Season Review: SU posts another 30-win season, defends CAC title
SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University baseball team continued its winning ways as the Sea Gulls posted their seventh 30 plus win season in the past eight years. Salisbury (33-10) won its second straight Capital Athletic Conference championship (eighth overall) and returned to the NCAA Division III tournament for the eighth consecutive year.

“We had a great year. Our kids played great,” said SU coach Doug Fleetwood. “Winning 30 or more [games] a year is the standard of a great Division III program and our eighth straight tournament appearance speaks for itself.”

OFFENSE

The Salisbury bats were as lively as ever in the 2007 campaign. The Sea Gulls shattered five different school single-season records which included runs scored (420), doubles (113), highest batting average (.350), total bases (786) and sacrifice hits (69). The maroon and gold was also ranked sixth in the nation in batting average, fourth in scoring (9.8 runs per game), third in doubles per game (2.63) and sixth in slugging percentage (.508). SU also ranked atop the CAC in five different offensive categories and outscored its opponents by 6.5 runs on average. As a team the Gulls hit .369 with runners in scoring position, belted home 136 two-out RBIs and hit .665 with a runner on third with less than two outs. The Sea Gulls sported a 30-2 record when they out hit their opponents as well as going 28-2 when they scored six or more runs.

“We did a great job of getting on base and swung the bat well,” said Fleetwood.

Senior Andrew Jensen led the way for Salisbury at the plate. Jensen batted a robust .446 with 53 runs scored, 19 doubles, five triples, three home runs and 56 RBIs (tied the SU single-season record).

“He [Jensen] is a four-year starter and All-American. He did it all,” said Fleetwood. “Andrew had a great off-season and played in some really competitive summer leagues. We hope he will have the chance to continue his career at the next level.”

Jenson earned numerous accolades in his final season as a Sea Gull such as being named both a second team All-American by the Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association and a 2007 D3baseball.com second team All-American. He is also a first team 2007 Rawlings/ABCA Division III All-South Region team selection. The right fielder also earned first team All-CAC honors while he crushed left handed pitching to the tune of a .591 average and hit .425 with runners on base. Jensen began the year with a 16-game hit streak, added 27 multi-hit games and finished the season on an eight-game hitting streak.

Protecting Jensen in the lineup were fellow 2007 Rawlings/ABCA Division III All-South Region team members junior Justin Armiger (first team) and senior Alex Vitale (honorable mention), who each were first-team All-CAC at designated hitter and third base, respectively.

Armiger hit .395, scored 45 runs, 13 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 35 RBIs and drew 20 walks. The designated hitter added 19 multi-hit games, a 10-game hit streak that included a five hit game and he also contributed a six-game streak where he hit two or more hits in each game. Armiger hit .452 (28-for-62) with runners in scoring position and was a perfect 3-for-3 with the bases full.

“He [Armiger] was a JUCO transfer who fit in great with our team. He was constantly on base and may have been our best hitter day-in, day-out who could really handle the bat,” said Fleetwood.

Vitale also provided a big bat for SU as he hit .350 with 46 runs, 13 doubles, 53 RBIs and a team-high eight home runs. The third basemen also led the team with seven sacrifice flies and stole 16 bases while only getting caught once. Vitale had some big numbers in the clutch as he hit .406 (39-for-96) with runners on base, .500 (4-for-8) with the bases loaded, .486 (34-for-70) with runners in scoring position, an amazing .773 (34-for-70) with a runner on third and less than two outs and knocked in a team-high 24 two-out RBIs.

“Alex was another four-year starter, great team player and you would be hard pressed to find a better third basemen in the country,” said Fleetwood.

DEFENSE

Defense was the achilles heel for the Sea Gulls in 2007 as they committed a school record 74 errors. This team was the worst defensive team in Fleetwood’s tenure. SU was a perfect 8-0 when they committed no errors in a game, 14-2 with just one mistake and 11-8 when they committed two or more errors in a game. Salisbury as a team garnered a .956 fielding percentage and they turned 28 double plays.

“To win you have to play defense and pitch well,” said Fleetwood. “We could not play defense. Our defense was consistently bad all season long.”

One bright spot defensively was SU catcher Pete Callahan who threw out 38 percent (12-of-32) of runners who attempted to steal on him. Callahan only committed four errors in 254 chances behind the dish as he batted .281 with 11 doubles, four home runs and 27 RBIs in 34 games.

Salisbury first baseman Mike Celenza was another one of the team’s top fielders. Celenza sported a .989 (430-of-435) fielding percentage, was on the end of 26 double plays and only committed five errors on the year in all 43 games. The freshman also added to the offense as he hit .363 with 15 doubles, five home runs and 47 RBIs. Celenza only struck out 14 times in 160 at-bats and recorded a .440 on-base percentage.

“Mike did some great things for us as a young kid. We are really excited to see him get better and better,” said Fleetwood.

PITCHING

The Sea Gulls were proud owners of the best pitching staffing the nation in terms of ERA (2.33) and ranked seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (8.2). The new ERA mark broke the old school record of 2.59 (2001). The Sea Gull staff was a three-headed monster comprised of senior left-handers Bryan Brainer, Dan Oleynik and right-hander Ryan Bennick. The three starters combined for a 22-7 record in 220 innings of work with 188 strikeouts.

“Our guys did a real fine job. They put us in a position to win all the time and did great keeping us in games,” said Fleetwood.

Brainer and Bennick were both selected 2007 Rawlings/ABCA Division III All-South Region honorable mention and first team All-CAC while Oleynik was selected to the All-CAC second team. Brainer (8-3, 2.14 ERA) recorded a team-high 25 strikeouts looking (74 total) in just under 76 innings of work and averaged 8.8 strikeouts over nine innings. Bennick (8-2, 2.56 ERA) led the team with 77 strikeouts and averaged 6.23 innings of work per nine (81 total inning pitched). Oleynik sported a 6-2 record in only nine starts for the Gulls.

“These two guys [Brainer and Bennick] were our workhorses,” said Fleetwood of his two-year starters who transferred into the program. “When he [Brainer] had his curveball on he was untouchable and really dominant. Ryan became a great competitor and battled every time for us on the mound.”

Sophomore Eric Willey led the team with 19 appearances mostly all in relief. Willey worked 31 innings nabbed a 3-1 record and picked up a team-high three saves. The right-hander had a 2.59 ERA and posted an outstanding average of 12 strikeouts per nine innings.

SCHEDULE/GAMES

Salisbury recorded three different win streaks of 13, 10 and six during the 2007 campaign. The Sea Gulls outscored their opponents 150-30, 102-31 and 94-7 on each of those streaks, respectively. SU was nationally ranked all year as they started the season at No. 26 and moved all the way up to No. 8 at one point. SU went 6-1 against ranked opponents this season with their only loss coming to No. 18 St. Thomas (Minn.), 7-2.

“We will continue to keep playing the best teams in the nation because it prepares us for the postseason,” said Fleetwood. “We play in one of the toughest conferences [CAC] in the country.”

NEXT YEAR

Salisbury losses nine seniors entering the 2008 season and will have to replace All-American Jensen and star pitcher Brainer to name a few. The Sea Gulls will rely on the game experience of their underclassman next season in an effort to defend their CAC title and continue the baseball tradition that has been built here on the Eastern Shore.

“We lose some really great seniors. However, we have some good players who made significant contributions coming back as well as a great recruiting class on paper,” said Fleetwood. “We expect to keep winning and anything less will be unacceptable.”