Our 2009 inaugural season ended with a win on Sunday. We beat the University of Pacific by a score of 6-5.  The win pushed our record to 13-37 for the 2009 campaign. Although our record suggests that we had a bad year, I prefer to look at our season as a success. First of all, we had the 29th toughest schedule in the nation, not too bad for a first year program. We definitely held our own in most of the games. Secondly, our team matured throughout the entire year. We got better as the year went on. This year was the first time that anyone on our roster had ever played in a NCAA D1 game. We all learned, through the good times and the bad times, about what it takes to be successful at this top level of amateur baseball. Coach Kernen has laid the foundation for success and our guys have definitely built upon it. We won our first series on the opening weekend against St. Louis. We beat the defending NCAA national champions THREE times this year. We beat nationally ranked UC Riverside in a 15-inning game with a walk-off home run by Jason Kudlock.  We traveled halfway across the country and took two out of three against Nebraska. We won our first nationally televised game against Nebraska, which clinched the series win. We won our final game of the season against the UOP.  All of these moments indicate that we had a memorable and successful season. We took steps in the right direction each and every day as a team. At the first team meeting in CSUB baseball history, Coach Kernen talked about the importance of taking steps in the right direction without taking a step back. We definitely did that towards the end of the year. We weren’t concerned about our won-loss record heading into the year. We were more focused on improving each day so we could know how to succeed at this level.  To all those outside of the immediate CSUB baseball program, this may have looked like a terrible year because of our record. However, we took many strides and learned many things throughout the year. We experienced the things that Coach Kernen stressed in the fall. For us, the benefits definitely outweighed the negatives.

Having said all that, is there room for improvement? Absolutely. We still have many things to work on as a team and as individuals. As the coaching staff stressed in our team meeting after our last game on Sunday, we aren’t taking a break. Just because the season is over doesn’t mean that we can just lay around on the couch and relax all summer. It means that we need to continue to work. Hard work is how we are going to get better. The coaching staff has already laid the foundation for us. We have all the information that we need to be successful. It is up to us as a team and as individuals to use this information and incorporate it into our personalities. Our guys will be spread out throughout the country this summer for summer ball. It is up to them to get their work in and to come back to school in the fall better than we are now. I have no doubt that we will continue to get better.

I will be heading back home to Mesa, Ariz., right after finals are over on June 13th. I will be continuing my physical therapy there, most likely with a Cub’s trainer. My elbow continues to feel great. I honestly feel like I could start my light throwing program right now, that’s how good my elbow feels. Obviously, I’m going to wait until I get the OK from the doctor to begin my throwing program (Sorry if I scared you Dr. Hamilton, haha). Now that baseball is over, I will be going to physical therapy five times a week and I will be going to the gym everyday to workout. I am determined to come back from this injury stronger than I was before I got hurt. My hand is still not better, but the results of my test indicated that I have regained some nerve conductivity. The doctor talked with Dr. Yocum (the team doctor for the LA Angels) and they both believe that I need to hold off on surgery. They agree that naturally allowing this nerve to heal is most beneficial to me.  If it is not better in a month or two, then surgery will be a possibility. I just have my fingers crossed that it doesn’t get to that point. I am very confident that I will be back stronger than ever by the beginning of next season.

This is my last blog for the year. I want to thank everyone that has followed my blogs throughout the year.  I want to extend a special thanks to Sarah Finney, our baseball SID, and Ping! Baseball for giving me the opportunity to share my feelings and experiences throughout our season. This was a great experience for me and a great year for the CSUB baseball program! GO RUNNERS!

We made the long trip back to the Midwest this past weekend and played the No. 14 ranked Missouri Tigers. Our Friday night got canceled by a SEVERE storm that looked like a scene from the movie Twister. Here are a couple of pictures from Friday night.  The first picture is of our team helping Missouri put the tarp over the infield (courtesy of teammate Mickey Jannis).  This next picture is one that I took of the swirling clouds!  After we got the tarp on the field, our team was directed to the Mizzou indoor workout facility. The facility was incredible! Here is a picture that I took while we were working out in there.  The facility was all turf and had batting cages as well as a football field, with goal posts. On Saturday, we played a pretty solid game but ended up on the losing end, 4-2. Spenser Messmore pitched an eight-inning complete game. He gave us a chance to win the game, but our offense just couldn’t come up with the big hit. We jumped out to a 4-0 lead early in the Sunday game, but wildness plagued our pitching staff. We walked in two runs and hit another batter with the bases loaded. We ended up losing the game by three runs. We just need to stop giving so many things away because good teams will take advantage of them, like Mizzou did. Overall, even though we lost both games in Missouri, we played pretty well and had a chance to win each game against nationally ranked Mizzou.

This week is our final week of games for this season. We play our final home game of the 2009 season at Hardt Field tomorrow against Cal State Northridge. We then leave Wednesday afternoon for UC Davis. We play Davis on Thursday as a make-up game from earlier in the season. From Davis, we travel to Stockton to play the University of Pacific in a three-game weekend series to close out the season. We are looking to close out this year by getting better and taking steps in each game. Finishing strong will give us momentum going into summer ball and eventually into the fall.

I had a doctor’s appointment today with a neurologist. I had an EMG test done, which basically finds out what is wrong with a nerve and where the problem is occurring. The test was very painful and included many electrical shocks of 300 volts. The test also included a needle being poked into several of my muscles with electrical current running through it. The test lasted about an hour and included both arms. The neurologist confirmed that I have posterior interosseous nerve syndrome (PINS) and it is occurring right after the radial nerve branches below the outside of my elbow. He was not sure as to why or how my nerve got pinched. He said I am a “unique” case, which I have heard a lot over the past six weeks. The test results have been sent to Dr. Hamilton and he will go over them with me a week from tomorrow (5/26).  He will decide what our next step will be, either waiting, surgery, or even an injection. My fingers have still not gotten any better and it keeps looking like surgery is the main option. Wednesday will besix6 weeks since my nerve stopped working and Thursday will be eight weeks since my Tommy John surgery. My elbow is doing great and I am doing more and more at physical therapy with it.

Congratulations to Coach Greg Mamula and his West Chester team for winning both the PSAC Tournament and the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region.  His Rams are now heading to North Carolina to participate in the NCAA Division II World Series.

The PSAC is a strong league.  In the past 18 years, the PSAC has sent a member to the World Series 16 times.  The Atlantic Region is teams from the PSAC, WVIAC, and CIAA.

WIN with CLASS !

Jeff Ditch
IUP Baseball
www.winwithclass.com

Well where do I begin?  I’m sorry I haven’t updated in awhile, I’ve been swamped with homework and finals.  We just finished up a turn-around season last week.  Here’s a summary of the end of our season.

We played WV Wesleyan on Conference Make-Up Weekend (DH).

1^st Game – Lost 2-1

2^nd Game – Won 8-6

We needed to win both to make it into the Conference Tournament, but since we split we needed help from everyone to make it in.  A-B had to win all four of their remaining games but didn’t. Wesleyan played Fairmont State the next day and had to lose one for us to get in.  Wesleyan lost the first game to Fairmont which clinched a playoff spot for us and Fairmont.  Fairmont won the Central and we finished second.  We made it to Johnstown (by the skin of our teeth) but for the first time in my College career I was heading to the playoffs. 

1^st game of the Tournament;

West Virginia State – Lost 21-5

Yeah I know it was a pounding but they were the defending WVIAC Champions and they strapped it on us.   We needed it because it was a wake-up call to tell us, yeah we here but we need to play like we deserve to be here.  We just needed to relax and play D&E baseball.

2^nd game;

Seton Hill – Won 8-3

Josh Haun carried a no-hitter into the 7^th.  He threw great for us.  We played relaxed and like we are capable of and look what happens.   We strung hits together and put up runs.  It was a beautiful thing to see us grab our first tournament win, especially against a 30 win team.

3^rd game;

West Virginia State – Lost 15-9

One bad inning put us in a big hole, but, we didn’t stop playing.  It was a tough way to go out but we learned a lot about Johnstown and what it takes to win up there.

This year had to be one of the funniest seasons I’ve had in awhile.  We improved our program by leaps and bounds.  We return everyone except Mike Miller (our lone senior).  We know what it takes to make it there, so hopefully we’ll see Johnstown again next year.

Blue Collar Players of the Week:

Week 1 – Evan Gazza

Week 2 – Eric John Doyle

Week 3 – Andy Taylor “Whammer Jr.”

Week 4 – Caigan O’Callahan

Week 5 – Aaron Hallett

Week 6 – Brent Windon

Week 7 – Andrew Ford

Week 8 – Nathan “Nasty” Smith

Final Week – Mike Miller

Our lone senior, Mike Miller deserves this award.  What can I say about Mike?  He’s been a great friend and teammate for the two years that he has been here.  He is the only guy that has played for Coach Palmer for all four years.  He made a web gem at the tournament.  I’ve never seen the old man move or dive like that, but it is one catch that I will never forget.  Mike will be missed on the field but we still be with us as a coach.  Thanks for your time and effort man, it was a great ride.  You are what D&E baseball is all about.

Weekly Senator Movie Review:

Changeling – 4 Stars

One of the best movies I have seen in awhile.  Angelina Jolie is not only beautiful but she had a great performance.  Los Angeles, 1928. A single mother returns from work to find her nine-year-old son gone. She calls the LAPD to initiate a search. Five months later, a boy is found in Illinois who fits the description; he says he’s her son. To fanfare and photos, the LAPD reunite mother and son, but she insists he’s not her boy. The cops dismiss her as either a liar or hysterical. When she joins a minister in his public criticism of the police, they in turn use government power to silence and intimidate her. Meanwhile, a cop goes to a dilapidated ranch to find a Canadian lad who’s without legal status; the youth tells a grisly tale. There’s redress for murder; is there redress for abuse of power? WATCH THIS MOVIE. The start is a little slow but once the plot hits, you get drawn in. Enjoy.

Shout Out Section:

I want to thank Ping!Baseball for giving me the opportunity to put us on the map.  I hope to write a few more blogs about other stuff on my mind concerning baseball but this is the last one about the team so Thanks again, and I hope we get invited back to do it again.

The Davis & Elkins baseball team made great strides in 2009 and now they are starting to receive some recognition for their improvement.  Ryan Flanagan was named 1st Team All-WVIAC as a relief pitcher, Caigan O’Callahan was named 2nd Team All-WVIAC as shortstop, Brock Watson was named 2nd Team All-WVIAC as an outfielder, Zach McElroy was named Honorable Mention as a pitcher, and Brenton Kopecek was Honorable Mention as an outfielder.  Well deserved for everyone who won awards, and a few of our guys got snubbed but, like it said, we made great strides.