For Immediate Release
2007 Baseball Wrap-Up
In his second year at the helm, Head Coach
Bill Fagler led the Nebraska Wesleyan baseball team to a 20-20
season in 2007, which included a mark of 11-13 in the Great
Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC).
Despite starting the season with five newcomers
in the lineup, the Prairie Wolves won five in a row on their
spring break trip to Irving, Texas, capped by a 15-8 win at
the University of Dallas. Winning three out of four games
against Peru State College boosted their record to 8-3, but
losing five of their next six quickly dropped it to 9-8. The
only win during the stretch came against eventual GPAC co-champion
Briar Cliff University.
NWU gained momentum with mid-season sweeps
over Mount Marty College, Hastings College and Concordia University
(Neb.). First-year pitcher Zane Cascini picked up three awards
during the win streak, including NAIA Region III Pitcher of
the Week.
At 15-8, postseason hopes were soaring, but
the Prairie Wolves soon learned how quickly momentum can reverse
itself. A pair of 4-2 losses at basement-dwelling Dordt College
started a skid in which NWU lost 10 consecutive league contests,
including six by two runs or less.
Behind the bat of Cory Hilgenkamp, who earned
NAIA Region III Player of the Week, Nebraska Wesleyan regrouped
to end the regular season with sweeps of Dana College and
Doane College. Those wins were just enough to earn the eighth
and final spot in the GPAC Tournament.
In the first round, NWU was paired against
the University of Sioux Falls, which shared the GPAC crown
with Briar Cliff. The Prairie Wolves lost 7-3, but avoided
elimination with a 10-5 win against Dakota Wesleyan University,
a team that swept Nebraska Wesleyan earlier in the year. The
season ended with a 6-5 loss to eventual tournament and NAIA
Region III champion Northwestern College (Iowa).
For the year, Fagler and company finished
4-12 in games decided by two runs or less, a mark the Prairie
Wolves will need to improve if they hope to become a contender
in the GPAC.
Senior catcher Shawn Votava broke the team’s
single-season record for fielding percentage by not committing
a single error in 150 fielding chances. Votava’s game-winning
home run in extra innings at Mt. Marty was another season
highlight.
Junior outfielder Jared Meays and first-year
designated hitter John Rust joined Cascini, Hilgenkamp and
Votava on the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I)
All-Independent Second Team. Honorable
mentions went to sophomore Corey Petersen and first-year shortstop
Andy McGowan, who was also named AD3I Co-Rookie of the Year.
Junior pitcher Tom Hranac and senior pitcher
Seth Schulz were among the other players to receive postseason
honors, earning Academic All-District VII Second Team and
the team’s Vicente Colón Award, respectively.
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