Game Notes | ESU BB Page | MIAA Weekley Notes
WARM UPS...
The Griffon baseball team played five games earlier this week going 1-3 against MIAA opponent Washburn before defeating Rockhurst University in a non-conference game. The Griffons lost a pair of one run games against Washburn before picking up a 12-11 victory in the final game of the series. The Griffons blasted three homers in the game picking up the victory. In their game against Rockhurst on Tuesday the Griffons pounded out 15 hits winning 13-7.
Ryan Degner led the charge with three hits with two RBI and two runs scored. In the five games
David Chew hit .412 with 7 hits and a team high eight RBI. On Monday in a double header against the Washburn Ichabods Chew hit for the cycle. He got a triple and a double in game one and then got a home run and a single in game two. He had two triples on the week and walked five times with just one strikeout. Chew has hit safely in his last four games and has two hits in each of his last three games. He is second on the team in batting average, hits, doubles and RBI. He is tied for the lead with 15 runs scored and leads the team with three triples.
Overall, the Griffs now stand 8-8 and 5-5 in the MIAA and are scheduled to return to action this weekend weather permitting as they travel to Emporia, Kan. to take on the Emporia State Hornets. The two teams will play a single nine inning game on Friday and Sunday with a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:00 pm while on Sunday it is a 12:00 pm start. On Saturday the two teams will start at 1:00 pm. Should field conditions force a scheduling change, stay tuned to gogriffons.com for the most accurate updates.
KNOW THE OPPONENTS...
Record vs. Emporia since 2001: Overall: 33-17 ESU - Home: 19-5 ESU - Away: 13-12 ESU - Neutral: 1-0 ESU
MIAA Tournament: 1-0 ESU - NCAA Regional: 1-0 ESU
• The Hornets come into the contest with an 11-6 overall record and 7-5 record in MIAA play. The are coming off a big weekend winning three of four from Missouri Southern in Joplin, Mo. and then defeated Washburn 9-7 in a non-conference contest.
• As a team the Hornets are hitting .313 with seven players hitting over .300. Price Jacobs leads the way with a .395 average while Levi Parker is close behind with a .373 average. Justin Harris leads the Hornets with 26 hits and has stolen 15-of-19 bases while Parker has stolen 12-of-13. On the season the Hornets have stolen 46-of-59 bases.
• On the bump the Hornets hold a 4.74 ERA with Garrett Bane leading the way with a 3-1 record in six appearances and three starts. He has thrown 17 innings striking out 10. Brenton Higgins has a 2.40 ERA in eight trips to the bump with three saves. He has giving up just 10 hits and four earned runs with 13 strikeouts.
GRIFF NOTES...(About 2014)
As a team the Griffons are hitting .281 with
Ryan Degner leading the way with a .367 average and 18 RBI. He is also tied for the team lead in hits with Treovr LaHonta with 22. Degner has a .683 slugging percentage and a .441 on-base percentage. The Griffons have also hit 14 home runs and been aggressive on the bases stealing 18-of-24 bases.
Jake Schrader and Degner have hit five and four home runs respectively. The Griffons have a .433 slugging percentage and .376 on base percentage. Degner and LaHonta lead the Griffons in stolen bases with five apiece while
Jake Schrader has 104 putouts. On the mound
Mason Queen has been solid in 22.1 inning pitched. He has a 1-2 record with a 3.63 ERA. He has struck out 24 with just eight walks.
Dylan Roades had also pitched well with a 1.23 ERA in 7.1 innings pitched. He has given up seven hits and one earned run with seven strikeouts. As a team the Griffons have a 4.84 ERA.
GRIFFON HEAD COACH BUZZ VERDUZCO...
• Charles "Buzz" Verduzco begins his 15th season at the helm of the Missouri Western baseball team in 2014. The Griffons had another solid season finishing First in the MIAA for the first time in school history. They also made their third consecutive trip to the MIAA Tournament and second ever trip the NCAA Division II Tournament. Verduzco was named MIAA Coach of the Year for the first time in his career and also had Player of the Year (
Michael Schulze) and Pitcher of the Year (
Brandon Simmons) for the first time in history. 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 412-315 overall and 279-206 in MIAA play at Missouri Western.
• Verduzco won his 400th game on against the Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Central Oklahoma on May 9, 2013 by a score of 9-3 in the MIAA Tournament.
NON-CONFERENCE GAMES UNDER VERDUZCO:
Under Verduzco the Griffons are 113-97 in non-conference games. The Griffons best non-conference record under Verduzco came in 2004 when they were 16-4 out of MIAA play. Griffons were 12-7 in non-conference games a season ago. They are 3-3 so far this season in non-conference game.s
MIAA GAMES UNDER VERDUZCO:
MWSU is 279-206 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 ever 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 190-113 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. In 2012 the Griffons were 18-5 while in 2013 the Griffons were 18-3.
ON THE ROAD:
Missouri Western has done well on the road in the last few years being .500 or better in 10 of Verduzco's 14 seasons. Last season they were 15-5 and last season MWSU finished 15-10. Overall since 2001 they are 165-132. MWSU's best season on the road came this season. In 2013 they were 15-10 and in 2004 when they were 12-8. This season the Griffons are 1-2 on the road splitting a doubleheader with Arkansas Tech before falling against Emporia State in Emporia in extra innings.
ON A NEUTRAL FIELD:
Since 2001 the Griffons are 34-33 when playing on a nutral field. They were 7-4 a season ago and 5-1 in 2001. They have had seven seasons when they had a .500 record or better on a neutral field. This season they are 1-1 splitting with Southwest Minnesota State.
IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT:
The Griffons are 1-4 all-time in the NCAA Tournament with their first appearance coming in 2006 in Emporia, Kan. The Griffons fell in their first game 16-5 against host Emporia State on May 18, 2006. The then rebounded for a 16-8 victory over the Central Missouri Mules on May 19, 2006 and then fell on May 20, 2006 against the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks by a score of 10-3. The Griffons ended that season with a 31-25 overall record. Last season the Griffons fell to #10 Southern Arkansas 6-1 on May 16, 2013 and then fell to #5 and host school MSU-Mankato by a score of 4-1 in 10 innings.
UP NEXT:
The Griffons return to home MIAA play next weekend when they host the Central Oklahoma Bronchos in a four game series. The two teams will play a single nine inning game on March 21 starting at 2:00 pm. They will play a doubleheader on the 22nd with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 pm and will play their final game of the series on Sunday, March 23 with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 pm.
