May 12, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

Going Dancin': This will be Hopkins' 15th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 14th appearance under head coach Bob Babb. The Blue Jays were 3-2 at last year's NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional advancing to the regional final before falling to Kean, the eventual National Champs.

Going South: Hopkins earned the number two seed in the NCAA South Regional Tournament. The Blue Jays have appeared in the South Regional one other time in school history. That was 1989 when the Blue Jays won the regional and advanced to the College World Series.

Brains and Braun: The Blue Jays had three players named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District First Team last week. Seniors Rob Pietroforte, Jonas Fester and Ryan Kealy all advance to the national ballot after being first team selections. Pietroforte and Fester were first team all-district selections last year with Pietroforte earning academic all-america status.

Double Your Pleasure: Of Hopkins' 569 hits, 122 have been doubles. The Blue Jays need four more doubles to tie the Centennial Conference single-season doubles mark they set last year.

Fifth Best: This year's senior class that began play during the 2005 season has the fifth best winning percentage of any class under Babb. Entering the NCAA Regional Tournament, this year's seniors have a record of 132-34-2 (.791). The best winning percentage for a class under Babb belongs to the 2002-05 class that had a four-year record of 141-29 (.829).

50x3 and Counting: The Blue Jays enter the NCAA Regional Tournament with three players who have scored 50+ runs in a season. Pietroforte has scored 57 while sophomore Brian Youchak has crossed the plate 53 times. Senior Todd Emr rounds out the trio having scored 50 times this year. The last time the Blue Jays had three guys score 50+ runs in a season was 1998.

20+=17: When Hopkins defeated Gettysburg on April 11, the Blue Jays recorded their 20th win of the season. It marked the 17th straight season under Babb, the Blue Jays had recorded 20+ victories.

I'm Honored: Six Blue Jays were named to the All-Centennial Baseball Team released at the end of April. Seniors Tony Margve, Pietroforte, Emr and junior Ryan Biner were all named First Team All-Centennial while Youchak earned Second Team All-Centennial honors. Senior Joe Zaccaria rounded out the group as he earned All-Centennial Honorable Mention.

King of the K's: Hopkins has 295 strikeouts this season. That number is just 21 K's away from the JHU and Centennial Conference single-season record of 316. The Blue Jays have seven pitchers with at least 20 strikeouts on the season led by Zaccaria's 46. Senior Ryan Kuhlman has racked up 36 strikeouts while senior Brian Duddie and junior Chez Angeloni each have 32 K's to their credit.

800 and Counting: With the 12-1 victory over Swarthmore on March 29, Babb recorded the 800th victory of his coaching career. He became the 12th coach in Division III history to reach the mark. He enters the NCAA Regional Tournament with a record of 821-285-10 in his 29th season on the Blue Jay bench.

Stranding Runners: The Blue Jay bullpen has done a solid job of stranding inherited runners this season. Only 17 of 54 inherited runners have made it across the plate against the bullpen. That group is led by sophomore Matt Wiegand, junior Pete Smith and sophomore Marco Simmons. Wiegand has stranded all 10 of the runners he has inherited while Smith has left seven of his 11 on base. Simmons has only allowed one of the five runners he has inherited to score.

Streaking: Four Blue Jays will carry a hit streak of 18 games or more into the NCAA Regional Tournament. Pietroforte has connected in 26 games while Youchak has hit safely in 21 games. Emr is riding an 18-game hit streak and when Fester returns to the field, he will pick up a 28-game hit streak that dates back to the final 10 games of last year.

That's a Big Hit: Seniors Pietroforte and Emr are in search of big hit numbers at the NCAA Regional Tournament. Pietroforte needs nine more hits to reach 200 for his career. He would join John Christ (232) as the only players in school history to record 200+ hits in their career. Emr needs 10 more hits to tie the single-season hits record at 81, also held by Christ.

With Ducks on the Pond: Hopkins continues to hit the ball well with runners on base and in scoring position. The Blue Jays are hitting .419 this season with runners on base, .415 with runners in scoring position and .730 with a runner on third and less then two outs. Youchak is the Blue Jays' best hitter in these situations as he is hitting .588 with runners on, .571 with runners in scoring position and .889 with a runner on third and less then two outs.

Scoring Early and Often: Hopkins has found success this year when it scores early and often. The Blue Jays have out scored its opponents 459-192 and 160-44 in the first three innings. Hopkins is 24-2 when it scores in the first inning and 27-2 when it scores first in the contest.

30 is the Magic Number: The Blue Jays have recorded 30+ wins in seven of the last eight seasons. Hopkins has also won 30+ in 13 seasons under Babb. When the Blue Jays have reach the 30-win plateau they have won eight Centennial Conference Titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament 12 times.

Closing in on a Record: Pietroforte needs one more triple to hold the school record for career triples. He is currently tied with Tom Finegan as each player has recorded 13. If Fester is able to return to the field from an injury suffered in the beginning of April, he to will be chasing a record. Fester is two doubles shy of tying the JHU and Centennial Conference doubles record at 50.

Nine is Just Fine: The Blue Jays captured their second straight and ninth Centennial Conference title overall. This is most Centennial Conference baseball titles by any team.

Individual player notes included in pdf version of notes.