BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University baseball team has their sights set a second straight NCAA Playoff Appearance.
Under the direction of 13th year head coach Brian Harrison, the American Baseball Coaches Association Region 7 Coach of the Year, the team returns one All-American, one All-Region and three All-Ohio Athletic Conference players from a squad that made an NCAA World Series Appearance, won a Super Regional Championship, won a Regional Championship and posted a 37-13 overall record with a 12-5 mark in the OAC. The team returns 23 letterwinners and eight Academic All-OAC players.
Behind the dish the Yellow Jackets return senior JT Mazula (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) who appeared in 21 games, took 45 at bats with 13 hits. He had a total of five extra base hits with three doubles, a triple and a home run. He scored nine runs while batting in 17 runs. On the defensive end, caught six runners stealing. Joining Mazula behind the plate is junior Mark Mohnickey Jr. (North Ridgeville/St. Edward) who appeared in 39 games. He had 92 at-bats with 26 hits including 14 extra base hits. He hit four doubles, a triple and nine dingers. He scored 26 runs with 27 runs batted in and finished second on the team with .641 slugging percentage. Defensively, he caught 11 runners stealing.
On the infield, senior All-American first basemen Luke Vonderhaar (New Bremen) headlines the returners. Last season Vonderhaar was named the NCAA Baseball Championship Elite 90 Award winner, American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings All-America third-team, D3baseball.com All-America fourth-team, American Baseball Coaches Association/Rwalings All-Region first-team, D3baseball.com All-Region first-team, All-OAC first-team, Brockport (N.Y.) NCAA All-Regional Tournament MVP and OAC All-Tournament team. Off the field, he is College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America second-team, CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 and Academic All-OAC. Vonderhaar appeared in all 50 games with was fourth on the team with 197 at bats. He set the school single season home run record with 19 home runs, the school single season runs batted in record with 69 and tied the single season most games played with 50. He was fourth on the team with 67 hits with 34 extra base hits. He hit 14 doubles, a triple and his 19 home runs led the OAC. His 69 RBIs were good for second in the OAC and he was fourth on the team with 53 runs. He led the team and was third in the OAC with .711 slugging percentage and he added eight stolen bases. In the field, he totaled 351 putouts, 18 assists and 22 double plays.
Senior Academic All-OAC utilitymen Ryan Guggenheim (Solon) returns after being named to the Brockport (N.Y.) NCAA All-Regional Tournament team and the OAC All-Tournament team. Last season, he appeared in 48 games with 180 at bats. He picked up 67 hits including 22 extra base hits. He was second on the team with 17 doubles, tied for the team lead with three triples and hit home runs. He scored 49 runs and knocked in 47 RBIs. He was second on the team with .372 batting average and was third on the team with 11 stolen bases. In the field, he tallied 82 putouts, 56 assists and nine double plays. Joining Guggenheim in the infield is sophomore Sean Kolenich (Parma/ St. Edward). Kolenich also was a member of the Brockport (N.Y.) NCAA All-Regional team. He tied the school single season record with 50 game played/started. He was fifth on the team with 186 at bats with 59 hits. He led the team and was fourth in the OAC with 29 walks. He was fifth on the team with 51 runs scored and was second on the team with 52 RBIs. He hit 13 doubles, a triple and six home runs. In the field, he posted 57 putouts, 86 assists and eight double plays.
The outfielder will have veteran leadership in the form of senior duo of All-Region, All-OAC and Academic All-OAC Vincent Capolupo (Kenmore, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate) and Andrew Parker (Toledo, Toledo Central Catholic). Capolupo appeared in 46 games while leading the team with a .392 batting average. He was tied for the team led and third in the OAC with 80 hits. He was second on the team and fourth in the OAC with 204 at bats. He was second on the team and fourth in the OAC with 62 runs scored and he added 39 runs batted in. He was also third on the team with 16 doubles to go along with two triples and six dingers. He also led the team with 16 stolen bases On the defensive end, he had 101 putouts. Parker appeared in 27 games with 66 at bats. He picked up 20 hits including six doubles and two home runs. He knocked in seven RBIs and scored 17 runs with a .303 batting average.
Senior All-OAC right-handed pitcher Dawson Gabe (Lawrence, Ind.) returns in the mound after appearing in 16 games and making 14 starts. He posted a 4-4 record while leading the team with 75.2 innings pitched. He led the team and OAC with 89 strikeouts and was second in the OAC with a 3.57 earned run average. Senior Academic All-OAC left-handed pitcher Nik Baldis (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) returns after appearing in 13 games with six starts. He pitched 36 innings allowing just nine runs for a 2.25 earned run average, He notched 35 strikeouts. Senior Academic All-OAC right-handed pitcher Matt Sabin (Mentor), senior right-handed pitcher Aidan Bennett (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier), senior Garrett Miller (McMurray, Pa.) and sophomore Dylan Snyder (Stow/Archbishop Hoban) also look to make significant contributions after having double digit appearances last season.
The Yellow Jackets also feature an exciting class of newcomers and key contributors that look to bring the team back to the NCAA Playoffs.
BW takes the field for the first time Saturday, February 18th for a non-conference doubleheader against Centre (Ky.) College on the Gary Wright Field inside Fishman Park with first pitch slated for 12:00 p.m.
