• The Griffons and the Bronchos have met six times since the 2001 season with both teams winning three games.
• The Griffons and the Bronchos have never met in the MIAA Tournament. This season was the first meeting between the two teams since 2001. The Griffons won two games by scores of 5-4 and 11-9 and got their 17 game winning streak snapped by losing 7-5.
• In 2001 the Griffons lost two of three against the Bronchos. The Griffons lost games by scores of 9-6 and 14-8 and won 13-8. It was played on February 17 and 18.
• The Bronchos made it to Kansas City by defeating Emporia State by scores of 4-3 and 9-2 last weekend in Edmond.
• The Bronchos come into the weekend 30-17 overall and have won 12 of their last 13 games.
• As a team they hit .298 with eight players hitting over .300. Tyler Crabtree leads the way hitting .348 while Cesar Wong is hitting .347. Matt Johnson leads the way with 20 doubles and nine home runs while Matt Malloy and Crabtree have 11 doubles.
• As a team they have a 5.35 ERA with Edgar Lopez holding a 8-3 record and a 3.86 ERA in 12 starts. Ethan Sharp has a 3-0 record and a 3.08 ERA in 11 apperances and two starts.
KNOW THE OPPONENT
Record vs. Missouri Southern since 2001: Overall: 26-18 MWSU - Home: 14-8 MWSU - Away: 12-9 MWSU - Neutral: 1-0 - MSSU
• The Griffons and the Lions have met 44 times since the 2001 season with the Griffons leading 26-18.
• The Griffons won all four meetings last season and eight of the last 10. The two teams split a pair of games this season. MSSU won 8-7 and MWSU won 8-4.
• The Griffons swept a four game series by scores of 5-3, 2-1, 3-0 and 5-2 against the 11th ranked Lions in St. Joseph last season.
• This season the Lions are just 31-19 overall and 23-16 in MIAA action. In order to get to Kansas City they had to win a doubleheader on Sunday against Northeastern State. The Lions lost game one 4-2 before winning 6-5 and 4-3.
• They are hitting .301 as a team with five players hitting over .300. Dallas Burke leads the way with a .345 batting average in 48 games...He has 58 hits with 25 RBI...Michael McCoy and Sam Ryan are hitting .337 and .328 respectively with with McCoy leading the Lions with 69 hits and Ryan leading the charge with 15 doubles.
• The Lions have 86 doubles and 26 home runs on the season.
• On the bump the Lions have a 4.52 ERA.
• Payton Walker leads the team with a 2.89 ERA in 15 apperances while Ryan Bates leads the way with seven victories. Brett Abell leads MSSU with 98 strikeouts on the season.
Record vs. the Gorillas since 2001: Overall: 35-11 - Home: 18-2 - Away: 17-9
• The Griffons and the Gorillas have met 46 times since 2001 with MWSU leading 35-11. The Griffons have won 17 of the last 19 games against PSU.
• This season the Gorillas are 28-22 overall and 22-19 in MIAA play winning five of their last eight which included 2-of-3 against Central Missouri to make it to Kansas City.
• The Gorillas are led by first year head coach Matt Murray.
• On the season PSU is hitting .317 with seven guys hitting over .300. Brad Foss is hitting .383 with 70 hits and 17 doubles. As a team they have hit 32 home runs with Ryan Bilovesky hitting 11.
• On the bump they have a 5.17 ERA with Ryan McKay leading the way with a 1.57 ERA. He has made 29 apperances with four saves and a 4-1 record. Matt Stalcup is 7-3 with a 3.46 ERA in 13 apperances. James Fitzgerlds leads the way with six saves on the season.
TID BITS ABOUT MISSOURI WESTERN...
GRIFFONS IN THE TOURNAMENT SINCE 2001:
The Griffons have not had very good luck in the MIAA tournament since 2001 holding just a 4-12 record. Their first victory in the tournament was May 12, 2011 against Fort Hays State when they won 5-4 in an elimination game off Isaac Rome's late inning home run. Last season they opened up the tournament with a 12-8 victory over Washburn before falling to Central Missouri and Fort Hays State. This season they beat Fort Hays State 9-1 and 12-10.
GRIFFONS UNDER VERDUZCO:
In the 12-plus seasons that Verduzco has been the head coach he has compiled a 399-303 overall record and a
273-201 MIAA record.
NON-CONFERENCE GAMES UNDER VERDUZCO:
Under Verduzco the Griffons are 107-90 in non-conference games. The Griffons best non-conference record under Verduzco came in 2004 when they were 16-4 out of MIAA play.
MIAA GAMES UNDER VERDUZCO:
MWSU is 273-201 under Verduzco since 2000 in MIAA play. This season was Western's best season in school history as they won the MIAA Regular Season Title for the first time evor with a 28-5 overall record...Last season was the Griffons were 26-12 while in 2006 they went 21-9.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE:
The Griffons are 184-110 under Verduzco since 2001 at home. The Griffons finished this season with a 18-3 home record which is its best home record dating back to 2001. MWSU has had only two losing seasons at home since 2001. They were 11-18 in 2010 and 10-12 in 2011. Last season the Griffons were 18-5.
ON THE ROAD:
Western has done well on the road in the last few years being .500 or better in 10 of Verduzco's 14 seasons. This season they were 15-5 and last season MWSU finished 15-10. Overall since 2001 they are 164-130. MWSU's best season on the road came this season. Last seasson they were 15-10 and in 2004 when they were 12-8.
GRIFF NOTES...
• Griffon pitcher
Brandon Simmons won his 34th career game last weekend in a 9-1 victory over Fort Hays State. Simmons the MWSU all-time leader taking over for Nick Finn who had 27. He set that record in 1972-75. Simmons broke the MIAA record for wins was held by Josh Reynolds, UCM, 1998-2000.
• Simmons has 221 career strikeouts and now sits in third all-time at MWSU and is 17 away from being in a tie for 2nd.
• Senior first baseman
Spencer Shockley leads the Griffons with 16 doubles and currently holds the MWSU Record for most doubles in a career with 46. Shockley broke that record with a double against Pittsburg State. Javier Martinez was the old record holder with 42 which he set from 1994-97.
• The Griffon bottom of the order has been as productive as the top. Senior center fielder
Shawn Egge is hitting .361. He has scored 37 runs with 11 doubles, 4 home runs and 24 RBI.
• Micheal Schulze has hit safely in all but three games this season...He had a 21 and eight game hitting streak earlier this seasson and is currently on an eight game hitting streak...he had a 24 game hitting streak in MIAA games before last Saturday when he went 0-for-3 against UCM in game two.
Grant Fink had a 20 game hitting streak earlier this season and has currently got a hit in 12 of his last 13 games. He has hit safely in all but seven games.
• The Griffons have had seven players that went on a 10 or more game hitting streak.
• As a team the Griffons had a team best 17 game winning streak earlier this season. They also had a nine game winning streak. The Griffons have lost back-to-back games just twice this season.
• The Griffons have 37 victories on the season with the all-time wins record being 37 games. They have given head coach Buzz Verduzco the most wins in his coaching era with 37. His teams had 34 wins in 2012 and 2009. MWSU had 37 victories in 1974, 35 victories in 1977 and 36 victories in 1982. This marks just the 14th season in school history with 30 or more victories.
GRIFFON HEAD COACH BUZZ VERDUZCO...
• Charles “Buzz” Verduzco begins his 14th season at the helm of the Missouri Western baseball team in 2013. The Griffons had another solid season finishing second in the MIAA for the first time since 2005. They also made their second consecutive trip to the MIAA Tournament. He led the Griffons to a 34-17 overall record and a 26-12 record in MIAA play. Verduzco coached six All-MIAA player.
Brandon Simmons and
Spencer Shockley earned first team honors while
Nate Ramler,
Grant Fink and
Nik Jurado were second team selections.
Michael Schulze was an honoable mention selection. Verduzco has guided the Griffons to winning season in 11 of his 14 seasons.
• A native of Stockton, California, Verduzco came to Missouri Western from Washington State University where he was an assistant for the Cougar program for over 10 seasons. He served as the Cougars' hitting and outfield coach as well as the primary recruiting coordinator. Verduzco also directed the Cougar baseball camps and was the coordinator of alumni relations for the NCAA Division I program. Verduzco earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Washington State in 1985. Verduzco played and coached under legendary coach “Bobo” Brayton at Washington State.
• Buzz is 399-303 overall and 274-201 in MIAA play at Missouri Western.
UP NEXT...
The Griffons will have to wait and see where they will be seeded in the NCAA Central Regional which will start on Wednesday, May 15.
RECORDS THAT HAVE BEEN OR ARE CLOSE TO BEING BROKEN:
Team Records
Wins: 37 1974: we have 37
Fewest Losses: 8 in 1971 we have eight
Runs: 387 1982 - we have 382
Hits: 581 2006 - we have 556
Runs Batted In: 344 1982 - We have 361
Doubles: 108 1982 - we have 116
Home Runs: 55 2009 broke it with 59 so far
Average: .338 2002 - we are hitting .363
Fielding Pct.: .966 2012 - it is .964 right now
Individual records - single season
Runs Scored - Ron McMahill 64, 1982 - Schulze had 63 and Dotson has 54
Hits - Ryan Zenn, 81 - 2006 - Schulze has 81, Fink has 68
RBI - Mike Musser 1982 and Justin Coffman 2005, 59 - Simpson has 56, Dotson 53
Doubles, Ryan Zenn 22, 2005 - Shockley 16
Home Runs - Troy Landi 14 , 2009 - Fink has 13, Dotson has 12
Batting average - Brooks Barkley, .422 (65-154), Schulze is hitting .445 (81-182)
Individual Records Career
