in 1991.

In addition to his role as the Yellow Jackets’ closer, Storesina has started 27 games behind the plate this year, throwing out 45% of opposing base stealers and batting .297 with six doubles, three triples, a pair of home runs, 21 runs scored and 23 batted in.

[ B-W Baseball OAC Players of the Week ]