Baseball vs. Cal U 4-4-22

Baseball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Wraps Up Regular Season with Adjusted Four-Game Series at UPJ

Golden Knights Looking to Clinch Top Seed in PSAC West

GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (26-13, 17-7 PSAC West) vs. PITT-JOHNSTOWN MOUNTAIN CATS (19-24-1, 6-18 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME:  Thursday, May 5, 2022 I 1:00 p.m. / Sunday, May 8, 2022 I 1:00 p.m.
FACILITY/LOCATION:  Point Stadium I Johnstown, Pa.
LIVE STATS
 
 
ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon baseball team wraps up the 2022 regular season with four games this week against Pitt-Johnstown. Little besides that is normal, and as has been the case all spring, weather has had a great deal to do with it. The four-game set was scheduled for Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7. That changed with a less-than-favorable forecast for later in the week. The first doubleheader has been moved up to Thursday, May 5 with the second twinbill moved back to Sunday, May 8. Both doubleheaders get underway at 1:00 p.m.
 
The other twist is that all four games will be played at Johnstown's Point Stadium. Resurfacing of the artificial surface at Gannon's McConnell Family Stadium began recently leaving the Golden Knights without a home field.
 
With a 17-7 record in the PSAC West, Gannon is first in the division and has clinched a berth in the upcoming PSAC Tournament. First-year coach DJ Cannon now looks to secure the number one seed in the Western Division. Slippery Rock is two games back at 15-9, while Mercyhurst and Cal are tied for third at 14-10. In addition, the Golden Knights were third in last week's NCAA Atlantic Region rankings. Gannon is looking to claim the PSAC West regular season crown for the second time in three years after finishing first in 2019.
 
Gannon comes off a four-game sweep vs. Indiana(Pa.) last weekend as the Golden Knights improved to 26-13 overall. The last two wins came in miraculous fashion, with six-run uprisings in the seventh inning in both games. The Golden Knights trailed 4-0 entering the top of the seventh in the fourth game. They proceeded to rally for six runs, the final three coming on a two-out, game-winning home run by Ian Hess (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan).
 
The home was the 28th of Hess' career, breaking the Gannon career home run record. For his efforts, the redshirt junior first baseman was named the NCBWA Atlantic Region Hitter of the Week and PSAC West Athlete of the Week, both for the second time in three weeks.
 
Pitt-Johnstown has a 19-24-1 record after beating Bloomsburg in a non-conference game on Tuesday. The Mountain Cats are 6-8 in the PSAC West and have been eliminated from the playoff picture.
 
Gannon relies on strong pitching at the top of the rotation and an offense that has come alive in recent weeks. Cannon can call on one of the best one-two punches in the PSAC in right-hander Deven Judy (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon Area) and left-hander Eric Sapp (Deerfield, Ohio/Southeast).
 
Judy, a redshirt senior, is rewriting the record book. He was an NCBWA preseason honorable mention All-Atlantic Region honoree and a two-time All-PSAC West performer. Earlier in the year he broke the school record for career strikeouts, which now stands at 296. He set two other records recently against Clarion when he threw a three-hit, 12-strikeout shutout. He broke the career record for shutouts with his sixth and also set the career record for innings pitched, which now stands at 244.1. The right-hander tied the career record for victories with 20 with last Friday's 6-3 win over IUP, matching the record previously set by Josh Leslie. He is also fifth in games started (39), and fifth in complete games (13), plus sixth in appearances (49). Judy has pitched in eight games this year, showing a 5-1 record with a 4.13 ERA. He has 54 strikeouts in 48 innings while walking just 11.
 
Sapp has emerged as one of the top pitchers in the PSAC and working on changing the season record book. The graduate student put together a string of three straight shutouts earlier in the year, and comes off three more gems. He threw a three-hit, 10-strikeout outing vs. Clarion, followed by a two-hitter with 14 strikeouts in an 8-2 win over Seton Hill. His last start was another two-hitter with seven strikeouts in a 6-2 win over IUP. He had thrown four straight double-figure strikeout games before the IUP contest. Sapp improved to 8-0 with a 2.37 ERA. In 57 innings he has allowed 37 hits and 25 walks while striking out 80.
 
Sapp's eight wins is tied for third with Judy for season victories, two shy of Josh Peterson's record of 10.
The 80 strikeouts are the fifth-highest season total. Sapp struck out a career-high 15 batters against Mercyhurst. His three straight shutouts began with a five-hitter against D'Youville, followed by a three-hitter vs. Cal. He allowed just two hits in his gem against Mercyhurst, a 1-0 win. Sapp was named the PSAC West Pitcher of the Week and later in the week was selected the NCBWA Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Week for his performance.
 
Jacob Visha (Cleveland, Ohio/Trinity) has turned in three straight strong outings while serving as the third starter. The redshirt junior left-hander struck out a career-high 11 batters in six innings while allowing just four hits against Clarion. He followed that up by allowing just three runs in five innings against Seton Hill, and he allowed just two earned runs in 5.1 innings as Gannon posted a 9-5 win. Visha has a 2-1 with a 5.45 ERA. He has struck out 48 in 39.2 innings.
 
While Judy and Sapp are rewriting the pitching records, Ian Hess (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) is etching his name in the batting records. The redshirt junior got off to a slow start but has boosted his average to .315, standing third on the team. His three home runs last week, including two against Walsh, set the career record for home runs with 28. He has a team-leading 10 on the season, which is tied for third. He holds the second-highest total with 12 in 2019.
 
Hess has also taken the team lead with 36 RBIs. He drove in a career-high six runs at Walsh. He has 102 career RBIs, ranking seventh all-time at Gannon. He also leads the team in runs (30) and slugging percentage (.621) and is third in doubles (8).
 
Miguel Vega (Florida, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) leads a quartet of Golden Knights hitting over .300. The sophomore infielder is hitting .340 and leads the Golden Knights in doubles (11) and stolen bases (28). He ranks third in the PSAC in stolen bases and the 28 thefts rank fifth in a season.
 
Ryan Kalbfus (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) is hitting .310. The redshirt junior third baseman led the Golden Knights in home runs and RBIs for much of the year before Hess' hot spell. He now stands second in both categories with eight home runs and 34 RBIs, along with nine doubles (third on the team) and ten stolen bases (tied for third on the team).
 
Jorge Mejia (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Colegio San Jose) has boosted his average to .313. The redshirt senior plays left field and is second on the team with 14 stolen bases.
 
Luke Callahan (Chardon, Ohio/Chardon) and Brandon Wetherholt (Gibsonia, Pa./Mars Area) are other dangerous hitters in the Gannon lineup. Callahan patrols centerfield and is at .259 with four home runs and 22 RBIs. Wetherholt alternates between designated hitter and right field. He is hitting .261 but provides a left-handed power complement to Hess and Kalbfus with six home runs and 26 RBIs.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Luke Callahan

#4 Luke Callahan

OF
5' 10"
Senior
L/L
Ian Hess

#13 Ian Hess

INF
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
R/L
Deven Judy

#9 Deven Judy

RHP
5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
Ryan Kalbfus

#35 Ryan Kalbfus

INF
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
Jorge Mejia

#7 Jorge Mejia

OF
5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
Eric Sapp

#23 Eric Sapp

LHP
6' 4"
Graduate Student
L/L
Miguel Vega

#3 Miguel Vega

INF
5' 8"
Sophomore
L/R
Jake Visha

#22 Jake Visha

LHP
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/L
Brandon Wetherholt

#10 Brandon Wetherholt

OF
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/R

Players Mentioned

Luke Callahan

#4 Luke Callahan

5' 10"
Senior
L/L
OF
Ian Hess

#13 Ian Hess

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
R/L
INF
Deven Judy

#9 Deven Judy

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
RHP
Ryan Kalbfus

#35 Ryan Kalbfus

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
INF
Jorge Mejia

#7 Jorge Mejia

5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
OF
Eric Sapp

#23 Eric Sapp

6' 4"
Graduate Student
L/L
LHP
Miguel Vega

#3 Miguel Vega

5' 8"
Sophomore
L/R
INF
Jake Visha

#22 Jake Visha

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/L
LHP
Brandon Wetherholt

#10 Brandon Wetherholt

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/R
OF