Jason Barber, Dave Yost, Garret Shivley, Marc Hadley, Levi Curry, Ross Yoder, and Richey Burgos have helped to lead MVNU to a 123-70 record (.637 winning percentage) over the past four seasons as the Cougars have won one conference title and advanced to the championship game of the NAIA Region IX Tournament three times. MVNU is currently 27-15 overall and tied for third place in the AMC with a 14-8 conference mark.

Barber, a right-handed pitcher from Canal Winchester, Ohio, has pitched in 39 games - all but one in relief - over the past four seasons and posted a 3-3 record with four saves and a 5.07 ERA. In 71.0 innings of work, the former Canal Winchester High School product has struck out 45 batters. He was named to the AMC All-Academic Team and the NAIA and NCCAA Scholar-Athlete Teams last year and is up for those honors again this season as he has a 3.61 grade point average as an Integrated Math Education major. This year, Barber has posted a 1-1 record in seven appearances with a 7.71 ERA and seven strikeouts in 9.1 innings.

“Jason has pitched in a number of big games for us during his four years,” said MVNU head coach Keith Veale. “His calm, consistent composure on the mound has made him very resilient to some of the pressure situations we have placed him in during his career. He has been an excellent representative of our baseball program on the field, in the classroom, and on our campus. As he enters the field of education, he will continue to be a quality example of our program.”

Yost, a right-handed pitcher from Poland, Ohio, has pitched in 28 games over the past four years with 15 starts. The former Poland Seminary High School standout has posted an 11-5 record with a 5.89 ERA, three complete games, and one shutout. In 91.2 innings of work, he has struck out 52 batters. He was named to the AMC All-Academic Team and the NAIA and NCCAA Scholar-Athlete Teams last year and is up for those honors again this season as he has a 3.50 grade point average as a Marketing major. This season, Yost has posted a 3-0 record with a career-best 3.33 ERA in six appearances with two complete games, one shutout, and 10 strikeouts.

“Dave has contributed to our team throughout his career primarily as a starting pitcher,” said Veale. “He has won some important games during his four years here. His conference win against Shawnee State earlier this year was instrumental in getting us in the hunt to play in the postseason. He is a hard worker who leads by example. His running ability has also allowed him to run bases the past couple of years. It has been another way he has helped our team compete.”

Shivley, an outfielder from Gahanna, Ohio, has played in 142 games for the Cougars over the past four years. The former St. Francis DeSales High School product has posted a .311 career batting average with 10 doubles, five triples, three home runs, 39 RBI, 110 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases. He also has a .951 fielding percentage with just five errors in 102 chances and five outfield assists. This season, Shivley has started in 37 games and has a career-best .342 batting average with seven doubles, two triples, one home run, 22 RBI, 36 runs scored, and four stolen bases.

“Garret has definitely capped off his career with his finest season,” said Veale. “He is someone who wanted to come back a fifth year to finish his career. I appreciate the way he enjoys the game. He is a team-first guy who plays and practices with energy. I believe he truly enjoys the success of his teammates. He has overcome a lot to be an integral part of our program.”

Hadley, an outfielder/pitcher from Frazeysburg, Ohio, has played in 104 career games at MVNU. The former East Knox High School standout has recorded a .320 career batting average with 15 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 54 RBI, and 59 runs scored. He has also made 23 appearances on the mound in his career and has posted a 4-2 record with two saves and a 5.04 ERA in 50 innings of work. This year, Hadley has a career-best .339 batting average in 39 starts with eight doubles, a career-high five home runs, 29 runs scored, and 31 RBI.

“Marc is a high-energy player,” said Veale. “He has contributed on the mound, in the outfield, and at the plate during his four years. After off-season shoulder surgery, he has made his most significant contributions this year at the plate. He has been locked in the past few weeks which included a big two-home run day against nationally-ranked Malone (College). His facial expressions and conversations to himself always lighten the moments on the field. He is poised for a big finish to his career.”

Curry, a left-handed pitcher from Mount Vernon, Ohio, has started 22 games on the mound for the Cougars over the past two years after transferring to MVNU from the University of Toledo. During that span, the former Mount Vernon High School star has posted a 13-7 record with a 3.40 ERA, four shutouts, 16 complete games, and 100 strikeouts in 140.1 innings. Last year, Curry was named the AMC South Division Pitcher of the Year and selected to both the NAIA Region IX Team and the National Christian College Athletic Association All-American Team. This year, he has a 6-3 record with a 4.74 ERA. In 62.2 innings, he has struck out 40 batters. He also tossed the second perfect game in school history on March 26 versus Cedarville University.

“Levi has been a vital piece to our pitching rotation since transferring here before his junior season,” said Veale. “Some days, Levi is outstanding as evident by his perfect game earlier this year. However, I believe that his best attribute is his ability to compete and win when he does not have his best stuff. We believe we can win against anybody when he takes the mound. Leading off our conference games is a tremendous responsibility and Levi has handled that extremely well. He has been a welcome addition the past two years.”

Yoder, a shortstop from Berlin, Ohio, has started in 94 games the past two years since transferring to MVNU from the College of Wooster. The former Hiland High School standout has posted a .399 career batting average during that span that ranks second in school history. He also has compiled 20 doubles, six triples, 78 RBI, 108 runs scored, and 19 home runs, which ranks 11th in school history. Last year, Yoder was named to the AMC South Division First Team, the NAIA Region IX Team, the NCCAA All-American Team, and the NAIA Honorable Mention All-American Team. This year, he is batting .389 in 42 starts with seven doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 30 RBI, and 45 runs scored.

“Every team needs a catalyst and Ross is ours,” said Veale. “His baseball instincts are exceptional as well as his knowledge of the game. He is a potential game-changer both offensively and defensively. There are a lot of great players, but few make their teammates better like Ross does. His passion for the game is obvious and his competitiveness is infectious. He is another player who has overcome a lot to finish his career here and I am thrilled that he chose to finish his career here. I am proud of the way he has represented our program.”

Burgos, a third baseman from Ponce, Puerto Rico, has put together an outstanding four-year career with the Cougars that has him ranked in the top 10 in nearly every career offensive category. The former Puerto Rico Baseball Academy product ranks first in career walks (126), second in hits (254) and home runs (34), third in batting average (.397) and RBI (189), fourth in runs scored (168), fifth in doubles (49), sixth in at bats (639), eighth in games played (191), and tenth in assists (309). Last year, Burgos was named to the AMC South Division First Team, the NAIA Region IX Team, and the NCCAA All-American Team. This season, he is currently batting .453 (which would tie the school’s single-season mark) with 11 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 35 runs scored, and 51 RBI while also walking 28 times in 42 games. He has been the AMC and NAIA Region IX Player of the Week four of the seven weeks that the awards have been given out this year.

“Richey has had a banner finish to an already accomplished career,” said Veale. “Having him in the middle of our lineup has changed the other teams’ approach to our entire lineup. He is an intense competitor who has extremely high expectations for himself. I have enjoyed his excitement to come to the park every day, and I have appreciated his progress in learning to play with more poise and self-control. Richey will go down as one of the finest hitters in MVNU history. He has grown as a player and a person during his time here.”

In addition to Friday’s doubleheader, the Cougars are also slated to play a doubleheader at Point Park on Thursday starting at 1:00 p.m. MVNU is guaranteed a spot in next week’s four-team NAIA Region IX Tournament by winning at least three of the four games against Point Park.