Gannon Golden Knights
Joe Mattis

Baseball Dan Teliski, Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Baseball Team Kicks Off PSAC Tournament Wednesday Afternoon Against ESU; All Gannon Games to Be Heard Live on 90.5 WERG

The Gannon baseball team will most likely need the PSAC Tournament's automatic bid to move into next week's NCAA Division II Tournament.
PSAC Baseball Tournament | May 8-11, 2013 | Johnstown, Pa.
PSAC Tournament Web Headquarters
90.5 WERG Live Gameday Audio
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ERIE, Pa. – Fresh off its first divisional title in school history, the Gannon baseball team begins its postseason run Wednesday, May 8 against East Stroudsburg at the 2013 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament. Point Stadium in Johnstown, Pennsylvania will serve as the host for the double-elimination event. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Live play-by-play for every Gannon game during the tournament can be heard on 90.5 WERG and online at http://www.wergfm.com. Gannon Director of Athletics Media Relations Dan Teliski will handle play-by-play duties with former Gannon baseball standout Ford Eisenman adding color commentary.

Gannon-East Stroudsburg History: Gannon and East Stroudsburg have not met since playing a non-conference doubleheader March 5, 2009 during the Russ-Matt Invitational in Winter Haven, Florida. The Warriors posted a sweep that day with victories of 13-2 and 8-1. The only other meeting between the two programs since 2000 was an 11-2 East Stroudsburg victory March 4, 2005 in Fort Myers, Florida.

PSAC Tournament Format: The top four teams in both the PSAC Western and Eastern Divisions qualified for the eight-team, double-elimination conference tournament scheduled for May 8-11 at Point Stadium in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. An automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament is given to the PSAC Tournament champion. Gannon has not been ranked in the NCAA Division II Atlantic regional rankings, so the Golden Knights will most likely have to win the PSAC Tournament to play in next week's NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional.

Gannon Golden Knights
Head Coach: Nate Cocolin (6th season)
Overall Record: 23-17
PSAC West Record: 15-9 
PSAC West Standing: Tied for 1st place
NCAA Regional Ranking: N/A
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 10th
NCBWA National Ranking: N/A 
Runs Scored/Allowed: 158/153
Earned Runs Scored/Allowed: 144/120

Hitting Leaders
Average: Jeff Bellanca (UTL, R-So.) - .336
Runs Scored: Aaron Cox (INF, Fr.) - 25
Hits: Jared Wiesen (3B, Fr.) - 40
Doubles: Nico Baldelli (C, R-Sr.) - 11
Triples: Michael Tomko (OF, Sr.) - 4
Home Runs: Aaron Cox (INF, Fr.) - 6
RBIs: Aaron Cox (INF, Fr.), Nico Baldelli (C, R-Sr.) - 21
Total Bases: Aaron Cox (INF, Fr.) - 58
Slugging Percentage: Aaron Cox (INF, Fr.) - .487
Walks: Michael Tomko (OF, Sr.) - 12
On-Base Percentage: Jeff Bellanca (UTL, R-So.) - .408

Pitching Leaders
ERA (Min. 20 IP): Shayne Herold (R-Sr.) - 1.09
Wins: Shayne Herold (R-Sr.) - 9
Appearances: Shayne Herold (R-Sr.) - 14
Starts: Aaron Cox (Fr.), Matt Tobin (So.) - 9
Complete Games: Shayne Herold (R-Sr.) - 6
Shutouts: Shayne Herold (R-Sr.), Aaron Cox (Fr.) - 2
Saves: Shayne Herold (R-Sr.) - 3
Innings Pitched: Aaron Cox (Fr.) - 63.0
Strikeouts: Aaron Cox (Fr.) - 75
Lowest Opponent Batting Average (Min. 20 IP): Shayne Herold (R-Sr.) - .181

Gannon Team Notes
  • Gannon is ranked 10th in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Atlantic Region Poll. The Golden Knights were not ranked among the top eight in the latest NCAA Division II regional rankings released last Wednesday, indicating they most likely have to win the PSAC Tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament.
  • Gannon is making its second consecutive PSAC Tournament appearance. The Golden Knights went 0-2 at last year's event.
  • Gannon finished as the 2013 PSAC Western Division co-champions, capturing the first divisional title in school history.
  • Gannon broke the school record for conference victories with 15, surpassing the previous mark of 14 set by last year's squad. Gannon is two overall wins shy of the school's single-season record of 25 also set by last year's edition.
  • Senior Michael Tomko ranks third all-time at Gannon with 14 career home runs, needing two to tie Nick Leslie (2000-04) for second place.
  • Tomko ranks second all-time at Gannon with 265 total bases, sitting 36 behind school leader Nick Leslie (2000-04). He ranks fourth among PSAC players in triples (4).
  • Freshman Aaron Cox is tied for the second among PSAC players in home runs (6). He ranks 22nd among all NCAA Division II pitchers in strikeouts per nine innings (10.71).
  • Redshirt senior Shayne Herold leads the PSAC in ERA (1.09) and opponents' batting average (.181). He ranks fourth among all NCAA Division II pitchers in ERA, fourth in hits allowed per nine innings (5.46) and eighth in WHIP (0.87).
  • Herold and Cox were named PSAC Western Division Pitcher and Freshman of the Year on Tuesday. Both were the first Gannon baseball student-athletes in school history to receive either award from a conference.
  • Gannon tied a school record with five All-PSAC selections. First-team selections included Herold and freshman Jared Wiesen. Landing on the second team were Tomko, Cox and redshirt sophomore Jeff Bellanca.

East Stroudsburg Warriors
Head Coach: John Kochmansky (5th season)
Overall Record: 29-16
PSAC East Record: 13-11
PSAC East Standing: 3rd place
NCAA Regional Ranking: 7th
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 8th
NCBWA National Ranking: N/A
Runs Scored/Allowed: 221/167
Earned Runs Scored/Allowed: 170/136

Hitting Leaders
Average: Joe Bennie (2B/SS, Sr.) - .369
Runs Scored: Joe Bennie (2B/SS, Sr.) - 36 
Hits: Joe Bennie (2B/SS, Sr.) - 58
Doubles: Mike Tenaglia (1B, Jr.) - 18
Triples: Chris Knott (OF, Jr.) - 4
Home Runs: Joe Bennie (2B/SS, Sr.), Chris Knott (OF, Jr.) - 5
RBIs: Chris Knott (OF, Jr.) - 37
Total Bases: Joe Bennie (2B/SS, Sr.) - 86
Slugging Percentage: Chris Knott (OF, Jr.) - .599 
Walks: Eric Boyer (OF, Sr.) - 25
On-Base Percentage: Chris Knott (OF, Jr.) - .452

Pitching Leaders
ERA (Min. 21 IP): Ryan Lubreski (Jr.) - 1.74
Wins: Ryan Lubreski (Jr.) - 7
Appearances: Colin Taylor (Jr.) - 17
Starts: Ryan Lubreski (Jr.), Brian Ernst (Sr.), Matt Smith (Jr.) - 9
Complete Games: Ryan Lubreski (Jr.) - 5
Shutouts: Ryan Lubreski (Jr.), Brian Ernst (Sr.), Max Mueller (R-So.) - 1
Saves: Keith Moyer (Jr.) - 3
Innings Pitched: Ryan Lubreski (Jr.) - 62.0
Strikeouts: Brian Ernst (Sr.) - 69
Lowest Opponent Batting Average (Min. 21 IP): Brian Ernst (Sr.) - .187

East Stroudsburg Team Notes
  • East Stroudsburg is ranked seventh in the latest NCAA Division II Atlantic regional rankings released last Wednesday and eighth in the latest NCBWA Atlantic Region Poll.
  • The Warriors placed six players on the All-PSAC teams, landing three on both the first and second teams. Senior Joe Bennie, junior Chris Knott and junior Ryan Lubreski all earned spots on the first team.
  • East Stroudsburg's three first-team selections are its most since 2000, and the six total selections are the most since 2009. Ernst is All-PSAC East for a third time, all at the utility position - first team as a junior, and second team as a freshman and senior.
  • The Warriors have recorded the second-most wins in school history.
  • ESU enters the PSAC Tournament ranked fourth among conference teams in batting average (.308), fifth in ERA (3.73) and first in fielding percentage (.972).
  • Lubreski ranks 27th among all NCAA Division II players in ERA.
  • Ernst ranks second nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (13.31) and 14th in hits allowed per nine innings (5.98).
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