SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team will open its 2023 season with a four-game weekend series at Shippensburg University. The Rock and Raiders will play nine-inning games Friday and Sunday as well as doubleheader Saturday.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Shippensburg is 57-43-1 all-time against Slippery Rock, but the two teams have met just once in the last three years – a 4-3 SRU victory in last season's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament.
In last year's tournament victory against the Raiders, SRU's efforts were led by
Koby Bubash who went 2-for-4 with two runs, including the game-winner, and one home run.
Jon Kozarian had a pair of RBI as well while
Luke Trueman and Joseph Ehalnd collected one hit and one run apiece.
Rock ace
Devin Dunn started the game, going six inning and giving up three runs while posting seven strikeouts.
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 0-0
PSAC West Preseason Poll: 4th
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 4th
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 0-0
Streak: N/A
Last Five Games: N/A
2022 Final Record: 33-18
Head Coach: Jeff Messer | 38th season (1,072-694-5 / .607)
2022 RECAP
Slippery Rock had an outstanding season a year ago. The Rock went 33-18 in 2022 and qualified for both the PSAC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. SRU's 33 wins last season were the most for the program since 2009.
A LOOK AT THE POLLS
Slippery Rock received one first-place vote and was picked to finish fourth in the PSAC Western Division by the league's coaches in the conference's annual preseason polls earlier in the offseason.
In other polls, Slippery Rock is currently ranked fourth in the Atlantic Region in the most recent National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association regional poll and also received votes in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's national preseason poll.
ONE OF THE MOST CONSISTENT PROGRAMS IN THE REGION
Slippery Rock has been one of the most consistent programs in the Atlantic Region over the last 37 years under head coach
Jeff Messer. Dating back to the 1986 season, Slippery Rock has recorded 34 seasons with a .500 or better record. None of the other 31 teams currently competing in the Atlantic Region have exceeded The Rock's amount of .500 or better seasons over that time.
THE ROCK IN SEASON OPENERS
Historically speaking, Slippery Rock has thrived in its season-openers as SRU is 23-14 (.611) in its 37 season-openers under Messer. SRU has also won its last three season-opening series after taking three of four games from West Virginia State in 2020 and two of three from the Yellow Jackets in 2021 followed by a four-game sweep of Davis & Elkins last year.
MESSER ENTERS HALL OF FAME
One of the top coaches in Division II baseball history,
Jeff Messer is back for his 38th season leading the Slippery Rock program and will do so as a newly-minted American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame inductee.
Messer has compiled an overall record of 1,072-696-5 (.606) in his first 37 seasons at The Rock. He has guided SRU to 15 PSAC West titles, two PSAC Tournament championships, 13 NCAA Tournament berths and four appearances in the College World Series. He'll begin 2023 ranked 12th in s Division II history for career wins by a head coach while also being the fourth winningest active coach in D-II.
NEXT MAN UP
While Slippery Rock will be tasked with replacing significant pieces from last year's team including All-American catcher
Connor Hamilton, four-year starting third baseman
Abraham Mow, first baseman
Joel Spishock, starting pitcher
Ricky Mineo and reliver
Andy McClymonds, SRU's 2023 roster is hardly lacking talent The Rock brings back six everyday starters and three starting pitchers from a season ago. Overall, 25 athletes return from last year's team.
ROBENOLT A PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Senior outfielder
Alex Robenolt led a slew of Rock athletes to earn early recognition by being named to the NCBWA preseason All-America Team. He is the eighth Rock athlete to earn preseason All-America recognition since 2010. Previously,
Jon Kozarian (2022), Tyler Walters (2017, 2018), Luca Fuscardo (2018), Will Kengor (2014), Ryan Oglesby (2012), Vince Lloyd (2010),
Billy Messer (2010) and Jacob Oswalt (2010)
FIVE NAMED TO ALL-REGION TEAM
In addition to his All-America accolade, Robenolt was also one of ## Rock athletes to earn preseason all-region honors from the NCBWA along with starting pitcher
Devin Dunn, second baseman
Koby Bubash, designated hitter
Eddie Morris and starting pitcher / outfielder
Luke Trueman.
KEY RETURNING PITCHERS
Dunn anchored The Rock's starting rotation in his first season with the program a year ago. Over 12 starts, he went 9-2 with a 2.80 ERA, .231 opponent batting average and 77 strikeouts in 70.2 innings pitched. Dunn, who threw three complete-game shutouts last year, gave up three runs or less in seven starts. For his efforts, he was named a first team All-PSAC West pitcher and a consensus all-region choice by the NCBWA, ABCA and the D2CCA.
In addition to being a starting outfielder for The Rock, Trueman is also one of the workhorses of SRU's pitching rotation. He made 11 starts and pitched 65 innings on the way to going 5-5 with a 4.15 ERA, 73 strikeouts and just 12 walks in 2022. Trueman pitched four compete games and went at least five innings in nine of his 11 appearances on the mound.
The sophomore trio of
Ethan Edkins,
Eoin Rossman and
Robert Herr all gained valuable experience on the mound in their first collegiate seasons in 2022.
Edkins worked his way into The Rock's weekend rotation by mid-April before closing the season with a 6-1 record. Edkins compiled a 3.08 ERA, 36 strikeouts and a .201 opponent batting average in 38 innings pitched en route to being named the PSAC West Freshman of the Year.
Rossman, one of two pitchers on the 2023 roster from Virginia, made four starts and one relief appearance during his rookie year. He closed the season with a 1-1 record, 4.70 ERA, 22 strikeouts and a .228 opponent batting average in 15.1 innings.
Herr, who like Trueman also saw playing time as a position player a year ago, pitched 17 innings over seven appearances from the bullpen and one start. For the year, Herr was 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA and 18 strikeouts.
KEY RETURNING OUTFIELDERS
Slippery Rock has the luxury of returning all three of its starting outfielders from a season ago in Robenolt, Trueman and centerfielder
Joseph Ehland.
One of three Rock athletes to start all 51 games in 2022, Robenolt served as SRU's cleanup hitter in addition to corner outfield duties. He had a career-year, batting .363 with 39 runs scored, 11 home runs and 51 RBI while slugging .654 and compiling a .412 on-base percentage. He concluded the season tied for the team lead in both total hits (66) and extra-base hits (29). Like Dunn, Robenolt earned first team All-PSAC West and consensus all-region accolades.
When not pitching, Trueman served as The Rock's right fielder. He hit .293 with 27 runs, nine home runs and 28 RBI while slugging .560 with a .379 on-base percentage and four doubles. He opens the season with a 16-game reached base streak.
After playing sparingly as a freshman in 2021, Ehland became The Rock's starting centerfielder last year and responded by hitting .302 with 25 runs, 20 RBI and a .390 on-base percentage. Ehland also accounted for half of SRU's stolen bases in 2022 with nine in 11 attempts.
HERE TO HIT
In his first season as a full-time starter,
Eddie Morris was voted a first team All-PSAC West designated hitter after batting .329 in 46 starts with 34 runs, eight home runs and 32 RBI. Morris, who also had 12 doubles and a triple, slugged .584 with a .410 on-base percentage.
Morris has started 53 games over his Slippery Rock career, 49 as a DH, and of his 55 collegiate hits 26 have been of the extra base variety including 12 home runs.
KEY RETURNING INFIELDERS
Slippery Rock brings back two of its primary middle infielders from last season in Kozarian and Bubash.
Despite battling through injuries for much of the season, Kozarian still managed to start 50 games, play solid defense at shortstop, and hit four home runs with 38 RBI, 10 doubles and three triples on a .268 batting average and .367 on-base percentage all the while stealing five bases. When fully healthy, there are few better hitting infielders in the region than Kozarian, who was an All-American in 2021.
Bubash split time at second base with the now-graduated
Anthony Cinicola a season ago as he made 34 total appearances and 30 starts, hitting .402 over 102 at-bats with 27 runs, five home runs, 21 RBI, seven doubles, a .441 on-base percentage and a .637 slugging percentage. Bubash closed the season reaching base in 19 consecutive games.
One of four member of this year's team to be at The Rock at least five years,
Colin Cain has played in 68 games, 51 of which have been starts, during his time at SRU and is a career .312 hitter.
Evan Knaus has shown the ability to play a variety of positions since coming to SRU as a transfer from Eastern Gateway Community College. Last season, Knaus started 17 of his 25 games played between left field, catcher and designated hitter. At the plate, he had two home runs, 10 RBI, six runs scored and a .353 on-base percentage.
Other returners who saw playing time last year as reserves were
Joey Purcell and
Braden Olson. Purcell appeared in six games in place of Mow at third base, while Olson, who had two doubles and three RBI in nine at-bats, made the majority of his 10 appearances at second base.
WELCOME TO THE ROCK
Slippery Rock brought in a nine-man recruiting class for the 2023 season made up of five freshmen and three transfers.
SRU's freshmen class consists of outfielder/infielder
Darryn Callahan, pitcher
Branson Carson, pitcher
Parker Hogge, pitcher
Michael Kitko, pitcher
Nate Malak and infielder
Sam Muetzel. Those deciding to continue their college careers at The Rock are catcher
Robby Barrientos, pitcher
Gino Marra and pitcher
Jake Norris. All three student-athletes come to SRU as juniors.
Prior to coming to SRU, Barrientos played at Division I Old Dominion University for two seasons where he appeared in 29 games over two seasons. Marra also started his career in Division I as the left-hander pitched 28 innings over 18 appearances out of the UNC-Asheville bullpen.
Norris made 32 starts and two relief appearances during his time at Muskingum University, winning seven games and striking out 126 batters over 195.2 innings pitched.
FAMILIAR FACE IN THE OTHER DUGOUT
Shippensburg head coach Matt Jones is a 1995 graduate of Slippery Rock. He played for SRU under Messer from 1993 through his graduation from The Rock.
SETTLING IN
After this weekend's series, Slippery Rock returns to Jack Critchfield Park for nearly the entire month of March as 14 of The Rock's next 18 games will be played at home.
Since its opening during the 2002 season, Slippery Rock is an impressive 229-127 (.643) in games played at the friendly confines of Jack Critchfield Park. SRU has been particularly tough to beat at home as of late as SRU is 39-14 (.736) over the last two years.
ALUMNI CHECK
As is the case virtually every season, Slippery Rock once again has several alums competing throughout professional baseball.
• Lou Trivino will begin his sixth season in Major League Baseball as a reliver in the New York Yankees bullpen. After spending his first four full seasons with the Oakland A's, Trivino was traded to the Yankees last year. He has pitched in 285 MLB games since his debut in 2018.
• Matt Adams, who spent the 2022 season as one of the top hitters in the American Association with the Kansas City Monarchs, is back in the majors as a spring training non-roster invite with the Washington Nationals. Adams has played in 856 MLB games since 2012 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies. He was a member of the Nationals' 2019 world series team.
• Following a career-year with The Rock as a junior last season,
Ricky Mineo signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota Twins organization and will begin his professional career assigned to the organization's Florida Complex League.
• After playing in the independent leagues for three seasons, Joe Campagna recently had his contract purchased by the Colorado Rockies and was assigned to the organization's Arizona Complex League team.
• A veteran of nine professional seasons, Will Kengor is again on the Milwaukee Milkmen's roster in the American Association. Kengor was second on the Milkmen last year in home runs (14) and RBI (59) and third in hits (95).
•
Abraham Mow began his professional career last summer with the Billings Mustangs in the Frontier League. He played in 35 games, hitting three home runs with 19 RBI and a .404 on-base percentage.
CAREER RECORDS UPDATE
Hits (No. 17-20)
17. Joe Campagna (2016-19): 166
t18. Alex Bell (2014-16): 165
t18. Nate Statzer (2003-04): 165
20. Matt Kareis (1989-92): 164
Next Up: Jon Kozarian: 151
Doubles (No. 9-12)
9. Tom Huff (1991-94): 41
10. Kevin Keryan (1988-91): 40
11. Chase Rowe (2003-05): 39
t12. Jon Kozarian: 37
t12. Alex Robenolt: 37
t12. Adam Urbania (2014-15): 37
t12. Matt Deinert (1987-90): 37
t12. Joe Neidrick (2001-03): 37
Home Runs (No. 16-18)
t16. Alex Bell (2014-16): 17
t16. Chase Rowe (2003-05): 17
t18. Jim Pescatore (1983-86): 16
t18. Brian Burg (1994-97): 16
t18. Matt Kuzusko (2002-05): 16
t18. Doug Sankey (1992-95): 16
Next Up: Luke Trueman: 13
Next Up: Alex Robenolt: 13
Next Up: Jon Kozarian: 13
Runs Scored (No. 15-20)
t15. Will Kengor (2011-14): 125
t15. Craig White (1987-89): 125
17. Matt Kareis (1989-92): 121
t18. Eric Maul (1996-98): 111
t18. Joe Campagna (2016-19): 111
20.
Jon Kozarian: 109
Walks (No. 16-20)
t16. Frankie Jezioro (2016-19): 69
t16. Nick Forese (1975-78): 69
t18. Ben Marzullo (2002-04): 68
t18. Tyler Walters (2015-18): 68
20. John Samsa (1981-83): 67
Next Up: Jon Kozarian: 62
SHIPPENSBURG PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 7-2
PSAC East Preseason Poll: 4th
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 5th
Home Record: 3-0
Away Record: 4-2
Streak: W7
Last Five Games: 5-0
2022 Final Record: 26-23
Head Coach: Matt Jones | 17th season at SU (404-389-1 / .509)
SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
• While this weekend marks The Rock's first games of the season, Shippensburg is already nine games deep into its 2023 schedule.
• After opening the year by losing two of three games to Catawba, Shippensburg has swept Salem and Gannon in back-to-back three-game series'. Austin Baal secured the sweep of Gannon in spectacular fashion with a walk-off grand slam. Four of Baal's seven hits this year have been home runs.
• Through their first nine games, the Raiders are averaging 7.3 runs per contest while allowing 6.1. Opponents are hitting .271 against SU early on with the Riaders batting .286 so far.
TOP RAIDER HITTERS
Mike Heckman: .444 (8-12) – 8 runs – 5 SB – 7 RBI - .559 OBP
Andrew Chronister: .417 (15-36) – 10 runs - 1 HR – 9 RBI – .488 OBP
Gio Calamia: .361 (13-36) – 7 runs – 1 HR – 12 RBI – .425 OBP
Morgan Wyatt: .265 (9-34) – 8 runs – 2 HR – 11 RBI – .366 OBP
TOP RAIDER PITCHERS
Noah Nabholz: 2-1 – 18 IP – 3.00 ERA – 15 K / 5 BB - .264 OBA
Gabe Sotler: 2-0 – 14.2 IP – 2.45 ERA – 8 K / 3 BB - .245 OBA
J.T. Weaver: 2-0 – 12 IP – 3.75 ERA – 16 K / 1 BB - .182 OBA
Austen LaBarre: 3 Saves – 6 IP – 4.50 ERA – 10 K / 1 BB - .208 OBA
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock opens a 12-game homestand at Jack Critchfield Park with a four-game series March 3-5 against Alliance University.
To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on Twitter (@Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).
