Posted by Scott Cummings - Tue, May 6, 2008 at 11:20 AM - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 39 times
Joel Johnson batted .667 in leading Missouri Baptist to the AMC Tournament title
Joel Johnson batted .667 in leading Missouri Baptist to the AMC Tournament title
(LEBANON, Ill., May 6)--For the second straight week, players from Missouri Baptist University have earned the American Midwest Conference Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week awards. The final weekly honors were announced Tuesday morning.

The Spartans' Joel Johnson collected AMC Player of the Week honors for the second week in a row, while Aaron Byington was named the AMC Pitcher of the Week for May 6. In addition to their conference recognition, both Johnson and Byington have earned the distinction of winning the last NAIA Region V Player and Pitcher of the Week honors to be awarded.

Johnson, a senior designated hitter from Camas, Wash., batted .667 during the American Midwest Conference Tournament with eight hits in 12 at-bats. He had a double and home run along with five RBI in the three Spartans' victories. Johnson also scored six runs as Missouri Baptist claimed its second consecutive AMC Tournament championship.

Byington, a senior right-hander from Bonne Terre, Mo., opened the AMC Tournament with a 6-0 complete-game victory against Harris-Stowe State University. Byington allowed just five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. The win pushed Byington's record to 7-2 on the season with an earned-run average of 2.95.

Missouri Baptist will take a 37-14 overall record into the NAIA Region V Tournament, which begins on Wednesday, May 7 on the campus of Lindenwood University. The Spartans earned the No. 1 seed in the six-team, double-elimination event and will face Culver-Stockton College in the tournament opener on Wednesday at 12 noon.

Posted by Scott Cummings - Tue, May 6, 2008 at 11:10 AM - [ Softball ] - Viewed 25 times
Zoe Brittan had three hits and four RBI in the Owls' doubleheader split with Central Methodist
Zoe Brittan had three hits and four RBI in the Owls' doubleheader split with Central Methodist
(LEBANON, Ill., May 6)--William Woods University swept its way to the final American Midwest Conference softball awards for the 2008 season.

For the second consecutive week, Zoe Brittan has been selected as the AMC Softball Player of the Week, while Courtney Vincent earned AMC Softball Pitcher of the Week accolades. The honors were announced Tuesday morning by the conference office.

Brittan, a freshman infielder from Valley Park, Mo., collected three hits in seven at-bats as William Woods split a non-conference doubleheader at home against Central Methodist University. Brittan added four RBI, three of which came in the Owls' 12-4 game two victory.

Vincent, a freshman from Woodlawn, Ill., gave up three earned runs on eight hits in that 8-4 William Woods win over Central Methodist. Vincent struck out eight batters in six innings of work as the Owls improved to 29-20 on the season.
Posted by Scott Cummings - Fri, May 2, 2008 - [ Men's Track and Field ] - Viewed 91 times
The McKendree University women's team rolled up 128 points on the first day of competition
The McKendree University women's team rolled up 128 points on the first day of competition
(LEBANON, Ill., May 3)--McKendree University swept its way to the team championships in the inaugural American Midwest Conference Track and Field Meet, which wrapped up Saturday at Leemon Field on the campus of McKendree University.

The Bearcat men's team piled up 272 points, finishing well ahead of the 100 points amassed by runner-up Missouri Baptist University. The McKendree women's squad posted 256 points to finish in front of second-place William Woods University, which had 126 points.

The 2008 AMC Track and Field Coach of the Year awards were also announced at the conclusion of the meet. McKendree head coach Gary White earned the men's honor, while Jamie Moreno from William Woods University took home the women's award.

The complete list of results from the 2008 AMC Track and Field Meet can be found by clicking here.

Posted by Scott Cummings - Fri, May 2, 2008 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 174 times
Calvin O'Rear broke the Bearcats' single-season home run record on his way to AMC Player of the Year recognition
Calvin O'Rear broke the Bearcats' single-season home run record on his way to AMC Player of the Year recognition
(LEBANON, Ill., May 2)-The American Midwest Conference revealed its 2008 Baseball All-Conference team Friday at the conclusion of the AMC Tournament. The honors were voted upon by the coaches of the league's six baseball institutions.

McKendree University junior Calvin O'Rear, a first baseman from DuBois, Ill., was selected as the 2008 AMC Player of the Year. During the regular season, O'Rear posted a batting average of .368 with 22 home runs and 57 RBI. O'Rear led the AMC in home runs and runs batted in. The 22 home runs hit by O'Rear set a new McKendree season record, topping the old mark of 20 held by former three-time AMC Player of the Year Brian Dinkelman. In addition to his offensive prowess, O'Rear stole 23 bases in 25 attempts. O'Rear also picked up AMC Newcomer of the Year honors, which is given to the conference's top transfer player.

The 2008 AMC Baseball Pitcher of the Year is Cale Johnson of McKendree University. Johnson, a junior from Greenville, Ill., produced a record of 7-1 with an earned-run average of 3.99. He allowed 75 hits in 70 innings of work. Johnson allowed just nine walks with 36 strikeouts. Through the end of the 2008 regular season, Johnson has compiled a career record of 21-4 for the Bearcats.

Joe Huber of Harris-Stowe State University was named the 2008 AMC Freshman of the Year. Huber, an infielder from Washington, Mo., batted .322 with 12 RBI while moving into the Hornets' starting lineup at shortstop. Huber was 9-of-13 in stolen base attempts and scored 31 runs in 41 games played during his rookie season.

For the second consecutive year, Eddie Uschold of Missouri Baptist University has earned AMC Coach of the Year accolades. Now in his ninth season at Missouri Baptist, Uschold has developed the Spartans' program into one of the most successful at the NAIA level. Missouri Baptist posted a record of 34-14 during the 2008 regular season and claimed the AMC regular-season title by going 16-4 in league play.

Following is a list of the 2008 AMC Baseball All-Conference and honorable mention All-Conference team, along with the members of the 2008 AMC All-Defensive team:

2008 AMC FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
1B – Calvin O'Rear, McKendree University
2B – Justin Koch, William Woods University
3B – Price Kendall, Missouri Baptist University
3B – Matt Wassall, Harris-Stowe State University
SS – Kyle Christiansen, William Woods University
IF – Scott Talbert, Missouri Baptist University
OF – Bino Thompson, Harris-Stowe State University
OF – Brandon Melliere, McKendree University
OF – Brandon Patek, Missouri Baptist University
OF – Joaby Sikes, Williams Baptist College
C – Jacob Myking, Missouri Baptist University
C – B.J. Underkofler, William Woods University
P – John Selb, Harris-Stowe State University
P – Cale Johnson, McKendree University
P – Matt Murray, Missouri Baptist University
P – Josh Goodin, William Woods University
RP – Clayton Dill, Missouri Baptist University

DH – Joel Johnson, Missouri Baptist University

2008 AMC HONORABLE MENTION ALL-CONFERENCE
Hannibal-LaGrange College
Thomas Vesely, Tyson Mulvaney, Jim Niemczyk, Tyler Martin

Harris-Stowe
State University
Mike Luczak, Matt Sauve, Joe Huber, Dan Healey

McKendree University
Craig Session, Adam Davinroy, Todd Harpstrite, Tyler Muren, Rusty Parke, Tyler Mattmiller

Missouri Baptist University
Clint Massey, Francisco Vega, Aaron Byington, Blake Kearney, Derik Drewett

William Woods University
Luke Carver, Craig Moffett, A.J. Gould, Cody Morrow

Williams Baptist College
Andy Arnold


2008 AMC ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
1B – Tyson Mulvaney, Hannibal-LaGrange College
2B – Jim Niemczyk, Hannibal-LaGrange College
3B – Todd Harpstrite, McKendree University
SS – Brandon Crook, Williams Baptist College
LF – Ryan Dickerman, William Woods University
CF – Dan Healey, Harris-Stowe State University
RF – Brandon Patek, Missouri Baptist University
C – B.J. Underkofler, William Woods University
P – Cale Johnson, McKendree University
Posted by Scott Cummings - Wed, Apr 30, 2008 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 136 times
(LEBANON, Ill., April 30)--The members of the 2008 American Midwest Conference Baseball Academic All-Conference squad were announced on Wednesday afternoon. Certificates were presented to the honorees in a ceremony between the first round games of the AMC Tournament at Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis.

A total of 90 players were honored for their accomplishments off the field. To qualify for AMC Academic All-Conference honors, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.
Following is the list of the 2008 AMC Baseball Academic All-Conference team members:

Hannibal-LaGrange College
Matthew Bals, Nathan Carroz, Tim Crain, Joshua Jackson, Tyler Martin, Tyson Mulvaney, Shawn Ohlms, Ben Strother, Matthew Surratt, Logan Taylor, Joseph Thrower, Thomas Vesely

Harris-Stowe State University
Tony Allen, Tim Buxman, Zach Buxman, Jason Emmons, Dan Healey, Joe Huber, Tad Jilek, Matt Kerperien, Mike Luczak, Marcus Marrero, Cody Ostmann, Travis Parker, Brandon Pringle, Jon Saxon, Bino Thompson, Eric Tripp, Adam Williams, Larry Young

McKendree University
Chris Bellm, Adam Buehne, Anthony Clervi, Mark Cokel, Mark Daniels, Adam Davinroy, Brad Dunnigan, Jacob Flick, Eric Gentz, Derek Goetzl, Todd Harpstrite, Brandon Holtmann, Cale Johnson, Jon Keener, Tyler Mattmiller, Shane McBride, Brandon Melliere, Ryan Meyer, Kyle Moll, Tyler Muren, Jonathan Norton, Calvin O'Rear, Rusty Parke, Tom Rose, Dusty Schallenberg, Dakota Schutt, Tyler Schwierjohn, Ryan Uhe

Missouri Baptist University
Bradley Blankenship, Jared Carlson, James Coborn, Dayne Dyer, Jacob Greminger, Russell Hendricks, Ryan Jackson, Jonathon Serafini, Scott Talbert

William Woods University
Jason Boyd, Michael Bultitude, Kyle Christiansen, Curt Clark, Mason Haupt, Michael Hufty, Justin Koch, Craig Moffett, Cody Morrow, Shawn Neubauer, Kyle Proebsting, Paul Ramey, Garrett Stephenson, B.J. Underkofler, Adam Wojociechowski

Williams Baptist College
Matt Dillon, Travis Ifland, Ty Jones, Chris Marcum, Matt Miller, Michael Miller, Joshua Mitchell, Joaby Sikes
Posted by Scott Cummings - Tue, Apr 29, 2008 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 62 times
(LEBANON, Ill., April 29)--A pair of Missouri Baptist University standouts have been named the American Midwest Conference Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week for April 28.

Joel Johnson, a senior from Camas, Wash., is this week's honoree as the AMC Player of the Week, while Blake Kearney, a senior from Gold Coast, Australia, picked up AMC Pitcher of the Week recognition.

Johnson batted .481 in seven games last week with 13 hits in 27 at-bats. Among his 13 hits were three doubles and two home runs. Johnson also drove in 13 runs and scored six times. Johnson had six hits as the Spartans took three of four games from William Woods University to wrap up the AMC regular-season championship.

Kearney won both games he pitched in last week. He tossed a complete-game five-hitter as Missouri Baptist defeated Hannibal-LaGrange College, 3-1. Kearney also allowed four hits over five innings as the Spartans grabbed a 10-0 win at William Woods. In 12 innings last week, Kearney gave up just one earned run with seven strikeouts.
Posted by Scott Cummings - Tue, Apr 29, 2008 - [ Softball ] - Viewed 59 times
(LEBANON, Ill., April 29)--Zoroya Brittan of William Woods University and Valerie Teter have earned American Midwest Conference softball weekly honors for April 28. Brittan was chosen as the AMC Softball Player of the Week, while Teter brought home AMC Softball Pitcher of the Week accolades.

Brittan, a freshman infielder from Valley Park, Mo., posted a batting average of .611 with 11 hits in 18 at-bats covering seven games last week. She added a double, triple, home run and seven RBI. Brittan also scored nine runs as William Woods earned the runner-up spot in the 2008 AMC Softball Tournament last week. At one point last week, Brittan pounded out four consecutive multi-hit games.

Teter, a freshman from Bevier, Mo., tossed three complete games in helping Columbia to the AMC Softball Tournament championship. In 19 innings of work, she allowed just three earned runs, all of which came in the same contest. Teter closed out her week with consecutive shutouts against Williams Baptist College (1-0) and William Woods University (9-0).

For her efforts, Teter was selected as the AMC Freshman and Player of the Year.
Posted by Scott Cummings - Mon, Apr 28, 2008 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 360 times
Missouri Baptist went 16-4 to claim the top seed in the 2008 AMC Baseball Tournament
Missouri Baptist went 16-4 to claim the top seed in the 2008 AMC Baseball Tournament
(LEBANON, Ill., April 28)--Missouri Baptist University earned its second consecutive American Midwest Conference Baseball Tournament championship with a 10-7 come-from-behind victory Friday over McKendree University in the title contest.

The top-seeded Spartans trailed 6-1 in the fourth inning but posted nine unanswered runs to complete an undefeated run in tournament play. Missouri Baptist moves to 37-14 overall, while McKendree slips to 30-24 on the year. Both the Spartans and Bearcats have earned bids to next week's NAIA Region V Tournament. The six-team, double-elimination event is scheduled to begin Wednesday on the campus of Lindenwood University.

In Friday's championship game, the teams were tied 1-1 before McKendree scored three runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth to grab a 6-1 lead. Missouri Baptist began its comeback with four runs in the fifth inning to pull within 6-5. In the seventh inning, Scott Schneider belted a two-run home run to give the Spartans the lead for good at 7-6. Missouri Baptist tacked on three more runs in the eighth inning to boost its margin to 10-6.

McKendree scored a run in the top of the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate with one out. However, the Spartans' Clayton Dill retired the final two Bearcat hitters to lock up the tournament championship.

Below are the complete results for the 2008 AMC Baseball Tournament. For a PDF copy of the tournament bracket, please click here. Missouri Baptist is also hosting a website devoted to the event, and can be found by clicking here.

2008 AMERICAN MIDWEST CONFERENCE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
GAMES FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
Game 1: #1 Missouri Baptist University def. #4 Harris-Stowe State University, 6-0     BOX SCORE
(MBU's Brandon Patek delivers double, home run and four RBI to back the complete-game five-hitter tossed by Aaron Byington)
Game 2: #3 William Woods University def. #2 McKendree University, 4-2     BOX SCORE
(Owls turn four double plays and get late-inning RBI singles from Kyle Christiansen and Craig Moffett to hold off Bearcats)

GAMES FOR THURSDAY, MAY 1
Game 3: McKendree def. Harris-Stowe, 6-2 (Harris-Stowe eliminated)     BOX SCORE
(Todd Harpstrite's grand slam caps six-run rally in eighth inning for the Bearcats; Rusty Parke allows five hits in complete-game victory)

Game 4: Missouri Baptist def. William Woods, 8-0     BOX SCORE
(Matt Murray's six-hitter backed by 13-hit offensive attack by Missouri Baptist; Francisco Vega notches four hits and Riley Gavello adds three-run triple for the Spartans)

Game 5: McKendree def. William Woods, 10-2 (William Woods eliminated)     BOX SCORE
(Eighth inning lucky again for McKendree as Bearcats erupt for seven runs in the frame; Cale Johnson retires 18 batters in a row at one point during five-hit effort)

GAMES FOR FRIDAY, MAY 2 (Championship Friday)
Game 6: Missouri Baptist def. McKendree, 10-7     BOX SCORE
(Spartans overcome early 6-1 deficit to record their second consecutive AMC Tournament championship; Joel Johnson notches four hits with three runs scored for MBU)


Posted by Scott Cummings - Sun, Apr 27, 2008 - [ Softball ] - Viewed 158 times
Valerie Teter receives her 2008 AMC Softball Player of the Year plaque from Joe Fisher, head softball coach at UIS
Valerie Teter receives her 2008 AMC Softball Player of the Year plaque from Joe Fisher, head softball coach at UIS
(LEBANON, Ill., April 26)--The American Midwest Conference has announced the members of its 2008 Softball All-Conference team. The honors were released Saturday at the conclusion of the AMC Tournament, which was won by Columbia College.

Valerie Teter, a freshman pitcher/utility player from Columbia College, was selected as the 2008 AMC Softball Player of the Year as well as the AMC Freshman of the Year. Teter, who hails from Bevier, Mo., batted .391 during the regular season with eight home runs and 40 RBI at the plate. On the mound, Teter posted a record of 15-5 with an earned-run average of 1.09. She struck out 188 batters in 140 innings of work with 19 complete games and five shutouts.

Taking home AMC Pitcher of the Year honors for 2008 was another Columbia College hurler, Katie McMahon. In 19 games, McMahon registered 18 complete games with a record of 15-4. The Edina, Mo., native had an ERA of 1.24 and fanned 125 batters in 124 innings. Three of McMahon's four losses came to NAIA-ranked teams.

The 2008 AMC Newcomer of the Year, giving to the league's top transfer player, is Lindsey Parker from Missouri Baptist University. Parker, a junior pitcher/designated hitter from Wentzville, Mo., had a batting average of .442 during the regular season with five home runs and 36 RBI. Parker struck out just three times in 95 at-bats and had a slugging percentage of .485.

Wendy Spratt of Columbia College picked up AMC Coach of the Year honors. This marks the fifth time in her 12-year career that Spratt has earned the league's top coaching award. Spratt guided the Cougars to a 35-9 record this year (through the AMC Tournament), including a 12-2 mark in AMC action. Columbia won the conference regular-season title, then swept its four games in the AMC Tournament. Spratt has posted 515 victories in her coaching career at Columbia.

Listed below are the members of the 2008 AMC Softball All-Conference teams:

FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Valerie Teter, Columbia
Katie McMahon, Columbia
Lindsey Williams, Columbia
Sam Stringer, Columbia
Brianne Moeller, Illinois-Springfield
Jessica Wolff, Illinois-Springfield
Kayla White, McKendree
Molly Reed, McKendree
Amy Quirin, McKendree
Rachael Ostertag, McKendree
Lindsay Parker, Missouri Baptist
Lauren Scovill, Missouri Baptist
Lynnzie Trustee, William Woods
Zoe Brittan, William Woods
Elizabeth Baker, William Woods
T.J. Quick, William Woods
Kim Emmons, Williams Baptist
Angela Byrd, Williams Baptist

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-CONFERENCE
Rachel Brawner, Columbia
Ashley Farmer, Columbia
Jennifer Stone, Hannibal-LaGrange
Shayla Cox, Hannibal-LaGrange
Rebecca Rhode, Harris-Stowe
Carissa Mudge, Harris-Stowe
JoAnna Eddy, Illinois-Springfield
Nicole McAfee, Illinois-Springfield
Angie Maue, McKendree
Katie Ward, McKendree
Amber Nikolauzyk, McKendree
Jessica Robinson, Missouri Baptist
Dana Schlemmer, Missouri Baptist
Brittany Job, Missouri Baptist
Courtney Vincent, William Woods
Tara Schulte, William Woods
Morgan Parkhurst, William Woods
Justine Rial, Williams Baptist
Megan Tompkins, Williams Baptist
Posted by Paul MacDonna - Sat, Apr 26, 2008 - [ Softball ] - Viewed 73 times
(SPRINGFIELD, Ill., April 26)--The Cougars of Columbia College captured the 2008 American Midwest Conference Championship with a 9-0 win over the Owls of William Woods University.  Columbia now advances to the NAIA Regional Tournament in Springfield, Missouri, on May 6th.
Columbia scored a run in the bottom of the first inning when Rachel Brawner doubled to bring in Samantha Stringer who earned a walk and stole second base to get into scoring position.
 
But Columbia opened the flood gates in the bottom of the second inning, scoring five unanswered runs.
Columbia's Valerie Teter smashed a grand slam home run over the left field fence in the second inning to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead.  Columbia put two more runs up in the bottom of the third inning and one more in the bottom of the fourth inning to secure the win.
 
Columbia's Valerie Teter threw a two-hitter and struck out 10 batters to earn the victory.  William Woods's Rachel Nachtweih gets the loss, allowing eight runs on five hits in two-and-a-third innings.
Posted by Paul MacDonna - Fri, Apr 25, 2008 - [ Softball ] - Viewed 84 times

Day two action is almost complete at the 2008 American Midwest Conference Tournament, but not quite.  The second day saw the Nol. 1 seeded Columbia Cougars continue their roll to the championship game while the Eagles of Williams Baptist College and the Owls of William Woods University battle to get to that game.

Columbia defeated William Woods in championship bracket play by a 10-6 margin to advance to the championship game while Williams Baptist battled through the consolation bracket in hopes of pulling the upset to get into the championship game.  The Eagles captured a 1-0 win over the Spartans of Missouri Baptist University to eliminate them from the tournament and was leading the Bearcats of McKendree University 6-1 going into the bottom of the seventh inning when the game was suspended due to lightning. 
 
Severe weather that rolled into the central Illinois area brought even more gusty winds, lightning and heavy rain which forced the game to be suspended.  The game will be resumed beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 26th and will be followed by the play-in game between William Woods University and the winner of that game.
 
The winner between William Woods and the winner of the Williams Baptist vs McKendree game will face Columbia in the AMC Championship Game, which will get underway at 1:00 p.m.
Posted by Scott Cummings - Thu, Apr 24, 2008 - [ Softball ] - Viewed 127 times
(LEBANON, Ill., April 24)--The members of the 2008 American Midwest Conference Softball Academic All-Conference team were honored Thursday in a ceremony held between first-round games at the AMC Tournament.

There were 79 student-athletes recognized for their achievements in the classroom. To be eligible for AMC Academic All-Conference honors, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. Following is a list of the AMC Softball Academic All-Conference recipients, listed by school:

COLUMBIA COLLEGE
Ashley Brawner, Rachel Brawner, Kensie Cavanah, Katie McMahon, Kacey Rehagen, Jodie Schultz, Stephanie Schultz, Jena Strobel, Valerie Teter, Lindsey Williams

HANNIBAL-LaGRANGE COLLEGE
Shayla Cox, Hannah Crain, Marissa Foreman, Dani Frick, Megan Lister, Mallory Muck, Whitley Schopp, Amanda Smith, Jennifer Stone, Chanae Weldy, Tamara Whitney

HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY
Melissa Lombardo, Maya Morris, Lacy Owens

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT SPRINGFIELD
Natalie Bertucci, Allie Leight, Kristan Delafeld, Nicole McAfee, Whitney Nelson, Jessica Tittsworth, Emmarie Snyder

McKENDREE UNIVERSITY
Ashley Agee, Courtney Aldridge, Liz Dains, Sloane Hertlein, Christine Juehne, Renee Lanenga, Angie Maue, Lindsay Newbold, Amber Nikolauzyk, Rachael Ostertag, Ashley Parrott, Colene Pogue, Erica Reed, Amanda Snyder, Nicole Steele, Jenilyn Wahlig, Katie Ward, Cathy Webb, Kayla White, Ashley Wombacher

MISSOURI BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
Cassandra Bailey, Danielle Hayden, Brittany Job, Stacey Launius, Jessica Robinson, Meaghan Rocco, Lauren Scovill, Amy Simon, Torrie Yeast

WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY
Elizabeth Baker, Mandy Henke, Chelsea Loethen, Morgan Parkhurst, Kendra Propst, T.J. Quick, Samantha Reynolds, Tara Schulte, Laura Seipp, Tracie Thomson, Lynnzie Trustee, Melissa White

WILLIAMS BAPTIST COLLEGE
Julie Bishop, Heather Burnside, Sara Flenor, Jessica Jarrett, Conna Strong, Megan Tompkins, Mallory Wilson
Posted by Scott Cummings - Wed, Apr 23, 2008 - [ Softball ] - Viewed 355 times
Valerie Teter tossed a two-hit shutout and blasted a grand slam in the Cougars' 9-0 AMC Tournament-clinching victory
Valerie Teter tossed a two-hit shutout and blasted a grand slam in the Cougars' 9-0 AMC Tournament-clinching victory
(LEBANON, Ill., April 23)--Columbia College rolled through its four games to claim the 2008 American Midwest Conference Tournament championship. The Cougars defeated William Woods University 9-0 in Saturday's tournament championship contest.

Saturday's action began with the completion of a suspended game between Williams Baptist College and McKendree University. Play was stopped on Friday due to strong storms in central Illinois with Williams Baptist holding a 6-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. The Eagles needed just minutes to finish off the five-run victory to advance in the elimination bracket.

Williams Baptist met William Woods in the elimination bracket finals, and the teams hooked up in a tight battle. The Owls scratched out a run in the top of the sixth inning, then turned to their defense to preserve the win. A spectacular catch to end the game helped William Woods hold on for the 1-0 win and reach the AMC title game against Columbia.

The Cougars wasted little time in building a big lead with a five-run second inning to grab an early 6-0 lead. Columbia tacked on two more runs in the third inning and one more in the fourth to back the two-hit pitching of Valerie Teter. She also belted a grand slam in the second inning for the Cougars.

RESULTS FROM THURSDAY, APRIL 24
Game 1: Columbia 6, Hannibal-LaGrange 0
(Katie McMahon strikes out nine and walks one in tossing no-hitter to open tournament, retires first 15 batters)
Game 2: William Woods 9, Harris-Stowe 0
(Kendra Propst's two-run single in the second inning gets the Owls' offense off and running; Courtney Vincent allows just two hits with eight strikeouts)
Game 3: Williams Baptist 2, McKendree 0 (10 innings)
(Angela Byrd's two-run double in the top of the 10th inning breaks up scoreless pitcher's duel between WBC's Kim Emmons and McK's Amy Quirin)
Game 4: Illinois-Springfield 2, Missouri Baptist 0
(Kristan Delafeld's two-run home run in the sixth inning provides the only scoring to lift No. 6 UIS to the win)
Game 5: McKendree 4, Hannibal-LaGrange 1 (Hannibal-LaGrange eliminated)
(Bearcats erupt for four first-inning runs; McK's Christine Juehne posts two hits while Colene Pogue tosses compete game)

Game 6: Missouri Baptist 7, Harris-Stowe 0 (Harris-Stowe eliminated)
(Four-run first inning paces Spartans to victory in match-up of St. Louis institutions; MBU's Jessica Robinson fans 10 batters)

Game 7: Columbia 1, Williams Baptist 0
(Sam Stringer's game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning caps two-out rally as Cougars advance to winner's bracket final)
Game 8: William Woods 7, Illinois-Springfield 5
(Owls hold off late rally by Prairie Stars to set up meeting of top two seeds in tournament winner's bracket final; WWU's Shannon Huffman collects two hits and three RBI)

RESULTS FROM FRIDAY, APRIL 25
Game 9: McKendree 1, Illinois-Springfield 0 (Illinois-Springfield eliminated)
(Bearcats' Molly Reed drives home the winning run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to keep AMC hopes alive)

Game 10: Williams Baptist 1, Missouri Baptist 0 (8 innings) (Missouri Baptist eliminated)
(Kim Emmons tosses three-hit shutout as Eagles scratch out winning run in the top of the eighth inning)

Game 11: Columbia 10, William Woods 6
(Rachel Brawner's three hits and three RBI leads offensive surge as Cougars advance to AMC Tournament title game; teams combine for 23 hits)
Game 12: Williams Baptist leads McKendree 6-1, middle of the 7th inning (game suspended)

RESULTS FROM SATURDAY, APRIL 26 (CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY)
Completion of Game 12: Williams Baptist 6, McKendree 1 (McKendree eliminated)
(Heather Burnside's four RBI push Eagles into consolation bracket finals)

Game 13: William Woods 1, Williams Baptist 0 (Williams Baptist eliminated)
(Shannon Huffman's RBI triple earns Owls ticket to AMC Tournament championship contest)

Game 14: Columbia 9, William Woods 0 (five innings)
(Valerie Teter blasts grand slam, tosses two-hitter to lead Columbia to AMC Tournament championship)

Click here to view the 2008 AMC Softball Tournament bracket. You can also visit the official tournament website of the AMC Tournament by clicking here.
Posted by Scott Cummings - Mon, Apr 21, 2008 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 129 times
Calvin O'Rear blasted seven home runs in six McKendree victories
Calvin O'Rear blasted seven home runs in six McKendree victories
(LEBANON, Ill., April 21)--McKendree University baseball players Calvin O'Rear and Joey Ullery have earned recognition from the American Midwest Conference for their performances on the diamond last week.

O'Rear was honored as the AMC Baseball Player of the Week, while Ullery took home AMC Pitcher of the Week honors. It marks O'Rear's first AMC weekly honor of 2008, while Ullery has earned the conference's top weekly pitching award for the second time in three weeks.

O'Rear, a junior first baseman from DuBois, Ill., put together a stellar week at the plate in leading the Bearcats to a perfect 6-0 mark. O'Rear had 12 hits in 20 at-bats for a .600 batting average. He belted seven home runs and added 17 RBI. O'Rear scored 11 runs and added five stolen bases in as many attempts. Six of O'Rear's seven homers came in McKendree's four-game AMC sweep of Williams Baptist College, including three in the first game of an April 19 doubleheader. The three round-trippers tied a Bearcat team record for homers in a game.

Then on Sunday, O'Rear hit his final home run of the week to boost his season total to 20. That ties the McKendree team record for homers in a season, which was originally set by three-time AMC Player of the Year Brian Dinkelman in 2005. O'Rear leads McKendree in batting average (.374), runs scored (42), hits (52), home runs (20), runs batted in (47) and stolen bases (18).

Ullery, a junior right-hander from Mt. Vernon, Ill., went the distance in the Bearcats' 2-1, eight-inning victory in the second game of an April 19 doubleheader. He did not allow an earned run on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Ullery was part of a McKendree pitching staff that allowed just 10 runs in six victories last week.

For the season, Ullery has a record of 2-3 with an earned-run average of 4.22. He ranks among team leaders in innings pitched (49) and strikeouts (24).
Posted by Scott Cummings - Mon, Apr 21, 2008 - [ Softball ] - Viewed 81 times
Katie McMahon struck out 32 batters in 24 innings of work last week
Katie McMahon struck out 32 batters in 24 innings of work last week
(LEBANON, Ill., April 21)--A pair of Columbia College standouts have been selected for American Midwest Conference softball honors for April 21.

Lindsey Williams has earned AMC Softball Player of the Week accolades, while Katie McMahon has picked up AMC Softball Pitcher of the Week honors. The awards were announced Monday evening by the league office.

Williams, a senior outfielder from Kirksville, Mo., helped the Cougars to six victories in eight games last week. She batted .520 (13-of-25) with 12 runs scored, a double, triple, one home run and six RBI. Williams hit safely in all eight Columbia games last week and also drew four walks. Columbia, the No. 15-ranked team in the NAIA, improved to 29-9 overall and locked up the top seed in this week's AMC Softball Tournament.

McMahon, a senior from Edina, Mo., registered four victories on the mound for the Cougars. Included in McMahon's four wins were AMC victories against Hannibal-LaGrange College and Missouri Baptist University. In 24 innings of work, she allowed just four earned runs (1.17 ERA) with four walks and 32 strikeouts.
Posted by Scott Cummings - Tue, Apr 15, 2008 - [ Softball ] - Viewed 106 times
Elizabeth Baker threw a four-hit shutout against Illinois-Springfield
Elizabeth Baker threw a four-hit shutout against Illinois-Springfield
(LEBANON, Ill., April 15)--Valerie Teter of Columbia College and Elizabeth Baker of William Woods University have been honored for their play on the softball diamond for the week of April 7-13.

Teter has been selected as the AMC Softball Pitcher of the Week, while Baker was recognized as the AMC Softball Pitcher of the Week. The honors were announced Tuesday morning by the league office.

Teter, a freshman from Bevier, Mo., went 2-for-6 in an important AMC doubleheader seep of William Woods University last week. She scored two runs and had a two-run home run during the twinbill. In addition to her performance at the plate, Teter tossed a four-hitter against the Owls with four walks and 11 strikeouts. The victory was her 11th of the season on mound for Columbia, which is ranked No. 15 in the NAIA.

Baker, a senior from Maryville, Mo., worked in three games last week for the Owls. In 16 2/3 innings of work, Baker allwed three earned runs on 11 hits with seven strikeouts. Her most impressive performance of the week came in a 1-0 victory against the University of Illinois at Springfield. Baker tossed a four-hit shutout for William Woods with two strikeouts.

On the season, Baker is 6-6 with an ERA of 2.30.
Posted by Scott Cummings - Tue, Apr 15, 2008 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 95 times
Justin Koch was 6-for-7 in an AMC doubleheader against Hannibal-LaGrange
Justin Koch was 6-for-7 in an AMC doubleheader against Hannibal-LaGrange
(LEBANON, Ill., April 15)--The American Midwest Conference Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week for April 14 have been announced by the league office.

Justin Koch of William Woods University has been selected as the AMC Player of the Week, while Matt Murray of Missouri Baptist University is the AMC Pitcher of the Week honoree. In addition to his AMC honor, Koch was also named the NAIA Region V Baseball Player of the Week.

Koch, a senior second baseman from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, was on fire in an AMC doubleheader against Hannibal-LaGrange College. Koch went 6-for-7 at the plate with two doubles, one home run and four runs batted in. He also scored four times as the Owls swept a pivotal AMC twinbill from the Trojans.

For the season, Koch is hitting .398 with 20 RBI.

Murray, a senior right-handed pitcher from Ballwin, Mo., picked up a pair of AMC victories last week for the Spartans. Murray allowed two runs and five hits over five innings in a 7-2 Missouri Baptist win over McKendree University. He followed that up with a complete-game one-hit effort in a 10-0 victory over Williams Baptist College. Murray struck out three in the contest.
Posted by Scott Cummings - Tue, Apr 8, 2008 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 154 times
McKendree's Joey Ullery took a perfect game into the fifth inning against William Woods
McKendree's Joey Ullery took a perfect game into the fifth inning against William Woods
(LEBANON, Ill., April 8)--The American Midwest Conference has announced its Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week award recipients for April 7.

Scott Talbert of Missouri Baptist University has been honored as the AMC Baseball Player of the Week, while Joey Ullery of McKendree University is the AMC Baseball Pitcher of the Week honoree. The awards were announced by the conference office Tuesday morning.

Talbert, a senior first baseman from Chesterfield, Mo., wielded a big bat in four games last week for the Spartans. Talbert batted .583 (7-for-12) with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBI. He also scored six runs and drew three walks. Talbert homered in three consecutive games, including both ends of a doubleheader sweep against NAIA Region V foe Lindenwood University.

For the season, Talbert is batting .400 with six home runs and 23 RBI.

Ullery, a junior right-hander from Mt. Vernon, Ill., came up big in the Bearcats' 6-2 AMC home victory on April 2 against William Woods University. Ullery took a perfect game into the fifth inning and finished by allowing one unearned run over six innings on just three hits. He struck out four and did not walk a batter in the contest. The win was the first of the season for Ullery.

Ullery is 1-1 with a 5.10 earned-run average in five starts for McKendree.

Posted by Scott Cummings - Tue, Apr 8, 2008 - [ Softball ] - Viewed 115 times
Jessica Wolff
Jessica Wolff
(LEBANON, Ill., April 8)--The University of Illinois at Springfield enjoyed a good week on the softball diamond. The Prairie Stars were equally as impressive in the awards department as two members of their squad were honored by the American Midwest Conference on Tuesday.

Jessica Wolff was selected as the AMC Softball Player of the Week, while Brianne Moeller took home AMC Softball Pitcher of the Week accolades. The honors were released Tuesday morning by the league office.

Wolff, a junior shortstop from Brighton, Ill., batted .429 with two home runs and four RBI over a four-game span. She also added a double and three runs scored and posted a slugging percentage of .929. Wolff drove in the game-winning run with her double in a 1-0 victory at No. 14 Columbia College. The win marked the first-ever victory for the Prairie Stars against the Cougars. Wolff also had a strong performance at the McKendree University Invitational over the weekend, hitting .500 with two home runs and three RBI.

For the season, Wolff leads Illinois-Springfield with four home runs and 14 RBI. She also had a team-best slugging percentage of .470.

Moeller, a sophomore from Nashville, Ill., had a hand in two of the Prairie Stars' three victories on the week. She tossed a complete-game, two-hit shutout in the 1-0 victory at Columbia College. Moeller struck out five in her gem. In addition, Moeller shut down Robert Morris College over the final two innings to earn the save in a 5-4 victory at the McKendree Invitational.

In addition to her pitching performances, Moeller went 4-for-7 at the plate with a triple and three RBI. For the season, Moeller leads the UIS staff with 23 strikeouts in 30 innings of work.

Posted by Scott Cummings - Fri, Apr 4, 2008 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 124 times
McKendree baseball coach Jim Boehne is in his 11th season at McKendree
McKendree baseball coach Jim Boehne is in his 11th season at McKendree

(LEBANON, Ill., April 2)-The McKendree University baseball team picked up an important American Midwest Conference doubleheader sweep Wednesday at home against William Woods University. The Bearcats cruised to a 12-2 win in game one before posting a 6-2 victory in the nightcap.

McKendree head coach Jim Boehne earned his 400th career victory with the Bearcats' win in the second game. Now in his 11th season at the helm of the Bearcat program, Boehne has a career record of 400-195-2. He is the all-time wins leader in McKendree baseball history.

The victories push the Bearcats' overall record to 12-13. McKendree is now 3-1 in AMC play and will host Missouri Baptist Friday and Saturday at 1 p.m. in a key conference series for both squads.

Junior first baseman Calvin O'Rear and sophomore infielder Adam Davinroy helped provide the offensive spark for McKendree on Wednesday. O'Rear went 4-for-4 with a home run and six RBI in game one, while Davinroy was a perfect 5-for-5 in the opener and had six hits on the day.

McKendree broke free for three runs in the first inning of game one. Davinroy led off with a double before a double down the right-field line by senior infielder Todd Harpstrite put runners at second and third with one out. O'Rear delivered a two-run single to give the Bearcats a 2-0 advantage. The Bearcats proceeded to load the bases before sophomore outfielder Ryan Meyer walked to force home O'Rear and close out the scoring for the inning.

O'Rear belted a two-run home run in the second inning to extend McKendree's lead to 5-0. The Bearcats tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning to push its advantage to 8-0. O'Rear started the scoring with an RBI single before senior outfielder Anthony Clervi added a two-run single.

After William Woods (13-15, 1-3 AMC) scored its two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the McKendree lead to 8-2, the Bearcats answered with two more runs in the bottom of the frame. Junior infielder Tom Rose provided a sacrifice fly ahead of another run-scoring hit by O'Rear. McKendree ended the contest with two runs in the sixth inning as Davinroy capped his perfect first game with a run-scoring double and Rose followed with an RBI single.

McKendree rapped out a season-high 17 hits in game one, including the perfect 9-for-9 effort by Davinroy and O'Rear. Sophomore outfielder Shane McBride added two hits and three runs scored for the Bearcats.

Senior right-hander Adam Buehne collected his first victory of the season. Buehne allowed four hits over five innings with three walks and four strikeouts.

In game two, junior right-hander Joey Ullery also earned his first win of 2008 as he carried a perfect game into the fifth inning. The gem was broken up on a two-out single by Cody Morrow. Ullery pitched six innings and allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts.

The second game was scoreless until the fourth inning, when McKendree broke through with two runs. With one out, junior catcher Craig Session reached on an infield single. Two batters later, freshman Brad Dunnigan doubled to put runners at second and third. Rose delivered a two-run single to left that put the Bearcats in front 2-0.

The Owls pulled within 2-1 on a single run in the top of the sixth before McKendree added four insurance runs in the bottom of the inning. Rose drew a bases-loaded walk to force home the first run of the frame. After an error allowed the second run to come home, Davinroy walked with the bases still loaded to push the McKendree lead to 5-1. Freshman outfielder Tyler Muren closed out the scoring when he reached on a fielder's choice allowing Rose to score.

Rose finished game two with three RBI, while Session and Dunnigan each provided two hits for the Bearcats.