University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Pitt Johnstown Baseball Earns First Ever NCAA Regional Tournament Berth

Pitt-Johnstown Home Page

Search

Query

About Us

Academics

Admissions

Campus Life

Student Services

Athletics

Pitt Johnstown Baseball Earns First Ever NCAA Regional Tournament Berth

Article Body: Head Coach Todd Williams (9th season) and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Mountain Cat baseball team have earned the program’s first ever NCAA Regional Tournament berth when the pairings were released on Sunday. Pitt Johnstown, which posted a 33-16 overall record, earned the #6 seed in the North Atlantic Region and will take on top-seeded and the host school, West Virginia State University, on Thursday in Institute, WV.

Six teams will compete in the North Atlantic Region Tournament from Thursday through Sunday. The Regional champion will advance to the 39th Annual NCAA Division II baseball championship in Montgomery, AL from May 27 to June 3. This year’s regional tournaments are made up of 48 teams (six teams from each of the eight regions).

West Virginia State earned the North Atlantic Region's top-seed and will host the tournament. Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champion Kutztown University is the second seed, followed by West Chester University, Shepherd (WV) University, West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) champion Ohio Valley (WV) University and Pitt Johnstown.

Pitt Johnstown ended the 2006 regular season by winning nine of its final 11 games. Senior first baseman/third baseman Casey Long (Johnstown, Pa./Greater Johnstown H.S.) leads the team in hitting at .409 (65-159), followed by sophomore shortstop Chris Turka (Natrona Heights, Pa./Highlands H.S.) at .407 (59-145). Long also leads the team in homeruns (17), RBI’s (63), Slugging Percentage (.836) and doubles (15). His 17 homeruns and 63 RBI’s are single season school records, while his 39 career homeruns are also a school-best.

On the mound, sophomore right hander David Huey (Glen Campbell, Pa./Punxsutawney H.S.) leads the team with an 8-0 record and a 2.14 Earned Run Average in 63.0 innings-pitched. Huey is second behind freshman right hander Chuck Boring (Dilltown, Pa./United H.S.) in strikeouts with 37. Boring is 5-2 with a 3.97 E.R.A. and 51 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings-pitched, while sophomore right hander Zach Toth (Sarver, Pa./Knoch H.S.) also has a 5-2 record.

In addition, several players are ranked among the national statistical leaders, including Long, who is currently ranked sixth in Homeruns Per Game and 10th in Slugging Percentage. In 48 games-played Long had 133 total bases in 159 at-bats to rank 10th in slugging percentage at .836. Thirty-three of his 65 hits have been for extra bases. Long’s 17 homeruns rank him sixth in Homeruns Per Game at .35, while his 1.31 Runs Batted-In (63 RBI’s) Per Game are 20th , and his .409 batting average ranks him 61st . Junior outfielder Adam Plummer (Bellwood, Pa./Bellwood-Antis H.S.) is 23rd in Triples Per Game at .13 (six triples), while freshman Turka is 66th in Batting Average at .407. Huey (Glen Campbell, Pa.) is 40th in Earned Run Average (2.14) and 45th in Victories (8).

As a team, Coach Williams’ Mountain Cats are 22nd in Homeruns Per Game at 1.0 (49 homeruns), 25th in Batting Average (.330), 69th in Triples Per Game (.29) in Slugging Percentage (.507), 43 and 73rd in Earned Run Average (4.55).

Posted by Shook, Kimberly on 5/17/2006 6:10:00 PM